This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
October is my favorite month of the year — the weather is cooler, the leaves are beautiful, and my favorite holiday approaches — so it stands to reason that October children’s book releases would also be phenomenal. October is often one of the most packed new release months, too, with November and December typically being slower. That makes it even harder to narrow down this list to just ten children’s books.
October picture book releases include wonderful debuts by AR Cribbins and Jocelyn Chung that tugged at my heart, as well as new stories by beloved authors and illustrators like Juana Medina and Daniel Nayeri. Two early chapter book new releases delighted me and my six-year-old. In middle grade new releases, books explore folklore, comedy, and sci-fi. Several books across age groups examine sibling life, and even more had me cackling.
There’s something for every kind of reader on this list of October children’s book releases. And if you’re looking for even more children’s book recommendations beyond this list of October children’s book releases, sign up for Book Riot’s kidlit newsletter, The Kids Are All Right, if you’re not already subscribed. Now it’s time to get cozy and check out these books!
New Children’s Books of October 2024: Picture Books
Dance Fast by AR Cribbins (October 8; Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
This is a warm and relatable Indigenous American picture book about embracing flaws and celebrating family culture. Bizzy can’t wait to attend the Pomo summer celebration and dance. She wants her regalia to be perfect and thinks it will be easy, but when she gets started, everything seems to go wrong. The dress gets caught in the sewing machine, and beads go flying. With her grandmother’s reassurance that flaws are the Pomo way, she completes her regalia and dances at the celebration. The illustrations are so expressive. It’s the author’s debut picture book, and one of my favorites from the month.
It’s Hard to Be a Baby by Cheryl B. Klein & Juana Medina (October 8; Abrams Books for Young Readers)
This is a funny homage to being a baby told from the perspective of an older child, with adorable illustrations depicting a diverse range of families. The first half is dedicated to how difficult it is to be a baby. Babies are rudely ejected from their warm tummy home into the confusing world. Of course it’s upsetting. But the second half shows how things get better. There are hands and feet to chew on, yummy foods to try, crawling, and even, one day, walking! Illustrations show breastfeeding babies and spitting up babies, babies in the NICU, and babies who wear helmets. It got big belly laughs and big “aww”s from my six-year-old.
Drawn Onward by Daniel Nayeri & Matt Rockefeller (October 8; HarperAlley)
Author Daniel Nayeri is best known for his middle grade novels. He writes this sad yet hopeful fantasy picture book about grief as a palindrome. A young boy is grieving the death of his mother, and runs away into the woods armed with a sword and shield and accompanied by a flying pet. He encounters many fantasy creatures he should be scared of, but finds that there’s actually nothing to be afraid of. Instead of battles, he learns acceptance and, in doing so, finds he is not so alone. He returns home to his father with renewed hope. The illustrations are elaborate and beautiful, many drawn in graphic novel-style panels.
When Love Is More Than Words by Jocelyn Chung & Julia Kuo (October 15; Nancy Paulsen Books)
While Julia Kuo, one of my favorite picture book illustrators, has numerous stunning books, this gorgeous picture book is author Jocelyn Chung’s debut. The young narrator knows her family loves her even if they rarely say the words. She knows they love her by their actions: the way her mother rubs medicine on her chest when she’s sick, the way her great-grandmother A-tzo gives her the most beautiful loquats from her garden, the way her sister teaches her how to garden. She doesn’t need to hear the words to know she is loved. The illustrations are vibrant, and the text is reassuring.
New Children’s Books of October 2024: Early Chapter Books
Stella & Marigold by Annie Barrows & Sophie Blackall (October 1; Chronicle Books)
I adore this sweet and playful new early chapter book starring sisters. It’s divided into seven individual stories. Stella is seven and Marigold is four, and they live in the bottom half of a house, which Stella believes is lucky. In one story, Marigold gets lost in a meerkat tunnel at the zoo. In another, Stella is sick, and curls up under the family sick blanket. The sisters help the plumber, make art, dress up, and more. Every page is illustrated with Blackall’s lovely images of the sisters and their antics. This is the first in a planned series, and will likely become classics.
Poppy Song Bakes a Way by Karina Yan Glaser & Kat Fajardo (October 8; Algonquin Young Readers)
My favorite new early chapter book series is The Kids in Mrs. Z’s Class, and this is the third book in the series. Each one has a different kid from Mrs. Z’s third-grade class in their own stand-alone story. Poppy and her family have recently moved to Peppermint Falls, and she’s still making friends with the other kids in Mrs. Z’s class. With the help of her grandmother, Po Po, she hopes to make them treats and win them over, particularly with the difficult dragon beard candy. Unfortunately, Po Po begins forgetting things and making lots of mistakes. I love this latest addition to the series.
New Children’s Books of October 2024: Middle Grade
Boy 2.0 by Tracey Baptiste (October 1; Algonquin Young Readers)
Kids will love this science fiction middle grade; it’s such a page-turner, but still tackles lots of complex themes. After his current foster father has a mental health crisis, Win “Coal” Keegan is placed in a new foster home, the McKays, who have three children of their own. This is their first time fostering, and they do want to make Coal feel comfortable and safe, though the new home is a bit overwhelming for Coal. One day he takes a walk on his own and draws an image of a woman killed by police in chalk. While he’s drawing it, someone pulls a gun on him and shoots. He escapes, but the police chase him. He hides behind a dumpster and becomes invisible. He and his friend at school decide to investigate why he can turn invisible, and their research leads them to Mirror Tech, where his former foster father used to work.
Stand Up! by Tori Sharp (October 1; Little, Brown Ink)
This is such a funny and charming middle grade graphic novel about two 13-year-old best friends, one with autism (Kyle) and the other with ADHD (Clay), starting a podcast together and trying to make the most of their very last theater show in middle school. Usually, Kyle and Clay are part of the stage crew, but this year, Clay decides to try out for the play and lands one of the leading roles. However, Clay and Kyle much prefer comedy over the depressing musical, and Clay keeps getting into trouble with the drama teacher for being too funny. Meanwhile, Clay has a crush on the lead, Dania. Then Kyle and Clay land on a great idea: they’ll start their own comedy podcast called Passing Notes, where they give terrible advice to questions from subscribers! It becomes a big hit around school.
Monster Locker by Jorge Aguirre & Andrés Vera Martínez (October 1; First Second)
This is a delightful middle grade graphic novel about the Aztec goddess Coatlicue descending upon a middle school in Columbus, Ohio with her animal followers after tween Pablo Ortiz accidentally summons her. You see, there’s a ghost inhabiting Pablo’s locker, and the ghost tricks Pablo into summoning her. I adored Pablo and his interactions with his family and friends. Pablo’s older sister is preparing for her quinceañera and gives him lots of sass about it. His mother is a firefighter, and his abuela sometimes gets a bit lost in the past. While Pablo is worried about starting middle school, he makes new friends who are really fun and very helpful in defeating Coatlicue. The mythology is so cool, and I’m hoping there will be a second book!
Tale of the Flying Forest by R. M. Romero & E.K. Belsher (October 15; Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
This is a lovely middle grade Jewish portal fantasy novel for fans of the middle grade fairytale novels of Catherynne M. Valente and Charles de Lint. It’s about 11-year-old Anne Applebaum whose mother has recently passed away, and her remote father only grows colder. Anne has always felt as if she had a twin brother, and when a raven confirms that her brother is lost in a magical world from the book her mother used to read to her, and that his heart is broken into three pieces, Anne decides to set out on a quest to free him. But not all is as it seems in the magical flying forest, and the characters who were good in the book have now changed. The illustrations scattered throughout are superb.
If you’re looking for more new children’s book releases beyond this list of October children’s book releases, check out my list of July children’s books releases, August children’s book releases, and September children’s book releases.
You can find a full list of new releases in the magical New Release Index, carefully curated by your favorite Book Riot editors, organized by genre and release date.
