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Celebrate ABFYR’s Stars of 2025 and Get Ready for 2026!
2025 was an ASTRA-nomical year for Astra Books for Young Readers – and 2026 promises to have the same shine! These “starred review” books 2025 and early 2026 titles received glowing reviews. So many of our titles received award nods in 2025 as well. Here’s to celebrating our star-studded and highly awarded reads.
★ “MacGregor represents Gaelic lore well while thoughtfully integrating the nuance of neurodivergence and grief throughout. A welcome, cozy queer romantasy with a uniquely informed twist on the popular fae subgenre.” —Booklist, starred review
★ “A touching story about a family’s celebration of Ching Ming, a Chinese festival that has been celebrated for over three thousand years… An important story to add to elementary school collections.”—School Library Journal, starred review
A Kirkus Best Book
A YALSA Best Nonfiction Finalist
★ “A suspenseful, well-researched read filled with fascinating and evocative visuals.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
★ “An exploration of Joan Mitchell’s passionate, color-drenched, large-scale abstract paintings. Innerst’s illustrations are fittingly exuberant, rendering Mitchell in grayscale against expressionistic brush strokes and drips in warm yellows, blues, deep greens, and pinks… simply marvelous.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Evanston (IL) Public Library 101 Great Books for Kids
Booklist Editor’s Choice
★ “Readers will be left in awe of the geoglyphs themselves and the persistence of the woman who discovered and protected them. A terrific STEM read.” —Booklist, starred review
★ “This mouthwatering ABC book introduces children to the alphabet while also exposing them to a wide variety of foods and cultures. Essential.”—School Library Journal, starred review
★ “The author of many children’s books based on research into American history, Castrovilla tells her latest story with wit, pathos, and attention to detail. Harney’s quirky illustrations suggest the look of the period while capturing the amusing tone of the narrative.”—Booklist, starred review
★ “Imaginative and engaging, this mix of fact and fiction makes learning about insects fun.” —Booklist, starred review
★ “An apt companion to Marissa Moss’ books on Warne and Pinkerton, this is a lively choice for U.S. history or Women’s History Month displays [for a U.S. history or Women’s History Month display OR for U.S. history and Women’s History Month displays].”—Booklist, starred review
An NCTE Orbis Pictus Recommended Title 2026
★ “The Supreme Court battle over the definition of a tomato plays out in a humorous children’s picture book which is most certainly guilty of being a remarkable read.”—Shelf Awareness, starred review
A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best List 2025
A School Library Journal Best Book
A YALSA Best Nonfiction finalist
★ “History lovers and budding political enthusiasts will enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at presidential history.” —School Library Journal, starred review
A BookPage Best Book
A Kirkus Best Book & listed on Best Picture Books of 2025 About Nature
A New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Book
★ “Impeccably told… an enchanting tribute to the creative process and a celebration of patience and the natural world. A stunning ode to the natural world and the cyclical nature of imagination.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
★ “This wordless picture book speaks volumes about conservation and the transformative power of art.”—Foreword Reviews, starred review
A School Library Journal Best Book
An NCTE Notable Verse Novels 2026
A Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers nominee
★ “This is one for the quiet kids, who know who they are and where they want to fly but who haven’t yet found the right flock.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, starred review
★ “Stemple’s artful writing will have readers flying through the pages, though the emotional depth deserves a moment to pause and savor each word… Hand to fans of tender explorations of young masculinity.” —School Library Journal, starred review
A School Library Journal Best Book
★”Maybe every kid needs a moving story about hope… With its powerful message about hope in the face of change, the story is supported by rich cultural and linguistic backmatter and illustrations.”—School Library Journal, starred review
A School Library Journal Best Book
★ “This touching, heartrending work will inspire young people to action. With so many curricular tie-ins and as a powerful choice for aspiring activists and artists, and striving readers, this is a must-purchase for all collections.”—School Library Journal, starred review
Coming in 2026:
Coming February 2026!
★ “No matter how dire the situation appears, Bernstrom and Scott keep the tale light and hilarious right to the end. Cleverly rendered rhymes and repetition encourage pre-readers to memorize the words and beginning readers to shine, while the art will tickle their funny bones. Short and utterly sweet.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Coming January 2026!
★”It’s a work poised to offer crucial guidance on how to build a meaningful life and contribute to the world.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review
★”The Dream Builder’s Blueprint is a model for writing with precision and intent, and a tribute to a man who knew the power of words—by an author who clearly does as well.”—Booklist, starred review
Coming January 2026!
★ “Hannigan’s biographical picture book offers a lively introduction to Louisa as a child and as a young woman living in a close-knit American family during the 1800s and sharing her experiences with generations of girls. Fans of Little Women will enjoy the appended section comparing facts from Louisa May Alcott’s life with parallel experiences from Jo March’s life in Little Women.”—Booklist, starred review
Coming March 2026!
★”An imaginative, deeply satisfying odyssey.”—Kirkus Reviews,
starred review
Coming February 2026!
★”A proud and meticulously wrought ethnography.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
★ “This heartfelt biographical picture book exemplifies art as a form of resistance… The mesmerizing illustrations will reveal a new surprise with every read.”—Foreword Reviews, starred review
★”A gorgeous tribute to this unique art form and its North American promoter.”—Booklist, starred review
Coming March 2026!
★”Sedaris’ deft rhymes make listening to her mandates an utter treat… A lesser artist might quail at the sheer variety of objects, concepts, and even seasons that this little despot lays claim to, but Staake is more than up to the challenge… Thankfully, this mic drop of a conclusion avoids any danger of didacticism.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Coming April 2026!
★ “A brilliant glimpse at a musical genius, imbued with a profound truth: Creativity is truly about the journey.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Coming January 2026!
★ “An ode to natural Black hair and those who have the honor of wearing it… Myriad books have explored Black hair; this one is among the very best. This testament to Black beauty is destined to be a classic and a favorite; everyone needs this book.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Coming March 2026!
★ “Beautifully presented, written with deep admiration; recommended for elementary libraries, especially where baseball is popular.”—School Library Journal, starred review
Coming April 2026!
★ “A delightful, humorous journey that will have youngsters regarding flora with a newfound respect.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
More Awarded Titles from ABFYR:
The Fire-Breathing Duckling by Frank Cammuso – 2025 Chicago Public Library Best of the Best List, Evanston (IL) Public Library 101 Great Books for Kids
The Spider Lady by Penny Parker Klostermann and illustrated by Anne Lambelet – 2026 Outstanding Science Trade Books List, 2026 Best STEM Book
Rachel Carson’s Wonder-Filled World by Kate Hannigan and illustrated by Katie Hickey – 2026 Outstanding Science Trade Books List
Introducing Sandwina by Vicki Conrad and illustrated by Jeremy Holmes – Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List, 2026-2027
Piece Out by Alex Willan – Good Housekeeping Best Kids’ Book
Little Mouse Saves the Day by Jeff Smith – Good Housekeeping Best Kids’ Book
Bread Days by Hannah Chung – Bookshop Best Kids’ Book
The Dangerous Alphabet Book by DK Ryland – Amazon Best Book of the Month
Zohran Walks New York by Millie Von Platen – USA Today Bestseller
Itty Bitty Betty Blob Makes a Splash by Constance Lombardo and illustrated by Micah Player – ABA 2025 Best Books for Young Readers
Mary Oliver Holding On To Wonder by Erin Frankel and illustrated by Jasu Hu – ABA 2025 Best Books for Young Readers