2026 K-2nd Grade KIDS FAVORITES
Kindergarten—2nd Grade book recommendations for kids, educators, booksellers, librarians, and caregivers of the best children’s books in 2025.
Aggie and the Ghost
By: Matthew Forsythe
Illustrated by:
Matthew Forsythe
Matthew Forsythe
ISBN: 9781534478206
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Holidays / Seasons / Celebrations
Are You a Hungry Monster?
By: Guilherme Karsten
Illustrated by:
Guilherme Karsten
Guilherme Karsten
ISBN: 9780711283404
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Humor
Axolotl and Axolittle
By: Jess Hitchman
Illustrated by:
Sarah Rebar
Sarah Rebar
ISBN: 9781464237904
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Animals
Babies Are Not Bears
By: Linda Lodding
Illustrated by:
Lara Dombret
Lara Dombret
ISBN: 9781478883272
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Animals
The Big Snowdown
By: Katy Hudson
Illustrated by:
Katy Hudson
Katy Hudson
ISBN: 9781684469123
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Social Emotional Learning
The Biggest Dog in the Book
By: Ben Lerwill
Illustrated by:
Mark Chambers
Mark Chambers
ISBN: 9780593965405
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Animals
Bob and Dob: A Tale of Tattling
By: Sean E. Avery
Illustrated by:
Sean E. Avery
Sean E. Avery
ISBN: 9781536236040
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Family / Community
Bruce Saves the Planet
By: Ryan T. Higgins
Illustrated by:
Ryan T. Higgins
Ryan T. Higgins
ISBN: 9781368090209
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Science / Nature
Buffalo Fluffalo and Puffalo
By: Bess Kalb
Illustrated by:
Erin Kraan
Erin Kraan
ISBN: 9780593810309
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Family / Community
Buzz! Boom! Bang!: The Book of Sounds
By: Benjamin Gottwald
Illustrated by:
Benjamin Gottwald
Benjamin Gottwald
ISBN: 9780735846036
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Imagination / Play
Caboose: A Picture Book
By: Travis Jonker
Illustrated by:
Ruth Chan
Ruth Chan
ISBN: 9781419765032
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, School / Education
Calm Your Roar Like a Dinosaur: How to Relax Muscle by Muscle
By: Brenda S. Miles & Colleen A. Patterson
Illustrated by:
John Joseph
John Joseph
ISBN: 9781433844652
Nonfiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Mental / Physical Health
Chalk the Walk
By: Chelsea Tornetto
Illustrated by:
Laurel Aylesworth
Laurel Aylesworth
ISBN: 9781641709682
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Imagination / Play
Charley Mouse Cleans House
By: Katerina Gorelik
Illustrated by:
Katerina Gorelik
Katerina Gorelik
ISBN: 9781636551418
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Folklore / Fairytales / Myths
Cranky, Crabby Crow (Saves the World)
By: Corey R. Tabor
Illustrated by:
Corey R. Tabor
Corey R. Tabor
ISBN: 9780063373587
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Humor
Cute Animals That Could Kill You Dead
By: Booke Hartman
Illustrated by:
María García
María García
ISBN: 9781728285290
Nonfiction, 5–7, Illustrated Prose, Animals
The Distraction Monster
By: Ryan K. Woodall
Illustrated by:
Stevie Mahardhika
Stevie Mahardhika
ISBN: 9781612547121
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Imagination / Play
Dogs Love Books, Too
By: Maria Coco
Illustrated by:
Maria Coco
Maria Coco
ISBN: 9781547613656
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Animals
Don’t Trust Fish
By: Neil Sharpson
Illustrated by:
Dan Santat
Dan Santat
ISBN: 9780593616673
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Animals
Dropbear
By: Philip Bunting
Illustrated by:
Philip Bunting
Philip Bunting
ISBN: 9781623547264
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Social Emotional Learning
E-I-UFO: Old MacDonald Had a Farm
By: Zach von Zonk
Illustrated by:
Benjamin Chaud
Benjamin Chaud
ISBN: 9781797223896
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Animals
The Fib
By: Pedro Iniguez
Illustrated by:
Nathan Kwan
Nathan Kwan
ISBN: 9781962351300
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Social Emotional Learning
Fireworks
By: Matthew Burgess
Illustrated by:
Cátia Chien
Cátia Chien
ISBN: 9780063216723
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Holidays / Seasons / Celebrations
Fish Don’t Go to School
By: Deb Pilutti
Illustrated by:
Deb Pilutti
Deb Pilutti
ISBN: 9780316565271
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Animals
Fish Fry Friday: A Picture Book
By: Winsome Bingham
Illustrated by:
C. G. Esperanza
C. G. Esperanza
ISBN: 9781419766930
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, BIPOC Characters and Creators
Flat Cat: The Class Pet
By: Tara Lazar
Illustrated by:
Pete Oswald
Pete Oswald
ISBN: 9780593404607
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Animals
Goats Afloat
By: Lezlie Evans
Illustrated by:
Julia Patton
Julia Patton
ISBN: 9781662520259
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Animals
Good Morning, Space
By: Linda Bondestam
Illustrated by:
Linda Bondestam
Linda Bondestam
ISBN: 9781632063830
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Imagination / Play
The Grumpy Ghost Upstairs
By: Mamiko Shiotani
Illustrated by:
Mamiko Shiotani
Mamiko Shiotani
ISBN: 9781782509264
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Occult / Paranormal / Supernatural
Hank Meets Frank
By: Maudie Powell-Tuck
Illustrated by:
Duncan Beedie
Duncan Beedie
ISBN: 9781664300729
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Humor
Hedgehogs Don’t Wear Underwear
By: Marissa Valdez
Illustrated by:
Marissa Valdez
Marissa Valdez
ISBN: 9781250814388
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Animals
Humpty’s Great Fall
By: Amy Moore
Illustrated by:
Josh Cleland
Josh Cleland
ISBN: 9781662527968
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Humor
In-Between Places
By: Alex Killian
Illustrated by:
Grady McFerrin
Grady McFerrin
ISBN: 9781452172798
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Social Emotional Learning
Just a Banana
By: Barney Saltzberg
Illustrated by:
Barney Saltzberg
Barney Saltzberg
ISBN: 9781523528837
Fiction, 5–7, Board Book, Imagination / Play
Max and Chaffy: Welcome to Animal Island
By: Jamie Smart
Illustrated by:
Jamie Smart
Jamie Smart
ISBN: 9780593965306
Fiction, 5–7, Graphic Novel, Action / Adventure
Messi’s Magic: How Lionel Messi Became the G.O.A.T.
By: Caroline L. Perry
Illustrated by:
Luciano Lozano
Luciano Lozano
ISBN: 9781546147534
Nonfiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Biography / Memoir
Mindful Nature: Connecting with Our Great Green World
By: Paige Towler
ISBN: 9781433845185
Nonfiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Mental / Physical Health
Minh and the Magic Grains of Rice
By: Ðo Nguyet Hà
Illustrated by:
Lê Phuong Quynh
Lê Phuong Quynh
ISBN: 9781797213330
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, BIPOC Characters and Creators
Miya Wears Orange
By: Wanda John-Kehewin
Illustrated by:
Erika Rodriguez Medina
Erika Rodriguez Medina
ISBN: 9781774921258
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Social Activism / Equality / Feminism
The Monster in the Lake
By: Leo Timmers
Illustrated by:
Leo Timmers
Leo Timmers
ISBN: 9798765670507
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Humor
My Quiet Place
By: Monica Mikai
Illustrated by:
Monica Mikai
Monica Mikai
ISBN: 9781797225319
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Neurodiversity
Night Creatures: Firefly
By: Robert Macfarlane
Illustrated by:
Luke Adam Hawker
Luke Adam Hawker
ISBN: 9781917366175
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Sleep / Dreams / Bedtime
No More Gnomes
By: Beth Mills
Illustrated by:
Beth Mills
Beth Mills
ISBN: 9798765643457
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Social Emotional Learning
Not-So-Bad-Guys Snow Monster
By: Michael Buxton
Illustrated by:
Michael Buxton
Michael Buxton
ISBN: 9798384600572
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Social Emotional Learning
Over and Under the Coral Reef
By: Kate Messner
Illustrated by:
Christopher Silas Neal
Christopher Silas Neal
ISBN: 9781797225357
Nonfiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Science / Nature
Pencil’s Best Story Ever
By: Carly Gledhill
Illustrated by:
Carly Gledhill
Carly Gledhill
ISBN: 9798895090206
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Imagination / Play
Piece Out
By: Alex Willan
Illustrated by:
Alex Willan
Alex Willan
ISBN: 9781662620935
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Action / Adventure
POP! Goes the Nursery Rhyme
By: Betsy Bird
Illustrated by:
Andrea Tsurumi
Andrea Tsurumi
ISBN: 9781454960461
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Animals
Ready, Set, Mango!
By: Tamla T. Young
Illustrated by:
Raz Latif
Raz Latif
ISBN: 9781771475488
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Humor
Recess: A Picture Book
By: Lane Smith
Illustrated by:
Lane Smith
Lane Smith
ISBN: 9781419776892
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, School / Education
There Doesn’t Have to Be A Reason
By: M.C. Kasper
Illustrated by:
M.C. Kasper
M.C. Kasper
ISBN: 9781963511109
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Concepts
This Plant Is NOT Boring
By: Marie Hoy-Kenny
Illustrated by:
Mike Deas
Mike Deas
ISBN: 9781459839076
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Humor
To Catch a Ghost
By: Rachel Michelle Wilson
Illustrated by:
Rachel Michelle Wilson
Rachel Michelle Wilson
ISBN: 9781339031958
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Friendships
Torrible Puns: A Collection of Punny Poems
By: Tricia Torrible
Illustrated by:
Robert Dunn
Robert Dunn
ISBN: 9781957655468
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Humor
The Trouble with Giraffes
By: Lisa Mantchev
Illustrated by:
Taeeun Yoo
Taeeun Yoo
ISBN: 9781665962766
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Animals
Vida: The Mice, the Cat, and the Alebrije
By: Duncan Tonatiuh
Illustrated by:
Duncan Tonatiuh
Duncan Tonatiuh
ISBN: 9781419764592
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Animals
Welcome to Whalebone Mansion: Creatures That Lurk at a Whale Fall
By: Laken Slate
Illustrated by:
Bindy James
Bindy James
ISBN: 9781623545789
Nonfiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Animals
Why Do Okapis Look So Funny?: A Book about Rainforest Animals
By: Jack Beard
Illustrated by:
Jayri Gomez
Jayri Gomez
ISBN: 9781486731145
Nonfiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Animals
The Wombats Go Wild for Words
By: Beth Ferry
Illustrated by:
Lori Nichols
Lori Nichols
ISBN: 9780593711057
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Animals
Zip Zap Wickety Wack
By: Matthew Diffee
Illustrated by:
Matthew Diffee
Matthew Diffee
ISBN: 9780823458714
Fiction, 5–7, Picture Book, Humor
