It’s time for new books! I’ve pulled together some of my favorite new picture books that were released in December 2023.
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New December Books 2023
Wish Soup by Junghwa Park
Celebrate Korean Lunar New Year and join one child’s quest to eat enough bowls of soup to become a “big girl!”
Sohee’s favorite part of Seollal is tteokguk—the special Korean rice cake soup traditionally only enjoyed on New Year’s Day. Each bowl is said to make the person who eats it one year older. This year, Sohee wants to eat as many bowls as she can to finally be an eonni, or “big girl,” to her younger siblings and cousins.
Before Sohee can even get to her first bowl, though, she’s interrupted by a series of holiday-related chores, leaving plenty of opportunity for her mischievous younger sister Somi to eat not only Sohee’s tteokguk, but their whole family’s! Despite this outrageously silly setback, Sohee eventually learns that being a big girl is more than just how many bowls of tteokguk you eat.
I’m Going to Be a Princess by Stephanie Taylor
What will Maya be when she grows up? A rocket scientist like Annie Easley? An Olympic athlete like Alice Coachman? A brain surgeon like Alexa Canady?
In this heart-warming and funny story, Maya discovers the achievements of some amazing Black women . . . but it’s a brave Nigerian princess who really captures her imagination!
Mercy Watson is Missing! by Kate DiCamillo
When Mercy Watson the pig goes missing, all of Deckawoo Drive is in an uproar. The Watsons are inconsolable, and the local police, fire, and animal control departments are no help whatsoever.
Bossy neighbor Eugenia Lincoln is not quite as sad as she might be, but thankfully her sister, Baby Lincoln, has the idea to hire a private investigator. Granted, Percival Smidgely, PI, may be more bumbler than gumshoe, but his pigeon, Polly, is there to point the way.
Meanwhile, Frank and Stella Endicott and Stella’s friend Horace Broom are ready to do some investigating of their own. Will the clever neighborhood sleuths manage to follow the trail of hoof prints—and a certain overwhelmingly enticing scent—and recover their porcine wonder?
The Little Tiger by Nicola Killen
For Ollie’s birthday, her wish came true! In a brightly wrapped box was her very own tiger suit. Ollie practices her very best Rooooaaarrrr, then a bunch of colorful balloons and a gust of wind carry Ollie to the forest where she makes new animal friends. Elephant, Monkey, Sloth, Rhinoceros, Zebra, and Lion help make the most wonderful birthday party for their new friend.
Cupig: The Valentine’s Day Pig by Claire Tattersfield
Cupig absolutely loves Valentine’s Day. Every year she enjoys spreading love and cheer to every creature, far and near. But when a storm blows through and sends her arrows off course, Cupig accidentally puts arrows in hearts that don’t need to be mended. Peanut Butter has stopped loving Jelly! Salt and Pepper have broken up! Needle and Thread are falling apart at the seams!
Will Cupig ever fix her mistakes and get these classic pairs back together again?
Small-Girl Toni and the Quest for Gold by Giselle Anatol
A tall tale inspired by the life and works of Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison.
Young Toni knows that her stories are going to change the world. She’s good at spinning a yarn, and in fact, she thinks she might be able to spin her stories into gold if she tries hard enough. Maybe her stories can even lead her to buried treasure?
And so Toni sets out on a quest for gold with her siblings, telling tales and looking for a little magic at every turn. But when her quest doesn’t go quite as planned, Toni realizes that it’s all about how you tell a story in order to find the perfect ending.
A Gift for Nai Nai by Kim-Hoa Ung
Lyn Lyn’s beloved Nai Nai has a birthday party approaching! All Lyn Lyn wants to do is make a lucky hat for her very special grandma, but her crochet skills are not nearly as refined as Nai Nai’s.
So Lyn Lyn hatches a plan for the best crocheter she knows to help her make the perfect lucky hat for Nai Nai!
Your Voice, Your Vote by Leah Henderson
It’s Election Day, and Quetta, her mother, and her grandmother embark on their journey to cast their vote. Trekking through their vibrant neighborhood, they meet obstacle after obstacle before—and after—reaching their voting station.
Unwilling to give up, Quetta’s mother and grandmother teach her about the importance of voting and those who fought for their right—and Quetta comes to discover the power of raising her voice.
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