Related
This great read is a real page-turner and will especially appeal to readers who love family stories and readers who (like me) like their fantasy to be quite grounded in reality. An absolutely smashing read that everyone should pick up this summer!
PREMIUM
The Storyteller
A fresh selection to offer to young children experiencing the loss of a loved one; a good choice for the grief or intergenerational shelves.
PREMIUM
The Blue Pickup
A beautiful celebration of the bond between a grandfather and his grandchild, and the importance of preserving the past through storytelling.
PREMIUM
Stay Dead
Perfect for fans of What Beauty There Is by Cory Anderson or Be Not Far From Me by Mindy McGinnis.
PREMIUM
Icarus
A poignant exploration of family, identity, and self-discovery, offering late teens a thought-provoking journey as they navigate the complexities of emerging into new adulthood.
PREMIUM
Nana in the Country
This heartwarming tale of intergenerational connection, complemented by its inviting artwork, is a delightful addition to any library or collection.
PREMIUM
Book, Beast, and Crow
A good starter suspense tale for middle schoolers, but older or more experienced mystery readers may find it lacking in depth.
PREMIUM
What Monstrous Gods
While billed as a loose interpretation of the “Sleeping Beauty” tale, this dark fantasy is more akin to Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin with its religious musings about duty, love, and purpose.
Not only a survey of various animals, this will resonate with little ones who see themselves reflected in the mongoose, needing an outlet for its energy before settling into the family burrow and falling fast asleep.
PREMIUM
Peg Gets Crackin’
Simple text could make for a fun read-aloud, but stronger titles are available about both chickens and anxiety: the human baby in Fran Manushkin’s Baby, Come Out! faces a similar dilemma and the suspense is all but unbearable and so satisfying.
PREMIUM
A Whisper in the Walls
A spectacular sequel in an exciting fantasy series and a must-purchase for all libraries serving high schoolers.
PREMIUM
Not Like Other Girls
This strong debut belongs on library shelves, especially where mysteries are popular.
PREMIUM
Kenya
A simple yet well-crafted story, as text and illustrations depict activities familiar to children everywhere as well as introduce language and facts about life in Kenya.
Quintero’s words speak to bonds of care, while the glorious illustrations sing of bodies round and safe. In this must-purchase, there is bounty of feeling, respect for physicality, touch, and sensation, wrapped in a picture book pocket.
A fable wherein the courage of the lion was in the girl all along. Jackson imbues what could have been a tired concept with depth, breadth, and power. Great for reading aloud in a group or individual sharing and an excellent addition to all collections.
PREMIUM
Cancelled
This ode to feminism belongs on shelves where similar works are popular and also makes an excellent title for discussion.
PREMIUM
Not Perfect
An sweet narrative promoting resilience and embracing imperfection, this is an amiable addition to the shelves.
An engaging and bright treatment of a Mexican sculptor that will inspire burgeoning artists, purchase this bilingual book for elementary collections.
PREMIUM
How Starling Got His Speckles
This modern fable that combines science with storytelling will find a home complementing early nature and science instruction.
PREMIUM
Boba Emotions: A Bilingual Book in English and Cantonese with Traditional Characters and Jyutping
Recommended for a slightly older age group than the usual board book audience, but still, quite a find.
Providing necessary AANHPI representation, humor, and instant middle school appeal, this novel is a first purchase.
PREMIUM
Marley’s Pride
A sensitive work, based in bittersweet lessons, this is also a practical guide to overcoming anxiety with the help of others.
An evocative novel that seamlessly blends elements of mystery, history, and psychology, this is a must-read for anyone looking for a thought-provoking puzzle that explores the lasting impacts of war. Highly recommended for any collection but particularly for libraries where Alan Gratz or Elizabeth Wein books are popular.
PREMIUM
10 Things I Love About Hanukkah
With nothing new presented, this an additional purchase unlikely to stand out on the overcrowded holiday bookshelf.
PREMIUM
The Ballad of Darcy and Russell
This look at the realities of what comes after love-at-first-sight is worth a read, especially for those who enjoyed Nicola Yoon’s The Sun Is Also a Star and Jennifer E. Smith’s The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight.
PREMIUM
Off With Their Heads
An additional purchase for collections where retellings circulate well, and a further recommendation that the book will likely resonate with fans of Chloe Gong and Rin Chupeco.
A great choice for collections in need of books with diverse family composition.
A basic counting book for babies that is mildly Halloween-themed.
PREMIUM
Wild About You
Witty and amusing prose will take readers on a romantic journey that realistically addresses anxiety.
PREMIUM
Pretty Furious
A slice-of-life thriller with a compelling concept but underwhelming execution.
PREMIUM
The Reappearance of Rachel Price
Jackson continues to beguile and intrigue readers with this absorbing mystery. Recommended.
PREMIUM
Promchanted
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.
PREMIUM
Bijan Always Wins
In this excellent addition to SEL shelves, children will find themselves learning from Bijan and enjoying his story at the same time.
PREMIUM
Gaga Mistake Day
This homage to the eccentricities and charm of special grandparents ticks a lot of boxes. Highly 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.
PREMIUM
Abuela’s Library
A story teaching the valuable lesson of making lemons out of lemonade. Recommended.
A beautiful story that should be sitting on the shelves of school counselors and child therapists everywhere.
PREMIUM
Dare to Be Daring
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.
PREMIUM
Garbage Gulls
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 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.
PREMIUM
Afro Unicorn: A Magical Parade
A sweet and straightforward story, ideal for early reader collections.
PREMIUM
Grumpy Monkey: Too Many Bugs
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.
PREMIUM
Makeda Makes a Home for Subway
A solid purchase for early reader collections, especially those seeking books with children of color having majority representation.
PREMIUM
Tiny Tales: Firefly Night
A tiny tale that teaches a big lesson: often the journey has more value than the destination.
PREMIUM
I See a Rat
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.
PREMIUM
Pet-a-Palooza
This title is a welcome addition to early chapter book collections, and a surefire hit for animal lovers.
PREMIUM
Uni’s First Recital
A highly relatable and entertaining tale, and a recommended purchase for early reader collections.
A sweet new installment of the “Little Critter” series.
PREMIUM
Olive Blackwood Takes Action!
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.
PREMIUM
Halfway to Harbor
Fans of the series will love Harbor and her family, and will root for her on and off the court.
PREMIUM
The Spindle of Fate
A worthy addition to any library where readers are gobbling up fantasy, and more importantly, a poignant story about family grief and love.
PREMIUM
Vega’s Piece of the Sky
A multiple-viewpoint realistic novel with broad appeal recommended for most upper elementary, middle school, or public libraries.
Give this story to children everywhere. A powerful story of finding your voice and using it to advocate for yourself.
PREMIUM
Picture a Girl
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.
PREMIUM
The Girl in Question
A vengeful adventure that ties up loose ends just tightly enough; a must-purchase for any collection containing the first volume.
PREMIUM
The Merciless King of Moore High
A fun but dense read; for fans of gruesome monsters and political drama.
PREMIUM
A Crane Among Wolves
An intense mystery and slow-burn romance that highlight a historical moment. Recommended for all YA collections.
PREMIUM
Everything We Never Said
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.
Whether teens enjoy mysteries, historical fiction, or both, this is one to get into their hands.
PREMIUM
Under This Red Rock
Haunting and enormously gripping, but the suicide content deserves consideration for sensitive readers.
PREMIUM
The Lamplighter
A gloomy horror novel, perfect for middle schoolers too old for “Goosebumps,” but not yet ready for more terrifying fare.
Five women of Asian descent discuss the joy of telling resonant stories, handling vocabulary in unfamiliar languages, and other topics.
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.
PREMIUM
The Stricken
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.
PREMIUM
The Flower Sisters
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.
PREMIUM
The Last Love Song
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.
PREMIUM
Lie Until It’s True
For fans of Weaver’s first novel, especially those who enjoy a complex mystery à la Knives Out with a hint of the paranormal.
A modern, twisted dark fairy tale, perfect for fans of Krystal Sutherland and established fans of McCauley.
PREMIUM
Lights Along the River
This Canadian historical picture book may find a home in units on unearthing family stories or in writing creative nonfiction.
PREMIUM
Llama Llama Feelings
A good purchase for large picture book collections. It may not break new ground, but is likely to be a hit due to the enduring popularity of Llama Llama.
PREMIUM
Pearl’s Lost Pearls
For the very young with long attention spans, this may be a “first mystery.” But Pearl’s habit—to get into scrapes and be rescued by others
An excellent choice for a preschool story time collection.
A sweet gift book for a new parent who is a pie enthusiast, but libraries can skip it.
Captures both the magic and the mundanity of the first week of school. Must purchase.
PREMIUM
Sparrow Loves Birds
The glossary makes this a worthy addition to a collection, especially one that offers a birdwatching kit for little birders in its Library of Things.
PREMIUM
The Boy Who Found His Voice
Collections of all sizes can welcome this book, which fosters empathy for those with speech challenges.
articles
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? LOG IN
We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? LOG IN
Thank you for visiting.
We’ve noticed you are using a private browser. To continue, please log in or create an account.
