When it comes to new year’s books, I love them. Fresh start? Sign me up. Celebrating with friends? I’m there. But on the flip side, I’m not a huge fan of new year’s resolutions. Do I make them? Sometimes. But the “traditional” vision of resolutions is long gone to me. Rather than setting elaborate goals, I’ve simplified things. I’ve lately favored the more/less approach since it is more black and white to students. That’s exactly why I love the books I’m recommending today. I love when I can find a resource that simplifies things for students—and bonus points if it involves reading!

New Year’s Books to Set Goals: Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution
This book is about Squirrel, who isn’t sure what her resolution should be. As she thinks, she travels through the forest visiting her friends to ask about their resolutions. Along the way she helps others and makes an important decision at the end of the book! This a great, kid-friendly way to learn about new year resolutions.

To buy this book for your own classroom, click here.
I give away recommended books every month on Instagram so make sure to follow me there!
New Year’s Books About Celebrations: The Night Before New Year’s
This is a wholesome, fun story about a family who tries to stay up until midnight. It’s a great way to talk about one’s own family traditions. It’s also a cool way to integrate math if you want to focus on the concept of midnight or elapsed time. Overall, it’s a very easy read with plenty of extensions to do with your students.
It’s also a series so you can grab them for pretty much any holiday! Check it out here.

To buy this book for your own classroom, click here.
I give away recommended books every month on Instagram so make sure to follow me there!
Books About the New Year in Different Cultures: Shanté Keys & The New Year Peas
Shanté goes looking for peas to borrow for her family’s celebration. Nobody has the black-eyed peas, but they do tell her about the food they do have for the holiday. Shanté learns how her neighbors of various cultures celebrate New Year’s.
This is one of those catchy, rhyming new year’s books that has so much but sticks with simple concepts. It focuses mostly on food, but it’s a great lead-in to talking more about Lunar New Year and other new year celebrations around the world.

To buy this book for your own classroom, click here. I give away recommended books every month on Instagram so make sure to follow me there!
Pssst…Want a set of paperless discussion slides for any read-aloud? (Spoiler: it even comes with a random question generator you can click on any time you gather on the carpet for a good book!)
Books About New Years: Honorable Mentions
- For calendar skills: Meet January
- For goal-setting & perseverance: Flight School
- For kids afraid of change: The Stars Will Still Shine
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