★   ★   ★

APPLEGATE, Katherine. Pocket Bear. illus. by Charles Santoso. Feiwel & Friends. ISBN 9781250904362.
Gr 4-6–Created to sit in a soldier’s pocket, Pocket Bear now runs the Second Chances Home for the Tossed and Treasured. When a new teddy bear with a fascinating past shows up, he and his feline friend Zephyrina discover even more about courage, love, and the enduring effects of war.

BLANKMAN, Anne.The Enemy’s Daughter. Viking. ISBN 9780593623046.
Gr 4-7–It’s 1915, and after surviving the Lusitania attack and her father’s capture on suspicion of being a spy, Marta’s perilous journey home to Germany forces her to question loyalty, war, and prejudice. A powerful historical fiction adventure fusion of friendship and survival.

BRINER, Karen.Starry, Starry Heist. Holiday House. ISBN 9780823456444.
Gr 4 Up–When Max meets the mysterious DZ, who reveals that time travel is real and Max can do it, he must choose: go back to correct his biggest mistake or save the painting The Starry Night from never existing. This science fiction story skillfully weaves in grounded elements that make it appealing to all readers.

CHERRYWELL, Steph.The Ink Witch. Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316585958.
Gr 3-7–Transgender Becca discovers her witch heritage when Aunt Malatrice casts a spell on her mother; this takes Becca on a quest through a magical world where she will collect the necessary items to save Mom. Equal parts humor and fantasy make for an exciting story of inner strength and courage.

CHU, Kyle Casey.The Queen Bees of Tybee County. HarperCollins/Quill Tree. ISBN 9780063326958.
Gr 6 Up–When Derrick Chan’s basketball plans fall through, a summer with his grandmother in Georgia leads him to new friendships, self-expression through drag, and a deeper understanding of his late mother. This book demonstrates courage in the face of challenging situations—even when it’s family who poses the biggest obstacle.

EDGMON, H.E.Defanged. Feiwel & Friends. ISBN 9781250874009.
Gr 4 Up–Vampires are out of the coffin, and a cure is now available, but Lux Priddy doesn’t want to be cured. So, he runs away to find the rumored city of Nox Urbus, where he can be himself. With a cast of lovably odd characters, this is a deliberate yet engaging look at the way society vilifies groups who are different from the so-called norm.

GLASER, Karina Yan.The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli. HarperCollins/Allida. ISBN 9780063284432.
Gr 5 Up–Told in alternating timelines between ancient China and Depression–era New York, the story follows Han Yu, who travels the Silk Road alone when his family falls ill, and Luli, who is desperate to save her family restaurant. A beautiful, moving story about bravery and the power of art.

IDIL, Raidah Shah.How to Free a Jinn. S. & S./Salaam Reads. ISBN 9781665982634.
Gr 4-8–When Insyirah moves to Malaysia, she’s shocked to learn that the spirits from her grandmother’s stories are very real and alive there. This thrilling and rich fantasy centers on a girl with the gift to see and control jinn.

KIM, Graci.Dreamslinger. illus. by Drew Alott. Disney/Hyperion. ISBN 9781368104777.
Gr 5 Up–Aria Loveridge, a Dreamslinger haunted by her mother’s death, infiltrates Seoul’s kingdom-training program to expose its secrets. She uncovers truths that could reshape her destiny and the world’s. Surprises abound that will have readers guessing to the very end and begging for a sequel.

KING, Wesley.Benny on the Case. S. & S./Beach Lane. ISBN 9781665937696.
Gr 4 Up–When thefts threaten to shutter the Newfoundland retirement home where he lives, Benny launches an investigation to save it. This charming mystery, set against a refreshingly unique backdrop, balances an engaging whodunit with rich emotional depth, themes of friendship and acceptance, and a rare portrayal of a protagonist with Mosaic Down syndrome.

LUKOFF,Kyle.A World Worth Saving. Dial. ISBN 9780593618981.
Gr 6 Up–A’s transphobic parents drag him to a conversion support group where teens keep disappearing, and he fears he or his friends may be next. Very real-world challenges, such as hate and homelessness, face A, though Lukoff expertly intertwines these with Jewish folklore and mysticism in this heartrending tale.

MANDANNA, Sangu.Vanya and the Wild Hunt. Roaring Brook. ISBN 9781250899835.
Gr 4 Up–When a mythic monster attacks her home, Vanya is swept into a hidden world of magical books, mythical beings, and long-buried family secrets. This fast-paced fantasy weaves globe-spanning traditional folklore with themes of belonging and self-acceptance, creating a rich, inclusive world where a neurodivergent protagonist finds courage and community.

MEJIA, Tehlor Kay.The Better to Eat You With. Delacorte. ISBN 9780593647073.
Gr 5-8–Evan can’t wait to escape her parents’ arguing (and her mother’s food restriction) at Sonrisa resort with her friends. But something fearsome is terrorizing the camp, and Evan realizes it’s as hungry as she is. Mejia sensitively weaves a harrowing yet hopeful tale of parental-induced anorexia with a heart-pounding creature feature.

MESSNER, Kate. The Trouble with Heroes. Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781547616398.
Gr 3-8–Climbing the Adirondack Mountains is not Finn Connelly’s idea of fun, but after his anger manifests in vandalism, his sentence is to hike the entire range. Through Finn’s poetry and letters detailing his thoughts on grief and adolescent angst, readers join in his breathtaking and deeply satisfying journey.

NELSON, Vanda Micheaux. Radiant. Dutton. ISBN 9780593855782.
Gr 4-7–In 1963 Pittsburgh, Cooper navigates being a Black girl amid turmoil on a personal and a national scale. Nelson’s powerful verse novel centers a tween learning to love herself; readers will appreciate the seamless infusion of notable historical events into a perennially relatable narrative of self-acceptance and compassion.

PAULINO, Jasminne. The Extraordinary Orbit of Alex Ramirez. Putnam. ISBN 9780593859315.
Gr 5 Up–Seventh grader Alex loves science and space, but in his self-contained classroom, he doesn’t learn much about either. When his teachers tell him he’s not ready to join the regular science class, he decides to be his own advocate—and maybe even prove he can be extraordinary.

PYRON, Bobbie. Octopus Moon. Penguin/Nancy Paulsen. ISBN 9780593616291.
Gr 3-7–All the change that fifth grade promises sends Pearl spiraling. When she is diagnosed with depression, she is excited to have an explanation and course of action, but the stigmatization that comes with it leads to more challenges. This novel in verse is one of the most authentic and honest portrayals of depression for this age group.

RANSAW, Rosalyn. Smoke and Mirrors. Abrams/Amulet. ISBN 9781419770135.
Gr 4 Up–After being unfairly blamed for a barn fire, Andy agrees to help a reclusive old man restore a decaying mansion with ties to a vanished magician and an unsolved murder. Fast-paced and layered, this mystery deftly explores race, bias, and trust through the eyes of an emotionally complex narrator grappling with his father’s incarceration.

REARDON, Joan.Dad Rock Dragon Quest. S. & S./Aladdin. ISBN 9781665963367.
Gr 3-8–Zadie takes after her rock and roll–obsessed dad, so she can’t wait to spend a week with him; if only her mom’s boring boyfriend wasn’t tagging along. When poachers invade and kidnap her dad’s dragon, an epic magical adventure ensues. Readers will love this fast-paced yet emotional exploration of family dynamics.

ROMERO, R.M. The Tear Collector. Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316578066.
Gr 4-8–Malka and her brother Ezra live on an island with the few survivors after the Flood. When Ezra gets the island’s illness, Malka is desperate to find a cure. Readers will root for Malka to save the infected islanders in this dark and powerful dystopian tale that is infused with hope.

SMITH, Sherri L. Candace, the Universe, and Everything. Putnam. ISBN 9781524737931.
Gr 5 Up–Candace Wells feels unmoored by changing friendships at the start of eighth grade, but her world expands dramatically when a mysterious time-traveling bird flies out of her new locker. This intergenerational story delivers a captivating blend of science fiction and coming-of-age storytelling that explores friendship, identity, and wonder.

STEMPLE, Heidi E.Y. The Poetry of Car Mechanics. Astra/Wordsong. ISBN 9781662660214.
Gr 5 Up–Dylan, 15, struggles to connect with his grandfather and his toxic masculinity after his mother’s three-year absence due to her mental health. Stemple’s artful writing will have readers flying through the pages, though the emotional depth will cause them to pause and savor each word.

SUMNER, Jamie. Please Pay Attention. S. & S./Atheneum. ISBN 9781665956079.
Gr 5-8–When a school shooting threatens her sense of well-being, Beatrix, who has cerebral palsy, must learn to reclaim her bravery and sense of safety through equine-assisted therapy and love. Told in verse, this important novel explores the resulting emotions and struggles when the unimaginable happens and you can’t protect yourself.

WATSON, Renée. All the Blues in the Sky. Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781547605897.
Gr 5 Up–Sage has been grieving since her 13th birthday, when her best friend died in a freak accident. She can’t imagine how she’ll go on, especially because she blames herself. Written in verse, the story is a beautiful testament to the power of love and community in healing.

WOLF, Allan. Junius Leak and the Spiraling Vortex of Doom. Candlewick. ISBN 9781536217452.
Gr 4-9–Set around the 1980 Lake Peigneur Disaster, this historical fiction novel, told by the lake and Junius Leak, has it all: pirates, environmentalism, family complexity, and mental health struggles. When Junius is exiled to spend 12 days with a previously unknown uncle in Louisiana, he’ll end up having a life-changing adventure.