Best Kids Books of 2025

Every year, librarians and staff at The New York Public Library select noteworthy new kids books for readers and recommend them as their Best Books of the Year. Here are some of their recommendations for kids books in 2025.

1. Amina Banana and the Formula for Friendship by Shifa Saltagi Safadi; illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel. Amina is eager to make friends after moving to Indiana from Syria. She’s sure her formula will lead to success, but it turns out friendships are not as simple as following a recipe.

2. Carousel Summer by Kathleen Gros. Lucy’s bleak summer starts to look up when an artist and her daughter come into town. When she’s invited to help restore the old carousel, new relationships blossom and Lucy dares to speak her truth for the first time.

3. Faith Takes the Train by Kesi Augustine; illustrated by Mokshini. In this quintessential New York story, Faith’s subway journey empowers her to practice social awareness and kindness. Immersive illustrations evoke the sensory symphony of the subway.

4. The Interpreter by Olivia Abtahi; illustrated by Monica Arnaldo. Cecilia has a very important job: translating between Spanish and English for her parents. While she uses her voice to speak for her family, she shies away from expressing what she wants and needs. Will she be able to find balance between being an interpreter and being a kid?

5. Schoolbot 9000 by Sam Hepburn. What would you do if robots took over? Everyone else in town seems excited about the introduction of AI helpers, but it’s up to James to uncover the shady business behind the changes at his school.

6. The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman. Clare the Fox’s solitary existence ushering souls to the Afterlife is upturned by the arrival of a strange visitor. Stuck with this new houseguest, he embarks on a poignant-yet-humorous journey in this fable of self-discovery and connection.

What were some of your favorite kids books in 2025?

Allison Green
Boston Tutoring Services