10 Great New Children’s Books Out in November That Explore the Skies

I don’t love the cold and damp that November brings to my corner of the world, but I do enjoy the magic of longer nights. A crisp, clear evening is perfect for stargazing—and then for heading inside to get cozy and ponder the mysteries of the universe. I think my fellow book creators must enjoy the night skies, too, because many of November’s new releases for children and teens have an interstellar bent. This month, young readers can curl up with nonfiction explorations of the galaxy, thumb through an old astronomy textbook with a fresh new story to tell, or experience the peace of being (almost) alone on the moon. Even the stories that take place on Earth feel as cozy and immersive as a quiet winter’s evening.

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Angélique Leone, A Winter’s Morning
illustrated by Grégoire Solotareff
Post Wave, November 4
recommended for ages 3-5

On a snowy day in the forest, a lonely wolf named Sylvester comes across a strange object: a bright red teddy bear that a child has left behind at the base of a tree. Sylvester can’t stand the thought of letting the bear disappear under the snow, so he takes the bear back to his den and decides to name her Poppy. As Sylvester’s bond with his new stuffed animal grows, he begins to believe that Poppy is just as real as he is. The two friends play together in the quiet wilderness—until the child and her father return in search of Poppy. The story ends with a brilliant twist that will surprise and delight kids and adults. Gorgeous, atmospheric illustrations by renowned French artist Grégoire Solotareff bring wintry warmth to Sylvester and Poppy’s world.

Nora Ericson, The Bunny Ballet
illustrated by Elly MacKay
Abrams, November 11
recommended for ages 4-8

Author Nora Ericson and illustrator Elly MacKay, the creators behind the award-winning picture book Too Early, have teamed up again to create The Bunny Ballet. Told in gentle, bedtime-friendly verse, this magical tale follows two siblings who sneak out into the twilight to attend a most unusual dance performance. I particularly love MacKay’s multidimensional lightbox artwork, which welcomes readers into a layered and luminous secret world of well-dressed rabbits en pointe. Read this book aloud to your favorite young dancer, and then join me at the concession stand for a Carrot Cordial or a few Lettuce Linzers.

Maria Popova, The Coziest Place on the Moon
illustrated by Sarah Jacoby
Enchanted Lion, November 4
recommended for ages 5-8

Re is a cute little critter—a blue hedgehog, maybe?—who wakes up on a Tuesday in July “feeling like the loneliest creature on Earth.” And when you’re lonely, where’s the best place to be? On the moon, of course! Re hops on a beam of light and flies into space in search of a cozy lunar nook. But the secret underground cave that seems like the perfect place to be alone is already occupied by another fuzzy, lonely creature named Mi. This sweetly philosophical picture book explores what it means to be “tranquil” or “happy-alone”—and how it’s possible to enjoy being alone together with a new friend. Readers will even learn a few fascinating facts about the moon along the way.

Jesse Wente, Danger Eagle
illustrated by Shaikara David
Tundra, November 4
recommended for ages 5-9

My six-year-old recently announced that he only wants to read about superheroes, so I was thrilled to come across Danger Eagle, a comics-style picture book about “a hero so brave that Danger wasn’t just their middle name. It was their first name.” The hero in question seems at first to be a mild-mannered penguin, but they’re actually a daredevil capable of performing death-defying feats. Adults may notice that this is, in part, a story about kids playing an elaborate superhero game with stuffed animals, but young readers will suspend their disbelief and cheer as Danger Eagle attempts the most challenging stunt of all: flying. This funny tale of unlikely heroism can be enjoyed either as a read-aloud or as a confidence booster for newly independent readers.

Allie Summers, Galaxy Mapper: The Luminous Discoveries of Astrophysicist Hélène Courtois
illustrated by Sian James
MIT Kids Press, November 18
recommended for ages 5-9

Not all picture book biographies are about people who lived long ago or discoveries from the distant past. In Galaxy Mapper, author Allie Summers and illustrator Sian James introduce readers to French astrophysicist Hélène Courtois, a working scientist who studies cosmography, or mapping the observable universe. In the early 2010s, Courtois was part of the team that discovered and described the Laniakea supercluster of galaxies to which our Milky Way belongs. Girls who dream of making big scientific discoveries will be particularly inspired by Courtois’s story of perseverance and success in a male-dominated field.

For readers who want to learn even more about astronomy, pair Galaxy Mapper with Exploring the Universe: A Complete Guide to the Cosmos by Isabel Thomas and Sara Gillingham, another colorful and ultra-informative book about our universe that publishes this month.

Donna Barba Higuera, Xolo
illustrated by Mariana Ruiz Johnson
Levine Querido, November 4
recommended for ages 7-10

Xolo is Newbery medalist Donna Barba Higuera’s wise and witty reimagining of Aztec mythology, beautifully illustrated by Mariana Ruiz Johnson. You may have heard of Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent god who helped to create the Earth and save humanity—but do you know about his “monstrous” dog-headed twin brother, Xolotl? In this retelling, the lesser-known twin finally gets a chance to tell his version of the Aztec creation myth and explain how dogs became humans’ best friends. Each page features full-color illustrations and only a few lines of text, making Xolo an excellent pick for reluctant readers, graphic novel lovers, and kids who’ve just begun to find their way into longer stories.

Raidah Shah Idil, How to Free a Jinn
Salaam Reads, November 4
recommended for ages 8-12

If you’re a fan of magic and adventure, this shimmering debut novel from author Raidah Shah Idil is for you. Twelve-year-old Insyirah’s life is turned upside-down when she and her mom leave their home in Australia and move to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to care for Syirah’s grandmother. Although Syirah soon makes friends with a couple of her fellow “weirdos” at her new school, she also discovers a little secret that her family has been keeping from her: In Malaysia, Syirah has the ability to see and interact with powerful spirits, or jinn. Readers will have a blast following Syirah as she navigates her new responsibilities, uncovers even more hidden truths, and tries to thwart the evil spirit that’s haunting her new school.

Jessica Walker, The Secret Astronomers
Viking, November 4
recommended for ages 12 and up

If you have a chance to peek inside this cleverly constructed young adult novel, please do: The Secret Astronomers, by author and artist Jessica Walker, is a triumph of storytelling and design. At first glance, this novel looks like an old, neglected astronomy textbook that someone has nabbed from a rural West Virginia high school and started to write and doodle in. After a while, sticky notes appear, written by someone else who’s not exactly pleased about the doodler’s defacement of the only astronomy reference work in the school library. As the two note-writers continue their correspondence and eventually strike up a friendship, it’s up to the reader to piece together the stories and secrets that emerge on the textbook’s pages.

E. Lockhart, We Fell Apart
Delacorte, November 4
recommended for ages 12 and up

Readers who loved E. Lockhart’s YA novel We Were Liars will want to pick up We Fell Apart, a standalone story set in the same world as the 2014 hit. Matilda receives an email from Kingsley Cello, a famous painter she’s never met, informing her that he is her father and inviting her to spend the summer at his home on Martha’s Vineyard. But when Matilda arrives at Hidden Beach, Kingsley is nowhere to be seen. Instead, there are others: Matilda’s half-brother, Meer; Meer’s artist mother, June; Brock, a former child actor; and Tatum, who doesn’t seem to want Matilda anywhere near Hidden Beach. The whole setup is an ideal literary playground for Lockhart, who weaves wealth, intrigue, and the power of teen emotions into an immersive and atmospheric narrative.

Kendall Kulper, A Time Traveler’s History of Tomorrow
Holiday House, November 4
recommended for ages 14 and up

I’m really looking forward to diving into this historical romance with a sci-fi twist. A Time Traveler’s History of Tomorrow is narrated by two very different teens, scientifically minded Genevieve and runaway time traveler Ash. When Genevieve’s physics experiment at the 1934 Chicago World’s Fair goes explosively wrong, Ash jumps in to save the day, turning back time by a few minutes to prevent disaster. At least, that’s what he intends to do. But Ash sends himself and Genevieve all the way back to 1893 instead, leaving the stability of the entire universe at risk. I’m excited to find out how author Kendall Kulper answers the age-old question posed by so many great works of young adult fiction: Can our heroes save the world and still find time to fall in love?