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Some babysitters are forever — just ask 'Señora Mimí'
Illustrations copyright © 2024 by Brittany Cicchese/Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA

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Some babysitters are forever — just ask 'Señora Mimí'

Ana is so excited that her abuela is coming to live with her — until it means saying goodbye to her babysitter. No More Señora Mimí is an ode to caregivers from Meg Medina and Brittany Cicchese.

PICTURE THIS: No More Señora Mimí

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'The Dictionary Story' is a kids' book that defies definition
Copyright © 2024 by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston/Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA on behalf of Walker Books, London

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'The Dictionary Story' is a kids' book that defies definition

Dictionary wants to bring her pages to life but then a hungry alligator chasing a donut crashes into a queen who slips on some soap and chaos ensues. Can Dictionary put herself back together again?

'The Dictionary Story' is a kids' book that defies definition

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To learn 'The Truth About Dragons,' go on a quest through this kids' book
Hanna Cha / Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

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To learn 'The Truth About Dragons,' go on a quest through this kids' book

A little boy must go on a hero's quest — through woods full of oak trees and a bamboo forest — to discover "The Truth About Dragons" in Julie Leung and Hanna Cha's Caldecott Honor children's book.

PICTURE THIS: THE TRUTH ABOUT DRAGONS

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Emergency Quarters

Emergency Quarters Illustrations © 2024 by Gracey Zhang hide caption

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Illustrations © 2024 by Gracey Zhang

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'Emergency Quarters' are for pay phones (remember those?) in a new book by ‘90s kids

Ernesto's mom gives him a quarter every morning. "For emergencies," she says. "If you need me, look for a pay phone." Hey, it was the '90s! But how will Ernesto spend his Emergency Quarters?

'Emergency Quarters' are for pay phones (remember those?) in a new book by ‘90s kids

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When Baby Sloth tumbles out of a tree, Mama Sloth comes for him — s l o w l y
Illustrations © 2024 by Brian Cronin/Rocky Pond Books

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When Baby Sloth tumbles out of a tree, Mama Sloth comes for him — s l o w l y

Did you know on average a sloth will fall out of a tree once a week for its entire life? It's true — and the inspiration for Brian Cronin and Doreen Cronin's new children's book, Mama in the Moon.

PICTURE THIS: MAMA IN THE MOON

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Hold on to your wishes — there's a 'Spider in the Well'
Illustrations © 2024 Jess Hannigan

Author Interviews

Hold on to your wishes — there's a 'Spider in the Well'

There's trouble in the town of Bad Göodsburg! A wishing well has stopped working! NPR's Tamara Keith talks with Jess Hannigan about her new children's book, "Spider in the Well."

Hold on to your wishes — there's a 'Spider in the Well'

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George Takei 'Lost Freedom' some 80 years ago – now he's written that story for kids
Crown Books for Young Readers

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George Takei 'Lost Freedom' some 80 years ago – now he's written that story for kids

When actor George Takei was 4 years old, he was labeled an "enemy" by the U.S. government and sent to a string of incarceration camps. His new children's book about that time is My Lost Freedom.

George Takei 'Lost Freedom' some 80 years ago – now he's written that story for kids

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An immersive museum in Kansas City allows kids to explore their favorite books

Lindsey Anderson sits down to read Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina to her children Orion, 6, Arthur, 4, and Thora Hoke, 1, inside the exhibit inspired by the book inside The Rabbit hOle, an immersive museum dedicated to children's literature, in North Kansas City, Mo. Katie Currid for NPR hide caption

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Katie Currid for NPR

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An immersive museum in Kansas City allows kids to explore their favorite books

A new museum in Kansas City is designed for kids to be immersed in their favorite books, including classics like Goodnight Moon.

Maurice Sendak delights children with new book, 12 years after his death
HarperCollins Publishers

Book News & Features

Maurice Sendak delights children with new book, 12 years after his death

The late author-illustrator, creator of Pierre and Where the Wild Things Are, loved whistling, Mozart, and Mickey Mouse curios. His trademark whimsy can be found in the new book Ten Little Rabbits.

Maurice Sendak delights children with new book, 12 years after his death

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'Buffalo Fluffalo' has had enuffalo in this kids' bookalo
Illustrations © 2024 by Erin Kraan

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'Buffalo Fluffalo' has had enuffalo in this kids' bookalo

'Buffalo Fluffalo' may seem big and intimidating, but it's all puffery. He really just needs some snuggalos from his friends in this rhyming book from author Bess Kalb and illustrator Erin Kraan.

'Buffalo Fluffalo' has had enuffalo in this kids' bookalo

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Dave Eggers wins Newbery, Vashti Harrison wins Caldecott in 2024 kids' lit prizes

Vashti Harrison's Big and Dave Eggers' The Eyes and the Impossible took top honors from the American Library Assocation. Alfred A. Knopf/McSweeney's and Little, Brown and Co. hide caption

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Alfred A. Knopf/McSweeney's and Little, Brown and Co.

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Dave Eggers wins Newbery, Vashti Harrison wins Caldecott in 2024 kids' lit prizes

The top honors in this year's children's book awards from the American Library Association lauded Dave Egger's The Eyes and the Impossible and Vashti Harrison's picture book Big.

Dave Eggers wins Newbery, Vashti Harrison wins Caldecott in 2024 kids' lit prizes

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Mop-mop-swoosh-plop it's rug-washing day in 'Bábo'
Illustrations © 2023 by Anait Semirdzhyan

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Mop-mop-swoosh-plop it's rug-washing day in 'Bábo'

Little Tato sneaks a few cherry plums before grabbing a mop and a hose to help Bábo — her grandmother — with a favorite chore.

Mop-mop-swoosh-plop it's rug-washing day in 'Bábo'

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Inquiring minds want to know: 'How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?'
Illustrations Copyright © 2023 by Jon Klassen

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Inquiring minds want to know: 'How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?'

"How does he do it?" Author Mac Barnett and illustrator Jon Klassen squeeze, squash and generally put Santa through the wringer while trying to answer an age-old Christmas mystery.

Inquiring minds want to know: 'How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?'

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Beware! 'The Baddies' are here to scare your kids — and make them laugh
Illustrations © Axel Scheffler

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Beware! 'The Baddies' are here to scare your kids — and make them laugh

From the author and illustrator of The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom now comes The Baddies: a witch, a troll and a ghost like being bad so much they compete to see who can be the very worst.

Beware! 'The Baddies' are here to scare your kids — and make them laugh

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'This Book Is Banned' introduces little kids to a big topic

Raj Haldar wants his "silly" new picture book to help kids "understand...the dangers of censorship but...also have fun." Sourcebooks hide caption

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Sourcebooks

Book News & Features

'This Book Is Banned' introduces little kids to a big topic

In Raj Haldar's new picture book, a lot of random stuff gets banned: giraffes, avocados, old roller skates. Haldar hopes kids have fun with This Book Is Banned but also learn about censorship.

'This Book Is Banned' introduces little kids to a big topic

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Adults have a lot to say about book bans — but what about kids?

Books seen in an elementary school library in suburban Atlanta on Aug. 18. There have been a growing number of books pulled from school libraries in the past few years. Harkim Wright Sr./AP hide caption

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Harkim Wright Sr./AP

Books

Adults have a lot to say about book bans — but what about kids?

We've heard from parents, authors, activists and other adults about banned books. But we haven't heard much from kids. We asked four young readers to share their thoughts about book bans.

Adults have a lot to say about book bans — but what about kids?

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In The Enchanted Symphony, a young boy named Piccolino harnesses the power of art, nature and community.

In The Enchanted Symphony, a young boy named Piccolino harnesses the power of art, nature and community. Illustrations © 2023 Elly MacKay hide caption

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Illustrations © 2023 Elly MacKay

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A concert audience of houseplants? A new kids' book tells the surprisingly true tale

The latest children's book from Julie Andrews, Emma Walton Hamilton and illustrator Elly McKay is about the power of nature and music. They discussed their creative process in an interview with NPR.

A concert audience of houseplants? A new kids' book tells the surprisingly true tale

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From snow to Dr. Seuss: What Newbery Medalist authors discussed with Kenyan kids

Kwame Alexander (left) and Jerry Craft have each won a Newbery Medal for their children's books. Alexander invited Craft on a trip to Kenya this summer to speak to schoolkids about reading. The kids were impressed. So were the authors. Brian Otieno for NPR hide caption

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Brian Otieno for NPR

Goats and Soda

From snow to Dr. Seuss: What Newbery Medalist authors discussed with Kenyan kids

Kwame Alexander, a poet, and Jerry Craft, an author and illustrator, went to Kenya to encourage reading — and learned a lot in the process.

Rabbit and Opossum come to life in 'Ancient Night' — a new twist on an old legend
Art © 2023 David Álvarez

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Rabbit and Opossum come to life in 'Ancient Night' — a new twist on an old legend

David Álvarez's twist on traditional myths from Mesoamerica is about rivalry, jealousy and making amends. What started as a wordless picture book now has text by author David Bowles.

Rabbit and Opossum come to life in 'Ancient Night' — a new twist on an old legend

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A little boy falls in love with nature in 'Emile and the Field'

Reprinted from EMILE AND THE FIELD. Copyright © 2022 by Kevin Young. Illustrations copyright © 2022 by Chioma Ebinama Make Me a World, an imprint of Random House Children's Books hide caption

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Make Me a World, an imprint of Random House Children's Books

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A little boy falls in love with nature in 'Emile and the Field'

Kevin Young first wrote his story about Emile, a boy in love with a field, as a bedtime poem for his son years ago. Now, it lives on as a picture book with watercolor illustrations by Chioma Ebinama.

A little boy falls in love with nature in 'Emile and the Field'

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