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Contributor Riley Jensen shares a list of 5 YA books coming out September 2025.
Author Ellen Forney joins us to talk about her new book, The Adventures of You!: How to Write, Draw, and Star in Your Own Comics.
This delightful book is a perfect holiday read-aloud, capturing the magic, impatience, and joy of the season through a child’s eyes
PREMIUM
Just Say Welcome
A useful addition to collections in communities welcoming immigrants and refugees, especially with its celebration of inclusivity.
A must buy for every library, fostering curiosity for cultures throughout the world, and bringing balance to such Eurocentric works as the Opies’ landmark titles.
PREMIUM
The House of Found Objects
Kids interested in developing their sleuthing and French skills will benefit from encountering Bea’s journey in this series debut. A general purchase for the fiction shelves.
PREMIUM
Big Family Beach Day
A wonderful multigenerational beach story, perfect for all libraries for summer reading hours, or for classroom units on family.
PREMIUM
Zed Moonstein Makes a Friend
A timely purchase for all middle grade collections with a reassuring message kids need to hear
A perfect simple, nonreligious Christmas book featuring beautifully illustrated polar bears and friends. Recommend for all children’s sections.
PREMIUM
Hulk Teach!
This slice-of-superhero-life comic delivers laughs and lessons, making it a standout for Marvel fans and middle grade readers.
This is a story that reassures readers we all forget things at times, but when people work together, the day can end on a positive note and be memorable.
PREMIUM
The Other Side of Imani
A heartfelt and empowering coming-of-age story that will resonate with tweens navigating identity, ambition, and digital spaces.
PREMIUM
Bitter Tea and Rock Candy
A great story for libraries looking for representation of Chinese culture, of intergenerational relationships, and of trying new things; it’s also something of an ode to the fact that grandmothers were once young.
PREMIUM
The Muttcracker
This pleasant offering will appeal to dancers and will resonate with anyone who has ever had to overcome disappointment.
The fall books are arriving in droves these days, so while I'm trying to hang on to the last joys of summer vacation, I am thinking ahead to what I'll be reading in the upcoming months.
For me, gardening is not only a way to neatly symbolize the writing journey—I feel that it’s also one of the best methods for gathering story ideas.
These four titles discuss women's equality in America, as well as women's suffrage worldwide. Hand them to young readers for Women's Equality Day and throughout the year.
Teen Librarian Karen Jensen reviews April Henry's newest teen mystery/thriller, WHEN WE GO MISSING
I always needed the girl I tried to leave. Every word we write shapes a chance to see the world and ourselves in new ways.
This month brings starred titles in gaming books, professional reading, and more.
A first purchase for libraries building collections around Jewish history, refugee experiences, and stories of resilience for young readers.
A lovely, affirming addition to picture book collections, offering both a sweet intergenerational story and meaningful cultural insight.
PREMIUM
Turkey Trot
The soft turkey feet that hang off the book won’t last long out on the shelf of a public library, but this would be a cute addition to most story time collections.
An overall rich narrative, this book covers an important but underrepresented Indian tradition of gifting mithai boxes, making it a necessary purchase or read.
Fans of Kayla and Kugel, as well as libraries looking for basic Rosh Hashanah picture books for the youngest readers, may welcome this new addition.
A new entry into a popular genre, wait and see if later books in the series deliver stronger narratives before adding to a collection.
This is a very slow-paced book with timeline changes that make what little substance there is to the plot difficult to follow, further undercut by a somewhat lifeless art style.
PREMIUM
The Yomigaeri Tunnel
A surreal emotional journey for any teen seeking validation in shared experiences. Recommended for most collections.
PREMIUM
Two Truths and a Lionel
An optional purchase where teens are impatient to move into YA books.
PREMIUM
Come As You Are
For fans of her other romances and those by Kasie West, Sophie Gonzales, and Emma Lord, this boarding school friends-to-lovers story is a delight.
PREMIUM
A First Time for Everything
Highly recommended for those seeking a story that is heartwarming and thought-provoking.
PREMIUM
The Whisperwood Legacy
A good blend of action, magic, and surprises will entertain readers despite some uneven plotting. A solid purchase.
PREMIUM
Love and Video Games
A secondary purchase for collections with fans of books with mythology and video game themes.
PREMIUM
Always Be My Bibi
With Clueless vibes for a new generation, this rom-com of disastrous meet-cute to happily ever after will brighten any reader’s day.
Contributor Riley Jensen shares some new YA coming out this August
With a compassionate tone, accurate information, and thoughtful design, this book is easily one of the best resources available for young people navigating adolescence.
A solid starting point for anyone interested in the psychological and physiological dimensions of anxiety, though it could benefit from smoother transitions between its main content and outside sources.
Gr 3-5–This colorful, engaging cookbook takes young bakers through the process of baking cupcakes from scratch and decorating them in a variety of delightful designs featuring animals, space, nature, and more...
An introduction to spending time outdoors, this will appeal to readers who seek to decrease their screentime but may prove too basic for longtime nature lovers.
Gr 4-8–An introduction to complex physics concepts—quarks, relativity, curved space, and antimatter—that is both clear and engaging for young readers...
PREMIUM
Conservation Success: Protecting Wild Spaces and Species with Hands-On Science Activities for Kids
Consider purchasing where books on this topic are needed.
Animal lovers and collectors of fun facts will enjoy this colorful romp through the world of animal adaptations.
PREMIUM
The Science of Sound
This book is a fine addition to a library’s STEM section, had many curricular tie-ins, and is useful for curious readers and young researchers.
It offers valuable insights and strives to empower teens to embrace who they are. With its vibrant tone and focus on self-love, it’s a solid resource
A fascinating book that curious young scientists and trivia lovers will happily read and revisit often. A good addition to a classroom or school library book collection.
Recommended first purchase for all library collections. Ideal for read-alouds or independent readers.
This charming but slight story is for larger collections.
A wonderful story that combines sensory experiences of nature with lush language.
A celebration of family traditions and the lessons learned from them. A strong addition for picture book collections
PREMIUM
The Box Full of Wonders
Although it’s important to have titles that feature blended families, this book unfortunately requires significant explanation from an adult.
An absolute winner with comic touches and tenderness that will speak to a generation of readers who are part of families that are “on the go” and yet looking for an alternative to the pace of modern life. Highly recommended.
PREMIUM
Home Is a Heartbeat
While not an essential purchase, this celebration of the joy of extended family will make some children wish they were part of a large group with lots of traditions.
This celebration of food and family is a perfect addition to picture book collections.
PREMIUM
Whoa Panda!
A book that children will clamor for, this is ideal for etiquette shelves, SEL collections, or any lesson to help teach burgeoning social skills.
A fun addition to library shelves where surprising adventures are sought.
A joyful romp that celebrates toddlerhood’s grandest adventures, this is a strong addition to collections serving the youngest readers and their copilots.
PREMIUM
Piccolo
A happy taste of Italian language and culture, sweet as gelato and bound to leave readers and listeners of any age responding “Grazie.”
Sparrow is suitable for young readers exploring emotions and change, and the end notes provide valuable context for older readers interested in history, culture, and language.
PREMIUM
Thank You, Old Oak
A touching story, engaging illustrations, and valuable educational content in the back matter make for a great addition to school library collections.
Working well as both a read-aloud and for one-to-one experiences, this purchase is for collections needing wry humor and a funny treat for all to enjoy.
PREMIUM
The Elevator on 74th Street
A charming story with a unique point of view that will have children thoroughly connected to the human and non-human characters alike. A highly recommended tale of friendship.
PREMIUM
It’s Taco Knight!
With humor and whimsy, this book is a good read, but may not stand out as particularly exceptional compared to other food-related books.
A great addition for any community. This is a story about love and loss of extended family from a child’s perspective where difficult realities are faced, but it still ends on a hopeful note.
A sweet, heartwarming tale that celebrates the universal language of friendship and understanding. A recommended choice for sharing one-on-one or in small group read-alouds.
PREMIUM
Specs
A great read for anyone who has been newly prescribed eyewear, and a valuable addition to any collection focused on fostering self-confidence and celebrating individuality.
Educators and caregivers alike will love sharing this title, an excellent book for all.
A somewhat saccharine, fall-themed bedtime story with lovely watercolor and pencil illustrations.
PREMIUM
Mama Car
This loving and enjoyable picture book is a strong choice for preschool collections.
PREMIUM
The Winding Willow
A delightful addition to picture book collections, perfect for snuggling up and sparking imagination.
This lovely refugee story of perseverance drawn from the author’s experiences is a great purchase for picture book collections.
PREMIUM
BananaNow
This book can fill a collection development gap in libraries that seek to address the use of electronic devices, but has limited interest for a general audience.
PREMIUM
Mabel Makes (^Up) a Friend
Mister Elephant and Mabel will find their way into readers’ hearts and form an audience if this title is promoted for its strengths. A strong addition but an additional one.
PREMIUM
Nafu Wants Food
Although a unique story that stands out from other graphic novels, this may struggle to find an audience as the narrative is hard to follow at times.
PREMIUM
Aw, Nuts!
A food buddy-story that will appeal to fans of series like “InvestiGators” and “The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza”. Purchase where absurdist humor is popular.
Sure to please both animal lovers and fairy-tale fans, this graphic novel for emerging readers is a recommended purchase for graphic novel collections.
Purchase as a refreshing antidote to negativity in the library landscape, to lift moods, to share, and to offer hope.
Although more for youth literature scholars, this collection will benefit educators, librarians, families, and the publishing industry, particularly as justification to create and include LGBTQ+ children’s picture books books in classrooms, schools, and public libraries.
Highly recommended for librarians who are looking for new and fresh ideas on youth programming, but struggling to connect their brainstorming in a cohesive, marketable series of events.
An exploration of Latinx queerness that was, is, and will be; a much-needed and thorough examination of a subject that is frequently invisible in American media.
Highly recommended. An excellent, perspective-expanding resource that challenges readers to critically examine youth literature through an ethnic studies lens.
PREMIUM
An Embroidery of Souls
The character development is noteworthy in this highly romantic fantasy, but the book’s structural problems are too big to ignore.
An excellent read that thoughtfully approaches the discussion of grief and its complexity. Highly recommended.
This fantastically thrilling ghost story will have readers flinching at all the little noises that go bump in the night. Selectors should pick up multiple copies, as this won’t stay on the shelves long.
PREMIUM
Roar of the Lambs
An interesting examination of racism, classism, and misogyny wrapped up in a supernatural mystery that spans generations. Purchase where supernatural horror and queer romances are popular.
PREMIUM
Watch Us Crack
A fast-paced thriller that will keep readers questioning who to trust right up to the very end.
PREMIUM
Through Our Teeth
Harris’s novel offers a modern take on the slasher setting, resulting in a quick, deliciously dramatic read for teens.
PREMIUM
Lemons and Lies
This book with a mostly Cuban cast of characters is about family and teenage problems, yet is still light and enjoyable and deserves a place in the young adult section of any library.
For students interested in ancient history, this could be used for sparking discussions about gender roles in various cultures.
Aspiring writers and editors will gobble this up; a strong purchase for middle grade biography shelves.
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