Best New Books in March 2025 for Kids, Teens, and Teachers
March is National Reading Month, which makes it the perfect time to check out all the new reads available for the classroom and beyond! Here are the new books for March 2025 that we’re most excited to get our hands on, based on their promising advance reviews.
New Fiction Picture Books March 2025
Wind Watchers by Micha Archer
Children ask the wind, “How will you blow today?” In response, it may be soft and gentle, or gusty and wild, showing them all the ways the wind affects their days.
Buy it: Wind Watchers
Papilio by Ben Clanton, Andy Chou Musser, and Corey R. Tabor
Three different authors each take on one stage of the butterfly life cycle: caterpillar, chrysalis, and adult. The book is scientifically accurate, and the writing and illustrations are engaging and fun for young readers.
Buy it: Papilio
Pop! Goes the Nursery Rhyme by Betsy Bird, ill. by Andrea Tsurumi
What if every nursery rhyme ended with “Pop goes the weasel?” Read this rib-tickling book with your child to hear the hilarious results!
Buy it: Pop! Goes the Nursery Rhyme
Monty and the Mushrooms by Dev Petty, ill. by Jared Chapman
Kids (and adults) might be surprised to learn that mushrooms are the noisiest residents of the forest, gossiping all day and arguing all night! Monty the marmot loves peace and quiet, though, and eventually he decides that enough is enough.
Buy it: Monty and the Mushrooms
March 2025 Chapter Books/Easy Readers
Squirlish: Central Park Ghost by Ellen Potter, ill. by Sara Cristofori
The latest entry in the popular easy reader series follows the “squirlish” Ellen and her pal Isaac as they try to help a Central Park zookeeper catch whatever’s been spooking the sea lions. Their hunt turns up a scared coyote who’s been separated from his pack in this fast-paced fantasy adventure.
Buy it: Squirlish: Central Park Ghost
Hocus and Pocus and the Dragon Next Door by A.R. Capetta, ill. by Charlene Chua
How would you feel if you found out a dragon lived next door? Magical puppies Hocus and Pocus are about to find out! As they make friends with their wizard neighbor’s pet, these little dogs learn that dragons can be shy too.
Buy it: Hocus Pocus and Dragon Next Door
Mad Scientist Mom: Saved by the Smell by Jarrett Lerner
Ari’s scientist mom loves to come up with crazy solutions to common household problems. Her latest? A time portal to help deal with all the dirty laundry that’s been piling up. What could possibly go wrong?
New Middle Grade Fiction Books March 2025
The Strongest Heart by Saadia Faruqi
Pakistani American Muhammad has grown up with the raging moods of his father’s paranoid schizophrenia. When he and his father move to Texas to live with family, Muhammad has a new chance to come to terms with his feelings about his parents and himself.
Buy it: The Strongest Heart
Bree Boyd Is a Legend! by Leah Johnson
Middle schooler Bree is an overachiever, determined to maintain strict control over her life. So when a lightning strike activates her telekinetic powers, she’s shocked in more ways than one. Now she must navigate the conflict between living up to her parents’ expectations and finding her own path to happiness.
Buy it: Bree Boyd Is a Legend!
The Peach Thief by Linda Joan Smith
In 1850s England, 13-year-old orphan Scilla has been passing as a boy to work off her transgressions after stealing a peach. As she learns from the Earl’s gardener, she finds herself drawn to Phin, a fellow apprentice. Her secret is getting harder and harder to keep, but if she reveals it, will she lose the only home she’s ever really had?
Buy it: The Peach Thief
Cincinnati Lee, Curse Breaker by Heidi Heilig
Cincinnati’s great-great-great-great-grandfather was an Indiana Jones–type archaeologist, and when she reads his diaries, Cincinnati is alarmed to learn that a clay idol he looted from Peru has cursed her family ever since. Now she’s off on a globe-trotting adventure to return the stolen artifact to its rightful owners, which turns out to be much harder than she ever expected.
Buy it: Cincinnati Lee, Curse Breaker
March 2025 New Young Adult Fiction Books
A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe by Mahogany L. Browne
This unique book is a collection of short stories, essays, lists, and more written by a group of fictional teens sheltering at home during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The poignant writing will resonate with today’s teens, who are just the right age to reflect on those difficult days and their impact.
Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid
Dystopian fans will find themselves engrossed in this new novel, where Inesa Soulis has been nominated for the Lamb’s Gauntlet, a Hunger Games–style survival contest. “Angels” like Melinoë hunt contestants (chosen for their enormous financial debts) to the death while the world watches for entertainment. When Melinoë begins to question her purpose, both girls find their futures in question—but they also find each other.
Buy it: Fable for the End of the World
A Catalog of Burnt Objects by Shana Youngdahl
Seventeen-year-old Caprice is just starting to put together the life she wants when devastating wildfires strike her hometown, putting everything at risk. With the recent LA wildfires, this is the kind of book that will help some teens empathize and offer others catharsis.
Buy it: A Catalog of Burnt Objects
Banned Together (Anthology) edited by Ashley Hope Pérez
How do book bans affect authors, readers, and communities? That’s the question this ambitious anthology seeks to answer through its collection of short fiction, memoir, personal essay, poetry, and more.
Buy it: Banned Together
New Poetry and Verse Fiction for March 2025
How Elegant the Elephant by Mary Ann Hoberman, ill. by Marla Frazee
Hoberman has been crafting engaging children’s poems for 65 years. This collection rounds up her favorite animal-related poetry, with wonderful new illustrations that link them all together in a clever way that both kids and adults will enjoy. (Grades K–5)
Buy it: How Elegant the Elephant
The Boy Who Lived in a Shell by John Himmelman
Ivo fills the walls of his shell with “snippets”—story-poems that are funny, thought-provoking, and unique. The simple illustrations add to the experience without overwhelming the text. (Grades K–5)
Buy it: The Boy Who Lived in a Shell
Words With Wings and Magic Things by Matthew Burgess, ill. by Doug Salati
This lighthearted collection of children’s verse delights in the celebration of language in all its glory. Each of the seven sections (Welcome, Wonder, Wild, Weee!, Whoops & Wallops, Windows, and Whispers & Well Wishes) contains accessible poems that highlight the magic in everyday moments. (Grades K–5)
Wise Up! Wise Down! by John Agard and JonArno Lawson, ill. by Satoshi Kitamura
These call-and-response poems written by two well-known poets seek to answer important questions, like “Do pigeons ever get a craving for cake?” It’s a fun collection for readers who love wordplay and a bit of a tongue-in-cheek look at the world. (Grades 2–5)
Buy it: Wise Up! Wise Down!
13 Ways To Say Goodbye by Kate Fussner
In this novel-in-verse, Nina’s sister Lily died young, before she could complete all the items on her “13 Before 13” list. So Nina decides to check them off in her honor with new friend (and maybe more) Sylvie, while spending a summer in Paris with her aunt. (Grades 5–9)
Buy it: 13 Ways To Say Goodbye
When We Ride by Rex Ogle
Mexican American Benny works hard at school, at the urging of his mother, and is rewarded with a car. But when he wants to have fun, his white friend Lawson helps him break out of his shell. Lawson sells marijuana, helping his mom make rent, while Benny drives him around. Benny figures he’s not doing any harm—he’s not the one selling, and it’s only pot. But when Lawson ups the ante, their friendship may be at risk. (Novel in verse, grades 10–12)
Buy it: When We Ride
Best New Graphic Novels and Nonfiction March 2025
I’m a Dumbo Octopus! by Anne Lambelet
Explore the world of cephalopods in this fun new graphic nonfiction book. The intriguing facts are presented with a hefty dose of whimsy that makes this one a joy to read. (Grades 2–5)
Buy it: I’m a Dumbo Octopus!
Dino Poet by Tom Angleberger
Frog is about to become lunch for a dinosaur, until he offers to help this Dino Poet brush up on his technique! Together, they enjoy prehistoric life, writing increasingly better poems along the way. This sneaky new graphic novel is nonfiction in disguise, teaching kids the finer points of writing good poetry. (Grades 2–5)
Buy it: Dino Poet
Speak Up, Santiago! by Julio Anta, ill. by Gabi Mendez
Santiago is loving his summer spent with his abuela (grandmother) in Hillside, but everyone there speaks Spanish fluently—and Santiago doesn’t. Will his new friends judge him? Santiago has to find his voice, in more ways than one, to make his summer a success. (Grades 2–5)
Buy it: Speak Up, Santiago!
Shred or Dead by D. Bradford Gambles
This one’s for the skateboard fans! Sam and her sister must team up with a group of wacky misfits (human and otherwise) to reclaim their prime skating territory from the pushy new Too Cool Crew. (Grades 5–8)
Buy it: Shred or Dead
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin, ill. by Fred Fordham
The beloved fantasy novel gets a graphic adaptation in this gorgeous new volume. Fans will enjoy seeing well-known worlds brought to life visually, while new readers can dive right in to a gorgeously imagined universe. (Grades 9–12)
March 2025 New Nonfiction Books for All Ages
The One and Only Rumi by Rabiah York, ill. by Maneli Manouchehri
Learn the childhood story of revered poet Rumi, as his family flees from the invading armies of Genghis Khan. Through their journey to Baghdad and on to Mecca, young Muhammad takes in the sights and sounds along the way, building experiences that would later inform his memorable poetry. (Grades pre-K to 3)
Buy it: The One and Only Rumi
We Need To Talk About Divorce by Kate Scharff, ill. by Annika Le Large
As many as half of marriages end in divorce, something many kids know all too well. This new offering is a handbook for those kids, with answers to common questions and advice to help overcome feelings of anxiety, fear, and loneliness. (Grades 4–8)
Buy it: We Need To Talk About Divorce
The Doomsday Detectives by Cindy Jenson-Elliott, ill. by Theo Nicole Lorenz
It’s widely accepted today that a giant asteroid strike led to the extinction of the dinosaurs. But it took the detective work of a father and son, Luis and Walter Alvarez, to bring others to accept this theory. Learn their intriguing tale in this nonfiction pick. (Grades 4–8)
Buy it: The Doomsday Detectives
Earthrise by Leonard S. Marcus
The iconic image of the Earth “rising” on the moon’s horizon forever changed the way we view our planet. Learn the story of how that image came to be, and the incredible impacts it’s had on humanity ever since. (Grades 4–8)
Buy it: Earthrise
Design Thinking by Fred Estes
Introduce teens to the six-step process known as design thinking with this new guide. It’s a great way to teach and emphasize problem-solving skills, innovative thinking, and teamwork. (Grades 6–12)
Buy it: Design Thinking
New Books for Teachers in March 2025
Integrated: How American Schools Failed Black Children by Noliwe Rooks
More than 70 years after Brown v. Board of Education declared school segregation unconstitutional, equitable education opportunities still seem to elude the American education system. Explore the problems of school integration and find ways to help your own school make progress with this new read.
Buy it: Integrated
Seven Social Movements That Changed America by Linda Gordon
Teachers have the opportunity to guide young lives, encouraging them to be the change they want to see in the world. Learn about seven key social movements that changed our world, so you can share the information to inspire your own students as they take their own place in our communities.
What new books coming in March 2025 are you most excited to add to your collection? Come join the conversation in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook to ask for more book recommendations.
Plus, Read Across America Day Activities To Celebrate Literacy.
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