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These books all share anxiety as a theme, but in conversation with each other they feel like they are capturing something essential about the power of middle grade books.
Teen Librarian Karen Jensen outlines a poetry themed album release party for Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department
Librarian Angela Frederick discusses graphic novels perfect for foodies and those who like to cook, or eat, food
Just in time for National Poetry Month, check out these novels in verse!
It's been an embarrassment of podcast riches over on The Yarn recently. Here are five recent episodes for your listening pleasure.
Teamwork, competition, and the glory of team sports drive these graphic novel stories for elementary through high school readers.
These YA novels pair a lyrical verse format with engaging narratives of teen girls coming of age.
In the latest Adult Books for Teens roundup, find 10 titles published for adults with strong crossover appeal to teens.
Isabel in Bloom will be my fourth middle grade novel (my first one in verse). When I began writing it, a few intriguing images had come to me: a girl on a plane, a dried-up school garden, and a balikbayan box.
These Take Five lists can help you with collection development, displays, reading lists, and more
A wonderful addition to library collections; this book is perfect for budding historians and those who enjoy learning new facts on a range of subjects.
This fun, easy-to-follow Kawaii drawing guide will have wide appeal among kids and tweens.
PREMIUM
Tree. Table. Book
A sweet story of friendship across generations about a timely and tough topic, with broad appeal.
PREMIUM
Compass and Blade
A solid romantasy purchase for any collection and ideal for fans of Lauren Roberts and BookTok trending books.
The tone and content may not be entirely suitable for this book’s intended audience, and the execution leaves much to be desired and misses the mark in delivering a delightful holiday read.
PREMIUM
Sky’s End
Not a priority purchase, but a fun addition to collections serving teens in their vintage dystopian era.
PREMIUM
The Atlas of Us
This romance, with gentle but explicit sex scenes, deals realistically with teens’ denial after the loss of a loved one. Recommended for mature YA audiences of all collections.
Share these two picture books, which present two different interpretations of the same tradition, with young readers who are gearing up for Passover.
Fifteen outstanding books of poetry and seven novels in verse have been recognized as 2024 Notable Books. Selections include a range of formats—lively nonfiction, fantasy, and moving verse novels—written by familiar poets and debut authors.
Orr’s latest will delight middle grade readers searching for escape and home simultaneously. Highly recommended for middle grade fiction collections.
This picture book is a perfect model of text and illustrations coming together to produce a stunning final product for children. Highly recommended.
PREMIUM
Speak
This modern classic about sexual assault, bullying, and mental health is for everyone, and a must in every collection. Libraries should also include the recent graphic novel adaptation.
PREMIUM
The Outsiders
This timeless classic is as relevant today as it was when it was written. Be sure to have multiple copies in any library that serves middle and high schoolers.
PREMIUM
Jane Eyre
An archetypal Gothic romance with a refreshingly modern air, this one is a shoo-in for libraries serving middle and high schoolers.
PREMIUM
Things Fall Apart
A key document of African identity and decolonization that comes within a propulsive, eye-opening hero quest, strongly recommended for all high school libraries.
PREMIUM
1984
Due to the complexity of topics and discussion of sexuality and torture, this book is recommended for older teens.
Three poetry books are starred this National Poetry Month, as well as biographies of Mae Jemison and Chadwick Boseman.
It's a quiet story, but one that makes it clear that Cecil is seen, that kids like Cecil are seen. I look forward to more from Jonathan Todd.
If AI becomes capable of writing unique novels, just for you, that are better than anything you've ever read before, what would become of the shared experience of a beloved book?
From poems about planets and trees to poems about LGBTQIA+ heroes, young readers from elementary through high school will find something to enjoy here. Share these titles for National Poetry Month and all year long.
The concept of liminality plays a crucial role in Otherworldly, and as such, many of the important moments happen in liminal spaces.
PREMIUM
King Cheer
This graphic novel will fit nicely into the collection that already has graphic novels with LGBTQIA+ characters and where the previous volume is popular.
An excellent addition to poetry collections, this volume will excite and engage, and—most importantly
PREMIUM
No Escape
A great example of an escape room thriller, tailor-made for a teen audience. Not only will it “escape” your library shelves often, but it may lead to a desire for escape room programming.
PREMIUM
I Bug You
Interesting illustrations crawling with bugs will be enjoyed by budding entomologists.
Learning to stand tall and live their truths are lessons all teens need; this glimpse into a world of music and friendship will resonate with many readers searching the library for unique stories to fit them, or suit anyone who desires to express themselves, but finds the challenges of life getting in the way.
A book that starts simple and ends with complicated notions of identity, scaled to children’s own questioning, ever-evolving minds. Perfect.
PREMIUM
Hearts Still Beating
A riveting, unique, and delightfully queer adventure. Recommended for all libraries.
Tender and affectionate, with enjoyable illustrations and lovely figurative language, this book will bond caregivers to children and make story hours a riot.
PREMIUM
Sophie’s Monster Goes to Shul
Recommended as a read-aloud for preschoolers and a warm introduction to one joyful aspect of Jewish life.
PREMIUM
Roy Is Not a Dog
An eccentric conversation about self-identity, recommended for school and public libraries.
PREMIUM
Shine
This attractively illustrated picture book about bravery is a secondary purchase for most collections.
PREMIUM
Hush, Little Dozer
Story hours with a lead-in to naps can take a cue from this weary crew; here’s one for the bedtime shelves that carries the subtle message that after industry comes sleep.
PREMIUM
Song of the Six Realms
A beautifully detailed Gothic fantasy that explores how ignorance and deceit can crumble a community.
PREMIUM
Maxine Gets a Job
A charming story whose social media star makes this an endorsed but optional purchase where demanded by circulation trends.
An excellent purchase for collections, especially where food manga and fantasy romances are in high demand.
A decent addition to nonfiction collections seeking more books about the ocean and marine ecosystems.
Recommended for poetry collections, although it is best suited for guided reading.
PREMIUM
Giant On The Shore
As parable or otherwise, this is too subtle and undeveloped for young readers. Not recommended.
PREMIUM
Bad Like Us
Fans of Karen M. McManus will find much to enjoy here. Recommended for thriller/mystery collections.
A fun and vocabulary building edition of the can-do spider. Recommended.
A witchy series book that can easily be enjoyed as a standalone.
A flat-out stunner, this book is a loving ode to strength and potential, enthusiastically recommended for all libraries.
PREMIUM
Piper Chen Sings
SEL at Broadway levels, this is recommended for collections needing a boost in stories about processing difficult emotions.
PREMIUM
Cooking with the Sneetches
A humorous and fun-filled story, and an excellent shared reading experience likely to resonate with the youngest learners.
Fans of Karen M. McManus will love debut author Lundy’s well-developed mystery with plenty of thrills.
A first chapter book that combines pets, potions, and a happy ending; perfect for readers who enjoy lighthearted mischief and canine cuddles.
PREMIUM
Leo the Lazy Lizard
A small dose of SEL set in a lizard’s ordinary day, this book gives children permission to switch off and stretch out. Make it a story hour favorite.
Multiple artists have passionately brought to life a great story that adds another element for members of the game’s base—and those new to it
For older board book audiences, this is informative and entertaining. Recommended.
PREMIUM
Snowglobe
Purchase for collections serving high schoolers where there is a love of dystopian mysteries.
PREMIUM
The Absinthe Underground
This is a heartwarming Sapphic love story with a gauzy heist plot for cozy-fantasy lovers and art fans.
Put this book of poems in the hands of talented science teachers.
PREMIUM
Crow Helps a Friend
This book is especially suited for school libraries in the Pacific Northwest or any collection expanding its Indigenous collections.
PREMIUM
The Hedgewitch of Foxhall
Fans of Diana Wynne Jones’s Howl’s Moving Castle or Catherine Bakewell’s Flowerheart may enjoy this one, but it’s not recommended for general fantasy readers.
A heartwarming and nerve-racking poem that accurately portrays one family’s emotional roller-coaster, told in the voices of its feline and canine companions, and a must-have for libraries.
Distance does not diminish the love of family. This is a wonderful book that will be highly relatable to many families. A must-have for any picture book collection.
PREMIUM
Meet Me in the Fourth Dimension
Themes of misinformation on social media, cultural appropriation, and critical thinking make this debut from poet Feinstein one to give older teens looking for a unique, relatable issue- and character-driven book.
Striking a balance between whimsical adventure and wistful contemplation, this title underscores the beauty and fragility of life on our planet. A first purchase for youth graphic novel collections.
An essential purchase to help children embrace their own uniqueness or tackle complex emotions.
PREMIUM
The Vanishing Station
A must-have for teen libraries. Fans of espionage, romance, and magic will love this one.
PREMIUM
Ice Cream Town
This early reader showcasing a tasty treat offers children the opportunity to hear rhyming words, associate sounds and text, and practice early literacy skills.
Everyone’s a winner in this fast-paced match between canine and fruit, recommended for both public and school libraries.
Tweens will enjoy the fresh approach to the Loch Ness Monster phenomenon; instructors seeking engaging, unconventional books on the topic of fake news will find this an excellent fit.
PREMIUM
The Imposter
A well-paced narrative that works for story hours or to have on the SEL shelves.
A validation of self through historical heroes to engage readers in the classroom and at home. This book allows young readers to see that real-life heroes find the ability to make a difference by speaking their minds and letting their truths be known.
This sweet uplifting story is recommended for purchase by school and public libraries.
PREMIUM
The Someday Daughter
O’Clover’s second novel captures the sweet revelations of young love. A good choice for all collections.
An enjoyable, if unnecessarily incomplete, picture book biography.
For all sports/Black history/LGBTQIA+ shelves, this book is a must, but supplement it with historical resources.
PREMIUM
Club Microbe
Informative and eminently readable, this book has a graphic format that makes the topic approachable and is sure to engage young readers.
PREMIUM
Status Royale, Vol. 1
While Status Royale doesn’t do anything readers haven’t seen before, the fun premise and characters are enough to entertain old and new manga fans alike.
PREMIUM
How I Met My Soulmate, Vol. 1
Purchase where teens are looking for a heartfelt romance series like “In the Clear Moonlit Dusk” by Mika Yamamori or “Ao Haru Ride” by Io Sakisaka.
PREMIUM
Continental Drifter
Continental Drifter offers honest, sometimes painful, insight into growing up as part of two cultures and will help anyone who has ever felt lonely in their own family, or even with friends, process the emotions that come with trying to fit in.
Fans of Enola Holmes, Agatha Christie, and Stuart Gibbs will love this engaging text that is a blend of mystery fiction and gumshoe how-to.
For those who enjoyed the series “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End” and are looking for something less bittersweet, this healing isekai manga of unlikely friendship is one to recommend.
This fun title may inspire conversation between current teens who openly love anime and manga, and their otaku parents who had similar journeys to Megumi's.
A narrative that is at times almost overpoweringly emotional; an intense story, gorgeously told. With World War II books perennially in demand, especially Shoah stories, this one is highly recommended for elementary and middle school libraries.
PREMIUM
Survival Scout: Tsunami
Definitely good for those living in tsunami-prone areas in explaining to students what happens and how to prepare for safety. For all others, it’s equally informative, but perhaps not immediately relatable.
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