Recommended for newly independent readers who will get caught up in this latest page-turning adventure of future Dark Lord Ember’s quest to rule the world.
Baby Yoda fans unite! Beginning readers who love Star Wars will want to check out this book to feel confident about their reading.
Recommended where stories of Pete the Cat are popular and where beginning readers are in demand.
A sweet offering for children just learning to read on their own.
For kids who enjoy sweet, sensitive, and heartfelt stories about friendship and trust.
Kids who are beginning to read will feel the excitement of a new school adventure with this delightful easy reader.
Barrager’s sweet and supportive tale will charm and delight readers and is recommended for purchase.
Preschoolers and kindergartners are the audience for this book, which will give them an idea of what school is all about, both with activities and what’s expected of them.
A welcome perspective on life, loss, and current events that will engage readers in the beginning but might lose their interest by the end.
Delacre’s declaration of the essential role of trees is admirable and should be heeded by all; in text and pictures she makes clear their beauty and uniqueness.
Readers looking for an introspective, weather-driven fantasy focused on friendship, family, and community will enjoy this thoughtful story of young people fighting greed.
So much of this charms, with the early clarity about simple pleasures. It loses its way, but remains nice to look at.
A fierce and funny addition to children’s collections.
While this colorful book by the award-winning singer and actress doesn’t tread on new territory, it is a solid choice for most collections.
While the mythology and fantasy in this story might be appealing, portions of the plot are incomplete and characters are inconsistent in their development and voice.
An enjoyable story about friendship and positive self-image, this is one to consider for picture book collections.
Fans of historical fiction and Nielsen’s other novels will be riveted by Hazel and her friends’ plight across the Atlantic aboard the Titanic.
An inspiring and heartening title that will find a home in any collection.
To adult readers, this sweet story gently conveys the inevitable pains of changing relationships, but this theme may be lost on young children; share with older elementary children instead.
A special, one-of-a-kind book for the whole family that readers won’t soon forget
This enjoyable slice-of-life novel centers three Black girls navigating family, friendship, and belonging.
Children will love knowing that there was once a real Mildred at the museum, and getting a glimpse at the Matisse and Calderlike shapes Ganz strews across the graphic pages.
An epic adventure with an enduring message about love and family, this is a first purchase for upper elementary and middle school libraries.
The underlying message, that it is okay to stray from what is expected, will delight young and old readers alike.
A must-purchase for all middle grade collections.
This very funny and endearing read-aloud should be invited into every children’s room with open arms.
A strong purchase for all collections, especially as a social-emotional text.
Though the author’s positive message feels tacked on, this is a sufficiently entertaining story for fans of Parr, monsters, and mac and cheese.
A great addition to any middle grade historical fiction collection.
Purchase for help with social-emotional learning and to give greater guidance to the trauma of loss for young children; this need not be used solely in cases of extreme grief, but to encourage empathy, understanding, and articulation of loss.
Recommended for fans of jam-packed crossover fantasy with elements of adventure and surrealism.
A reassuring lark, meant to soothe, and all’s right with this book. A first purchase for libraries.
A recommended purchase that will be fun to share as a read-aloud and inspire readers to follow the song in their hearts.
With an owl creature that is unique and oversized pulling onlookers into the tale, this is a strong purchase for collections where animal stories circulate.
This book will come in handy in children’s libraries everywhere, with back matter that adds further information about the most basic of greetings: Hello.
A solid purchase, and one that will look great on display.
A gentle reminder for all ages that life’s ups and downs can be shared, this book is a welcome addition to any elementary library.
A welcome addition to libraries that serve children and tweens. This fresh take on Little Red Riding Hood is a necessary purchase for libraries and fantasy shelves.
A reverie of a book, offering criticism delivered with honey about our current state of affairs. It’s not at all as far-fetched as it sounds.
A story that celebrates librarians, reading, and how the right teacher can ease the fear of change.
Purchase where other books in the series circulate or for units on Carnival or migrant workers.
A sweet and worthy addition to family-themed collections, particularly those needing more titles with father-child relationships.
Story hour attendees will quickly learn to chant along, and naming the animals will be a happy side lesson. A title with sweet promise.
This plot feels like something recycled from the 1970s Berenstain Bears, but even they were more up to date than this.
Perfect for collections serving readers who love benevolent magic.
An entertaining read for high school students, particularly for those who love adventure.
A great summer read, this will be a solid choice for teens who are trying to find themselves. The spunky main character and her friends will appeal to readers looking for a character-driven story.
A simple but sweet story that would be a great introduction to fantasy books. Very worthwhile to have in any tween or YA collection.
A complex and intriguing fantasy that is sure to be popular with teens.
Bracken is a familiar name on bestseller lists; this title likely already has fans waiting. An inventive, and slightly gruesome, fantasy recommended for general purchase.
This novel, which perfectly captures the joy of summer, the heartbreak of sudden loss, and the resilience of friendship, is recommended for general purchase, and is ideal for fans of Morgan Matson or Ashley Woodfolk.
A captivating and emotional coming-of-age tale that harmonizes magnificently in verse.
This work elevates and reenergizes the canon; it’s an absolute must-read regardless of readers’ knowledge or opinion of Shakespeare.
An enjoyable read that will appeal to those looking for an engaging blend of fantasy and mystery.
Recommended for fans of dark YA such as that by Kayla Cottingham.
A realistic, sometimes horrifying depiction of religious trauma. Recommended for readers who enjoy the works of Courtney Summers and Tiffany D. Jackson.
A perfect choice for fans of second chances, also third, fourth, etc.
This novel will appeal to high school readers seeking a teenage take on Rear Window.
Numerous triggering topics can make this a book to hand-sell
Modern romance at its very best
Fans of Holly Black and Sarah J. Maas will love this start of a new series.
In this dystopian fantasy, a teen with unsuspected power is drawn into an ancient struggle between dark and light. Recommended for high school collections.
A well-written debut that tackles issues of friendship, first love, gentrification, racism, and eviction through a compelling, fast-paced narrative full of suspense, tension, and questions of fairness. Recommended for teens alongside discussions of contemporary issues.
Mendez reads rather than performs her girl-power story, but she ensures her characters are affectingly heard.
Providing ready access in all formats to overlooked female heroes should be requisite for all libraries.
A dynamic duo aurally transforms Baptist’s dueling enemies into free-versing, could-be-might-be friends.
DuBois’s sophomore verse novel offers another heartwarming lesson of “be who you are meant to be.”
McBride’s self-described “book about depression & pain & hope” is a healing balm for suffering souls.
Dutt deftly ciphers Baldwin’s most personal fiction to date.
Libraries should expect consistent demand in all formats.
Libraries should ensure ready access to Ogle’s trilogy in all formats.
Libraries can support mental health awareness by making titles like this readily available.
A pandemic novel might seem premature, but Garvey’s authenticity should resonate broadly with youthful audiences.
Libraries should prepare for significant demand in all formats.
Share with anxious tweens and teens facing loss to show they’re not alone.
With essential lessons in environmental responsibility and human intervention—plus irresistible characters
An undeniably powerful quartet delivers a reclamatory, empowering performance.
This neurodivergent trio of author, narrator, and protagonist should resonate with their shared experience and those not on the spectrum.
For anyone who has ever felt a little worried about sharing a beloved family or cultural ritual, this title will be welcome and even cherished; it will also inform some readers about Islam and explain a bit more about the practice of prayer.
In these works, the characters are cute, the chapters short, and suspense is kept to a minimum. While the genre exists for all ages, many titles are ideal for younger readers.
Whether the Easter Bunny is a little clumsy with deliveries or battling with a Leprechaun, young readers will delight in these books featuring the holiday's leading animal.
A fun picture book for readers making their own big leap and a good choice for early elementary collections.
Along with the author’s instructions for filling out a postcard, this book is chock-full of compassionate answers for any child missing someone far away; a great addition to the shelves.
Sweet and inspirational, this book will find its target audience, though it’s an optional purchase for most collections.
Children will be drawn to the rhyming text, and the illustrations create an environment that most students will be able to connect with; however, the book’s theme lacks uniqueness or significance. A “like to have” title rather than a “must-have” one.
Appropriate for elementary school libraries, and would also be an asset in a classroom library or as part of an elementary school lesson for kindergarten to fifth grade students.
A first purchase for every library, this book invites readers to consider the world around them in a new way.
For parents who want to introduce the meaning behind their Juneteenth celebrations; libraries with collections of Little Golden Books should include this one to broaden their selection.
A moving tale that touches on topics of patience, love, and loss. A worthy purchase for all libraries.
A celebration of dance, dreams, and hard work, from the inside out, and a book that delivers on its promise.
An interactive read to delight young children.
This awe-inspiring and phenomenal work of art belongs on all shelves.
Culley deserved better: readers, choose the page.
A more seasoned narrator might have helped to clarify this well-intentioned muddle.
Siu’s soft, consistent delivery is a soothing balm even in the most uncomfortable moments; new immigrants seeking their stories in books will discover empathic resonance here.
A book for any collection where the Provensens are popular, or where “taken-from-real-life” snapshots do well.
The unique lens through which to examine the 1849 Gold Rush will enhance historical fiction collections, though readers may long for deeper character connection.
Not recommended for purchase.
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