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PREMIUM
Evacuation Order
Fans of survival stories like Alan Gratz's books and the “I Survived” series may appreciate this action-packed quick read despite lackluster characterization.
Expertly told in poetic fashion, this book will hook its readers from sentence one. Highly recommended for all who love fantasy, tragedy, history, and folklore.
A must-have for any middle grade collection with fantasy lovers, and those who enjoy the likes of Roald Dahl, Neil Gaiman, and Lemony Snicket.
PREMIUM
A Royal Conundrum
Clever and funny, this rousing mystery-adventure will be a hit with a wide audience.
PREMIUM
Just Shy of Ordinary
Shai’s struggles with identity, anxiety, first love, and faith will resonate with middle grade and young adult readers. A recommended purchase for all secondary school collections.
PREMIUM
Last Laugh
A creepy sibling horror tale that shows what happens when you don’t listen to Grandma. Recommended especially for struggling or reluctant readers.
PREMIUM
The World-Famous Nine
A promising novel with attention-grabbing elements and a high-stakes hunt for a magical object, that unfortunately gets lost in heavily detailed descriptions, a large cast of side characters, and an inconsistent time line.
Recommended purchase for libraries seeking nuanced depictions of divorce, death in the family, and trauma.
PREMIUM
Sail Me Away Home
Exciting, heartrending and informative, this volume is a strong addition to the series.
PREMIUM
The Reckoning
The power of Black history and activism told simply; a good start for struggling middle grade readers just introduced to American history.
PREMIUM
Winston Chu vs. the Wingmeisters
A rollicking sequel that focuses on friendship, grief, and overcoming your fears that will appeal to anyone who enjoyed the first book in Lee’s series.
PREMIUM
Sparkle
A solid novel about alopecia through a social media influencer/aspiring actress lens for a tween audience.
PREMIUM
Courtesy of Cupid
An optional purchase, except where there is a dire need for middle grade romance.
A thoughtful coming-of-age exploration of a tween’s experience with big life changes and asexuality; recommended for all collections.
PREMIUM
Rock Stars Don’t Nap
A comical, musical journey, this book could lead to lively story hours across age ranges, one that even caregivers will rock to.
PREMIUM
Baker Makers
With an emphasis on effort before reward and a sturdy hero, this is a recommended STEAM–related title.
PREMIUM
I Love Your Face!
One step up from a board book, this celebration of great moments in babyland will work for very young SEL lessons and a generous, uplifting story hour.
PREMIUM
The Monster Above the Bed
Completely charming! For everyone who has tried to help a young one face those bedtime monster fears, this offers a pretty good answer.
PREMIUM
Three Important Jobs
A dentist story with a happy ending sounds a lot like William Steig’s Doctor De Soto, without the menace. Choose this for story hours on SEL or hygiene.
PREMIUM
Scaredy Cats
Some children love anticipation more than an ending, and they’ll adore this book. It delivers an entire screwball comedy in very few pages and will inspire some very interesting post-story discussions.
PREMIUM
Your Voice, Your Vote
A child’s-eye view of the voting experience that highlights the joys and frustrations of making one’s voice heard.
PREMIUM
Turbo’s Special Delivery
A cheerful book that could be the perfect gift for young truck lovers or a fitting addition to a lesson about transportation, goods and services, or opposite word pairings, as Turbo learns the importance of moving at a slow, steady speed on the roads.
A humble subject is elevated to an anthem about beloved canine companions; these simple statements of gratitude effectively convey depths of mutual love.
PREMIUM
Kevin Goes First
This book offers much food for thought in how we work together and take turns in different roles.
PREMIUM
The Imposter
With Collier’s playful yet adorable pictures to bring the characters to life, this book will find a home among animal lovers and humor fans alike.
Libraries looking to diversify their fiction collections for middle grade students will want to consider this very enjoyable book. A great choce for middle schoolers.
PREMIUM
We Could Fly
A magically sublime testimonial to spirituality and ancestral connection, perfect for home or classroom reading with young ones.
PREMIUM
Natural Me
A delightfully illustrated book and welcome addition to libraries to promote positive messages of self-empowerment among girls.
PREMIUM
The Concrete Garden
This read-aloud will inspire many rich conversations about community, emotions, and kindness with preschool and early–school age children. Recommended purchase.
PREMIUM
The Twist-a-Roo
Does there always have to be a comeuppance when a little caution will serve? This book will inspire discussions among children about who is right; with airtight pacing and a beautiful ending, it’s sure to be a story hour favorite.
A sweet and very smart book that is full of truly terrible things that almost anyone would fear, this will inspire discussions of what is scary, what is not, and when it’s time to let the wind blow.
PREMIUM
The Peacock
A touching and educational illustrated chapter book that highlights empathy, resourcefulness, and the importance of community. An enriching addition to library bookshelves.
A monstrous, zany early reader graphic novel for readers who enjoy the new “Bailey School Kids” graphic novels, school stories with a twist, and "Monster High."
PREMIUM
Mercy Watson Is Missing!
A delightful conclusion to this chapter series. Purchase where the other books in the series circulate well.
Vivid illustrations paired with a relatable story equals a must-have for any library.
PREMIUM
I Want to Be a Scientist
A good choice as part of a series that can help establish a core collection of early reader titles.
PREMIUM
Daddy and the Beanstalk
Laughs abound in this fractured fairy tale embedded in a bedtime story. Give this to fans of “Katie the Catsitter” by Colleen AF Venable and Giants Beware! by Jorge Aguirre.
Even with a few plot hiccups, this reader will fly off the shelves because of the rock-solid value of the Disney Princess franchise. A recommended purchase for all school and public collections.
Purchase this delightful book for early reader collections.
Once again, the dynamic team of Palatini and Yaccarino have created a story that is not only appealing to children but also fun for adults. Recommended for all collections.
PREMIUM
Meet the Astronaut (LEGO City)
A feel-good, action-packed story that will keep children engaged from the first page. Recommended where other “LEGO City” books are popular.
Lighthearted and silly with a good message, this title is part of a great series waiting to be discovered.
A great choice for fostering social emotional learning and emerging reading skills.
Fans of the author’s “Owl and Penguin” books will welcome Zooni. A solid purchase for elementary collections.
A recommended purchase for most early reader collections.
A nice but nonessential, addition to public library collections.
PREMIUM
Mossy and Tweed: Double Trouble
A good choice where fantasy elements are popular. Pair this with Sarah’s Unicorn by Bruce Coville.
Armchair travelers and young dreamers will enjoy boosting reading skills as they join Sabrina Sue’s latest adventure.
A thorough introduction to Rubble & Crew and to the tasks they like to do on their jobs. Recommended where other “Step into Reading” books are popular.
A great choice for beginning reader collections.
A solid choice where slice-of-life comics for young readers are in demand.
PREMIUM
First Day, Worst Day
Pair this chapter book with similar series for reluctant readers in this age group, including “The Time Warp Trio,” “My Weirder School,” and “Sideways Stories from Wayside School.”
An inexpensive addition to “Pete the Cat” or fairy-tale remix collections.
PREMIUM
Hoggy at Bat
A brief, engaging story for young and eager sports fans, eminently effective without trying to do too much.
PREMIUM
A Duck Called Brian
Comic illustrations, friendship, and hundreds of ducks engaged in silly activities may be enough for some readers, but libraries better go with Mo.
PREMIUM
Etta Extraordinaire
Overall a revisiting of classic flamboyant femmes but with enough interesting details to add freshness. Good for early elementary students.
This book is a perfect addition to any children’s shelf, whether aimed at families, adoption, multicultural stories, or topics of love and acceptance.
PREMIUM
Julius
Color-drenched acrylic paintings and outsized proportions provide humor and affection in equal doses. Readers will want to settle in for a second read.
A glorious, too-brief glimpse of Ethiopia for elementary-age children, this will send them off to do further research on textiles and cultures.
PREMIUM
When I Wrap My Hair
An enchanting addition to libraries, where cultural connections are key; the artwork will inspire creativity in any classroom.
PREMIUM
What Rosa Brought
Within the context of guided family and classroom conversations, this gorgeously illustrated picture book can be an important age-appropriate tool to educate children about the Holocaust while emphasizing the enduring power of perseverance and love.
This book, about perfectly normal children having a great time, is absolutely amazing.
From a glittering party in Harlem to a dazzling parade in Tokyo, from a baba's small patch of soil to a cadre of children learning to love who they are or stand up for others, the very best of 2023's picture books invite readers into pages to meet the world head on.
This year's best in middle grade includes fierce folklore-inspired adventures, powerful explorations of identity, and tender ruminations on loss and grief. Tweens of all reading levels and interests will find a novel that speaks to them in this curated collection.
An engaging tale of morality, friendship, and identity that blends relatable tween angst with deliciously creepy Japanese folklore. Highly recommended for middle grade collections.
A monstrously thrilling, deeply emotional, and mythologically rich fantasy about seizing your own power.
PREMIUM
Hoppy Easter, Honey Bunny!
With minimal updates to the words of the well-known song and considerations with circulating the polyester tail, this is not recommended for purchase.
PREMIUM
Big Kids No Everything
This lovely story is a charming investigation of the social-emotional elements that arise as young children are growing into their independence; a recommended book for families to enjoy together.
PREMIUM
The Shape of You
This thoughtful book incorporates early math concepts into a tale of the love and beauty that exist between a child and their caregiveres.
This isn’t an essential purchase, but may find a home with readers who appreciate the beauty of the natural world.
PREMIUM
Rabbit, Duck, and Big Bear
This thoughtful picture book is a good choice for investigating the complex balance of friendship and independence.
PREMIUM
Afikotective
Jewish schools and libraries in search of unusual Passover stories might find a place for this one. Others can pass.
PREMIUM
Creeping Beauty
A fun read on the surface, but closer examination leaves gaping plot holes and a disconcerting romance.
PREMIUM
Soon, Your Hands
This heartwarming book is best suited to a lap read with a patient child and a loving caregiver.
A first purchase for middle school libraries, this underdog hero fantasy is recommended for fans of Tae Keller’s work and Roshani Chokshi’s “Aru Shah” series.
Recommended highly for all collections; readers will want to get their hands on the newest installment in this eternally popular series.
PREMIUM
Merry Christmas, Peter!
A gentle Christmas story with a classic cast of characters that readers will enjoy.
This is an important addition to library collections for young people, especially because it focuses on the challenging emotion of grief within an approachable context.
PREMIUM
Find Spot at Christmas
A surefire bet for Spot fans and those who enjoy a festive Christmas story.
PREMIUM
You Choose Christmas
Simple rhyming text, interactive questions, and busy full-page illustrations with a seek-and-find feel will keep readers engaged.
PREMIUM
Mascot
Highly recommended as a pick for classrooms to use in debate and conversations; a timely and important novel.
A unique take on a classic horror tale, this brutal ballet story is gruesome and satisfying. A first purchase for high school libraries.
This saccharine tale seems to be more of a marketing tool to sell sweet Christmas treats than a compelling story.
A typical Easter tale that, for all its sparkle, lacks imagination. Purchase only where “Uni the Unicorn” is exceedingly popular.
While Jewish schools and libraries might find a place for this uninspired offering, others can pass.
PREMIUM
Becoming a Queen
An inspiring story about a teen developing the confidence to push back against the rigid expectations surrounding gender expression.
These three titles are purrfect for beginning readers who enjoy all things feline.
PREMIUM
The Dos and Donuts of Love
Readers will root for Shireen not just to win the baking competition but also for her to grow and learn from her relationships and mistakes.
PREMIUM
Strange Unearthly Things
More of a reimagining than retelling, this falls tragically flat. Purchase only for collections where Creagh’s other titles are well loved.
An important book, highly recommended for high school and public libraries.
PREMIUM
Look No Further
An enjoyable, heartwarming read. Through their strategic use of art-based references and terms, the authors paint a beautifully descriptive and vibrant world inhabited by endearing and relatable characters that readers cannot help but cheer for.
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