The 12 Best New Children’s Books Out in May 2025

This beautifully illustrated picture book follows a female surfer as she tackles a huge and very challenging wave. Dealing with themes of resilience, courage, and sticking with it, The Biggest, Highest Wave will appeal to young kids who love sports or the sea, and it tells an important story about how to overcome challenges.

Devin wants to wear a special outfit for his Nanabapa’s birthday, but none of his regular clothes seem to fit the bill. He borrows his sister’s skirt, knowing that this is the perfect outfit for the special occasion, but he is worried about what people’s reactions will be—until his family shows him that he can wear whatever makes him happy. So Devin Wore a Skirt is a wonderful story about self-expression and family acceptance.

Part of an ongoing series, Little Troublemaker Defends Her Name is a fantastic book showing children that it’s okay to stand up for themselves. Little Luvvie starts a new school, but one of her new classmates makes fun of her name, so Luvvie learns how to push back against bullies, feel her feelings, and move forward.

In this sweet book about friendship, an elephant, Lavender, wants to play with a young girl, Ella. Ella is excited to play, but knows that they need to keep the house tidy for a party her mother is hosting later that day. As the pair play, they realise it’s hard to keep things neat when you’re having fu, and it’s a race against time for them to get everything tidy again for the party.

Dealing with loss is difficult, but it’s important to learn. Where Are You, Brontë? helps young children think about grief and provides a way for families to talk about loss. In this beautifully illustrated book, dePaola explores the loss of his own beloved dog, acknowledging the sadness of losing a pet while also remembering the good times.

Evie and Maryam aren’t too happy when they’re put together for a school project. Evie thinks Maryam is a bit strange, while Maryam, a newer student, feels like she doesn’t fit in at school. But as they start the project, which involves tracing their family trees, Evie and Maryam realise they have more in common than they thought—and that their grandmothers had an important connection. 

Following the story of Quinn, a young girl conceived through sperm donation, The Doughnut Club explores all kinds of different family relationships. Quinn is a lot quieter than her mums and her brother, and she often feels like she doesn’t fit in with her family, so when she finds out that she has donor siblings, she hopes that she might be able to meet relatives with whom she has something in common. As Quinn starts looking for her donor relatives, she also realises the strength of her connection to her birth family.

In this thriller with horror vibes, four kids escape detention to investigate a monster that they see stalking their neighbourhood. As Jack, Conan, Yash, and Jerry find more supernatural creatures, they realise that not only are they in danger, but that the world might be under threat. With plenty of spooky thrills, The Doomsday Club is a fantastic read for middle graders who like high-stakes supernatural adventure.

Flying in Colors is a thoughtful book dealing with life, grief, and other big issues. Pavi is nine, and for most of her life, her family has been dealing with the death of her uncle, Selva, who died when Pavi was only five months old. Whenever Pavi asks questions about Selva, her family refuses to answer—but Pavi is determined to find out what her uncle was really like, and why he died.

Third in the exciting Intasimi Warriors series, Soni and the Life Drinkers follows Soni and the rest of the warriors as they track down monsters in an alternate-universe Nairobi. Soni has to grapple with unmasking the Life Drinkers, discovering the secrets kept by her long-lost aunt, and working with her friends to protect people from dangerous supernatural creatures before they harm people she cares about.