Recommended for general purchase in a holiday board book collection.
This book about an ambitious Nepali girl detective will capture readers’ attention before the first chapter is done; recommended.
A middle grade must-read highly recommended for fans science fiction and books like A Wrinkle in Time.
This heartfelt story takes readers through one boy’s coming of age, and the joy of rescuing an animal mixed with the heartbreak of loving it enough to let it go. Highly recommended for youth fiction collections.
International in scope, this book provides an opportunity for educators to examine previously held thoughts about the limits of children’s literature. Recommended for researchers.
A perfect book to include in any young adult holiday display year round.
A skillful tale of family lost and found, one that skillfully weaves discussion of heavier and relevant topics into a comedic plot.
Purchase this resonant and relevant work for all middle grade nonfiction, Spanish-language collections.
A deeply human, absolutely riveting, and expansively inclusive marine biology nightmare.
An excellent choice for Spanish-speaking communities and libraries.
A whimsical novel for readers who enjoy more character-driven work. Consider as an additional purchase.
Perfect to read with a family member around the holidays.
A breathtaking picture book about the beauty of the water and the magic of swimming, perfect for Spanish-language collections for children.
Not an essential buy for libraries, but may be useful if additional holiday craft and family activities are needed.
Festive and educational, this title is an excellent choice for expanding holiday collections and introducing young readers to the traditions and spirit of Hanukkah.
While this story has an interesting conceptual premise around generational trauma, it lacks the thrills many mystery readers crave and an accurate representation of the groups it seeks to portray.
A serious commentary on the obstacles, institutions, and society that teens face, offering a mirror and important issues. To be recommended with caution.
This sensitive book addresses family change during an emotional time of year. A recommended purchase for social-emotional collections.
Complex, beautiful, and thought-provoking. The eternal presence and voices of the Old Ones will be a spiritual paean to some and a ghost story to others.
Give this to readers struggling with changing friend dynamics and those starting to ask questions that too often are answered with opinions rather than fact.
An adventurous novel about family, friendship, love and self-discovery that will be enjoyed by older tweens who find themselves at a crossroads of who they are and who they wish to become.
This book will appeal to readers looking for a Christian faith-based historical crime thriller with fantastical elements.
A sweet, realistic story of family, culture, and emotional resilience.
When an author bears witness to the experience of adolescence through a real, living, breathing, complicated, messy protagonist caught in a web of complicated, messy relationships, readers notice.
Join me in the Not-So-Way-Back Machine to catch up on a few May titles!
21 new September books to add to your TBR!
Chuseok is a Korean harvest festival on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar. This year, it falls on October 6. Share these two books with little ones to teach them about Chuseok and celebrate the holiday.
In eighth grade, I was scared of the world finding out the truth about me. But I think, even scarier, was admitting that truth to myself.
A vibrantly illustrated tale of finding friendship through creativity, this book is a strong addition to picture book collections and story hour shelves.
This charming board book features a helpful group of familiar animals with an engaging story that will make for an enjoyable read for an audience just learning to help others.
Touching upon the importance of a lighthouse keeper, this picture book is a good choice for children’s collections and for those in search of this compelling, but little-mentioned, occupation.
The crayons and their art are delightful, rustic, and interesting enough to keep children not only entertained but constantly looking for playfulness on every page. An aquatic amusement that lands across a range of grades.
A powerful tale that demonstrates the connective power of music and memory, as well as an appreciation for the strength of tradition passed through generations.
A first choice for every library
Recommended for lower elementary grades where fearless books on difficult topics, here masterfully captured in wordless form, are collected and lauded as required viewing.
An appealing way to teach an important life lesson in communication, and great fun for the SEL shelves.
An exciting and humorous opportunity to open discussions about the concept of seeds turning into plants, the food chain, and forest life, or just to read for fun.
A reflective social-emotional story that celebrates solitude and affirms that being alone does not mean being lonely. A thoughtful addition to collections exploring emotional intelligence and mindfulness.
A sweet and silly twist on a classic tale, with preschool-friendly pacing and a heartwarming bond at its center. A whimsically absurd love letter to childhood imagination and animal companionship.
This love letter to the great outdoors is one that every library should have in their collection.
An immensely engrossing historical story, perfect for introducing elementary readers to past visionaries and locations.
A sweet and engaging exploration of love, friendship, and emotional growth that will resonate with young readers.
An enjoyable opportunity for interactive reading with a group or as a lapsit.
Highly recommended for elementary and middle grade nonfiction collections, especially in libraries serving readers who enjoy mythology, the Percy Jackson series, and visually engaging informational texts.
A worthwhile text to add to any collection of animal facts and photographs.
While full of facts to engage reluctant readers, this book will leave many readers wanting more.
A must-purchase text for history sleuths as well as for general use in schools or in classroom library reference collection.
Catnip for elementary school soccer enthusiasts looking to bulk up their trivia knowledge.
The original Refugee remains an important and timely book; this graphic novel adaptation brings the moving stories of Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud to life for a new generation of readers. A good choice for where the original is popular.
A sweet story that uses fantasy elements to explore neurodivergence and learning differences.
A solid purchase, this story will resonate with middle schoolers who have endured similar shifting family structures.
Filled with familial love and high adventure that will leave readers with the warm fuzzies, this is a wonderful addition to middle grade graphic novel collections.
A comforting, fun, low-stakes middle grade mystery that gains depth in the thoughtful portrayal of Amy’s anxiety.
Readers will eagerly join Edwin in this twisty, action-packed story that throws in a dollop of financial literacy and art history for good measure.
A plucky, engaging series debut that will resonate with theater-loving tweens. Perfect for middle school collections where Wicked is the musical du jour.
A perfect book for tweens seeking realistic fiction that beautifully captures the emotions and challenges of middle school. Highly recommended for all library shelves as many resonant topics are expertly woven into one satisfying story.
A graceful homage to theater as both a space and an art form, lovingly broken down to its individual parts to give each its moment in the spotlight.
Readers don’t need to be animal lovers to pick up this story about love after loss.
This visually appealing anthology provides interesting new seasonal read-alouds perfect for December story times or family reading traditions. Librarians will appreciate the variety of selections that can be incorporated into holiday programming.
Joyful illustrations and vibrant backgrounds make this a delightful addition to holiday collections.
This is a comprehensive, attractive, and accessible volume, similar in format and scope to Marilyn Singer’s Awe-some Days, Leslie Kimmelman’s Dance, Sing, Remember, and Alfred Kolatch’s Let’s Celebrate Our Jewish Holidays.
A lovely holiday story that speaks to the power of bringing community together during the holidays.
A short, sweet holiday board book for babies and toddlers, who may find the book’s odd shape appealing.
This picture book is a good fit for religious collections, especially in schools or libraries seeking Nativity stories with a contemporary flair and a strong, relatable heroine.
Though a touch saccharine in its conclusion, a charming and vibrant addition to most holiday collections.
A fine addition for libraries looking to add some lighthearted Christmas cheer to joke book collections.
Pokémon enthusiasts can deck the halls with their favorite characters in this interactive work, great to share with a buddy or enjoy independently.
Add this to the construction shelves, Christmas or not.
A highly recommended Christmas story that captures the magic of friendship, this title has something for the young at heart of all ages and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
For patrons looking for a heartwarming, comforting Christmas tale, this is perfection.
A must for holiday collections. This book will charm young children.
A fun and festive choice for holiday collections.
A gently playful addition for collections needing fresh holiday cheer for babies.
A fun and festive dive into Christmas celebrations with diverse families. Recommended for all libraries, especially where the authors’ other book is popular.
Recommended for story hours revolving around Christmas.
Though the rhyming is sometimes clunky, this book is recommended for all collections, and encourages families to teach small children about Kwanzaa.
A recommended purchase for holiday picture book collections.
Recommended as a general purchase for a holiday collection for the youngest readers. The unique layout of pages will certainly be appealing to toddlers and beyond.
An engaging book depicting a family’s fun and unique spin on their Hanukkah celebrations.
A modern city twist on a Christmas classic.
A heartfelt ode to the celebration of chosen family to welcome into every holiday library collection.
This rhyming Christmas story will appeal to young children who love dinosaurs.
A great addition to any picture book collection.
An adorable, romantic, sapphic rom-com perfect for fans of the original, but still accessible for new readers who just want a quick, fun romp.
An appealing and authentic introduction to Dongzhì for readers of any background.
A joyful title that emphasizes the importance of connection and togetherness, whether with family or found family.
A cozy, inclusive celebration of the season.
Look no further for fresh festive fun where search-and-find books are popular.
Freshen up holiday board book collections with this joyful read-aloud that encourages families to read, sing, talk, write, and play together
An excellent secular selection for any library serving young children.
Only fans of the show will enjoy this simple, short story that celebrates how life is sweeter with friends by your side.
Fans of the Christmas holiday and Adam Wallace’s “How to Catch” series will appreciate the story’s formula.
Children will love the beautiful artwork and hidden images in this heartfelt holiday book.
Full of humor and holiday spirit, this is sure to please Fenske’s existing fans and is a perfect suggestion for fans of Jan Thomas and Bob Shea.
An adorable mash-up of peas and the joy of Christmas activities with family and friends.
A sweet, meaningful addition to holiday collections.
Excelling in engagement, design, and joyful reading experience, this festive title will delight young browsers and enrich collections seeking high-interest seasonal books.
When these devils sing, audiences will have to keep listening.
Once on, listeners won’t exit this fatal highway until the bitter end.
Manansala has maintained aural consistency with her adult titles; hopefully, YA listeners can expect to hear Salvacion’s in future pairings.
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