We had a Great Year! Check out our 2024 Awards and Accolades

December 11, 2024

We can’t believe the year is almost over! We’re so grateful for all the people who have a hand in helping share our books with the world: talented authors and illustrators, sales reps, booksellers, reviewers, and of course our readers. Your continued support means so much to us.

In this blog post, we’d like to share a few exciting updates about our books – namely, our awards highlights for the year!

Check it out:

ONE GIANT LEAP, Ages 3-7

HOW TO MAKE A PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH IN 17 EASY STEPS, Ages 4-7

THE NOISY PUDDLE, Ages 4-8

A Kirkus Best Picture Book, 2024
An Evanston Public Library 101 Great Books for Kids Selection, 2024
An SLJ – Fuse 8 Production Review of the Day/Best Book, 2024
A TPL First and Best Canadian Children’s Book, 2024
A Science Fridays’ Best Science Book for Kids, 2024
A CCBC Best Books for Kids and Teens, 2024

A STAR EXPLODES: THE STORY OF SUPERNOVA 1054, Ages 4-8

A Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award Nominee, 2025
An Outstanding Science Trade Book List Selection, 2024
Short-listed for the Richard Allen Chase Memorial Award, 2024
A TD Summer Reading Club Top Ten Selection, 2024

OTIS & PEANUT, Ages 6-8

Winner of the Doug Wright Egghead Award, 2024
A BolognaRagazzi Award Amazing Bookshelf Selection, 2024
A White Raven Selection, 2024
A Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List Selection, 2024
A Michigan Reading Association Great Lakes Great Books Award Nominee, 2024

OTIS & PEANUT FOREVER AND EVER, Ages 6-8

A Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List Selection, 2025
A CCBC Best Books for Kids and Teens Starred Selection, 2024
A Junior Library Guild Selection, 2024

ODD COUPLES: A GUIDE TO UNLIKELY ANIMAL PAIRS, Ages 6-9

Winner of the IODE Jean Throop Book Award, 2024
A Silver Birch Express Award Nominee, 2025
A Saskatchewan Shining Willow Award Finalist, 2024
Long-listed for the Science Writers and Communicators of Canada Book Award – Youth Category, 2023
A CCBC Best Books for Kids and Teens, 2024

BECOMING BIONIC AND OTHER WAYS SCIENCE IS MAKING US SUPER, Ages 8-12

……….

LAST BUT NOT LEAST … TAKE A LOOK AT ALL OF OUR 2024 AWARDS AND ACCOLADES HERE:

Owlkids Books Awards and Accolades 2024

A huge congratulations to all our talented authors and illustrators!

We can’t wait to see what’s in store for us in the new year! See you in 2025!

— The Owlkids Books Team —

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@owlkidspublishing

Find us on Instagram for book recommendations, sneak peeks at our authors’ and illustrators’ work, and a behind-the-scenes look at the world of kids’ publishing.

owlkidspublishing

Publisher of award-winning magazines Chirp, Chickadee, and OWL, and books for kids aged 2 to 14 📚

#MovieContest ALERT 🎥🚨 Head over to Owlkids

#MovieContest ALERT 🎥🚨

Head over to Owlkids.com to participate in our SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3 #Contest!

Enter for a chance to win a family movie night prize pack including: 4 passes to watch the film at any #Cineplex theatre, and a Sonic swag bag including plushies, posters, bracelets, and more!

DEADLINE: December 29

@sonicmovie
@paramountpics
@thetarogroup

#SonicTheHedgeHog3 #SonicTheHedgeHog3Movie #SonicMovie #Giveaway #Prize #MovieContest #Contest #Giveaway

Praise for WHAT MAKES A BIRD?, coming FEBRUARY 18,

Praise for WHAT MAKES A BIRD?, coming FEBRUARY 18, 2025 💙

"A cleverly open-ended answer to a big question." —Kirkus Reviews

A fun philosophical and scientific debate wrapped in a particularly pretty package." —Booklist

WHAT MAKES A BIRD? by Megan Pomper (@mjpstories) and Maia Hoekstra (@mariah.in.the.middle) is a whimsical, inquiry-based meditation on why a bird is a bird.

Pre-order your copy today!

#NewBooksForWinter #WinterBooks #STEM #Birds #SELPictureBooks #Science #Biodiversity #Curiosity

Praise for BUNNY MADE TEA, coming FEBRUARY 18, 202

Praise for BUNNY MADE TEA, coming FEBRUARY 18, 2025 💚

"An elegantly told, cozy sip of a story about the value of caring for others." —Kirkus Reviews

"This debut by Baehr Fuller makes the most of play between innocent text and sly illustration." —Publishers Weekly

"This charming picture book may interest beginning readers as well as younger children." —Booklist

BUNNY MADE TEA by debut author and illustrator Amanda Baehr Fuller (@mamarobot) is filled with charming illustrations, simple text, and hilariously expressive characters - this cozy tale invites readers to practice generosity and meet acts of kindness with gratitude.

Pre-order your copy today!

#NewBooksForWinter #WinterBooks #BunnyPictureBook #SocialEmotionalLearning #SELPictureBook #Hospitality #Kindness #Tea #KidLit

It's cold out there 🥶 Find out how these anima

It's cold out there 🥶

Find out how these animals stay warm during wintry weather in the latest issue of OWL magazine!

Subscribe using the link in our bio, or copy this link:

https://ow.ly/gSwm50UtsIz

#OWLMagazine#KidsMagazine #AnimalFacts #WinterAnimals #RedFox #Magazine

Happy #TeacherTuesday! For today's post, we'd like

Happy #TeacherTuesday! For today's post, we'd like to feature A MEERKAT DIARY: MY JOURNEY INTO THE WILD WORLD OF A MEERKAT MOB by @suzieszterhas! This rare and adorable look at meerkat pups features STEM curriculum links to animal behavior, conservation, and environmental stewardship 💚

Check out curriculum connections you can use in your classroom:

GENRE: Nonfiction/Journal-Style

CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: Diary/Journal Entries | Language Arts: Understanding Informational Text; Text Features - Photographs, Captions, Glossary | Life Science: Animals; Habitats; Environments; Conservation; Systems; Ecological Relationships; Biodiversity

Ages: 7 to 10 | Fountas & Pinnell: R | Lexile® Measure: 900L | Common Core: RI.4, W.4, SL.4, L.4 | NGSS: 3-LS1-1, 3-LS2-1, 3-LS3-1, 3-LS3-2

***If you are an Educator (or just interested!), make sure to follow the hashtags #TeacherTuesdays or #OKBTeacherTuesdays to find great #BookRecs, #BookContests, and #ClassroomResources throughout the school year on all of our social media channels.

If you’re looking for THE BEST we’ve got some

If you’re looking for THE BEST we’ve got some #BookRecs for you!

We’re honoured to have TWELVE books selected by @kidsbookcentre for the Fall 2024 Best Books for Kids and Teens list!

Congratulations to the featured titles! See the full list below 🎉🥳

THE BLUE BOWL by @flo.lee.leung

DO HIPPOS BRUSH THEIR TEETH (*Starred) by #EttaKaner, ill. @jennapiechota

THE KEEPER OF STARS (*Starred) by @mypbjam and ill. @doroleung

THE LITTLE REGENT by @ydayoade and ill. @kendaleyart!

MAKING SENSE OF DOG SENSES (*Starred)by @stephanie_gibeault, and ill. @razlatif

THE NOISY PUDDLE by @linda_booth_sweeney_creates and ill. @mikisatoillustration

ONE GIANT LEAP (*Starred). by @thaohlam

OTIS & PEANUT FOREVER AND EVER (*Starred) by @naseemo and ill. @iusedtobeanartist

RUMIE GOES RAFTING by @meghanmouse

THE WEIRD SISTERS: A COOP, SOME GOOP, AND A SANDWICH by @marksmithbooks and ill. @rustikar

WAKE UP LITTLE PIN by @loretta.garbutt and ill. @marianneferrer.jpg

LOVE IS IN THE BEAR by @judeboxfactory and ill. @nahid_kazemi_visual_poems

#CCBCBestBooksForKidsAndTeens #BestBooksForKidsAndTeens #BBKTFall2024 #PictureBooks #ChildrensBooks #KidLit

Praise for PATTY DREAMS, coming JANUARY 7, 2025 💛

"A unique immigration story sure to please the stomach and the heart." —Kirkus Reviews

PATTY DREAMS by @nadialhohn_author (Nadia L. Hohn) and ill. @sahlgood (Sahle Robinson) is a tasty celebration of family, food culture, and Jamaican patties!

*Includes an author’s note that discusses Toronto’s Patty Wars, in time for the 40th anniversary of the 1985 "Patty Wars" in Toronto.

Pre-order your copy today! 💛

#NewBooksForWinter #WinterBooks #JamaicanPatties #PictureBook #FoodPictureBook #KidLit

Praise for THE EIDI BAG, coming JANUARY 7, 2025 💗

"A festive tale that teaches valuable lessons." —Kirkus Reviews

“A good addition to a holiday book collection." —School Library Journal

"Perfect for young readers who may be experiencing their favorite holidays in a new home." —Booklist

THE EIDI BAG is an authentic look at Eid Ul Fitr through the eyes of a child, and a comforting tale about discovering joy in what is unfamiliar to us, written by #ShaziaAfzal (@childrensreadinggarden) and illustrator #ShivaDelsooz (@shivadelsooz.art).

Pre-order your copy today 💗

#NewBooksForWinter #WinterBooks #HolidayPictureBook #Eid #EidPictureBook #Ramadan2025 #KidLit #EidUlFitr2025 #EidUlAdha2025

Owlkids Books is proud to have four titles in Toro

Owlkids Books is proud to have four titles in Toronto Public Library's First and Best List 2024 🎉🎉🎉

IT'S OKAY, JUST ASK by @moniqueleonardocarlos and ill. @salini.banana
HOW TO STAYCATION LIKE A SNAIL by @naseemo and ill. @iusedtobeanartist
ONE GIANT LEAP by @thaohlam
THE NOISY PUDDLE by @linda_booth_sweeney_creates and ill. @mikisatoillustration

TPL's First and Best List represents the top picks of the best Canadian children's books for building reading readiness in kids under five.

A big thank you to @torontolibrary for including these titles amongst a wonderful list of books 💚 To take a look, copy this link:

https://ow.ly/UvWv50UpYeU

#TPLBestAndFirst2024 #TorontoPublicLibrary #KidsBooks #PictureBooks #KidLit

Praise for RAVEN'S RIBBONS, coming JANUARY 14, 202

Praise for RAVEN'S RIBBONS, coming JANUARY 14, 2025 🧡

"A beautiful tribute to Indigenous heritage." —⭐ Kirkus Reviews - STARRED REVIEW

"A message of openness to beauty" —⭐ Publishers Weekly - STARRED REVIEW

"[A] welcome story about an Indigenous child’s gender expression." — The Horn Book

RAVEN'S RIBBONS is a joyous celebration of gender expression through an Indigenous lens, by New York Times bestselling author @tasha.spillett and celebrated fine artist #DanielRamirez.

Pre-order your copy today 🧡 *CANADIAN RIGHTS ONLY - US RIGHTS: LITTLE, BROWN*

#NewBooksForWinter #WinterBooks #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth #PictureBooks #ClassroomReads #ClassroomBooks #GenderExpression #BooksForTeachers #IntergenerationalRelationships #RoundDance #RibbonSkirt #Art #KidLit

Good news ... ONE GIANT LEAP and OTIS & PEANUT FOR

Good news ... ONE GIANT LEAP and OTIS & PEANUT FOREVER AND EVER have been selected for the Texas Library Association's 2025 Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List 🥳🥳🥳

ONE GIANT LEAP by @thaohlam is a playful wordless story about the power of a child's imagination and creativity, and has been chosen as a STARRED SELECTION and a TOP 20 TITLE ❤️

OTIS & PEANUT FOREVER AND EVER by @naseemo and ill. @iusedtobeanartist is a junior graphic novel that explores themes of celebrating life's simple pleasures, grief, and making new memories with sensitivity, humor, and optimism ❤️

A big thank you to the #TexasLibraryAssociation #LittleMaverickCommittee (@txla_1902) for including both titles amongst a wonderful selection of books!

Check out the full list by copying this link: https://ow.ly/41Q650UnUHp

#GraphicNovels #JuniorGraphicNovels #LittleMaverickReadingList2025

We're so excited ... OUR WOOLLY BEAR and ONE GIANT

We're so excited ... OUR WOOLLY BEAR and ONE GIANT LEAP are Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy Bell Award nominees 🎉🎉🎉

Congratulations to creators @studio.arthur and @thaohlam on this amazing achievement ❤️

Thank you to the #CLELBellAwardCommittee for considering our titles - check out the list by copying this link: https://ow.ly/UUQj50UlgcN

#PictureBookAwards #BookAwards #PictureBookNominees #CLEL #ColoradoLibrariesForEarlyLiteracy #BellAward #CLELBellAward #WordlessPictureBook #KidLit

Something NEW is coming soon ... 👀 Stay tuned

THE NOISY PUDDLE is a Kirkus Best Picture Book of

THE NOISY PUDDLE is a Kirkus Best Picture Book of 2024!

"Readers will be delighted ... Nature offers up marvelous surprises at every turn—even via a humble puddle teeming with life." — ⭐ Kirkus Reviews - STARRED REVIEW

Thank you @kirkus_reviews for placing this book amongst a wonderful list of books, and congrats @linda_booth_sweeney_creates and @mikisatoillustration 💙

#KirkusBestPictureBook2024 #InformationalPictureBook #STEM #VernalPools #KidLit

NEW FOR WINTER 💙 "A cleverly open-ended answer

NEW FOR WINTER 💙

"A cleverly open-ended answer to a big question." —Kirkus Reviews

In this evocative picture book, a child wanders through nature with one question: what makes a bird a bird? Is it feathers? What about a beak? Could it be wings? With each possible answer, more questions arise. If laying eggs makes a bird a bird, what about turtles, snakes, or fish? If flying is the thing, are penguins still birds?

Accompanied by gorgeous illustrations and subtle STEM content, this thoughtful picture book invites readers to think about what makes us human and how we categorize and identify the world around us.

WHAT MAKES A BIRD? by Megan Pomper (@mjpstories) and Maia Hoekstra (@mariah.in.the.middle) is a whimsical, inquiry-based meditation on why a bird is a bird 💙

Available FEBRUARY 18, 2025. Pre-order your copy today!

#NewBooksForWinter #WinterBooks #STEM #Birds #SELPictureBooks #Science #Biodiversity #Curiosity

Plan early for holidays in the new year with these

Plan early for holidays in the new year with these sweet picture books!

THE TRAY OF TOGETHERNESS is a sensory, food-focused story that encourages readers to explore culturally specific Lunar New Year practices, while offering a universal message about carrying on traditions and creating community. By @flo.lee.leung ❤️

ALIYA'S SECRET is a joyful look at Ramadan based on the author’s own childhood experiences - readers familiar and unfamiliar with the holiest month in the Islamic calendar will get swept up in the festivities, and perhaps be inspired to share a meal with their community. By @fzamanart 💙

THE EIDI BAG is an authentic look at Eid Ul Fitr through the eyes of a child, and a comforting tale about discovering joy in what is unfamiliar to us. By @childrensreadinggarden and ill. @shivadelsooz.art 💛

BUNNY MADE TEA is a cozy tale that invites readers to practice generosity and meet acts of kindness with gratitude. A perfect bunny gift for Easter that speaks to personal boundaries and hospitality with the power of tea! By @mamarobot 💚

#HolidayPictureBooks #Holidays #HolidayBooks #LunarNewYear #Eid #Ramadan #Easter #DiverseBooks #KidLit

Nyesha wants to throw a music party with her frien

Nyesha wants to throw a music party with her friends! Written by @sadesmith_author and ill. by @janinecarringtonkids 🎵

Listen to MUSIC IS EVERYWHERE on our website using the link in our bio!

#ChickadeeMagazine #ChickadeeStory #WorldListeningDay #NationalDayOfListening #Music

NEW FOR WINTER 💚 "An elegantly told, cozy sip

NEW FOR WINTER 💚

"An elegantly told, cozy sip of a story about the value of caring for others." —Kirkus Reviews

"This debut by Baehr Fuller makes the most of play between innocent text and sly illustration." —Publishers Weekly

One soggy spring morning, Bunny decides to make a cup of tea. Before they can take a sip, Opossum arrives for an impromptu visit. Like a good host, Bunny kindly offers the unexpected guest their tea and brews another cup. But just as they’re settling in to enjoy it, Opossum returns with their babies in tow. They all want tea too!

With charming illustrations, simple text, and hilariously expressive characters, this cozy tale invites readers to practice generosity and meet acts of kindness with gratitude.

BUNNY MADE TEA by debut author and illustrator Amanda Baehr Fuller (@mamarobot) is available:

FEBRUARY 18, 2025. Pre-order your copy today!

#NewBooksForWinter #WinterBooks #BunnyPictureBook #SocialEmotionalLearning #SELPictureBook #Hospitality #Kindness #Tea #KidLit

All of our Fall 2024 books are out and about in th

All of our Fall 2024 books are out and about in the world! Have you had the chance to read them? 👀

See the full list of titles below:

THREE CITY KITTIES by @_ashleybarron_ (@nori_yeti_flo_maeve)

HOW TO STAYCATION LIKE A SNAIL by @naseemo and ill. by @iusedtobeanartist

THE MANGO MONSTER by @dpmasca and ill. by @menekarepka

BEE & FLEA AND THE FALL FIASCO by @annakathrynhumphrey and ill. by @deasillustration

SQUIRREL-ISH by @bambi.vision

IN THE CITY by @marionatolosasistere

WHAT ABOUT AN OCTOPUS? by @deborahkerbel.books, ill. by @dawndawndawnillustration

THE WEEDFLOWER by @edavaze , ill. by @marianneferrer.jpg

I WONDER ABOUT WORLDS by #JamesGladstone and ill. @yaaraeshet

IT'S OKAY, JUST ASK by @moniqueleonardocarlos and ill. @salini.banana

KATRINA HYENA, STAND-UP COMEDIAN by @thegreatsophini and ill. @animatedaparna

A MEERKAT DIARY by @suzieszterhas

#Fall2024 #FallBooksRoundUp #NewBooksForFall #PictureBooks #NonfictionNovember #KidLit

Let's give a shout out to HOW TO MAKE A PEANUT BUT

Let's give a shout out to HOW TO MAKE A PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH IN 17 EASY STEPS, which is nominated for the Indiana Young Hoosier Book Award 🎉🎉

How to Make a Peanut Butter Sandwich in 17 Easy Steps is a slightly overcomplicated, yet highly hilarious guide to making a peanut butter sandwich with all your critter friends! It is also:

-A Texas 2x2 selection
-A Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee
-A BC Chocolate Lily Book Award nominee

Thank you @indianalibrary for this amazing honor - make sure to take a look at this fantastic list of books by copying this link (https://ow.ly/Mkuw50UcUrP), or visiting their website!

A big congrats to @bambi.vision!! 🥜 Make sure to check out her latest picture book (next slide), SQUIRREL-ISH, for more fun critter adventures!

#BookAwards #PictureBookNominee #IndianaLibraryFederation #YoungHoosier #KidLit

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