Parents headed to the local bookstore or library with their children will likely see a few new themes on the shelves along with the return of a few old faces, according to research and analysis by global children's publisher Scholastic.
Revivals of old books have been big. The Magic School Bus, Jigsaw Jones, and The Boxcar Children all released new stories in 2018 that bring a fresh look to the iconic brands with new characters and settings. It's a good way for parents to relive memories as their kids make new ones.
As usual, there are also lots of books featuring magical creatures in alternative worlds to help scratch the itch of kids' wild imaginations. This trend is expected to continue in 2019.
In 2018, many children's books featured roles filled by strong female characters as smart, brave, and strong protagonists. In a similar vein, many nonfiction titles were released that highlighted notable women throughout history.
Kid-friendly nonfiction works, in general, have been a popular niche for writers. Many put the child inside the head of a character engaged with historical topics such as World War II.
Schools, meanwhile, are working with resources such as Scholastic Classroom Magazines to bring age-appropriate news into the classroom for exposure to current events.
Recent years have seen a rise in the call to bring more activity and STEM-based learning opportunities to children. Publishers have answered the call by releasing books that teach basic coding and science experiments to pair alongside maker spaces that are popping up inside classrooms. By matching these topics with favorite characters from other franchises, the hope is that educators can pique the interest of more children that might not otherwise be fans of science.