The Best New Children’s & YA Books of October
by the Brightly Editors
It might be spooky season, but these books for children and teens are heartwarming, magical, and filled with adventure! Chances are pretty good that you’re collecting ideas for holiday shopping, and you can’t go wrong with a good book or two. So keep reading to discover the best books releasing this month.
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Picture Books
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Meena’s Saturday
Available from:At first glance, this book appears to be a simple story about a girl engaging in a regular Saturday tradition: serving the many guests in her house. However, the girl’s brother is exempt from helping, and she courageously points out the inequality. This story is about a young girl taking a small step toward change.
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Bakery Dragon
Available from:Ember is a tiny dragon who fears he will never have a hoard of gold. However, when this treat-loving dragon meets a baker, he discovers a tastier form of gold — one he can make and share with others.
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Bear in a Bathrobe
Available from:Winter time means Bear dons his fuzzy bathrobe and snuggles up alone in his house to wait out the cold weather. But with encouragement from his friends and the comfort of his bathrobe, Bear braves the outdoors and gets his first taste of snow-filled fun.
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When Digz the Dog Met Zurl the Squirrel
Available from:Readers of all ages will love this heartfelt story about an unlikely friendship from blockbuster movie star Chris Pine! Digz the dog and Zurl the squirrel each feel territorial about the garden. When they meet face-to-face, the rivals discover they have more in common than they thought.
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Where to Hide a Star
Available from:The Boy is back in an all-new story from beloved children’s creator Oliver Jeffers. While playing hide-and-seek, the boy realizes that his friend, the star, has disappeared. With the penguin and the Martian by his side, the boy journeys to the North Pole to find his friend.
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Don’t Think of Tigers
Available from:If you loved The Book with No Pictures and The Monster at the End of This Book, add this story to your nightly reading stack. The narrator breaks the fourth wall by encouraging readers to think of anything (except tigers), and it will appear on the next page. The giggle-worthy results will have you and your kiddos reading this one on repeat.
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Santa’s First Christmas
Beloved children’s creators Mac Barnett and Sydney Smith teamed up to deliver a one-of-a-kind holiday story destined to become a seasonal favorite. Santa delivers Christmas cheer to children everywhere but has never experienced it himself. This year, the elves lovingly create an unforgettable Christmas morning for everyone’s favorite man in red.
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Chapter Books & Middle Grade
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Witchwood: A Ravenfall Novel
Available from:In the third book in the Ravenfall series, best friends Anna and Colin journey to Witchwood to stay with Anna’s relatives. While there, the friends encounter Jewish magic, a grumpy cousin, and an evil force kidnapping all the witches in town. Anna and Colin must figure out who or what is behind the disappearances before they become the next victims.
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The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents
Available from:When a magical troublemaker named Vin arrives at Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents, she knows this is her last chance. But everyone at Last Hope celebrates her wayward magic and encourages mischief. When a former student threatens the school, Vin and her new friends must work together to save their home.
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Never Thirteen
Available from:Kids will be eager to dive into this sequel to Forever Twelve from a beloved children’s novelist. 12-year-old Ivy discovers she is an Ever, an immortal who will never grow up. The only way to reverse the curse of immortality requires Ivy to lose all her memories. Now, she faces an impossible choice: forget everyone she cares about or stay twelve years old forever.
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The Bletchley Riddle
Available from:Take a step back in time to World War II with this novel from two award-winning and bestselling authors. While her older brother, Jakob, works in Britain’s codebreaking factory, Lizzie searches for their missing mother. A series of coded messages and a mysterious inspector have the kids racing to unravel the clues to reveal a life-changing secret.
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Katie the Catsitter 4: The Purrfect Plan
Available from:Graphic novel lovers will want to add this humorous and charming book to their “to-read” lists. This is the fourth book in the series, and Katie is ready to tackle any new challenge that comes her way. With a fancy party, new disguises, and plenty of friends (feline and human), readers have plenty of reasons to pick this one up.
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The Graveyard Gift
Available from:Rosemary is part fae and can foresee people’s deaths. As a new student at Fern’s School for Wayward Fae, Rosemary meets other students with supernatural abilities and is happy to be around kids like herself. However, when one of her classmates vanishes, she knows something sinister is going on. Readers who enjoy spooky shows like Wednesday will love this hair-raising novel!
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On the Block
Available from:Kids who enjoy reading short stories will love this anthology from We Need Diverse Books. Each story in this book takes place in the same apartment building and centers on an immigrant family living there. While the stories don’t necessarily overlap, they weave a unique tapestry that gives readers a peek into several immigrants’ experiences.
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Turning Twelve
Available from:Growing up is tough, and turning twelve means many new changes for Katie. In this companion graphic novel to Growing Pangs, Katie must navigate the challenging and often confusing world of middle school. Puberty, injustices, crushes, and experimenting with hair and makeup make this book a must-read for tweens and young teens.
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YA
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Zodiac Rising
Available from:Boarding school, magic, and murder? Yes, please! The Descendants of the Chinese zodiac relied on twelve statues for their magic — until someone stole them. Now, the Descendants have the chance to steal back the statues and regain their power. To succeed, three paranormal creatures and one human must work together to pull off an impossible heist.
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The Glass Girl
Available from:YA readers won’t want to miss the latest heart-wrenching novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Pieces. The story follows Bella, a teenage girl who turns to alcohol to deal with the pressures of her life. But when a terrible incident lands her in rehab, she realizes that she needs to make some significant changes.
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Heir
Available from:Three teens from vastly different backgrounds come of age in a brutal fantasy world in this highly anticipated novel from the bestselling author of An Ember in the Ashes series. Aiz is a prisoner hungry for vengeance. Sirsha is a hunter tracking a cold-blooded murderer. And Quil is the crown prince, inheriting a throne he didn’t want. If you are looking for your next epic fantasy read, this is it!
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Fledgling
Available from:Age-old rival worlds go head-to-head in this fast-paced fantasy novel. When Raisa’s father arranges her marriage to the Crown Prince of their enemy’s world, she agrees. A meddling cousin and an unexpected romance could derail the wedding and the peace their union promises. Forbidden love, vengeance, and betrayal make this novel an unforgettable read.
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The Judgment of Yoyo Gold
Available from:In this insightful novel from the author of The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen, a young Jewish teen wrestles with her faith and community. Yoyo has always adhered to her Orthodox religion, but when she witnesses how the strict rules can cause harm, she begins to question it. Yoyo turns to TikTok to express her frustrations, but when a video goes viral, she must choose between remaining in her Orthodox mindset or being true to herself.
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