Kids Indie Next List | IndieBound.org

What is the Kids’ Next List?

The Kids’ Next List is your next great read! This bi-monthly list features the top nominations from independent booksellers across the country, showcasing the best of the best debuts and new releases in all categories and genres for young readers.

November/December 2024 Kids Indie Next List

#1 Pick

The Bletchley Riddle

Ruta Sepetys, Steve Sheinkin (Viking Books for Young Readers)

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“The Bletchley Riddle is told by a brother and sister who deal with their mother's puzzling disappearance in opposite ways. Full of humor, family, the basics of code breaking, and an actual WWII code-breaking site, Bletchley Park. So much fun!”

— Stephanie Ledyard, Interabang Books, Dallas, TX

Picture Books

All the Books

By Hayley Rocco, John Rocco

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

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“Piper Waterstone loves her books! She loves them so much, she wants to keep them forever. When she discovers the library, she learns the art of sharing and friendship in this beautiful picture book.” — Rae Ann Parker, Parnassus Books, Nashville, TN

The Bakery Dragon

By Devin Elle Kurtz

Knopf Books for Young Readers

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“There's nothing better than bread…or dragons. When combined, you get a wonderful and rich story filled with only the best things. Best of all, this charming little book has a good message about sharing. The illustrations are magical!” — Anna Rose Carleton, The Well-Read Moose, Coeur d'Alene, ID

The Café at the Edge of the Woods

By Mikey Please, Mikey Please

HarperCollins

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“Oh my goodness, what an endearing, quirky little folktale. It’s goofy in a subtly clever way, with instant-classic feeling illustrations to boot. I think adults will get a kick out of it as much as children.” — Leah Atlee, Bright Side Bookshop, Flagstaff, AZ

Drawn Onward

By Daniel Nayeri, Matt Rockefeller

HarperAlley

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“Now here is a grief book that I can recommend. As a mom, it is healing to read. The sparse prose says just enough. The rich illustrations carry it along and fill the reader up. A beautiful book.” — Naomi Chamblin, Napa Bookmine, Napa, CA

Frostfire

By Elly MacKay

Tundra Books

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“Frostfire is a winter-tastic picture book for young readers! The illustrations are beautifully done, detailed yet allows readings to get lost in the whimsical winter following sisters in a snowy kingdom. A book for imagination lovers.” — Sophie Murray, Tsunami Books, Eugene, OR

In Praise of Mystery

By Ada Limón, Peter Sís

Norton Young Readers

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“Beautiful illustrations accompany this quiet poem written about our awe of the universe. The poem is engraved on NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft, which is scheduled to launch in October 2024 and journey to Jupiter’s second moon.” — Aerie Brown, Blue Willow Bookshop, Houston, TX

Knight Owl and Early Bird (The Knight Owl Series #2)

By Christopher Denise

Christy Ottaviano Books

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“Our beloved Knight Owl is back, and this time he’s got a friend — a very bright, very chatty Early Bird, who is Owl’s opposite in many ways. Can both of them be good knights despite their differences? Extremely adorable, sweet, and funny.” — Andrew King, Ridgecrest Books, Shoreline, WA

Open Me...I'm a Dog

By Art Spiegelman

Toon Books

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“Open Me…I'm a Dog! uses clever word play and mixed media to encourage kids to have a hands-on experience. Spiegelman uses a combination of artistic styles to illustrate the story. This is a great book to introduce to a toddler and bring out for story time.” — Lea Bickerton, The Tiny Bookstore, Pittsburgh, PA

Santa's First Christmas

By Mac Barnett, Sydney Smith

Viking Books for Young Readers

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“Thank you Mac Barnett and Sydney Smith for another Christmas classic. Through understated but powerful prose and warm, cozy images, this delightful origin story reminds readers that the best gifts we can give others will always be joy and love!” — Christopher Rose, Andover Bookstore, Andover, MA

A Stickler Christmas (A Stickler Story)

By Lane Smith

Random House Studio

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“Stickler knows just what to get everyone for Christmas: sticks! Each one is special, including Doug-the-Fir’s stick, which Stickler supplements with his own version of holiday cheer. No previous Stickler introduction needed for this silly Christmas joy!” — Tildy Lutts, Belmont Books, Belmont, MA

Middle Grade

Bog Myrtle

By Sid Sharp

Annick Press

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“I LOVE THIS GRAPHIC NOVEL! Fantastic illustrations perfectly depict the story’s changing moods. Problems are solved righteously with humor. And I love that spiders are depicted as the intelligent, valuable creatures they are.” — Kay Wosewick, Boswell Book Company, Milwaukee, WI

Bye Forever, I Guess

By Jodi Meadows

Holiday House

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“Never want to say goodbye to Bye Forever, I Guess! The perfect middle grade novel about the changing nature of friendship, finding your fit while remaining true to yourself, and where to sit at lunch. Plus, a focus on nerdy girls rocks!” — Susan Williams, M. Judson Booksellers & Storytellers, Greenville, SC

Detective Beans: and the Case of the Missing Hat

By Li Chen

Andrews McMeel Publishing

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“What’s a cat to do when their detective hat goes missing? Follow Detective Beans as he tracks down clues across the city to find his missing hat. This is a heartfelt and hilarious graphic novel that I had a blast reading!” — Katrina Bright-Yerges, Books & Company, Oconomowoc, WI

The Graveyard Gift (Fern's School for Wayward Fae #1)

By Fern Forgettable, Piper CJ

Random House Books for Young Readers

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“This book gave me all the Wednesday Addams vibes. Young Rosemary can see how people die. She’s a student a Fern’s school for other demi-fae. When classmate goes missing, she’ll have to use her gifts to find him. Mystery, friendship and so much more!” — Morgan DePerno, Bookmarks, Winston-Salem, NC

The Hotel Balzaar (The Norendy Tales)

By Kate DiCamillo, Júlia Sardà

Candlewick

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“This gorgeous little puzzle-box of a tale has everything: a parrot with loads of personality, the mystery of a missing father, and glittering, nuggets of magic. Marta’s life inside the colorful Hotel Balzaar has plenty of heart.” — Ellie Ray, Content Bookstore, Northfield, MN

Jasmine Is Haunted

By Mark Oshiro

Starscape

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“Latinx main characters! Age-appropriate LGBTQ+ themes! Paranormal activity! Mark Oshiro beautifully delivers this story of grief, moving on, and finding community who understands.” — Karen Fiorini, Little Shop of Stories, Decatur, GA

The Last Dragon on Mars (The Dragonships Series #1)

By Scott Reintgen

Aladdin

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“This is a book filled to the brim with adventure and wonder. The setting and worldbuilding are amazing. I think any kid (or kid-at-heart) will find something to love — I mean, the dragons can power spaceships. Need I say more?” — Jenny Ancik, Best of Books, Edmond, OK

The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science

By Kate McKinnon

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

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“Get ready for a fast-paced adventure with the Porch Sisters. Kate McKinnon’s middle-grade debut is full of monsters, slugs, orphans, exciting science experiments, and villains. Gertrude, Eugenia, and Dee-Dee will captivate you immediately.” — Rachel Watkins, Avid Bookshop, Athens, GA

Noodle & Bao

By Shaina Lu, Shaina Lu

Quill Tree Books

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“Momo’s town is becoming more expensive and edging out small businesses like Noodle and Bao’s beloved restaurant. This book is an incredibly helpful tool for helping young people understanding gentrification and its impact — and it’s just a great story.” — Milo Michels, University Book Store, Seattle, WA

Stella & Marigold (Stella and Marigold)

By Annie Barrows, Sophie Blackall

Chronicle Books

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“As she did for friendship in the Ivy & Bean series, Barrows now focuses on siblings. One of the best things a big sister can do is provide imagination that offers endless entertainment. Sophie Blackall’s illustrations capture both the real and the imagined.” — Alice Meloy, Blue Willow Bookshop, Houston, TX

Young Adult

The Dividing Sky

By Jill Tew

Joy Revolution

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“Jill Tew’s debut is everything readers have been waiting for. I was completely sucked in! With its swoony romance, twisty plot, and all the thrills, it’s sure to make its way into the canon of YA dystopia.” — Vania Stoyanova, Brave + Kind Bookshop, Decatur, GA

Don't Let the Forest In

By CG Drews

Feiwel & Friends

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“Beautifully cutting and achingly full of writhing love, painful loss, and horrors beyond imagination. Love is a weapon full of cutting ribs and thorns in this gut-wrenching story by CG Drews.” — Kaitlyn Mahoney, Under the Umbrella Bookstore, Salt Lake City, UT

For She Is Wrath

By Emily Varga

Wednesday Books

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“Varga’s Pakistani-inspired retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo is a fierce, compelling tale of sisterhood, adventure, and vengeance. Fans of Chloe Gong will love this enemies-to-lovers romance!” — Alyssa Raymond, Copper Dog Books, Beverly, MA

Heir (A Good Morning America YA Book Club Pick)

By Sabaa Tahir

G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

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“Sabaa Tahir takes on power, feelings of belonging and exclusion, and fantasy in one fell swoop with Heir. Balancing Tahir’s signature worldbuilding against characters that step straight off the page, Heir is a tour-de-force.” — Nadia Alawa, Mavey Books, Ardmore, PA

Not for the Faint of Heart: A Novel

By Lex Croucher

Wednesday Books

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“Lex Croucher’s worlds are beautiful, immersive representatives of all your childhood imagination. You thought you knew the story of Robin Hood — but Lex Croucher turns that story on its head in the best, queerest way possible.” — Amanda Nurse, The Doylestown & Lahaska Bookshops, Doylestown, PA

Nothing Like the Movies (Better Than the Movies)

By Lynn Painter

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

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“This was a stunning sequel to arguably the best YA romcom, Better Than the Movies. Two years later, Wes is more determined than ever to win Liz back. Lynn Painter always manages to build real characters and relationship dynamics. A must read!” — Makayla Summers, Main Street Reads, Summerville, SC

Tangleroot

By Kalela Williams

Feiwel & Friends

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“Sometimes your family history is as tangled as the vines on the ground. When Noni is forced to make a new home in the ‘Big House’ built by an enslaved ancestor, she may discover truths about herself and her family that none could have imagined.” — Sally Sue Lavigne, The Storybook Shoppe, Bluffton, SC

Twenty-Four Seconds from Now . . .: A LOVE Story

By Jason Reynolds

Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books

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“Jason Reynolds’ first love story could not be more pitch-perfect. Neon and Aria are fully-developed characters with lives, school, families, friends, responsibilities, and aspirations. Start the clock, sit down, and read this book.” — Gemma Speight, Changing Hands, Tempe, AZ

Where the Library Hides: A Novel (Secrets of the Nile #2)

By Isabel Ibañez

Wednesday Books

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“This highly anticipated sequel did not disappoint. This melds genres of historical fiction, fantasy, romance, and mystery. Inez and Whit’s journey through the book kept me guessing and there were so many unexpected twists.” — Vanessa Brennan, Books Inc., San Francisco, CA

The Wild Huntress

By Emily Lloyd-Jones

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

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“I love these Welsh-inspired fantasy novels! Emily Lloyd-Jones’ characters are real, and she deftly weaves in elements of magic and horror. Not to mention a beloved animal friend whose devotion and unexpected abilities round out the cast nicely.” — Katherine Osborne, Letterpress Books, Portland, ME

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November/December 2024 Kids Indie Next List

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