The book experts from Scholastic Book Clubs and Scholastic Book Fairs shared their picks for what they believe will be the most popular new children’s books this holiday season. This list features books for all ages from a variety of authors and publishers to help gift-givers pick the right books for the kids in their lives.
These are some of the books on Scholastic’s 2011 Holiday Gift List for Kids… you can find the full list on the Scholastic blog. What books are you getting for your kids?
Picture Books
- 10 Little Caterpillars by Bill Martin Jr., illustrated by Lois Ehlert (Simon & Schuster): A visually stunning read-aloud from the creators of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom!
- 12 Days of Christmas written and illustrated by Rachel Isadora (Penguin): The beloved holiday song brought to life in breathtaking illustrations.
- A Bad Kitty Christmas by Nick Bruel (Roaring Brook Press): One of the best and funniest Christmas picture books this season.
- Can You See What I See? Toyland Express written and illustrated by Walter Wick (Scholastic): This eighth title in the bestselling search-and-find series features a Toyland theme.
- If You Give a Dog a Donut by Laura Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond (HarperCollins): If you give a child this book, he or she is sure to love it!
Transitional Readers and Chapter Books
- Clementine and the Family Meeting by Sara Pennypacker, illustrated by Marla Frazee (Disney Hyperion Books): Fans of Junie B. Jones and Ramona will love watching Clementine get into (and out of) her latest sticky situations.
- Fly Guy: Fly Guy vs. the Flyswatter! by Tedd Arnold (Scholastic): More action-packed entertainment for beginning readers starring a boy named Buss and his pet fly.
- Magic Tree House: Dogs in the Dead of Night by Mary Pope Osborne, illustrated by Salvatore Murdocca (Random House): In this wintry, magical adventure, Jack and Annie travel to the Swiss Alps.
- Rainbow Magic: Magical Holiday Boxed Set by Daisy Meadows (Scholastic): Just in time for the holidays, this magical boxed set includes four sparkly special editions.
- Super Diaper Baby 2: The Invasion of the Potty Snatchers by Dav Pilkey, George Beard, and Harold Hutchins (Scholastic): The long-awaited sequel to the bestselling The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby is filled with Dav Pilkey’s usual laffs, guffaws, and action-packed fun.
Middle Grade Fiction
- Darth Paper Strikes Back: An Origami Yoda Book by Tom Angleberger (Abrams): Dwight and his all-knowing finger-puppet return in this sequel to the bestselling book, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda.
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney (Abrams): The sixth book in Jeff Kinney’s wildly popular cartoon-filled series.
- Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts, illustrated by Laura Park (Little, Brown and Company): A hilarious and poignant story about the wacky ups and downs of being a middle-schooler.
- War Horse by Michael Morpurgo (Scholastic): The basis for the Tony award-winning play and a new movie from director Steven Spielberg.
- Wonderstruck written and illustrated by Brian Selznick (Scholastic): Two stories, one told through pictures and one told through text, merge with unforgettable results in this stunning book by the Calecott-winning author of The Invention of Hugo Cabret.
Young Adult Fiction
- The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch (Scholastic): It’s the end of the world as we know it—and an adventure awaits.
- This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein by Kenneth Oppel (Simon & Schuster): In this gothic adventure, a young Victor Frankenstein discovers an ancient formula for the Elixir of Life.
- The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxed Set by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic): The perfect gift for adventure- and suspense-loving teens.
- Okay For Now by Gary D. Schmidt (Clarion Books): A terrific coming-of-age story and one of the year’s must-read novels.
- The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (Scholastic): A captivating adventure from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Shiver.
Nonfiction (all ages)
- Guinness World Records 2012 (Guinness World Records): A perennial favorite with readers of all ages, this year’s edition features new topics, a dynamic new design, never-before-seen photos, and thousands of new records.
- How Cool Is This: An Up-close, Inside Look at How Things Work (DK Publishing): This fascinating compendium of gadgets and gizmos shows how various inventions work.
- The Hugo Movie Companion: A Behind the Scenes Look at How a Beloved Book Became a Major Motion Picture by Brian Selznick (Scholastic): This insightful gift-book shows how Brian Selznick’s The Invention of Hugo Cabret (winner of the 2008 Caldecott Medal) was adapted for the much-anticipated movie Hugo, directed by Martin Scorsese.
- Lego Star Wars Character Encyclopedia (DK Publishing): This illustrated encyclopedia offers an in-depth look at the mini-figures of Lego Star Wars.
- Ripley’s Believe It or Not!: Special Edition 2012 (Scholastic): This collection of strange but true facts makes for fascinating reading.
