21 new book picks for children and teens

From picture books to gripping YA novels to a basketball giant's memoir, here are new book suggestions for younger readers on your gift list:

“Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut” (Agate Bolden), by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James. A boy enjoys the camaraderie and care he receives at the local barbershop. For readers 3 to 8 years old.

“The Little Red Cat Who Ran Away and Learned His ABC’s (the Hard Way)” (Little, Brown), by Patrick McDonnell. A merry chase story with letters (but no words) by the creators of the “Mutts” comic strip. 3 to 6 years old.

“The Legend of Rock, Paper, Scissors” (Balzer + Bray), by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Adam Rex. Three warriors who’ve mastered their own realms try to dominate each other in a comic battle that could go on forever. 4 to 8 years old.

“Peanut of Blind Faith Farm” (Little Creek Press), by Jim Thompson, illustrated by Rebecca Gavney Driscoll. Family farmers help a lamb born blind grow up while admiring her resourcefulness. Thompson is a Jefferson County farmer; his story is based on one of his family’s lambs. 4 to 8 years old.

“Professional Crocodile” (Chronicle Books), by Giovanna Zoboli, illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio. In this wordless picture book, the titular reptile goes through his morning routine, brushing his teeth, choosing the right tie and catching the train to his surprising job. 4 to 8 years old.

“The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet!” (Scholastic), by Carmen Agra Deedy, illustrated by Eugene Yelchin. A rooster who won’t stop crowing stands up to a tyrannical mayor. Available in both English and bilingual Spanish-English editions. 4 to 8 years old.

“Her Right Foot” (Chronicle Books), by Dave Eggers, illustrated by Shawn Harris. This playful tribute to the Statue of Liberty reminds readers that she is still in motion. 6 to 9 years old.

“Meet Cindy Sherman: Artist, Photographer, Chameleon” (Roaring Brook Press), by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan. Decades before Instagram, Cindy Sherman made remarkable portraits of herself in many different identities. Greenberg and Jordan describe the development of her work and the discussion it has generated. 7 to 12 years old.

“Clayton Byrd Goes Underground” (Amistad), by Rita Williams-Garcia. Clayton loves playing blues harmonica with his grandpa, Cool Papa Byrd. But Grandpa’s sudden death and other family struggles have Clayton living the blues. 8 to 12 years old.

“The Explorer” (Simon & Schuster), by Katherine Rundell. Four children who survive a plane crash explore the Amazon rainforest while trying to find a way home in this adventure novel. 8 to 12 years old.

“Silent Days, Silent Dreams” (Arthur A. Levine Books), by Allen Say. A fictionalized biography, with many illustrations, of James Castle, born deaf, mute and autistic, whose artwork is now shown in museums around the world. 8 to 12 years old.

“All’s Faire in Middle School” (Dial), by Victoria Jamieson. A previously homeschooled girl whose parents work in a Renaissance Faire attempts to navigate going to conventional middle school in this humorous graphic novel. 9 to 12 years old.

“Bronze and Sunflower” (Candlewick), by Cao Wenxuan, translated by Helen Wang, illustrated by Meilo So. During the Chinese Cultural Revolution, an orphaned girl and a mute country boy become close friends and each other’s protector. 9 to 12 years old.

“Becoming Kareem: Growing Up On and Off the Court” (Little, Brown), by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Raymond Obstfeld. A coming-of-age memoir for readers 10 years and older from Abdul-Jabbar, who led the Milwaukee Bucks to their only NBA championship so far. It addresses straightforwardly the racial prejudice he experienced and his conversion to Islam.

“The Stars Beneath Our Feet” (Knopf), by David Barclay Moore. After his older brother’s murder, a West Indian boy in Harlem copes by building an increasingly elaborate Lego city while trying to stay clear of the dangers in his neighborhood. 10 and older.

“Warcross” (Putnam), by Marie Lu. In this science fiction novel, a teenage hacker hunts criminals and tries to stay alive in a world where virtual gaming is deeply embedded in daily life. “Think ‘The Hunger Games’ meets World of Warcraft,” Publisher’s Weekly writes. 12 and older.

“Far From the Tree” (HarperTeen), by Robin Benway. Siblings separated as babies connect as teenagers, finding common ground but also exposing painful secrets. 13 and older.

“The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage” (Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers), by Philip Pullman. Pullman returns to the fantasy world of “The Golden Compass” and its animal daemons. For readers 14 and older.

“I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter” (Knopf), by Erika L. Sánchez. Julia, the younger daughter in a strict family who talks back, finds out that her deceased older sister maybe wasn’t quite as perfect as she appeared to be.

“I Believe in a Thing Called Love” (FSG/Ferguson), by Maurene Goo. A smart Korean-American teen tries to land a boyfriend using techniques she’s learned from Korean TV dramas. Hilarity ensues. 14 and older.

“Spinning” (First Second), by Tillie Walden. A graphical memoir of the author-illustrator’s coming-of-age years in competitive figure skating. 14 and older.