Related
PREMIUM
Maya’s Big Question
A must-read during Women’s History Month, this is a solid purchase for every library.
Deeply unsettling and absolutely perfect for those who understand the vulnerability at the root of every vicious monster.
A compelling and important addition for mature young adult collections, this novel powerfully portrays the fight for freedom and self-determination against overwhelming odds.
A good purchase for libraries serving Spanish-speaking communities or with bilingual programs.
This is a delightful and highly recommended picture book that celebrates imagination, communication, and the power of forming new friendships. It supports social-emotional learning (SEL) by encouraging openness, curiosity, and embracing unexpected connections, making it ideal for school libraries.
PREMIUM
The House Saphir
Meyer fans and new readers alike will find much to love in this spooky, atmospheric read. A welcome addition to any library collection.
PREMIUM
Peek & Boo Day at the Zoo!
A simple search-and-find that also carries a warm message of friendship, this board book works for large groups and one-on-one readings.
PREMIUM
Vroom, Baby Driver, Zoom
A fun read for vehicle-obsessed toddlers and anyone who appreciates the magic of childhood imagination.
PREMIUM
Don’t Draw in This Book!
This is a fun and funny book, and there may be motor skills children pick up along the way.
PREMIUM
The Naming of Aki
Regardless of flaws, this book is a welcome addition. It’s a a beautifully illustrated and gentle retelling that will remind young people of the duty to care for the planet.
Beyond bold illustrations and pitch-perfect rhythm make this bio-book a great pick for the shelves.
PREMIUM
Most Valuable Player
Recommended as an additional purchase where contemporary romantic fiction is popular.
PREMIUM
Body Beautiful
Important lessons on bodily autonomy, consent, diversity, and self-love wrapped up in an age-appropriate hug of a book.
PREMIUM
The October Girl Vol. 1
An intriguing graphic narrative with plenty of magical realism that will leave readers wanting more.
A fantastic purchase for libraries serving English and Spanish-speaking communities, this would also make a good choice for bilingual story time.
PREMIUM
Benjamin Grows a Garden
This touching story of a mother and son planting vegetables for the season would be a great addition to any library’s nature or gardening collection.
A lovely look at the seasons, an excellent choice for story time, that shows the sensory experience of a child who is never depicted as anything but whole.
The predictable, lesson-y nature of the story will likely keep young listeners from returning for additional readings.
PREMIUM
Los seis que buscaron la Navidad
A good purchase for libraries serving Spanish-speaking communities or with bilingual programs, especially around the holiday.
PREMIUM
A Pond, a Poet, and Three Pests
This an excellent book to include in units on teaching poetry.
PREMIUM
We Always Had Wings
Snow’s cinematic vision is mesmerizing; this is recommended for school libraries and older picture book readers.
PREMIUM
Hot Pot Night!
Classroom hot pot, anyone? A book that will leave readers and listeners hungry, but the whole family will want to institute hot pot nights.
A sweet look at Dora’s home, as upbeat as she is, with illustrations that closely resemble the show.
PREMIUM
Glitter Kittens
A solid addition to picture book collections, best for libraries looking for quirky stories to add to their rotation.
[needed] Perfect for ages 3-6 or anyone looking to build their Spanish/English vocabulary.
PREMIUM
Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! I Love You!
As a gentle bedtime or bonding read, this fits the bill, but it lacks any deep emotional layers to keep children coming back after one read.
This bilingual book about children pursing their dreams is a buy for libraries with a large Latinx community and an additional purchase for those with a smaller Spanish children’s collection.
PREMIUM
Why We Need Aunts
A charming tale that will certainly be enjoyed by aunts and their loved ones.
PREMIUM
Asterwood
This intriguing fantasy, with its ecological focus and unique points-of-view leaves too many unanswered questions to fully satisfy.
PREMIUM
Hello Little Ones
A board book for the early animal shelves, but also a text full of writing prompts at the early elementary level.
Highly recommended for readers who enjoyed books like John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars or Dustin Thao’s You’ve Reached Sam.
PREMIUM
Baby Go!: France
Board books are an inherently inviting form, but this title does not inspire travel, language skills, or even reading to the end.
A definite first purchase that can be read as a standalone or as part of its series.
PREMIUM
Messy or Neat
An ideal book to acclimate kids of all ages to the notion of clean-up; this book could not be more cheerful.
PREMIUM
I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
A great sapphic romance for readers who enjoy a good will-they-won’t-they with depth and festive charm.
PREMIUM
Stella and Roger Are on the Move
Fine if you need a book on the subject, but unnecessary for a robust collection.
PREMIUM
The Wildest Dreams Bookshop
A must-buy for the young adult crowd; readers will be excitedly waiting for the next book in the series.
PREMIUM
The Leaving Room
Recommended for high school libraries, especially for readers who liked McBride’s previous books.
PreS-Gr 3–A look at the immigrant experience through the eyes of a young girl named Rocío...
Not essential, but a toddler-pleaser, and minor introduction to classical music.
PREMIUM
Rain and the Reading Horse
Children will enjoy this sensitive and nuanced story focused on social and emotional themes.
This plot-your-own-story title is recommended for its unique format and accessibility to reluctant readers, and is a great choice for collections looking to expand offerings that feature unicorns and dragons.
A lovely version of such childhood classics Runaway Bunny and an improvement over I’ll Love Your Forever, this certainly belongs on early childhood shelves.
PREMIUM
The Secret Astronomers
A heartwarming tale about connection, grief, and challenging assumptions, this will be well-received by fans of graphic novels like Samuel Teer’s Brownstone or other epistolary YA novels like Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part-Time Indian.
This is a perfect fit for SEL lessons about owning up to one’s mistakes and asking for forgiveness. A must-buy and ideal read-aloud for all libraries.
PREMIUM
Making Plans for Nigel Binty
A charming coming-of-age story featuring realistically portrayed children who are learning to face life’s challenges.
PREMIUM
Feelings Come, Feelings Go
The pictures pull in viewers, while the text offers a direction for discussions; this could be useful for group sharing or one on one.
PREMIUM
Fade into You
For fans of Jennifer Mathieu’s Moxie, an overall relatable and universal coming-of-age story.
PREMIUM
Miss Search and Mr. Find
Fans of more challenging search-and-find books will enjoy the intricate artwork and the visual challenge this title delivers; upper elementary students may enjoy the hunt as well.
PREMIUM
Red as Royal Blood
Sure to be popular with students seeking an exciting and emotionally rich read, this deliciously romantic and intricate adventure is a highly engaging addition for young adult collections.
Readers will enjoy this easygoing but slight story about perseverance and friendship.
Good intentions can’t turn this into an essential purchase, plus there is a fill-in page that caps the usefulness of this book in libraries.
This is a tender, culturally rich story that belongs in every school and community library. A touching celebration of culture, honesty, and family that inspires young readers to cherish their roots.
PREMIUM
Serendipity
Full of hijinks and endless energy, this is a strong additional purchase where realistic, slice-of-life graphic literature is in demand.
PREMIUM
An Ocean Apart
For fans of Kiera Cass’s The Selection, a fast-paced, The Bachelor inspired romance, going deeper with purpose for its characters.
PREMIUM
Dragon Flower
A secondary purchase where folktales are popular or in need of modern reinvigoration.
Powell’s illustrations match perfectly with the text; this would be a great addition to any library’s early chapter book collection.
PREMIUM
Charlotte’s New Moccasins
A valuable resource, especially for libraries looking to expand their collections of books about North American peoples.
PREMIUM
The Devouring Light
This amazingly cool and super scary book is recommended for teen readers.
PREMIUM
Always Raining Here
A queer slice-of-life romance that acknowledges the rocky reality, while the creators work through their own artistic bumps. By the end of Volume 1, this is a solid graphic novel.
PREMIUM
The Library of Lost Girls
Recommended for fans of gothic fiction, horror books, and anyone who enjoyed C.J. Drews’s Don’t Let the Forest In or Lauren Kate’s Fallen.
A laugh-out-loud funny whodunit that is a first purchase for mystery fans.
Poring over the details and finding themselves in the pages makes this a mirror-and-window board book with reach beyond the usual preschool demographic.
The pigeon will count to 10 in story hours and classroom counting units; children can take it from there. Bold and funny.
A timely, heartfelt, and emotive adventure for fans of survival or dog narratives utilizing a quick pace to grip readers.
PREMIUM
My Backyard Used To Be
A meaningful addition to school and public libraries, as well as a lovely choice for readers to take home, where they can consider their own neighborhood’s history.
PREMIUM
Ten-Ton Titan Terrier
A fun mecha adventure with an animal-hero twist, this is a solid addition to collections where sci-fi/fantasy graphic novels are popular.
This book offers a unique and engaging blend of fictional storytelling and scientific education, making it an excellent addition to school library collections. It celebrates themes of self-identity, bravery, and understanding scientific concepts in a fun, accessible way, making it valuable for young readers and for social-emotional learning.
PREMIUM
Winging It: A Graphic Novel
Gr 3-7–GR 4 - 8: Seventh grader Luna Juniper Wright-Evans is less than thrilled when her father announces they’re leaving California for Washington, D...
PREMIUM
City Farm
A satisfying story that also could be useful for discussions about our need for natural spaces or about what community means.
PREMIUM
¡Sal de ahí, Topo!
A beautiful Spanish-language picture book about worries and friendship that is a great choice for children’s SEL collections.
PREMIUM
Our Little Sharing Circle
This is a useful tool for introducing concepts of empathy, belonging, and peaceful problem-solving to young children, addressing important SEL concepts without being preachy.
PREMIUM
Dog Loves Baby
A pleasant, bite-sized reverie on the meaning of love, this can be added judiciously to the holiday shelves.
PREMIUM
Salon Saturday
A joyful celebration of both individuality and community and a great purchase for public libraries, pre-schools, and lower elementary schools.
PREMIUM
Take a Walk with the Wind
This may be the story that sends readers off to research other ancient stories from China. And Treelings certainly feel like a merch moment waiting to happen.
PREMIUM
Don’t Open This Book!
This may acclimatize children to the names of great books, if it holds their attention.
PREMIUM
Wind Whirls
A simple, charming stroll will inspire lapsitters and emerging readers alike to get out into the wind and look around.
Heartfelt and moving, this is an exceptional and a must-have for the shelves helping children deal with divorce and other challenges.
Baby’s first football game is not a necessary purchase, but it works as an introduction to the sport.
A heartfelt and inspiring story and a strong choice for library collections, especially where bilingual titles and stories about perseverance and the arts are valued.
PREMIUM
Wiggler’s Big Joke
A great addition to classrooms and libraries, this SEL-focused book will charm readers and leave them wanting more adventures with Wiggler.
PREMIUM
The Siren and the Star
Readers of books in verse, romance, and music history will all be drawn to this engaging book.
PREMIUM
Little Rebels
A great choice for an Earth Day story time, this book is applicable all year round. Readers will enjoy the colorful illustrations and strong message Morales delivers.
Toddler-K–Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit quisque faucibus ex sapien vitae pellentesque sem placerat in id cursus mi pretium tellus duis convallis tempus leo eu aenean sed diam urna tempor pulvinar vivamus fringilla lacus nec metus bibendum egestas iaculis massa nisl malesuada lacinia integer nunc posuere ut hendrerit semper vel class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra inceptos himenaeos orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes nascetur ridiculus mus donec rhoncus eros lobortis nulla molestie mattis scelerisque maximus eget fermentum odio phasellus non purus est efficitur laoreet mauris pharetra vestibulum fusce dictum risus blandit quis suspendisse aliquet nisi sodales consequat magna ante condimentum neque at luctus nibh finibus facilisis dapibus etiam interdum tortor ligula congue sollicitudin erat viverra ac tincidunt nam porta elementum a enim euismod quam justo lectus commodo augue arcu dignissim velit aliquam imperdiet mollis nullam volutpat porttitor ullamcorper rutrum gravida cras eleifend turpis fames primis vulputate ornare sagittis vehicula praesent dui felis venenatis ultrices proin libero feugiat tristique accumsan maecenas potenti ultricies habitant morbi senectus netus suscipit auctor curabitur facilisi cubilia curae hac habitasse platea...
PREMIUM
Super Nani and Captain Yaz
A meaningful choice for enthusiastic five-years-olds, this will also work for students in the lower elementary grades.
Writing Lena and Dimas’s story was a healing process for me. Through them, I could explore the idea of what it would be like if fate could be controlled, if it was a tangible thing that could be woven to ones will – and what that would mean to the people of the world this was possible in.
Author XiXi Tian joins us to talk about her new book, ALL THE WAY AROUND THE SUN.
The thing about making these lists is that I always end up wondering why a mysterious benefactor doesn't just somehow KNOW how much my school could use a surprise infusion of cash for all the books our on collection development list.
Celebrate the Day of the Dead with these colorful, educational, and fun titles for young readers.
articles
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? LOG IN
We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? LOG IN
Thank you for visiting.
We’ve noticed you are using a private browser. To continue, please log in or create an account.
