Consider these two board books and two picture books a four-leaf clover to share with young readers for St. Patrick's Day. We can't guarantee good luck, but we can guarantee good books.
Nine popular series for elementary and middle grade readers.
Recommended especially for those children who want to explore everything.
Affirming and relatable this photo board book is delightful.
For a young audience the appeal of the cut pages along with the brief narration make this retelling a worthy addition to most collections.
Interesting design and dramatic storytelling.
Superhero comics fans, and their children, will enjoy this introduction.
Young swimmers and young dinosaur enthusiasts will enjoy this prehistoric swim meet that features active illustrations; some readers will want to suit up for a swim of their own.
Illustrations capture the humor and the emotion perfectly.
For fans of Cousins’ work this will be popular but the opposites presented are not wholly conventional.
Meeting young children right where they are, this title encourages a healthy balance in daily living. Endearing illustrations.
Though a bit message driven this title this title will serve as a useful read for adults helping children learn how to overcome challenges.
Counting with these delightful illustrations will be enjoyed by all.
Recommended for all early reader collections, especially ones with a need for humorous selections.
There are many other strong early graphic novel series with a variety of animal characters for kids to choose from before reaching for this.
A fun, engaging picture book that teaches children the important lessons of patience and persistence.
Finn’s story will evoke smiles. Not a necessary purchase, but consider it to refresh secular Easter books.
A must-buy for every library, this belongs in the hands of young readers and those who care for them.
This emotional look into an untold part of the Westward Expansion dives deep into Black self-emancipation and the strength of Black women. Recommended for purchase for both historical fiction and interpersonal growth collections.
Touching and playful illustrations complement a story that handles themes of illness, depression, and aging with empathy and understanding.
A winning combination of attractive illustration and counting.
Sophisticated art with a fantastical element will make this an ideal sharing title.
The journey is sometimes the best part, and this book exemplifies that message. Pure peekaboo exuberance for toddlers.
With softly hued illustrations, this gentle Muslim holiday story will introduce children to Eid celebrations and is a recommended purchase for holiday collections.
While the art is attractive, the story never quite gels. Most libraries can pass.
This light, entertaining early reader Passover book is a pleasant addition to schools and libraries looking to expand their Passover collections.
A perfect book to help with counting and learning the names of different animal species, as well as the many ways moms love and care for their babies.
A wonderful introduction to the holiday for those familiar with the celebration or not. The underlying message emphasizes the importance of kindness and joy, making it a valuable addition to any home, school, or public library.
A good fit for readers celebrating moms and the maternal figures in their lives.
A beautiful tribute to mothers and daughters of all ages; recommended for early childhood libraries and book selections for Mother’s Day.
Simple illustrations and text on bright, solid backgrounds will keep the attention of young Lionels in the world.
A heartwarming story of family resilience and an empowering narrative about overcoming obstacles
The illustrations tell a much richer story than the text. Not a necessary purchase.
A jaunty exploration of Eid and the holiday’s cultural implications for young children.
Succinct text and eye-catching illustrations are offset by an error in content. An additional purchase.
A wonderful addition to any library, as it fosters understanding and celebrates the uniqueness that makes each individual a work of art.
Freshen up Easter book collections with this engaging and fun title.
This fantastic story for families, for tired mothers, and for curious children is a great addition to any school or personal library.
Khan’s writing combined with Adani’s dreamy, colorful illustrations makes this a great addition to library collections.
A good fit for new dads and a fun bedtime read aloud to share on Father’s Day.
Any child who enjoys a bedtime story will love this imaginative tale spun by Sophia and her dad.
A story to be read again and again. Good for the entire family, and a must-have for middle school libraries.
An easy recommendation for all libraries. Add it to elementary and high school shelves.
This quiet story is a suggested purchase for those who already have a following for Alsdurf’s other holiday books, or who are in need of a simple, cozy Easter title.
Young children will get a kick out of Escargot’s fourth story and may even learn a few of the French words scattered throughout Escargot’s monologue.
While this might make for a fun read-aloud, it’s an additional purchase for most libraries.
Highly recommended for all collections.
This is an Inheritance Games–style mystery perfect for middle school readers.
A quirky novel recommended for young fantasy lovers.
With humor, adventure, and heart, this is a strong purchase for all collections.
This is a sure hit for fantasy fans, specifically those who love dragons and rollicking adventure. Highly recommended.
A quietly stunning novel in verse about grief and learning to accept yourself. Recommended for all middle grade collections.
Benny’s story is a charming, not-scary ghost story with moments of joy, sadness, and wishing-you-were-there in Miami eating a delicious Cubano sandwich.
Short chapters combined with a dyslexia-friendly layout and typeface make this title particularly suited for reluctant or struggling young readers.
A compelling look at friendship, activism, and self-confidence.
Highly recommended for all collections serving middle grade and older readers who enjoy smartly written historical novels.
Highly recommended, this book encapsulates unique characters, mystery, and fairy tales in a novel that readers will devour.
An excellent purchase for middle grade mystery collections that will be an easy sell for kids and teachers alike.
A charming entry in the crowded middle grade contemporary field. Great for fans of Janae Marks and Dusti Bowling.
The illustrations are fun, but the lost opportunities are palpable. Not recommended.
While death will always be an uncomfortable, painful topic, Imapla’s book provides a path to discussion, perhaps through story hours that help move its deliberate understatement to more concrete ideas.
A solid purchase for collections with animal-loving or poetry-loving readers.
This title will have a spot for young children as they celebrate their own special days and those of other children.
Affirming for introverts and extroverts, this feel-good animal story invites discussion about empathy and friendship. A welcome purchase for most picture book collections.
A dose of comfort for the littlest learners feeling overwhelmed by all the skills they’re working on, this might be a perfect book to pull out for kindergartners during the second half of the year when the books about starting school are a distant memory.
A playful introduction for plant and seed units, this has classroom uses as well as story hour possibilities, especially when paired with the classic song.
Leaving readers adrift, this is a secondary purchase for large libraries.
A highly relatable look at the complexity of an entire sibling relationship using only 26 words; there’s always room for one more ABC book, so purchase as needed.
All the delights of spring are found within the covers in this charming, wordless picture book. Recommended for all libraries.
A lovely demonstration of slow living, this mellow story inspires readers to relish ordinary, delicate wonders.
A winner for all children with an interest and desire to care for the natural world.
A slight but sweet tale that seamlessly conveys the cultural relevance of this much-loved treat.
A thought-provoking book about the joys of the natural world, with a sprinkling of kid-friendly philosophy; this gentle book could be slipped into the gardening shelves or left out for browsers as curious as the main characters.
A stirring tale of creation and connection with visual elements that will capture readers’ attention. A good purchase for picture book collections.
This book is a delightful exploration of individuality, creativity, and the rewards of embracing one’s true self, offering an engaging story and an interactive craft activity for young readers.
As cozy as the snuggle between a toddler and caregiver, this book should be on all picture bookshelves.
Highly recommended for older teens.
Fans of the classics, especially Shakespeare, will enjoy this origin story of an iconic character.
Recommended for young adults who enjoy reading about complex parental relationships, science fiction, and survival stories.
An illuminating addition to the canon of feminist retellings.
A sweet read with depth. Hand to readers who enjoy contemporary YA, boy bands, and books about girls who like music.
Highly recommended for high fantasy teen readers, especially in libraries looking to add more diverse fantasy novels.
A heartrending, must-read fantasy about youth searching for home and learning to survive a world not designed for them.
A fun, dark, delicious mystery choice for any library serving teens.
Recommended. Readers of Ava Reid’s works will devour this book.
A fresh horror offering mixes social commentary on race and class with gore and supernatural possession. Recommended for general purchase.
Purchase for upper middle school libraries that need to boost their suspense/thriller shelves; skip for high school.
A decent thriller to add for Àbíké-Íyímídé’s growing fanbase.
All collections will benefit from this unequivocal first purchase that will resonate especially deeply with immigrant and diasporic teens struggling to see themselves in media.
Ellie’s first-person narrative about navigating between hospital life and what she calls "real life" is compelling; it’s a story that needs to be told. Recommended.
A swoonworthy sapphic-tinged YA romance highlighting the beauty of women working together.
An energetic, dynamic, and satisfying adventure.
Junior high and high school students alike will love the fantastical twists and turns. This novel will be a popular addition to YA collections.
Ramos’s worldbuilding is at once authentic yet wholesome, while never veering into the saccharine. While Daniel himself would prefer not to be in the spotlight, romance readers will not be able to get enough of him as a protagonist.
A perfect addition to any teen collection.
Recommended for all collections.
A great choice for collections.
A cheery, gentle lesson on the importance of “practice makes perfect.”
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