What better way to ring in the new year than with a bunch of terrific fresh reads? These are the new books for January 2025 we’re most excited to check out.
- Fiction Picture Books
- Easy Reader/Chapter Books
- Middle Grade Fiction
- Young Adult Fiction
- Graphic Novels for All Ages
- Nonfiction for All Ages
- Books for Teachers
New Fiction Picture Books in January 2025
Soy Sauce! by Laura G. Lee
Discover the long process of making the savory sauce that makes everything taste so good. Kids and adults alike will be surprised to learn just how many different soy sauce recipes there are!
Buy it: Soy Sauce!
Girls on the Rise by Amanda Gorman, ill. by Loveis Wise
Inaugural poet and author Amanda Gorman is back with another lovely and inspiring picture book, this one focused on empowering girls of all kinds. It’s a must-read for all kids, regardless of gender.
Buy it: Girls on the Rise
The Interpreter by Olivia Abtahi, ill. by Monica Arnaldo
Cecilia is bilingual, but her parents only speak Spanish. That means she winds up serving as their interpreter pretty much everywhere they go. Sometimes it’s fun, but other times she feels overwhelmed. Follow her story as she finally finds her own voice (in both languages).
Buy it: The Interpreter
Seven Little Ducklings by Annette LeBlanc Cate
Looking for a fun new counting book to add to your collection? Join a mother duck as she goes in search of her lost ducklings and finds some other new friends along the way.
Buy it: Seven Little Ducklings
On Our Way! What a Day! by JaNay Brown-Wood, ill. by Tamisha Anthony
Six siblings set off to their grandmother’s house to celebrate her birthday, looking for the perfect present along the way. They find lots of cool things to keep for themselves, but what can they give their beloved Gram?
Buy it: On Our Way! What a Day!
New Easy Reader/Chapter Books in January 2025
Lucy Lancaster Has a Secret by Willow Coven, ill. by Priscilla Burris
Heidi Heckelbeck’s BFF is getting her own chapter book series! In the opener, Lucy gets the hiccups, which leads to a very surprising discovery about herself. Perfect for fans of the original series or readers new to this fictional world.
Buy it: Lucy Lancaster Has a Secret
Ava Lin, One of a Kind by Vicky Fang
In this follow-up to the first book in the series, Ava Lin is trying to fill her kindness bucket to win a coveted prize. But if you’re doing kind things just to get something in exchange, are you really being kind?
Buy it: Ava Lin, One of a Kind
Seashell Key: The Monster Storm by Lourdes Heuer, ill. by Lynnor Bontigao
This collection of four linked short tales follows the Seashell Key friends as they enter fall festival competitions, learn to swim, face a monster storm, and track down a beloved pet. This is the third entry in the series; seek out the first two for more adventures.
Buy it: Seashell Key: The Monster Storm
New Middle Grade Fiction Books in January 2025
Kidnapped From Ukraine: Under Attack by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch
It’s hard for most kids to imagine life in a war zone, but others live it every day. Dariia and her mother were away from their apartment when the 2022 attacks on Ukraine began, and huddled with others in a basement until they barely escaped a bombing that kills most of the others. When they emerged, Dariia and the other children were taken by Russian soldiers to be “saved” and adopted by Russian parents. This novel is heart-wrenching but an excellent way to explore the injustices of a war still being waged today.
Buy it: Kidnapped From Ukraine
Old School by Gordon Korman
Dexter is 12 and grew up living and being homeschooled at his grandmother’s retirement community. He’s much better at connecting with senior citizens than kids his own age, so when he has to enter public school, the adjustment isn’t easy, to say the least. Ultimately, Dexter has to decide which is right for him … old school or new?
Buy it: Old School
Scattergood by H.M. Bouwman
Twelve-year-old Peggy is facing a lot of the usual challenges of growing up in 1941, but a first crush and a first dance pale in comparison to the war raging abroad. When her best friend is diagnosed with leukemia, Peggy turns her focus to finding a cure, but discovers that some things (perhaps most things) are simply out of our control.
Buy it: Scattergood
Danilo Was Here by Tamika Burgess
Young teen Danilo is a local baseball star whose father went to America and then disappeared. But that’s all overshadowed by Operation Just Cause, the United States’ 1989 military invasion to oust dictator Manuel Noriega. Now he and his family are refugees living in an airplane hanger, trying to stay alive. When Danilo has a chance to go to California to play baseball, he wonders if it might also help him find his father. Is it worth leaving his family behind?
Buy it: Danilo Was Here
The Secret of Honeycake by Kimberly Newton Fusco
Eleven-year-old Hurricane has faced too many tragedies, including losing her father in World War I and her mother to tuberculosis, and now she rarely speaks. She relies on her guardian and older sister, Bronte—who herself has been diagnosed with TB and sent to an asylum. Hurricane finds herself in a big house in a new city, living with her rich and rigid great aunt. Fortunately, some new friends help forge a connection between the two, giving everyone a new beginning.
Buy it: The Secret of Honeycake
New Young Adult Fiction Books in January 2025
The Last Bookstore on Earth by Lily Braun-Arnold
After the Storm nearly wipes out life on Earth, Liz doesn’t know what to do. So, she just keeps on going to work at the bookstore, occasionally trading books for supplies, mostly enjoying the solitude. But another Storm is approaching, and the shop is falling apart. Enter Maeve, a fellow teen, who helps fix up the shop and, eventually, breaks down Liz’s barriers.
Buy it: The Last Bookstore on Earth
The Queen’s Spade by Sarah Raughley
In 1850, a British ship captain abducts an enslaved princess of the African Yoruba tribe and offers her to Queen Victoria. She’s meant to symbolize “the victory of British abolitionism,” and Victoria makes the girl her ward, raising her to take her place in court life. Now 18 and known as Sally, the former princess decides she’s tired of being used as propaganda, and takes dangerous steps to seek revenge and take control over her own life at last. This “based-on-a-true-story” novel will grip readers from start to shocking finish.
Buy it: The Queen’s Spade
Honeysuckle and Bone by Trisha Tobias
Jamaican American teen Carina has the chance to escape her own dark past and return to her mother’s ancestral island as a nanny to a wealthy family. But Carina’s secrets have followed her, and now they’re literally haunting her day and night. It will take help from new friends and the willingness to come clean about her past to help Carina get the fresh start she’s always wanted.
Buy it: Honeysuckle and Bone
All the Love Under the Vast Sky edited by Kip Wilson
This collection of 12 short stories told in verse by a variety of authors explores love in all its incarnations throughout the ages. Tales from the past and present represent a diverse cast of characters, each learning the meaning of love in their own way. It’s a unique look at the most powerful emotion of them all, and every teen will find a tale here that speaks to their heart.
Buy it: All the Love Under the Vast Sky
New Graphic Novels in January 2025
The Adventures of Invisible Boy: Zeroes to Heroes by Doogie Horner
Invisible Boy is back in a new graphic novel adventure! He and superhero pal Gene team up to fight crime, including serious vandalism at Stanley’s family store. Can the two superpowered kids save the day? (Grades 3–7)
Fresh Start by Gale Galligan
Ollie’s used to fresh starts—her dad is a diplomat and they frequently move from place to place. Things change suddenly when her family buys a house in Virginia and settles down to allow Ollie and her sister to finish school in one place. For the first time, Ollie has to stick around and deal with friendships, local culture, and the effects of her own unique personality, because this time, there’s no fresh start waiting for her. (Grades 3–7)
Buy it: Fresh Start
Chickenpox by Remy Lai
Twelve-year-old Abby is fed up with her family. It’s 1994 in Indonesia, and she’s suddenly quarantined at home with her crazy siblings as they all recover from chickenpox. It’s rough going at first, but over time, Abby finds ways to embrace big sisterhood and the “wild zoo” that makes up her family home. (Grades 3–7)
Buy it: Chickenpox
Ellis Island (History Comics) by Felipe Galindo Feggo, ill. by Tait Howard
Many American kids can trace someone in their ancestry to Ellis Island, which was the gateway to the “American Dream” for many. Learn the story of this fascinating place and the people who passed through its doors in the latest entry in the graphic nonfiction History Comics series. (Grades 4–9)
Buy it: Ellis Island (History Comics)
Song of a Blackbird by Maria van Lieshout
Annick’s grandmother has leukemia. In the search to find her a bone marrow donor, Annick discovers she’s not biologically related to the rest of her siblings. As she explores Oma’s past, Annick discovers her involvement in an amazing story of a World War II–era bank heist in Amsterdam. With an omniscient blackbird for a narrator throughout the alternating timelines, this graphic novel is a unique addition to your young adult collection. (Grades 7–12)
Buy it: Song of a Blackbird
New Nonfiction for All Ages in January 2025
The House on the Canal by Thomas Harding, ill. by Britta Teckentrup
Older readers will recognize this Amsterdam house as the one that sheltered Anne Frank and her family. Young ones get an introduction to the tragic tale in an age-appropriate way, through the eyes of the house that saw history unfold. (Grades 1–4)
Buy it: The House on the Canal
Earth’s Incredible Places: The Sahara by Christina Webb, ill. by Muti
This massive desert captures the imagination, making this book a fascinating read for kids of all ages. Explore the wildlife, climate, landscape, and culture of this enigmatic region, with beautiful illustrations that perfectly complement the text. (Grades 1–5)
Innovative Octopuses, Half-Brained Birds, and More Animals With Magnificent Minds by Christina Couch, ill. by Daniel Duncan
The title says it all! Dive deep into animal brains in this fascinating exploration of wildlife behavior, and learn more about human brains too. (Grades 4–8)
Buy it: Innovative Octopuses, Half-Brained Birds, and More Animals With Magnificent Minds
Seeds of Discovery by Lori Alexander, ill. by Rebecca Santo
A century ago, women in science were rare, but that didn’t stop Barbara McClintock. Her early experience with corn genes led her to important work in genetics that would eventually win her the Nobel Prize. This engaging book brings McClintock to life, sharing stories about her jazz banjo skills amid easy-to-understand explanations about her groundbreaking work. (Grades 4–8)
Buy it: Seeds of Discovery
Who Owns the Moon? by Cynthia Levinson and Jennifer Swanson
Does planting your flag really mean anything on the moon? Who gets first priority to land and resources? What might a colonized moon look like? Explore the answers to these intriguing questions and more in this new nonfiction book. (Grades 9–12)
Buy it: Who Owns the Moon?
Best New Books for Teachers in January 2025
Deliberately Different by Judith M. von Seldeneck and Aileen K. Alexander
Learn about ways to bridge the generation gap, and find out which leadership skills matter most in a changing world. The conversational tone of this book makes it accessible and engaging, as two women exchange ideas about how things have changed and how leaders can adapt and succeed.
Buy it: Deliberately Different
Outraged by Kurt Gray
These days, it can seem like everything is a controversial topic, and everyone has a deep, heartfelt opinion. Those who rely on logic to prove their points often feel stymied; as this book notes, facts aren’t necessarily the way to win hearts (and votes). It’s a hard truth to accept, but once you do, you can find new ways to connect with and persuade people to consider different points of view.
Buy it: Outraged
Dangerous Learning by Derek W. Black
One popular method of oppression throughout history has been denying literacy to the oppressed. This was common in the American South for centuries, and the practice left a legacy of disadvantage that persists today. As some seek to use lack of literacy as a weapon once again, the subject of this book seems more timely than ever.
Buy it: Dangerous Learning
What new books are you most excited to add to your classroom shelves in January 2025? Come share your thoughts in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook!
Plus, check out 37 Inspiring Martin Luther King Jr. Books for Kids of All Ages.
