The Best New Year Picture Books for Young Children (From Around the World)
The days surrounding New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day have a special kind of magic feel. The past year is gently closing, the coming year feels full of possibility. For families and homeschoolers, this is the perfect time to slow down, read together, and explore meaningful new year traditions through stories.
One of my favorite ways to do that is with picture books. A thoughtfully chosen book list can help young readers understand different traditions, explore different cultures, and talk about new goals, goal setting, and fresh starts in a developmentally appropriate way.
Below you’ll find a curated list of happy New Year’s books, including favorite read-alouds, classic tales, and newer stories featuring bright illustrations, simple text, and unforgettable main characters. Many of these titles also make a great introduction to cultural traditions celebrated in the United States, different countries, and across multiple time zones.
Why Read New Year Picture Books With Young Readers?
For toddlers, preschoolers, and early elementary kids, New Year concepts don’t need to be complicated. Books provide a perfect introduction to big ideas like:
Reflecting on the past year
Welcoming a fresh start
Understanding new year celebrations
Learning about different families and customs
Exploring holidays like Rosh Hashanah, Lunar New Year, and New Year’s Day from around the world and across different cultures
Reading these books together is a great way to spark conversations and make learning feel joyful. (we also have some of our favorite books for preschoolers, books on self-control, books for Christmas, and for the fall season if you want more book inspo!)
New Year’s Day & Fresh Start Stories
We are really working towards building a reading list that is full of cultural diversity and exposing our young children to traditions and experiences different than our own. I have found that holidays are an especially fun way to introduce these ideas— and maybe find inspiration for some new traditions for our family!
Shanté Keys and the New Year’s Peas by Gail Piernas-Davenport
This joyful story centers around a little girl named Shanté Keys and her family’s New Year’s peas, a food tied to good luck and prosperity. The tradition of eating peas on New Year’s Day is explained through simple text, making it ideal for young readers.
It’s also a lovely way to talk about food traditions, symbolism, and how different families celebrate the same holiday in different ways.
Freedom Soup by Tami Charles
A beautiful story rooted in Haitian tradition, Freedom Soup introduces children to a special soup eaten on New Year’s Day. The story follows a young girl and her little brother, weaving history, resilience, and family love into a warm narrative filled with delicious food and meaning.
This book also shares a traditional Haitian soup recipe, which would make such a fun activity to pair with the book!
Bringing in the New Year by Grace Lin
A staple among favorite books, this story follows a Chinese American family preparing for the Lunar New Year festival. From paper lanterns to a new year’s dinner, the book highlights the Spring Festival, the lunar calendar, and the significance of the first new moon.
With gorgeous illustrations and accessible language, it’s a perfect introduction to the Chinese New Year celebration.
My First Chinese New Year by Karen Katz
Designed for young children, this board book introduces the Chinese tradition of celebrating the New Year with family gatherings, decorations, and traditional foods. It’s an easy introduction for toddlers who are just beginning to explore cultural holidays.
A New Year’s Reunion by Yu Li-Qiong, illustrated by Zhu Cheng-Liang
This heartfelt story shows a young girl waiting for her father to return home for the Lunar New Year. It’s a tender reminder that celebrations aren’t always about parties—they’re about togetherness.
The Lucky Grapes: A New Years Eve Story
My family traveled to Spain a couple of years ago and loved the culture (and food!!!). So anytime we can circle back on that experience and have our daughter have a personal connection to a book, we love it.
This book tells the story of Rafa in Spain, celebrating New Year’s Eve with his family. It’s such a cute story, with a fun rhyming cadence that sprinkles in Spanish words to practice with your kids. This is already the fave in our New Year’s reading rotation.
Squirrel’s New Year by Pat Miller
This gentle story uses animals to explain the idea of time passing. When Squirrel worries about losing memories from the past year, friends reassure him that experiences stay with us.
It’s a perfect way to talk about change without fear and works beautifully for kids who may struggle with transitions.
Snow Horses by Patricia MacLachlan
While not explicitly a New Year book, this poetic story captures winter reflection and renewal—making it a lovely seasonal read during New Year’s celebrations.
Also, this book has stunning illustrations.
The Night Before New Year’s by Natasha Wing
A fun rhyming countdown that mirrors The Night Before Christmas, this book walks children through New Year’s Eve traditions like staying up late, making noise, and welcoming the new year’s day with excitement.
New Year Around the World: Stories and Traditions from Around the Globe by Stefany Snee
This is a compliation book of traditions from all around the world. I really like implementing this one with some of the more specific cultural stories on this list.
I don’t know about your kids, but sometimes I find it hard for them to understand things on a global level. So, introducing those ideas while also using a book like this can help them to conceptualize just how big the world is and how many different celebrations and traditions are being held.
Making the Most of Your New Year Book List
Here are a few fun ways to extend learning:
Create a book companion activity (drawing, journaling, or discussion— or cooking the Haitian soup recipe!)
Compare different cultural traditions
Talk about traditional foods from around the world
Encourage kids to set new goals using drawings instead of words
Visit the library and let your child use their library card to choose a favorite read
These activities turn reading into a shared experience and reinforce learning naturally.
Where to Find These Books
Many of these titles are available through libraries, local bookstores, or online retailers. (We are big fans of supporting your local library and not spending tons of money on books that you can borrow for free!!)
If you choose to shop online, we often link to these books using affiliate links as an Amazon Associate, which helps support Honeybee Homeschool at no additional cost to you.
A Perfect Time to Read Together
I have found that my favorite holiday traditions since having kiddos, are the ones that naturally foster connection. And one of our go-to’s, regardless of the season, is reading together! Whether you’re reading about new year’s peas, freedom soup, zodiac animals, or families celebrating across different cultures, these stories help children see unique variations of the New Year celebrations.
For young readers, it’s less about resolutions and more about stories that gently guide them into the idea of a fresh start. And for parents and homeschoolers, this season is a perfect way to slow down, connect, and welcome the year ahead together.
How is your family celebrating the New Year? We would love to hear!
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