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Let’s get reading!
Though the past year has been a tumultuous one, it was also the catalyst for a new wave of education. This push to bring people and cultures together even during the pandemic reached far and wide and has greatly influenced the world of books. We looked at some award-winning books from 2021 to see how recent times have impacted children’s literature. These excellent books are a great source of entertainment and the perfect way to help kids get a deeper understanding of the many different people and cultures that make up our world.
Scroll through the arrows above for book ideas for kids of all ages.
Books for toddlers and preschoolers
“¡Vamos! Let’s Go Eat” by Raúl the Third
2021 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Winner
In this sequel to “¡Vamos! Let’s Go to the Market,” Little Lobo prepares for a wrestling match against El Toro by going on a tour of his favorite food trucks. Incorporating Spanish vocabulary, Raúl the Third takes the reader on a mouthwatering journey through Little Lobo’s town.
“The Bear in My Family” by Maya Tatuskawa
2021 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Honor, 2021 ASLC Notable Children’s Books List, Kirkus Best Children’s Book of 2020
In this sweet book, a bear is used to depict a bossy sibling. Narrator Maya Tatuskawa learns that having a bear living with your family can sometimes be a struggle, but it can also be a blessing in disguise.
“Brick by Brick” by Heidi Woodward Sheffield
2021 Ezra Jack Keats Illustrator Award Winner
In this bilingual picture book, a little boy and his Papi work hard to reach their goals. As Papi works to build the city brick by brick, Luis learns book by book, and one day Papi has a surprise for Luis that he built brick by brick.
“Me & Mama” by Cozbi A. Cabrera
2021 Caldecott Honor and 2021 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Honoree
Cozbi A. Cabrera introduces the reader to a beautiful mother-daughter relationship as we follow this duo on a rainy day. When the rest of the family is still asleep, the narrator wants to spend time with her Mama.
“We Are Water Protectors” by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade
2021 Caldecott Medal Winner
This striking narrative about the importance of water and its sacred role in Indigenous movements of North America is a call to action. One special water protector stands up to protect the water from a black snake that threatens to destroy her planet.
“See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog” by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka
2021 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Winner
In Max the Dog’s struggles to convince the reader that he is not a cat, he goes head to head with the narrator, who keeps telling the reader to “see the cat.” In this lighthearted and funny series of stories, Max the Dog tries desperately to show everyone he is a dog.
Books for young elementary kids
“Nana Akua Goes to School” by Tricia Elam Walker, illustrated by April Harrison
2021 Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award Winner
Zura’s elementary school is having Grandparent’s Day and she brings her Nana Akua who was raised in Ghana. Zura is worried that Nana’s facial tribal markings will scare her classmates, but Nana knows how to show what makes her unique. This story is a touching example of what it means to share cultural traditions.
“Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration” by Samara Cole Doyon, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita
2021 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner
A poem-style story, “Magnificent Homespun Brown” is about being comfortable in your skin. This book is a beautiful description of what it means to feel at home in one’s body.
“The Cat Man of Aleppo” by Karim Shamsi-Basha and Irene Latham, illustrated by Yuko Shimizu
2021 Caldecott Honor Winner
“The Cat Man of Aleppo” is based on a true story about Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel, who provided a home for stray cats in Aleppo during the Syrian civil war. The book describes how Alaa bonded with the abandoned cats of his city.
“Sharuko: El Arqueologo Peruano Julio C. Tello (Peruvian Archaeologist Julio C. Tello)” by Monica Brown, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri
2021 Pura Belpré Youth Illustrator Award Honoree
This is the story of Julio C. Tello, a Peruvian archaeologist whose work helped uncover much of the country’s cultural history. The bilingual book serves as a window into the discovery of Peru’s lengthy history and ongoing cultural importance.
“Ty’s Travels: Zip, Zoom!” by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Nina Mata
2021 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Honoree
Ty learns how to ride his new scooter with the help of his friend. A great book for reading practice and a fun adventure at the skate park!
Books for middle-grade kids
“Lupe Wong Won’t Dance” by Donna Barba Higuera
2021 Pura Belpré Children’s Author Award Winner
Lupe Wong needs straight As in school so she can meet her favorite baseball pitcher, Fu Li Hernandez. When square dancing in gym class threatens to get in her way, she simply won’t back down. “Lupe Wong Won’t Dance” is a remarkably witty account of Lupe’s struggles with dancing and her dream of the Major Leagues.
“Efrén Divided” by Ernesto Cisneros
2021 Pura Belpré Children’s Book Author Award Winner
Efrén is American-born, but his parents are not. When his mother is deported to Mexico, Efrén must channel his inner superhero to help care for his family and try to reunite with his mother.
“Before the Ever After” by Jacqueline Woodson
2021 Coretta Scott King Author Award and NAACP Image Award
This novel, written in verse, depicts the toll professional sports takes on ZJ’s dad. Struggling with his father’s sustained injuries and new symptoms, ZJ tries to find a balance between the glory days of the past and the new experiences to come.
“The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez” by Adrianna Cuevas
2021 Pura Belpré Children’s Author Award Honoree
In this mysterious and psychedelic book, Nestor Lopez needs to save his town from a witch by using his secret power, which is the ability to communicate with animals. All he wants is to lie low in his new town, but the threat of a tulevieja (a ghost who wears a distinctive hat) and an impending solar eclipse force him to act.
“King and the Dragonflies” by Kacen Callender
2021 Coretta Scott King Author Award Honoree
Kingston James is convinced his brother Khalid became a dragonfly after his unexpected passing. Grappling with the grief overtaking his family, the disappearance and subsequent reappearance of his friend Sandy, and rumors about Sandy being gay, Kingston is forced to deal with questions about his brother’s death and his friend’s sexuality.
Books for high school kids
“Furia” by Yamile Saied Méndez
2021 Pura Belpré Young Adult Author Winner
Camila Hassan is a soccer star who lives in Argentina with a mother who has harsh expectations and a father with a short temper. Camila’s dream is to earn a scholarship to a North American university, but her parents don’t know she plays soccer. Caught between soccer, love and her difficult family, she is forced to decide which direction to follow.
“We Are Not From Here” by Jenny Torres Sanchez
2021 Pura Belpré Young Adult Author Honoree
Pulga, Chico and Pequeña have grown up aware of the dangers that surround them. Seeking a better life, these three teenagers leave everything they know and love behind to undertake the perilous journey from Guatemala, through Mexico, and then into the United States.
“All the Days Past, All the Days to Come” by Mildred D. Taylor
2021 Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
The story of the Logan family, woven into the American civil rights movement, culminates in this final volume. Characters known from Mildred Taylor’s previous works find their passions and witness change during this historically significant time.
“Legendborn” by Tracy Deonn
2021 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Honoree and Coretta Scott King – John Steptoe for New Talent Author Award Winner
Set at UNC–Chapel Hill, this book features Bree Matthews, a teenage girl struggling with the recent loss of her mother and a discovery of flying demons. In beginning to understand her own magic, Bree finds connections between the demon-hunting Legendborn students and her mother’s death.
“Never Look Back” by Lilliam Rivera
2021 Pura Belpré Award Honoree
In this retelling of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, author Rivera takes the reader through the life of Eury, who lost everything in Puerto Rico during Hurricane Maria. Now living in New York City, Eury falls in love with Pheus, but the demons that follow her threaten to get in their way. Together, the two must fight for their love despite the dangers they face.
