Maurice Sendak once described those for whom he wrote as “children who are never satisfied with patronizing material. Children who understand real emotion and true feeling. Children who are not afraid of emotional truth.” This year, those same kids lost some literary giants in Sendak and many others, including Jean Craighead George, Leo Dillon, Remy Charlip, Else Holmelund Minarik, and Margaret Mahy. what better way to celebrate the unique gifts of those writers than to celebrate the latest creations offered to children, from young readers to tweens. there are more than 20 first-time writers or illustrators on this year’s list, making it clear that today’s children have been left in very capable hands.
There’s plenty to satisfy those who love to feel a chill down the spine, or enjoy mind-blowing twists and turns, or just want something to tickle the funny bone. Along the way, readers will encounter words of wisdom from both fictional characters like Babysitter Boo in Raven, who advises, “Don’t sing until you’re out of the woods. There may be a bear behind the last tree,” or from peers like Larissa Ross. , who states that “it takes courage to go forward” when walking the earth & touching the sky. Readers will be inspired as they learn about people who have faced complex challenges and fought to triumph over great adversity. Or maybe they want to ponder a science puzzle while digging into a black hole that isn’t a hole. indeed, readers can rest assured that there is no shortage of creativity in the world of storytelling. The librarians at the New York Public Library invite you to peruse these offerings and find the right stories to put into the hands of your favorite kids, with a strong dose of imagination and a dash of whimsy.
You are reading: List of 2012 children’s literature books
Committee: Jenny Berggren, Ryan Donovan, Sandra Farag, Louise Lareau, Robyn Mutnick, Theresa Panza, Kristy Raffensberger, Jill Rothstein, Peggy Salwen, Amy Schaub, Robyn Shtadtlender, Stephanie Whelan, Sue Yee. elizabeth bird and jeanne lamb, chairs.
© the new york public library, astor, lenox and tilden foundations, 2012
explore the list:
picture books >>folk and fairy tales >>poetry and songs >>stories for young readers >>stories for older readers >>graphic books >>non-fiction > ;>
You can also download the list in pdf.
illustrated books
and then it’s spring by julie fogliano. Illustrated by Erin E. place. roaring brook press waiting is never easy. In this sweet tale, patience and perseverance pay off when a boy and her dog make the transition from a brown landscape to a green one.
little bear sees blue by ashley wolff. beach lane books is a colorful world. teddy bear and his mommy explore the tones and nuances of nature in this cozy read-aloud preschool story.
beach feet by kiyomi konagaya. Illustrated by Masamitsu Saito. enchanted lion books you can almost feel the sand between your toes at this seaside sensory feast.
boot & marla frazee shoe beach lane books the comfortable routines of two young dogs are torn apart by a pesky squirrel.
boy and robot by ame dyckman. illustrated by dan yaccarino. alfred a. knopf a robot thinks a sleeping boy is broken in this sweet story of unlikely friends.
tale of cats by michael hall. The Greenwillow Books join Lillian, Tilly, and William J as they go round and round and rearrange words in this hilarious kitty adventure.
Creepy carrots! by aaron reynolds. Illustrated by Peter Brown. Simon & Schuster In this dark and funny story, Jasper the bunny suffers sleepless nights as he imagines that the carrots he loves to eat are stalking him.
dog in charge by k. me going Illustrated by Dan Santat. Marking Books for Young Readers “The dog can sit. He can stay. He can even dance. But can he keep the cats at bay?”
eggs 1 2 3 by janet halfmann. illustrated by betsy thompson. blue apple books what comes out of the eggshell? discover the answer in this counting book, puzzle book, and natural history book all in one.
extra thread from mac barnett. Illustrated by Jon Klassen. Balzer & Bray Annabelle’s endless supply of yarn is threatened by an evil Archduke with greedy plans.
ganesha’s sweet tooth by sanjay patel and emily haynes. epic myth from the chronicles books meets the superjumbo jawbreaker in this eye-popping, candy-colored reimagining of a classic Hindu tale.
green by laura vaccaro seeger. Roaring Brook Press For anyone who thinks there’s only one “green” (or just one of any other color), Seeger offers a visual symphony of hues ranging from “sea” to “lime” and “slow” to “wacky.”
happy as football by maribeth boelts. illustrated by lauren castle. candlewick press sierra she loves playing soccer more than anything, but very often her aunt has to work on her game days. the solution? an empty lot, smart planning, and lots of love.
h.o.r.s.e.: a basketball and imagination game by christopher myers. egmont uses “hey, do you want to play a game of h.o.r.s.e.?” bring your bragging, bragging, and other tall tales to the basketball court!
the insomniacs of karina wolf. Illustrated by Ben and Sean Hilts. gram. p. Putnam’s Sons When a family moves across 12 time zones, they discover that sometimes the best time of day is the middle of the night.
it’s a tiger! by david larochelle. Illustrated by Jeremy Tankard. chronicle books a pleasant walk through the jungle turns into a mad fight fueled by repeated encounters with a tiger!
jimmy the greatest! by Jairo Buitrago. Illustrated by Rafael Yockteng. groundwood books jimmy may not have shoes, but he has books and boxing. And sometimes it’s possible to make his dreams come true in his own backyard.
great-grandson of king arthur by kenneth kraegel. mecha press how can you be a heroic knight when the monsters just won’t cooperate?
mama, me and big john, by mara rockliff. illustrated by william bass. wick press it takes all kinds of people to build something as magnificent as a cathedral. John’s mom is part of such an effort in this unique New York story.
the quiet place by sarah stewart. illustrated by david small. farrar, straus & Giroux writing to Ella Lupita’s aunt in Mexico, young Isabel practices her English and describes some weird and wonderful experiences in her new home in America.
exit softly through helen frost. rick lieder photographs. candle wick press who shares your world? “stay still, look closely” and get a bird’s eye view through dramatic photos of our most fascinating neighbors!
high, high and high by ethan long. gram. p. Putnam’s sons, a flock of feathered friends, humorously illustrate the title and similar concepts in this flap-raising book.
z is for moose by kelly bingham. Illustrated by Paul O. zelinsky. greenwillow books z is for wacky when an overzealous moose kidnaps the alphabet despite zebra’s best laid plans.
folk and fairy tales
the elephant’s friend and other tales from ancient india. Told by Marcia Williams. Mecha Press In cheerful, brightly colored cartoons, Williams recounts eight traditional tales featuring greedy and clever animals alike.
Allan Ahlberg’s Goldilocks Variations. Illustrated by Jessica Ahlberg. candlewick press goldilocks meets three bears… then 33 bears… then a family of aliens and more in this imaginative story, complete with flaps and pop-ups.
The Great Race: An Indonesian Cheater’s Tale. Told by Nathan Kumar Scott. illustrated by jagdish chitara. tara books how can a tiny snail beat a mouse deer in a race? This classic story of the confrontation between speed and cunning features dynamic illustrations using traditional Waghari figures and colors.
hans my hedgehog: a tale by the brothers grimm. adapted by kate coombs. Originally written by the Brothers Grimm. Illustrated by John Nickle. Richly detailed illustrations and lush colors brighten this magical account of a lonely but talented violinist born half child, half animal.
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paul bunyan and babe the blue ox: matt luckhurst’s great pancake adventure. Abrams Books for Young Readers Paul and Babe’s enormous love of pancakes led them to build the Rocky Mountains, dig the Grand Canyon, and reform their eating habits in this seriously silly tale.
robin hood. Told by David Calcutt. illustrated by grahame baker-smith. Barefoot Books A dramatic new account of the legendary exploits of Robin, Maid Marian, the Sheriff of Nottingham and other favorite characters, based on historical sources.
the city mouse and the country mouse: a fable by Aesop. Narrated by Helen Ward. Templar Books is a sumptuously illustrated retelling of the classic fable set in 1930s-era New York City at Christmastime.
the wooden sword: a jewish folk tale from afghanistan. adapted by ann redisch stampler. illustrated by carol liddiment. Albert Whitman & company what is happiness? In this Afghan story, a wealthy shah finds an answer after testing the simple faith of a humble craftsman.
poetry and song
Forgive Me I Meant To: Gail Carson Levine’s False Apology Poems. Illustrated by Matthew Cordell. harper unrepentant storytellers of family stories and rhymes sincerely repent their actions in this hilarious offering.
I leave my points: poems of american slavery by cynthia grady. illustrated by michele wood. eerdmans books for young readers, richly colored poems, historical notes, and folk art offer inspiring glimpses of triumph, tragedy, and human resilience.
i lost my hippo by jack prelutsky. Illustrated by Jackie Urbanovic. greenwillow books plus funny, silly, rude verse from our first children’s poet laureate. quirky drawings add to the fun.
leave your dream: a collection of classic children’s poetry. set to music by natalie merchant. illustrated by barbara mcclintock. Farrar Straus Giroux Finely detailed illustrations add elegant visual notes to this selection of beloved poems, both old and new. An accompanying CD, featuring vocalist Merchant, includes 19 songs, one for each poem.
national geographic book of animal poetry. edited by j. Patrick Lewis’s stunning National Geographic photographs and 200 poems “squeak, soar, and roar” in this bountiful bestiary that is a delight to the eyes and ears alike.
outside your window: a first nature book by nicola davies. illustrated by mark hearld. vibrant collage illustrations and playful verse evoke common sights and changes in the natural world season after season.
Tremble me woods!: pirate poems & paintings by douglas florian. Illustrated by Robert Neubecker. beach lane books ar-r-r! This hilarious roundup of rhymes and pranks on the high seas offers everything you ever wanted to know about being a pirate.
To Walk the Earth and Touch the Sky: Poetry and Prose by Lakota Youth at the Red Cloud Indian School. edited by timothy p. mclaughlin illustrated by s. d. Nelson Abrams Books for Young Readers Lakota children write about their lives, hopes, and dreams in powerful free verse. this is a dramatically illustrated collection not to be missed.
stories for younger readers
the adventures of sir balin the ill-fated by gerald morris. Illustrated by Aaron Renier. Houghton Mifflin Children’s Books A knight’s quest to upset a fortune teller’s prediction takes several bizarre turns in this light-hearted Arthurian adventure.
bend over for a day by meg mckinlay. Illustrated by Leila Rudge. candlewick. abby and her weird new neighbor compete to be the first to take home the class duck, but crazy mrs. melvino has a long list of “duck demands” that they must meet first.
the great cake mystery: the first case of precious ramotswe by alexander mccall smith. Illustrated by Iain McIntosh. anchor books beautiful young woman discovers a talent for detective work when she solves a mystery involving mischievous monkeys and sticky cakes.
rabbit & robot: cece bell’s sleepover. wick press. Rabbit’s carefully arranged sleepover goes awry thanks to his fun-loving mechanical friend. this is a delight for emerging readers.
sadie and ratz by sonya hartnett. Illustrated by Ann James. wick press. Hannah’s hands seem to have a mind of their own. They get her into all sorts of trouble!
summer in the city by marie-louise gay and david homel. Illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay. milled wood books Charlie and her family are stuck at home for the summer. bored? Not when it comes to invading skunks, missing siblings, searching for lost pets, and getting caught up in the storm of the century.
the overthrow of sally murphy. Illustrated by Rhian Nest James. wick press. Like the dominoes he loves, John’s world is in danger of collapsing when his best friend is diagnosed with cancer. this story of hope is told in verse.
twelve kinds of ice by ellen bryan obed. illustrated by barbara mcclintock. Poetic writings and evocative illustrations, Houghton Mifflin children’s books capture the warm memories of a skating family in Maine.
stories for older readers
a boy and a bear in a boat by dave shelton. david fickling books a bear rows a boy on an unorthodox nautical journey. expect hungry sea monsters and one last sandwich on the prowl.
friend for me. h. length. Viking This heartwarming story of a boy and his beloved dog separated in the wake of Hurricane Katrina includes an unexpected twist.
the cavendish home for boys and girls by claire legrand. illustrated by sarah watts. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers Twelve-year-old Victoria discovers that a local orphanage is something much more sinister when she sets out to investigate a series of disappearances. This is a terrifying story mixed with chilling secrets and shocking revelations.
louise erdrich charcoal. Kidnapped by twin thugs and whisked away to a strange new land, a young Ojibwe man draws on the strength of his feathered namesake in this new volume in the birchbark house series.
barbara wright’s raven. Examining the wisdom of his grandmother Boo Nanny’s folk ways and his father’s unshakeable belief in the basic goodness of humanity, Moses comes to terms with a terrifying world in this Reconstruction-era story.
the false prince of jennifer a. Nielsen School Press Four orphaned boys must compete against each other to best impersonate the king’s long-lost son. the winner will become the prince. losers will be permanently muted.
flying the dragon by natalie dias lorenzi. Charlesbridge’s cultures collide when Skye, born and raised in America, meets Ella’s cousin Ella Hiroshi, who has just arrived from Japan with Ella’s sick grandfather.
The hero’s guide to saving your kingdom by christopher healy. Illustrated by Todd Harris. Walden Pond Press Only by working together can four imperfect Prince Charmings defeat an evil witch in this light-hearted fantasy adventure.
in a glass darkly by adam gidwitz. dutton children’s books jack, jill, and a three-legged frog escape giants, goblins, and mermaids only to come to a final showdown with child murderers in a vault of bones.
katerina’s wish by jeannie mobley. Margaret K. McElderry’s books, folktales, and rich cultural detail bring to life the story of an immigrant girl and her family’s struggle to leave their mining camp for a farm of their own.
the little rock lions by kristin levine. gram. p. Putnam’s children, two girls, endanger their families when their friendship crosses the color line in 1958 Arkansas.
the incomparable ivan of katherine applegate. Illustrated by Patricia Castelao. Harper, a gorilla at a roadside attraction, describes his past, his present, and how he finds new homes for himself and a newly captured elephant.
pickle: kim baker’s former anonymous fountain point high school prank club. Illustrated by Tim Probert. Roaring Brook Press Ben Diaz conspires with his schoolmates to form a prank club. but problems arise after a practical joke goes too far.
beat up by michael northrop. Scholastic Press Jack Mogens thinks he’s locked into a starting spot on a minor league team until the day he gets hit in the head with a pitch.
back to the willows by jacqueline kelly. Illustrated by Clint Young. Lyrically written and hilariously illustrated, Henry Holt and company in this lyrically written and hilariously illustrated sequel to the classic The Wind in the Willows, the Toad, the Badger, the Rat, and the Mole return for new adventures.
same sun here by silas house and neela vaswani. Candlewick Press River, the son of a Kentucky miner, and Meena, an Indian immigrant girl from New York City, become pen pals and find common ground as they share parts of their lives.
splendours and darkness by laura amy schlitz. Candle Wick Press This delightfully spooky Dickensian melodrama features two orphans, a girl who goes missing, and an evil puppeteer.
starry sky river by grace lin. little, brown and company rendi, a sullen young runaway stranded in a remote chinese town, uncovers secrets, stories and the location of the missing moon.
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summer of the gypsy moths by sara pennypacker. Balzer & After the death of her caregiver, two girls without parents struggle to fend for themselves.
thrice lucky by shelia turnage. Bookmark Books for Young Readers When Jesse Tatum turns up dead in the small town of Tupelo Landing, everyone is a suspect. Now it’s up to Moses and his best friend Dale to form their own detective agency and get to the bottom of this mystery and other unanswered questions.
constance leeds’ unlucky son. A young French Viking with a mysterious past is captured by pirates and sold into slavery in Tunisia in this exciting 15th-century adventure.
vengekeep prophecies by brian farrey. Illustrated by Brett Helquist. harper, a family of con artists, fakes a prophetic tapestry only to find that the terrible events they “predicted” suddenly come true.
the white area of carolyn marsden. carolrhoda books religious differences drive two muslim cousins apart in a poignant but ultimately hopeful story set in conflict-torn baghdad.
wonder of r. J. palace. alfred a. She knows it’s a tumultuous time for homeschooled fifth grader August, his friends and his family as this unusual boy faces his first year at school. an emotional revelation.
graphic books
cardboard by doug tennapel. graphix how do you fight against a cardboard monster? think outside the box!
drama by raina telgemeier. graphix which is harder: making a working cannon for a high school musical or being friends with the boys?
fang! third degree barbarian by michael rex. gram. p. The Sons of Putnam, a young warrior from another dimension, enlists the children of Class 3G to help him protect the legendary Drooling Big Toe.
the flying beaver brothers and the evil penguin plan by maxwell eaton iii. alfred a. Knopf When clueless penguins conspire to create a frozen “world of wonders,” it’s up to furry surfers the Ace and the Bub to stop the ruthless plan.
Watch out for the giants! by Jorge Aguirre. Illustrated by Rafael Rosado. first second what claudette lacks in height she more than makes up for in courage. In the company of Ella’s brother, Ella’s Gaston, and Ella’s friend, Ella’s Marie, she embarks on a monstrous adventure.
legends of zita the space girl by ben hatke. first second zita is back and now she is famous! So famous, in fact, that she has to deal with a robotic twin trying to steal her identity.
white duck: a childhood in china by na liu and andres vera martinez. Graphic Universe These eight beautifully drawn glimpses of tradition and change in China are based on the author’s own earliest memories growing up in the city of Wuhan.
Dangerous Tales of Nathan Hale: The Big Bad Armored! by nathan hale amulets books warning, contains: “blockade runners, corsairs, burning shipyards . . .” The year 1861 was never so much fun.
the secret of the stone frog by david nytra. Toon Books When Leah and Alan wake up in a strange and contrary world that defies the laws of nature, they try to find their way back home.
non-fiction
a black hole is not a hole by carolyn cinemi decristofano. illustrated by michael carroll. charlesbridge immerse yourself in this lively and engaging exploration of one of the most mysterious and misunderstood wonders of our universe.
chuck close: chuck close face book. abrams books for young readers This innovative large-scale portraitist answers children’s questions about his life, his art, and other challenges he’s faced.
Citizen Scientists: Be a Part of Scientific Discovery from Your Own Backyard by Loree Griffin Burns. photographs by ellen harasimowicz. henry holt and the company kids are scientists too! a year of experiments and activities, including butterfly watching in the fall, bird watching in the winter, frog watching in the spring, and ladybug watching in the summer.
creep and flutter: the secret world of bugs and spiders by jim arnosky. top quality children’s books think you know the bugs? think again! Get the facts on everything from mayfly nymphs to praying mantises in this gorgeously illustrated, lettered book.
the fantastic jungles of henri rousseau by michelle markel. Illustrated by Amanda Hall. eerdmans books for young readers a collector achieves his dream of being an artist by painting a world he imagines. with illustrations that echo the style of the self-taught teacher.
the great molasses flood: boston, 1919 by deborah kops. charlesbridge what do you get when 13,000 tons of molasses hits the streets of boston? a complicated situation.
the factory of the human body by dan green. Illustrated by Edmond Davis. kingfisher making a body work is a team effort, so take a look at its mechanics!
Invincible Microbe: Tuberculosis and the Endless Search for a Cure by Jim Murphy and Alison Blank. clarion books offers a terrifying look at the history of a disease that still infects people today.
happened: when bill traylor started drawing for don tate. Illustrated by R. gregory christie. read & low books inc Why did 85-year-old Billy Traylor suddenly pick up a pencil one day and start drawing? as the book says, it just happened.
jonah winter’s jazz age josephine. Illustrated by Marjorie Priceman. atheneum books for young readers young josephine baker “grew up singing nothing but the blues” and took the stage to become the toast of paris and the world. a jazz “fairy tale” with vibrant, high-tempo, high-energy art.
Life in the Ocean: The Story of Oceanographer Sylvia Earle by Claire A. nivola Farrar Straus Giroux follows a modern day explorer who has spent more than 7,000 hours underwater. includes attractive illustrations.
The Mighty Mars Rovers: The Incredible Adventures of Spirit and Opportunity by Elizabeth Rusch. Houghton Mifflin Children’s Books take a journey with the greatest explorers to the Red Planet. a place where no human foot has ever set foot.
monkey colors by darrin lunde. Illustrated by Patricia J. wyne charlesbridge did you know that the baboon with the most colorful face is the leader of the pack? Learn this and other fun facts in this book for young children.
seeker of spirits: the musical journey of john coltrane by gary golio. illustrated by rudy gutierrez. clarion books explores the ups and downs of a legendary jazz artist through dynamic and vivid art.
stay: the true story of ten dogs by michaela muntean. photographs of K. c. Bailey and Steve Kazmierski. school press sometimes a dog and a person meet at just the right time. ten troubled shelter dogs find a loving home and a new life at the circus.
temple grandin: how the girl who loved cows embraced autism and changed the world by sy montgomery. Houghton Mifflin Children’s Books This biography tells the story of an extraordinary scientist who used her autistic experiences to design humane animal processing facilities.
titanic: voices from the disaster by deborah hopkinson. scholastic press you think you only know the whole story, but wait until you read this gripping account in the words of the survivors of history’s most infamous shipwreck.
those rebels, john & barbara kerley tom. Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham. scholastic press here are twin portraits of founding fathers john adams and thomas jefferson – one short, burly and stormy and the other tall, thin and calm. how this odd couple played a pivotal role in shaping the history of the united states of america.
we have work: the birmingham children’s march of 1963, by cynthia y. levinson peachtree publishers would you go to jail for fighting for your rights? these kids did it!
Zombie Makers: True Stories of the Wild Undead by Rebecca L. johnson. Millbrook Press For anyone who thinks zombies aren’t real, here’s an “obvious” introduction to some of the worms, germs, mold, and other parasites that control the minds of their hosts!
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