Starred Review Rundown: Jan. '24

New year, new stars

Happy Friday, readers!

The YMAs are over, and so is the season of looking back at 2023 releases. Are you ready to cast your gaze on all the books that await in 2024? Good news!

It’s the last Friday of the month, so that means it’s time for another Starred Review Rundown: my visual, at-a-glance guide to the books for elementary ages that received starred reviews this month.

Today, we’ve got a total of 39 starred titles including 28 picture books (a Mo Willems play on perspective!? A previously unpublished Sendak? A picture book from newly-minted Newbery laureate Dave Eggers??), 2 graphics, and 9 middle grade (hello, selkie novel-in-verse!).

Note that sometimes review publications give stars to books that are releasing in the future, so a handful of today’s featured titles aren’t out yet. Also note that some publications will review titles featured here in a future month, so some of these books may end the year with more stars by year-end.