Chicago Public Library Best Fiction for Younger Readers of 2024

School Library Journal Best Books of 2024

ALSC Notable Children's Books

Indie Next Pick

Ursula finds confidence in seeing the world her own way in another innovative, flipped-format picture book from Caldecott Honor and Geisel Award winner Corey R. Tabor.

Ursula is a happy catfish, swimming through a shimmering river with weeds waving above and a sky full of scrumptious bugs below.

Then one question turns her world upside down.

Is left right? Is right wrong? Which way even is up?

Children will love turning the book upside down and back again as they follow Ursula's humorous journey to self-discovery.

A ribald and uproarious warning to those unschooled in fishy goings-on. --Kirkus, starred review

Why, dear reader, must you NEVER EVER trust fish?

1) They spend all their time in the water where we can't see them.
2) Some are as big as a bus--that is not okay.
3) We don't know what they're teaching in their schools.
4) They are likely plotting our doom.

This nature-guide-gone-wrong is a hilarious, off-the-rails exploration of the seemingly innocent animals that live in the water.

From the creator of the #1 New York Times best-selling and award-winning I Want My Hat Back comes a second wry tale.

When a tiny fish shoots into view wearing a round blue topper (which happens to fit him perfectly), trouble could be following close behind. So it's a good thing that enormous fish won't wake up. And even if he does, it's not like he'll ever know what happened. . . . Visual humor swims to the fore as the best-selling Jon Klassen follows his breakout debut with another deadpan-funny tale.

A short and sweet mini-adventure especially created to introduce the youngest guppies to the popular Pout-Pout Fish

Feeling sleepy? It's time for bed Toddlers will love swimming along with the Pout-Pout Fish as he turns little frowns into sleepy smiles.

Deborah Diesen and Dan Hanna's best-selling Pout-Pout Fish comes flippering and swishing into the hearts and minds of very young children with this compact and fun new tale sure to delight the sleepiest of guppies.

From the creator of the #1 New York Times best-selling and award-winning I Want My Hat Back comes a second wry tale.

When a tiny fish shoots into view wearing a round blue topper (which happens to fit him perfectly), trouble could be following close behind. So it's a good thing that enormous fish won't wake up. And even if he does, it's not like he'll ever know what happened. . . . Visual humor swims to the fore as the best-selling Jon Klassen follows his breakout debut with another deadpan-funny tale.

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

A gift should be big,
And a gift should be bright.
And a gift should be perfect-
Guaranteed to bring delight.
And a gift should have meaning
Plus a bit of bling-zing,
So I'll shop till I drop
For each just-right thing!

Will Mr. Fish find perfect gifts for everyone on his list? Will he finish his shopping in time?

Swim along with The Pout-Pout Fish on his holiday shopping quest. He might just discover that the best gifts of all come straight from the heart.

The funny follow up to the New York Times bestselling The Pout-Pout Fish from Deborah Diesen and Dan Hanna

Mr. Fish wants to help his friend Ms. Clam when she loses her pearl, but though he's fast as a sailfish, as smart as dolphin, and as strong as a shark, Mr. Fish has a secret: he's scared of the dark

Very young children will swim along with Mr. Fish as he journeys deep into the ocean to new and mysterious places. They will discover, as Mr. Fish does, the power of friendship to light the way through the big-big dark.

In this bewitching picture book debut from bestselling fantasy author Katherine Arden, a girl wins an odd-looking goldfish at a county fair that ends up being secretly magical.

When Daisy wins a funny-looking goldfish at a fair, she ignores the mean comments about its appearance. She doesn't mind the dull scales and lumpy head--in fact, she thinks her goldfish is the prettiest thing in the world. However, as Daisy continues caring for the goldfish, something strange starts happening to it . . .

With lyrical writing and stunning illustrations, this enchanting story about a girl and her goldfish reveals--with a touch of magic-- the transformative power of unconditional love and care.

This board book edition in the New York Times-bestselling Pout-Pout Fish series from Deborah Diesen and illustrator Dan Hanna, The Pout-Pout Fish Cleans Up the Ocean, will teach little guppies how to take responsibility for their actions and for the environment.

Mr. Fish and his friends have noticed something strange in their ocean--a big, big MESS! How did it get there? What can they do about it? The closer they look, the more they see where the mess came from . . . and they'll have to work together to get rid of it.

Mr. Fish can't fall asleep in The Pout-Pout Fish and the Can't-Sleep Blues, an unabridged board book conversion of the original jacketed hardcover in the New York Times bestselling Pout-Pout Fish series by writer Deborah Diesen and illustrator Dan Hanna.

Mr. Fish is feeling tired, but he can't seem to snooze.
He's got a bad case of the can't-sleep blues
His friends give good advice, and Mr. Fish tries his best.
But their methods don't work Will he ever get some rest?

Swim along with Mr. Fish as he has trouble falling asleep one night. With help from his friends, he just might figure out a bedtime routine of his own.

Paddle along with Little Fish on a mesmerizing underwater tour of friends spotty and stripy, happy and gripy, hairy and scary, even curly whirly and twisty twirly. From the creator of Maisy comes an eyepopping picture book that is sure to have little ones joining the chorus: Hooray for fish

A short and sweet mini-adventure especially created to introduce the youngest guppies to the New York Times-bestselling Pout-Pout Fish.

Swim along with Mr. Fish as he shows his friends just how much he loves them.

With just one line of text per page, this simple, 12-page board book will send Deborah Diesen and Dan Hanna's much loved Pout-Pout Fish flippering and swishing into the hearts and minds of very young children.

Swim along with Little Fish and meet his many fishy friends in this splashy, splashy riot of color and rhyme under the sea. This eye-popping read-aloud is sure to have buoyant little ones shouting, Hooray for fish

Students work together to raise salmon in the classroom.

Emmy and her classmates have a special hands-on assignment: raising salmon and releasing them into the wild! At school, they learn about the biology, life cycle, and habitat of salmon, and watch them grow from egg stage to fry stage. When Release Day comes, the students wish their fry goodbye and good luck, hoping that one day they'll find their way back to spawn.