The perfect book for middle school romance sections; a must-buy.
Give this story to children everywhere. A powerful story of finding your voice and using it to advocate for yourself.
Readers will root for Adelaide to catch a break and be able to return to the life of an 11-year-old instead of an overwhelmed person with adult responsibilities. Recommended for realistic fiction shelves.
Fans of Lemony Snicket and Western fairy tales will devour this darkly humorous read.
An important message about overcoming anxiety is muddled in a busy plot. Purchase for larger collections.
An important novel for every library to have. Readers will find they’re not alone in dealing with a loved one’s addiction, as an estimated one in eight children have a parent dealing with substance abuse.
It’s not a perfect summer at the beach, but Winnie’s feelings are perfectly real, and the resolution is satisfying and hopeful. Highly recommended.
Fans of the series will love Harbor and her family, and will root for her on and off the court.
A worthy addition to any library where readers are gobbling up fantasy, and more importantly, a poignant story about family grief and love.
A moving story with a pleasing twist ending.
A multiple-viewpoint realistic novel with broad appeal recommended for most upper elementary, middle school, or public libraries.
Middle and high school librarians will want this in their collections.
A vengeful adventure that ties up loose ends just tightly enough; a must-purchase for any collection containing the first volume.
Great addition for libraries seeking interactive picture books.
A fun but dense read; for fans of gruesome monsters and political drama.
An intense mystery and slow-burn romance that highlight a historical moment. Recommended for all YA collections.
A dark romantic thriller with a surprise plot twist, this is a welcome addition to collections for mature teens, due to sexually explicit scenes.
Ripped from the headlines, Ahmed’s latest novel frames the fight against book banning as a hopeful endeavor in active civic engagement that a wide audience would benefit from reading.
In this excellent addition to SEL shelves, children will find themselves learning from Bijan and enjoying his story at the same time.
A must-have for teaching children about confidence, acceptance, and kindness.
Whether teens enjoy mysteries, historical fiction, or both, this is one to get into their hands.
Haunting and enormously gripping, but the suicide content deserves consideration for sensitive readers.
This homage to the eccentricities and charm of special grandparents ticks a lot of boxes. Highly recommended
Purchase where missing-girl mysteries circulate well.
A gloomy horror novel, perfect for middle schoolers too old for “Goosebumps,” but not yet ready for more terrifying fare.
Teens will enjoy the adventure.
A humorous addition, though not an essential purchase, to picture book collections.
A reassuring book for the very young that allows for ambition, curiosity, and homecoming in equal measure, and the knowledge that someone watchful is nearby, if needed. Lovely.
Give this to fans of books by McLemore and Nova Ren Suma.
Hand to fans of Ellie Marney’s None Shall Sleep and Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s “The Naturals” series.
Witty and amusing prose will take readers on a romantic journey that realistically addresses anxiety.
A delightful first purchase. Highly recommended.
The novel adds parallel worlds to the magic and love story of this romantasy. Readers will adore the strong female protagonist and her mission to save her world and those she loves.
A slice-of-life thriller with a compelling concept but underwhelming execution.
A profound must-read for any library serving older teens.
Jackson continues to beguile and intrigue readers with this absorbing mystery. Recommended.
A manual for constructing a contented life, this book makes children look deeper and behave with deliberation. And when they do, Henkes says, they are lucky.
A story teaching the valuable lesson of making lemons out of lemonade. Recommended.
A heartwarming romance where creating authentic connections takes center stage.
Recommended. Grab this one for your Disney readers and for those who enjoy a great prom story.
A deeply satisfying standalone readers will race through and a rare Pacific Island–inspired fantasy that belongs in all YA collections.
A beautiful story that should be sitting on the shelves of school counselors and child therapists everywhere.
The creators have come up with an excellent book for caregivers and children who are struggling with their fears, for discussion or as a guide to pushing through.
An unusual addition to a baby’s first books and may be particularly useful in a public library setting to see who gravitates toward it; especially recommended for parents interested in immersing their slightly older child in a STEM-related field.
While this is not a necessary purchase, it buoys shelves dedicated to the imagination and shows another side of summer vacation that requires no money and no adults to be a success.
A sweet and straightforward story, ideal for early reader collections.
An energetic early reader with humorous illustrations that young readers will return to again and again.
A cottagecore graphic novel for all ages that is sure to please during story time or while young readers choose to explore the Hundred Acre Wood on their own.
A solid purchase for early reader collections, especially those seeking books with children of color having majority representation.
A tiny tale that teaches a big lesson: often the journey has more value than the destination.
A great addition to library collections. Children will enjoy hearing this read aloud to them over and over again until they are able to read it for themselves.
This title is a welcome addition to early chapter book collections, and a surefire hit for animal lovers.
A highly relatable and entertaining tale, and a recommended purchase for early reader collections.
A sweet new installment of the “Little Critter” series.
For fans of Weaver’s first novel, especially those who enjoy a complex mystery à la Knives Out with a hint of the paranormal.
Anderson creates an engrossing story of tragedy, change, and laying the past to rest, with a fascinating cast of characters. Good first buy for larger libraries.
A sweet coming-of-age debut for fans of books about music, this novel is reminiscent of Maureen Johnson’s 13 Little Blue Envelopes and a solid choice for readers of Nina LaCour’s Everything Leads to You.
A phenomenal work, weaving together elements of fantasy, self-discovery, and the quest for identity, making it a compelling read for teens grappling with their sense of self.
Well-crafted collage art complements lyrical text to create a luminous read-aloud.
A fantastic addition to any collection, a much-needed reminder that, “We don’t need your kind and my kind...only kindness.”
B’s struggle to find home and acceptance will have readers rooting for them and Gooseberry the dog. A must-purchase realistic fiction title for all middle grade collections.
An engaging, fast-paced book well suited for fans who enjoy fantasies similar to Philip Pullman’s "His Dark Materials."
The wide-ranging narrative requires a patient reader to engage with the story until the dusty roads converge, but hang on until the showdown at high noon for a smartly satisfying Western adventure.
A fun and affirming coming-out story with relatable characters. Recommended.
A must-have for early readers.
A fun tale that will appeal to reluctant readers and fans of fractured fairy tales.
This humorous and inventive comic book will entertain young readers and provide them a ready road map for conflict resolution and positive social skills.
This Canadian historical picture book may find a home in units on unearthing family stories or in writing creative nonfiction.
A wily 12-year-old, painful family secrets, and an eerie possessed house
Fans of Jenni L. Walsh will not let this book sit on library shelves for long.
This book will be most enjoyed by those who read the first book, and is recommended for collections where the previous one circulates.
An ode to Puerto Rico, bedtime, and a child’s imagination that’s a must for Spanish-language picture book shelves.
Highly recommended for all libraries as this history is too often untold and deserves such a compelling presentation as this.
Every body needs this book. Purchase for all Spanish-language collections.
A general purchase for Spanish-language picture book collections.
A beautiful tribute to a grandmother’s hands and all they do; an essential purchase for all collections.
This delightful board book will draw the young readers into a farmer’s colorful world.
Lou discovers he is different and that the differences make him strong in this lovely book to purchase as needed.
A short book with a lot of learning opportunities.
Well-spaced text and muted illustrations add to each of the children’s boisterous personalities. Young readers will want to learn more about the large cast of characters.
Genre-blending books offer readers the opportunity to comfortably expand across boundaries and try something different while still in the safety of their preferred reading choice. Here are 14 middle grade graphic novels that blend genres to perfection.
A humorous and unique discussion starter for similar superstitions and a worthy addition to picture book collections.
An unsuccessful adaptation of a well-loved show. Not recommended.
A worthy sequel with lush artwork and plenty of action.
While the message celebrating reading is commendable, the execution is unsatisfying.
An enjoyable if mild comfort read with few surprises, this book is recommended as a secondary purchase where books by K.A. Holt or Gary Schmidt are popular.
An excellent addition to Spanish-language picture book collections, and a solid choice for young fans of science, technology, and robots!
An additional purchase where novelty titles are popular.
Not a recommended purchase.
An additional purchase where secular Christmas books are in high demand.
A sweet countdown to the holiday, this could be an additional purchase for large board book collections.
For nap time collections or for roundups about love of many kinds, this book offers a surprising platform for meaningful discussions about life’s most important values.
An awkward but gentle inquiry into self-esteem, imagination, and self-governance, done with humor and wonderful watercolor-like paintings.
A strong selection for libraries looking to increase the disability representation on their Spanish language shelves.
A first purchase for all libraries; there are too few beautiful portraits of beloved Persians.
This is a great book with a well-developed storyline and characters. Highly recommended for middle grade collections in school and public libraries.
A coming-of-age classic set in Regency England. A must-have for teens and adults alike.
Recommended for all libraries and collections.
A must-buy for all libraries that serve teens.
This book needs to be on every classics shelf.–
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