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Best Kids Books of the Year 2021

There were so many wonderful books for young readers published in 2021. Here are the ones that our staff selected as the best of the year. Click on each title or book cover to read our staff recommendation. Don't miss our other Best Books of the Year lists here.

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Something Good By Marcy Campbell, Corinna Luyken (Illustrator) Cover Image

Something Good (Hardcover)

By Marcy Campbell, Corinna Luyken (Illustrator)
$18.99
ISBN: 9780759557420
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - October 19th, 2021
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Milo Imagines the World By Matt de la Peña, Christian Robinson (Illustrator) Cover Image

Milo Imagines the World (Hardcover)

By Matt de la Peña, Christian Robinson (Illustrator)
$18.99
ISBN: 9780399549083
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers - February 2nd, 2021
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We All Play By Julie Flett, Julie Flett (Illustrator) Cover Image

We All Play (Hardcover)

By Julie Flett, Julie Flett (Illustrator)
$17.95
ISBN: 9781771646079
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Greystone Kids - May 25th, 2021
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Eyes That Kiss in the Corners By Joanna Ho, Dung Ho (Illustrator) Cover Image

Eyes That Kiss in the Corners (Hardcover)

By Joanna Ho, Dung Ho (Illustrator)
$17.99
ISBN: 9780062915627
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: HarperCollins - January 5th, 2021
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Outside, Inside By LeUyen Pham, LeUyen Pham (Illustrator) Cover Image

Outside, Inside (Hardcover)

By LeUyen Pham, LeUyen Pham (Illustrator)
$18.99
ISBN: 9781250798350
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Roaring Brook Press - January 5th, 2021
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The Midnight Fair By Gideon Sterer, Mariachiara Di Giorgio (Illustrator) Cover Image

The Midnight Fair (Hardcover)

By Gideon Sterer, Mariachiara Di Giorgio (Illustrator)
$17.99
ISBN: 9781536211153
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Candlewick - February 2nd, 2021
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Watercress By Andrea Wang, Jason Chin (Illustrator) Cover Image

Watercress (Hardcover)

By Andrea Wang, Jason Chin (Illustrator)
$18.99
ISBN: 9780823446247
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Neal Porter Books - March 30th, 2021
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The Big Bath House By Kyo Maclear, Gracey Zhang (Illustrator) Cover Image

The Big Bath House (Hardcover)

By Kyo Maclear, Gracey Zhang (Illustrator)
$17.99
ISBN: 9780593181959
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Random House Studio - November 16th, 2021
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Bright Star By Yuyi Morales Cover Image

Bright Star (Hardcover)

By Yuyi Morales
$18.99
ISBN: 9780823443284
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Neal Porter Books - September 7th, 2021
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Out of Nowhere By Chris Naylor-Ballesteros, Chris Naylor-Ballesteros (Illustrator) Cover Image

Out of Nowhere (Hardcover)

By Chris Naylor-Ballesteros, Chris Naylor-Ballesteros (Illustrator)
$17.99
ISBN: 9781534481008
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - March 9th, 2021
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I Am an American: The Wong Kim Ark Story By Martha Brockenbrough, Grace Lin, Julia Kuo (Illustrator) Cover Image

I Am an American: The Wong Kim Ark Story (Hardcover)

By Martha Brockenbrough, Grace Lin, Julia Kuo (Illustrator)
$18.99
ISBN: 9780316426923
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - November 23rd, 2021
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Bodies Are Cool By Tyler Feder, Tyler Feder (Illustrator) Cover Image

Bodies Are Cool (Hardcover)

By Tyler Feder, Tyler Feder (Illustrator)
$18.99
ISBN: 9780593112625
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Rocky Pond Books - June 1st, 2021
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Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre By Carole Boston Weatherford, Floyd Cooper (Illustrator) Cover Image

Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre (Hardcover)

By Carole Boston Weatherford, Floyd Cooper (Illustrator)
$17.99
ISBN: 9781541581203
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Carolrhoda Books (R) - February 2nd, 2021
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Too Small Tola By Atinuke, Onyinye Iwu (Illustrator) Cover Image

Too Small Tola (Hardcover)

By Atinuke, Onyinye Iwu (Illustrator)
$15.99
ISBN: 9781536211276
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Candlewick - March 2nd, 2021
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Training Day: El Toro & Friends (World of ¡Vamos!) By III Raúl the Third Cover Image

Training Day: El Toro & Friends (World of ¡Vamos!) (Hardcover)

By III Raúl the Third
$9.99
ISBN: 9780358380382
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Versify - May 4th, 2021
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Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey By Erin Entrada Kelly, Erin Entrada Kelly (Illustrator) Cover Image

Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey (Hardcover)

By Erin Entrada Kelly, Erin Entrada Kelly (Illustrator)
$18.99
ISBN: 9780062970428
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Greenwillow Books - May 4th, 2021
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Stuntboy, in the Meantime By Jason Reynolds, Raúl the Third (Illustrator) Cover Image

Stuntboy, in the Meantime (Hardcover)

By Jason Reynolds, Raúl the Third (Illustrator)
$13.99
ISBN: 9781534418165
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books - November 30th, 2021
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Amari and the Night Brothers (Supernatural Investigations #1) By B. B. Alston Cover Image

Amari and the Night Brothers (Supernatural Investigations #1) (Hardcover)

By B. B. Alston
$18.99
ISBN: 9780062975164
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Balzer + Bray - January 19th, 2021
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Willodeen By Katherine Applegate, Charles Santoso (Illustrator) Cover Image

Willodeen (Hardcover)

By Katherine Applegate, Charles Santoso (Illustrator)
$16.99
ISBN: 9781250147400
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Feiwel & Friends - September 7th, 2021
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Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids By Cynthia L. Smith Cover Image

Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids (Hardcover)

By Cynthia L. Smith
$19.99
ISBN: 9780062869944
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Heartdrum - February 9th, 2021
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The Beatryce Prophecy By Kate DiCamillo, Sophie Blackall (Illustrator) Cover Image

The Beatryce Prophecy (Hardcover)

By Kate DiCamillo, Sophie Blackall (Illustrator)
$19.99
ISBN: 9781536213614
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Candlewick - September 28th, 2021
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Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance By Nikki Grimes Cover Image

Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance (Hardcover)

By Nikki Grimes
$18.99
ISBN: 9781681199443
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Bloomsbury Children's Books - January 5th, 2021
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Da Vinci's Cat By Catherine Gilbert Murdock Cover Image

Da Vinci's Cat (Hardcover)

By Catherine Gilbert Murdock
$17.99
ISBN: 9780063015258
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Greenwillow Books - May 25th, 2021
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Kaleidoscope By Brian Selznick Cover Image

Kaleidoscope (Hardcover)

By Brian Selznick
$19.99
ISBN: 9781338777246
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Scholastic Press - September 21st, 2021
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Dead Wednesday By Jerry Spinelli Cover Image

Dead Wednesday (Hardcover)

By Jerry Spinelli
$17.99
ISBN: 9780593306673
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Knopf Books for Young Readers - August 3rd, 2021
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The Girl from the Sea: A Graphic Novel By Molly Knox Ostertag Cover Image

The Girl from the Sea: A Graphic Novel (Paperback)

By Molly Knox Ostertag
$14.99
ISBN: 9781338540574
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Graphix - June 1st, 2021
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The Accursed Vampire By Madeline McGrane, Madeline McGrane (Illustrator) Cover Image

The Accursed Vampire (Paperback)

By Madeline McGrane, Madeline McGrane (Illustrator)
$12.99
ISBN: 9780062954343
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Quill Tree Books - July 27th, 2021
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Barb the Last Berzerker By Dan Abdo, Jason Patterson, Dan & Jason, Dan Abdo (Illustrator), Jason Patterson (Illustrator) Cover Image

Barb the Last Berzerker (Hardcover)

By Dan Abdo, Jason Patterson, Dan & Jason, Dan Abdo (Illustrator), Jason Patterson (Illustrator)
$13.99
ISBN: 9781534485716
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - September 28th, 2021
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The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor By Shaenon K. Garrity, Christopher Baldwin (Illustrator) Cover Image

The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor (Paperback)

By Shaenon K. Garrity, Christopher Baldwin (Illustrator)
$14.99
ISBN: 9781534460867
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Margaret K. McElderry Books - July 20th, 2021
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Monster Friends: (A Graphic Novel) By Kaeti Vandorn Cover Image

Monster Friends: (A Graphic Novel) (Hardcover)

By Kaeti Vandorn
$12.99
ISBN: 9781984896827
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Random House Graphic - June 22nd, 2021
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Ace of Spades By Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé Cover Image

Ace of Spades (Hardcover)

By Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
$18.99
ISBN: 9781250800817
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Feiwel & Friends - June 1st, 2021
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This Poison Heart By Kalynn Bayron Cover Image

This Poison Heart (Hardcover)

By Kalynn Bayron
$18.99
ISBN: 9781547603909
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Bloomsbury YA - June 29th, 2021
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Firekeeper's Daughter By Angeline Boulley Cover Image

Firekeeper's Daughter (Hardcover)

By Angeline Boulley
$19.99
ISBN: 9781250766564
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) - March 16th, 2021
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Last Night at the Telegraph Club By Malinda Lo Cover Image

Last Night at the Telegraph Club (Hardcover)

By Malinda Lo
$18.99
ISBN: 9780525555254
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Dutton Books for Young Readers - January 19th, 2021
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Concrete Rose: A Printz Honor Winner By Angie Thomas Cover Image

Concrete Rose: A Printz Honor Winner (Hardcover)

By Angie Thomas
$21.99
ISBN: 9780062846716
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Balzer + Bray - January 12th, 2021
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A Sitting in St. James By Rita Williams-Garcia Cover Image

A Sitting in St. James (Hardcover)

By Rita Williams-Garcia
$17.99
ISBN: 9780062367297
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Quill Tree Books - May 25th, 2021

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