10 to Note: Spring Preview 2025

I sifted through a mere 1,902 children’s books publishing in March, April, and May to arrive at this list of 10 that I’m most excited about. Let’s begin . . .

Picture Books

Cranky, Crabby Crow by Corey R. Tabor

May 6 | Greenwillow Books | Grades K-1

Caldecott honor winner Tabor just knows how picture books work, and always creates something that’s inventive and fun to read. This book, which escalates hilariously quickly, finds a grumpy crow saving all of humanity.

Our Lake by Angie Kang

March 4 | Kokila | Grades K-3

Completely switching gears. Books about somber subjects don’t get talked about as much as others, but this one definitely should. Brothers return to the lake after the death of their father, and the younger boy is feeling hesitant in the face of a high plunge into the water. A beautifully-told story with a satisfying conclusion.

The Bear Out There by Jess Hannigan

April 29 | Quill Tree Books | Grades K-2

Hannigan’s first book, Spider in the Well, was the subversive masterpiece of 2024. The bold artwork and unreliable narrator was delightfully out of left field. Coming off that debut, I’m especially excited for Hannigan’s follow-up, about a kid who invites the reader inside to wait out a scary bear. But, as you might guess, things might not be as they seem.

---

Early Readers

The Bad Idea (and Other Stories) (Earl & Worm, book #1) by Greg Pizzoli

April 1 | Knopf | Grades K-2

Can I resist a book titled “The Bad Idea”? I cannot. And I’m thinking there might be a lot of kids who feel the same way. Pizzoli has already won a Geisel award, supporting his status as a guy who knows how to create books for emerging readers. In this new series, about a saxophone-playing bird and a silence-loving worm, humor and friendship abound.

---

Chapter Books

We’re All Gonna Die-nosaur! by Kon Tan

April 1 | Disney-Hyperion | Grades 1-4

This inside of the this one reminds me of The Bad Guys, with lots of black and white comic illustrations mingling with the text, creating an almost-graphic-novel vibe. And like Bad Guys, I see this new series, which follows a fearful pterodactyl, catching on with readers.

---

Middle Grade Fiction

The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon by Grace Lin

May 6 | Little, Brown | Grades 4-7

Making great middle grade novels (and picture books) (and early readers) is what Grace Lin does, and I’m excited for her latest, a full-color illustrated novel based on Chinese folklore.

You and Me and the Land of Lost Things (Adventures Unlimited #1) by Andy Griffiths, illustrated by Bill Hope

April 8 | Feiwel & Friends | Grades 2-5

I am forever a fan of Griffith’s wonderfully chaotic 13 Story Treehouse series with Terry Denton, so I was happy to see he’s starting a new illustrated novel series called Adventures Unlimited. This time Bill Hope has picture-making duties, but the hilariously chaotic tone seems to be intact.

---

Graphic Novels

Speechless by Aron Nels Steinke

March 4 | Graphix | Grades 2-5

Having worked in schools for nearly 20 years, I’ve experienced firsthand the phenomena of kids who struggle to speak in class. It’s a great premise for a graphic novel, and especially in the hands of Steinke, who was previously a classroom teacher. If it’s anything like his Mr. Wolf’s Class comics, it’s going to be funny and authentic.

---

Nonfiction

Clara the Triumphant Rhinoceros: A True Story by Jane Kurtz, illustrated by Claire Messer

April 8 | Beach Lane Books | Grades K-2

You really take for granted how easily we have access to information now. Back in the 1700s, people’s world view was so much more limited in comparison. This true story is about a Dutch merchant who takes in an orphaned rhino and introduces her to much of Europe.

Snacks Around the World (Lonely Planet Kids)

April 22 | Lonely Planet Kids | Grades 4-7

As I was looking at all the spring releases, I kept coming back to this one. Maybe it’s because snacks may be the last cultural unifier we have left? It makes sense. Who isn’t interested in the snack foods of other countries? I’m looking forward to the response this book has in my library.

Filed under: Articles, Previews