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What started out as a simple way to provide a voice to my younger self by giving my main character autism became a rallying cry.
These adult titles with teen appeal feature a range of genres and topics, from magical adventures and mysteries to nonfiction explorations of everything Taylor Swift and John Green’s adult nonfiction debut.
To me, that’s the beauty of a great fictional monster. They hold up a mirror to our lives, and what we see might scare us, but it also provides the much needed sense that we’re not alone.
PREMIUM
Hurricane Heist
A winning mix of history, humor, and high-stakes sleuthing for returning fans of the series or new readers.
A stellar companion novel about one tween’s struggles and ambitions that can stand alone but will have newer readers sprinting to the rest of the books in this excellent series.
PREMIUM
The Academy
A solid purchase for soccer players and fans who are looking for middle grade books about their favorite game.
A tearjerking realistic fiction read about love and loss that should be added to all middle grade collections.
Time-traveling fans will devour this humorous tale that shows how humans are all connected.
PREMIUM
The Tear Collector
A novel that handles heavy topics with a light touch; recommended for upper middle grade.
PREMIUM
Wolf Club
An eye-opening window or mirror story for collections that need more stories involving Ojibwe beliefs, relationships, and a touch of the supernatural.
PREMIUM
The One About the Blackbird
Perhaps this is best for the shelves intended to help grandparents seeking to connect with the young generation.
PREMIUM
Sticky Hermana
This title is one any pair of sisters can relate to and encourages being honest with familial frustrations. A recommended general purchase for picture book collections.
PREMIUM
Waiting for Max: A NICU Story
A warmly illustrated, heartfelt resource that combines comfort with information, this is an essential purchase for libraries serving young families.
PREMIUM
Mazel Toes!
Though not for every collection, this bright and inclusive board book celebrating the value of family and community is an ideal selection for Jewish families welcoming a newborn.
Lilting prose and textured collage visually and lyrically represent big feelings in this powerful title. Highly recommended.
PREMIUM
House of Hearts
A lush, spooky page-turner perfect for readers of Arndt’s other novel, Together We Rot, or Stephanie Garber’s Once Upon a Broken Heart.
PREMIUM
Butterfly Heart
A powerful novel about family, friendship, love, and the indigenous culture of the Sámi people. Young adults living between multiple cultures will appreciate the rawness of self-discovery throughout.
PREMIUM
The Wicked Lies of Habren Faire
Recommended for collections where fairy romantasy is popular.
This book is inviting, making it appropriate for young adult mystery collections.
Strongly recommended for fans of Greek and Roman mythology, particularly feminist retellings such as Jennifer Saint’s Ariadne or Madeline Miller’s Circe.
PREMIUM
World Soccer Kings
With a stealthy intention to bring poetry to sports-minded young readers, this book may be too light on sports facts to appeal to soccer fans and too basic in its execution to be a meaningful resource for aspiring poets.
A charming, tender story about making friends, sisterhood, and the importance of family and community.
PREMIUM
Sib Squad: Flying High!
A worthy follow-up that expands on the humor and heart of the first installment, and an excellent pick for fans of humorous graphic novels and family-centered storytelling.
National Geographic books are a trusted favorite for a reason: kids love them, parents and educators rely on them, and the learning happens almost effortlessly. This one is a must for home, classroom, or library shelves.
A thoughtfully designed book for adults to share with children or for young readers to explore on their own, with plentiful, stunning images of many African animals, sparse text, and helpful scaffolds for engaging with nonfiction works.
These are five books I've got on my fall TBR and hope to find time to read soon (if I can learn how to keep my eyes open past 8:00).
20 books out this month just waiting to go on your TBR!
[needed] Perfect for ages 3-6 or anyone looking to build their Spanish/English vocabulary.
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.
A good purchase for libraries serving Spanish-speaking communities or with bilingual programs.
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.
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.
A purchase for large collections or for use in gardening programming for families.
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.
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.
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.
Powell’s illustrations match perfectly with the text; this would be a great addition to any library’s early chapter book collection.
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
Asterwood
This intriguing fantasy, with its ecological focus and unique points-of-view leaves too many unanswered questions to fully satisfy.
A definite first purchase that can be read as a standalone or as part of its series.
A timely, heartfelt, and emotive adventure for fans of survival or dog narratives utilizing a quick pace to grip readers.
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.
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
Serendipity
Full of hijinks and endless energy, this is a strong additional purchase where realistic, slice-of-life graphic literature is in demand.
Beyond bold illustrations and pitch-perfect rhythm make this bio-book a great pick for the shelves.
Not essential, but a toddler-pleaser, and minor introduction to classical music.
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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
Baby’s first football game is not a necessary purchase, but it works as an introduction to the sport.
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.
PREMIUM
Most Valuable Player
Recommended as an additional purchase where contemporary romantic fiction is popular.
PREMIUM
The October Girl Vol. 1
An intriguing graphic narrative with plenty of magical realism that will leave readers wanting more.
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.
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.
PREMIUM
Fade into You
For fans of Jennifer Mathieu’s Moxie, an overall relatable and universal coming-of-age story.
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
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.
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.
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.
A laugh-out-loud funny whodunit that is a first purchase for mystery fans.
PREMIUM
The Siren and the Star
Readers of books in verse, romance, and music history will all be drawn to this engaging book.
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.
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
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.
PREMIUM
Body Beautiful
Important lessons on bodily autonomy, consent, diversity, and self-love wrapped up in an age-appropriate hug of a book.
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
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
Rain and the Reading Horse
Children will enjoy this sensitive and nuanced story focused on social and emotional themes.
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