The days are starting to get (seem) longer which means more time to read. Whether it’s a new board book for Baby or an enticing picture book for your imaginative grade-school kid, March is full of new books for kids worth reading again and again. Read on for our best children’s book list for this month.
Baby Up, Baby Down: A First Book of Opposites
In Baby Up, Baby Down, young readers learn about opposites in a playful, relatable way alongside the bright images of babies being quiet, being noisy, standing up, sitting down, and more. Each pair of concepts is demonstrated with photos of babies from a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and the final concept is "awake" and "asleep." Shh! Don't wake the baby!
Ages: 0-3
Order it here, $5.99.
Hello House
Explore the adorable tiny houses of woodland critters in this interactive board book by Nicola Slater. In it, Alex—an orange tabby cat—visits one house after another, collecting new friends at every stop. At the end of the book, the rabbits, dogs, hedgehogs, squirrels, and bears join Alex outside to play catch with a touch-and-feel big, red ball.
Ages: 0-4
Buy it here, $9.99.
Hello Farm
Another interactive board book by Nicola Slater, Hello Farm lets children take a trip alongside an orange tabby as he visits farm animals on a farm. The silly details—a sheep can be found getting a haircut, while a baby chick takes a ride on a scooter—will delight little readers.
Ages: 0-4
Buy it here, $7.53.
The Sky Is The Limit
This heart-warming book reminds young and old of all of life's great pleasures. Brimming with optimism and illustrated with whimsical characters, each page is a nod to everyday joys.
Ages: 0 & up
Available here for $14.99.
In My Heart (Board Book)
Though we’re not together we’re never truly apart, because you’re always on my mind and you’re always in my heart. This is what a mother tells her child as she leaves for work each day. This lovely board book perfectly captures the sentiment that many women feel about being a working mom. The lyrical text takes us through a mother’s day away, demonstrating that although she’s working hard, her child is always on her mind and always in her heart. Available Mar. 10.
Ages: 2 & up
Get your copy here. $7.99.
The Sasquatch and the Lumberjack: Family
A companion book to the original, The Sasquatch and the Lumberjack: Family, by Crix Sheridan, might be short on words (you’ll find one per page), it’s big on creativity. The pictures chronicle a Pacific NW adventure that marries the lumberjack’s family with the Sasquatch’s. Kids will love making up the details based on the book’s colorful illustrations, noticing new details every time they sit down with this title.
Ages: 0-4
Buy your copy online, $12.29
Pigs in a Pickle
The three friends in the board book Pigs in a Pickle (you may know this crew from their earlier book Pigs in a Blanket) get into all sorts of funny, relatable shenanigans—spilling paint, knocking things over, breaking toys. But through it all, they support one another and give everything they do their best shot. Kids learn a valuable lesson in perseverance and get lots of laughs along the way.
Ages 2 & up.
Get your copy here; $7.99.
Hello World!: Happy County Book 1
Fans of Richard Scarry will love Ethan Long's new series, packed with lovable characters and lots of busy action! The interactive search-and-find book is great for budding readers, and parents will find the take on jobs not restricted to gender roles refreshing.
Ages: 3-6
Get it here, $9.99.
The Diggersaurs Explore
"When work is done, it's time for FUN!" Explore the forest, the canyon, fields and more beyond the job site where these adorable dinosaur-equipment characters find out that fun can mean work (and work can be fun!). Written and illustrated by Michael Whaite.
Ages: 3-7
Find it here. $17.99.
Child of the Universe
The first picture book from renowned astrophysicist Ray Jawawardhana is a delight. Set as a poem, Child of the Universe is a sweet meditation on the fact that from the literal stardust that makes our bodies to the atoms that connect us, we are all connected to the universe and to one another. (Available March 17)
Ages: 3-7
Pre-order it here, $17.99.
Help Wanted, Must Love Books
This just-published book by Janet Sumner Johnson, illustrated by Courtney Dawson, is for every kid who has ever had a parent too busy to read a bedtime story. When it happens to Shailey, she takes matters into her own hands. She fires her dad, posts a help wanted sign and the offers start rolling in…from her favorite fairytale characters. Find out who winds up reading bedtime stories to Shailey when you sit down to read this cute book with your crew.
Ages: 4-7
Find a copy here. $12.50
Madame Saqui: Revolutionary Rope Dancer
This remarkable biographical picture book, written by Lisa Robinson and illustrated by Rebecca Green, introduces young readers to one of the trailblazing women of the circus arts! In revolutionary France, a young girl named Marguerite dreamed of becoming a tightrope dancer, and she dazzled from the young age of nine, going on to garner the admiration of crowds. She became known as Madame Saqui. This is her remarkable story!
Ages: 4-8
Find your copy here. $17.99.
The Three Billy Goats Buenos
If the adorable illustrations from award-winning artist Miguel Ordóñez (Jimmy Fallon’s Your Baby’s First Word Will Be Dada) don’t draw you in, then the funny, lively prose and the smattering of Spanish words thrown into this twist on a classic fairy tale by author Susan Middleton Elya will. There’s even a glossary of words at the front for kids to reference.
Ages: 4-8
Buy it here, $12.19.
Almond
A great read for the child who is struggling to appreciate their own talents. Almond is consumed with envy for the New Girl in school who demonstrates a great aptitude for playing the violin. Almond slowly discovers she also has a gift of her own.
Ages: 4-8
Find your copy here: $18.99.
Let's Learn Spanish: First Words for Everyone
Your child's Spanish will be muy bien thanks to this picture book that introduces common Spanish words organized by categories including animals, body parts, food, colors, numbers, household objects and more. The words are introduced with kid-friendly images that make learning both informative and enjoyable.
Ages: 4-8
Order it here; $12.99.
My First Cookbook
America's Test Kitchen has just released their newest book, My First Cookbook and its one for every little up and coming chef. The photo-focused book introduces kitchen language, equipment, helpful kitchen prep and tons of step-by-step instructions that littles (and cooking-challenged adults) will adore. Enjoy simple and delicious recipes for appetizers and snacks, main meals, seasonal goodies and international recipes.
Ages: 5-8
Available on Amazon, $19.99.
Flight for Freedom
Learn the true, amazing story of young Peter Wetzel, whose family attempts to escape East Germany in 1979 in a homemade hot air balloon. The story explains, in kid-friendly terms, about the differences between East Germany and West Germany and how his family and close friends prepare to risk their lives for the promise of a better one.
Ages: 5-8
Find it here; $16.19.
My Bison
Beautifully illustrated with charcoal, ink and watercolor, this sweet story about the friendship between a young girl and a bison evolves into a tender tale of loss and the passage of time. Ultimately, the girl learns that the bison will always be in her heart, so this may be a good story to help a young reader understand the loss of a loved one.
Ages: 5-8
Buy it here; $17.95.
Charlie & Mouse Outdoors
We love the Charlie & Mouse beginner's chapter book series first and foremost for its portrayal of siblings getting along and having great adventures together, and Charlie & Mouse Outdoors, by Laurel Snyder, is another solid offering. In this book, Charlie & Mouse hit the road with their parents to go camping, where they (and their imaginations) conquer the great outdoors.
Ages: 5-9
Available on amazon.com for $10.99.
Wildlife Ranger Action Guide
Mary Kay Carson's Wildlife Ranger Action Guide will inspire your citizen scientists to make the world better for animals starting in their own backyards. From making a frog-pond to building a bat house, dozens of hands-on activities and habitat creation projects encourage children to learn about and take an active role in protecting local wildlife. Available Mar. 31.
Ages: 6-12
Get your copy here. $18.95.
Everyone’s Awake
Put the kids to bed with this new one by best-selling author (and Decemberists frontman), Colin Maloy, and they’ll laugh themselves to sleep. It’s a sing-song madcap romp about a family, all of whom were feeling drowsy earlier, but now find themselves doing all sorts of distracting things—baking bread, knitting, even fixing the roof. What will it take to finally settle things down so everyone can get some sleep? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
Ages: 5-8
Find a copy here. $16.19
Go Get 'Em, Tiger!
This bright and bold picture book about an exuberant tiger that tackles life's challenges is perfect for anyone who needs to add a little hitch to their giddy-up. Encouraging, funny, and illustrated with eye-candy images, we love Go Get 'Em, Tiger!
Ages: 5-12
Order it now, $16.99.
The Newspaper Club
Introduce your modern kid to the world of reporting and writing for an independent newspaper. Join Nellie, the new kid in Bear Creek, Maine (and the daughter of two newspaper veterans), as she strives to uncover who’s behind the recent attacks of vandalism. She’ll need a whole crew of journalists, who might, in the end, end up being new friends too.
Ages: 6-10
Buy it here, $16.99.
The Spirit of Springer: The Real-Life Rescue of an Orphaned Orca
This newly released book, by author Amanda Abler and illustrator Levi Hastings, details the real-life rescue of Springer, a northern resident orca found swimming alone in Puget Sound in 2002. The book immerses kids in the thrilling details of the heroic rescue and even follows up with Springer in the present.
Ages: 7-10
Find your copy here. $14.70
Love Your Body
Imagine a world where girls loved their body just as it is. Love Your Body, a new book by Jessica Sanders strives to make this a reality. With “imperfect” illustrations, this book helps show girls that their bodies are powerful instruments, rather than just an object. It covers all shapes and sizes, what happens with puberty hits, and even has tips and tricks that may help girls feel better about themselves.
Ages: 8 & up
Buy it here, $15.19.
Big Nate: Blow the Roof Off
Big Nate is back in Lincoln Pierce's 24th installment of this graphic novel series. In Blow the Roof Off, Nate gets a girlfriend, navigates middle school and performs in his band.
Ages: 7-12
Get it here. $11.99
Dark Hedges, Wizard Island, and Other Magical Places That Really Exist
Readers will learn all about mysterious and mystical places that really exist, like The Skeleton Coast, The Fairy Tale Route and even the Lost City of Petra. Piquing the interest of budding and seasoned travelers alike, this is an ideal book to read with kids who are curious about all the unusual things out in the big wide world.
Ages 8-12
Buy it here, $13.99.
Explorer Academy: The Star Dunes
If your kids have already read books 1-3 in this engaging National Geographic Kids series, then you’ll be thrilled to hear that the fourth book will be available this month. 12-year-old Cruz is at it again, still trying to solve the mystery of his mother’s disappearance. This time he’ll travel from Africa to a vast desert, all the while dealing with code breaking, technology, thrilling adventures and more. (March 17th)
Ages: 8-12
Pre-order it here, $12.19.
Small & Mighty: An Activist's Guide for Finding Your Voice & Engaging with the World
Filled with six activity-packed chapters, this interactive journal encourages young people to find and share their voice. Young activists will find checklists, stickers, worksheets, and introspective activities that will encourage them to think about their future and the world around them.
Ages: 9-14
Get it here, $16.99; Find Girl Almighty: An Interactive Journal for Being a Mighty Activist of the World & Other Utterly Respectable Pursuits here, $16.99
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