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PREMIUM
You Are the Light Little Star
A lovely work of rhyming verse, and a recommended first purchase.
PREMIUM
Bear Can’t Sleep
Bouncy rhythm and rhyme coupled with a catchy refrain make this a surefire read-aloud hit.
PREMIUM
Tickle Tickle, Little Tum
This enjoyable title offers connections for gross-motor activity and conversations about bodily autonomy.
A treat for the eye and an early primer on Japanese vocabulary. Recommended for all collections.
PREMIUM
A Bedtime Hug for You!
This will not be an easy book to keep clean; a supplemental purchase for collections in need of something warm and fuzzy.
PREMIUM
Friendship Carousel
Its distinctive look and endearing message make this book a valuable first purchase.
PREMIUM
Sumo Shapes
An additional purchase offering a delightful early primer on Japanese vocabulary and culture.
PREMIUM
Rock-a-Bye Baby
This charming update of an old classic makes a humorous addition to all collections.
PREMIUM
Baby Hippo: Finger Puppet Book
A simple but worthwhile book that encourages adult-child interaction through delightful puppet play.
Another great addition to this heartwarming series that introduces young readers to STEM activities along with a lesson about giving back to one’s community.
An additional purchase wherever the TV series is popular.
PREMIUM
Reina Ramos Works It Out
Recommended for beginning reader collections, especially those lacking Latinx representation.
PREMIUM
The Sea Monster: An Acorn Book
Beginning readers will enjoy the undersea setting and characters.
Oppel’s latest begs to be made into a movie: visually cinematic with witty humor, nonstop action, a dash of romance, and plenty of heart. A first purchase for all middle grade collections.
This topical novel is a must-read for tweens and their parents; a recommended first purchase for middle school collections.
PREMIUM
You Are Life
A must for any elementary library, to raise awareness, elicit allies, grow compassion, and build community to fight racism.
PREMIUM
Chirri & Chirra, In the Night
This exceptionally tender work will be a soothing read-aloud at story hours.
PREMIUM
Thank You for the Little Things
This sweet and soothing story is a welcome addition to any collection.
PREMIUM
Everybody!: You, Me & Us
Useful for establishing group norms and celebrating the individuals that make up a community, this title features delightful illustrations that bring the text to life and will be particularly handy in school settings. Recommended.
PREMIUM
Music Is in Everything
Some songs do not make the transition to picture books; this one elevates the form. A beautiful addition to any library.
This is not an ABC teaching tool, but a list of prompts to get children busy.
PREMIUM
If You Were a City
An optional yet enjoyable purchase for libraries looking to bolster their collection of picture books celebrating cities around the world.
PREMIUM
Aces Wild: A Heist
Hand this Vegas-heist-meets-teen-drama to readers who are looking for breathing space in their adventures, shady ethics, and asexual representation.
PREMIUM
Dark Room Etiquette
The premise certainly grabs interest, but a lack of strong supporting characters, slow plot development, and a meandering resolution will frustrate even the most patient readers. Not recommended.
A sex-positive read that spotlights the importance of sex education and information. Give to older YA readers who enjoy contemporary realistic fiction with a message.
PREMIUM
It Sounds Like This
This novel embodies the value of celebrating healthy love; stock it on the realistic YA shelf.
PREMIUM
Raising the Horseman
Recommended for a mildly macabre Halloween-themed read for younger teens who enjoy Marissa Meyer and Jane Yolen, and a good addition where fractured fairy tales and gothic horror are popular.
PREMIUM
Princess of Souls
This novel immerses readers in a vivid world of cursed witches, ruthless kings, and unimaginable power. Fans of Christo’s To Kill a Kingdom will delight in returning to this universe, and readers of fairy-tale retellings and fast-paced YA fantasy will find this a unique, compelling reimagining of the classic Rapunzel tale.
PREMIUM
No Way Home
An excellent choice for any young adult collection, this is also appropriate for mature middle school readers. Fans of mystery/thrillers with puzzles, such as Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s The Inheritance Games, will devour this book.
PREMIUM
The Take-Over Friend
A pass; this work salaciously connects toxic behavior to mental health issues.
PREMIUM
Don’t Let in the Cold
This twisty but ultimately mundane tale of survival is surprisingly lifeless. Not recommended for purchase except where additional, more accessible action/adventure titles are needed.
PREMIUM
Nothing Sung and Nothing Spoken
A worthwhile addition to collections where historical fiction is popular, particularly for those longing for ones with LGBTQIA+ characters.
PREMIUM
Man Made Monsters
Full of familiar tropes and new ideas, these stories are the right balance of suspense without too much horror. A strong first purchase.
PREMIUM
Berliners
A historical fiction title set in Europe in 1961, this will need a place on the shelf for zealous teen readers whose favorite authors include Julie Berry and Ruta Sepetys.
PREMIUM
Daughters of the Dawn
Recommended for those who appreciate fantasy incorporating high-speed adventure and vibrant settings.
PREMIUM
You, Me, and Our Heartstrings
A gooey, tender love story that leans heavily on romantic tropes but introduces fresh perspectives on disability and allyship. A recommended purchase for larger YA collections.
PREMIUM
The Undead Truth of Us
For teens who can handle dark themes of loss, this is an author whose voice needs to be heard.
PREMIUM
The Killing Code
An intersectional and enthralling story of largely unknown history mixed with engrossing crime mystery.
Readers who have aged out of Percy Jackson and Rick Riordan Presents will delight in the mythology that Thomas has created, while readers who enjoy the competition structures of Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass or Amanda Foody’s All of Us Villains will love reading about the challenges the heroes face. While the trials do not always feel high stakes, this is a fun and warm-hearted start to a duology.
This could easily be a story hour favorite. Recommended purchase for any children’s collection.
PREMIUM
The Bird Coat
For its very unique take on the subject of death and carrying on despite it, this is a beautiful addition to the shelves on grief and coping with loss. Recommended.
PREMIUM
Teddy, Let’s Go!
A patient and well-paced story of love, friendship, loyalty, and change. Young children with their own comfort objects will easily relate to Teddy.
An evocative use of prayer as old-school protest with a history lesson that is as lilting as a ballad, this spiritual demands a group setting to be fully appreciated for the uplifting answers it provides.
Featuring a brave child taking the journey through the woods, this is a gorgeous rendering that will bring the poem to life for a new generation and even encourage young poets to stop and notice their world with a lyrical, illustrative lens.
PREMIUM
Brown Is Beautiful
A baby’s homecoming is a reminder of the joy found in the color brown, a cozy message that few readers will want to miss. Lovely.
An excellent choice for elementary collections, and especially recommended for STEAM shelves.
This would make a wonderful story time with Elizabeth Bluemle’s Tap Tap, Boom Boom or Colleen AF Venable’s The Oboe Goes Boom Boom Boom; a first purchase.
A good addition to wordplay collections, but not necessarily in the children’s section.
PREMIUM
I Just Want to Say Goodnight
Parents and children may find their own protracted bedtime negotiations lovingly reflected in this worthy title.
PREMIUM
Izzy’s Tail of Trouble
A gentle tale for dog lovers and newly confident readers alike. Recommended for purchase where beginning chapter book series are popular.
This early chapter book will find favor with fans of “Definitely Dominguita” and “JoJo Makoons” and has broad appeal. Readers will look forward to reading more of plucky Marya’s adventures.
PREMIUM
Thomas’ Snowsuit Early Reader
Purchase where Munsch’s books are popular; otherwise, an additional purchase.
PREMIUM
50 Below Zero Early Reader
Purchase where Munsch’s books are popular; otherwise, an additional purchase.
PREMIUM
Angela’s Airplane Early Reader
Purchase where Munsch’s books are popular; otherwise, an additional purchase.
PREMIUM
The Fire Station Early Reader
Purchase where Munsch’s books are popular; otherwise, an additional purchase.
PREMIUM
I Have To Go! Early Reader
Purchase where Munsch’s books are popular; otherwise, an additional purchase.
PREMIUM
Undercover Latina
A strong selection for gamers and middle graders who enjoy action-packed narratives. With broad appeal to fans of spy novels, this title will engage tweens while offering a thoughtful conversation-starter. Highly recommended.
PREMIUM
Where the Lost Ones Go
A captivating story that will appeal to readers who love a mystery, have experienced loss, or anyone who has searched for friendship in a new place.
PREMIUM
The Vanquishers
This inclusive and inviting opener of a modern vampire series is a surefire hit.
A funny and unexpected twist on the time loop novel with moving and memorable results.
PREMIUM
Children of the Stone City
Recommended for students who enjoy books about characters overcoming injustice, such as Aisha Saeed’s Amal Unbound and Margaret Peterson Haddix’s Among the Hidden.
PREMIUM
The Decomposition of Jack
An engaging coming-of-age tale for the environmentally minded tween.
PREMIUM
A Rover’s Story
A fresh format and timely topic engage readers in this uplifting and deeply human sci-fi story.
PREMIUM
Secrets So Deep
An exploration of many different ways to be haunted wrapped in eerie, chilling suspense; highly recommended for many readers.
This novel tackles important social issues while providing an exciting and fast-paced adventure that’s hard to put down. Highly recommended for any YA collection.
PREMIUM
The Other Side of the River
A moving glimpse at an important historical event through the eyes of an unforgettable protagonist. Purchase for historical fiction shelves.
PREMIUM
Odder
Hand this book to middle grade fans of marine biology, authors like Sharon Creech and Eliot Schrefer, and Applegate’s Newbery-winning The One and Only Ivan.
At times heartbreaking and other times hopeful, this story of the power of family and ugliness of hate is a first purchase for any library and a must-read for students who enjoy historical fiction or graphic novels.
PREMIUM
Monster Club
Electrifying adventures and a clever twist will leave readers anticipating the next volume in this new, jam-packed adventure series.
PREMIUM
Trex
A worthwhile purchase with cross-cutting appeal for readers of mystery, science fiction, or heartfelt friendship narratives; hand to fans of Greg Van Eekhout or Stacy McAnulty.
PREMIUM
This Story Is Not About a Kitten
A lost kitten’s rescue shows how working together and being neighborly benefits everyone.
PREMIUM
Chester Keene Cracks the Code
Magoon’s broad topics—bullying, friendship, absent parents, blended families
PREMIUM
Debating Darcy
Samuel dexterously reflects DasGupta’s spotlight on persistent social ills—bullying, coercion, misogyny, racism, classicism, colorism, homophobia
PREMIUM
A Duet for Home
Siu and Butler nimbly transform Glaser’s alternating chapters into harmonious counterpoint.
PREMIUM
Falling Short
Pura Belpré Award–winning Cisneros’s sophomore effort gets undoubtedly boosted from this dynamic veteran narrator duo.
PREMIUM
When Your Daddy’s a Soldier
The emphasis of the text is on the father's absence; the illustrations show two women and at least one mother in the military in a book perfect for families looking for a little reassurance about their experiences.
PREMIUM
That’s My Sweater!
An endearing addition to libraries; a tale that showcases how learning to share is an important part of growing up.
Even without the author’s note, this is a gentle but formidable addition to picture book collections everywhere; as nuanced as a poem, it spells out as much as it withholds and leaves readers with questions they’ll be inspired to try to answer themselves.
Despite characteristically whimsical and delicious watercolors of the very English pastoral countryside, leave this book in Mr. MacGregor’s garden. Children will shift in their seats, waiting for the story to start, but it never does.
A perfect afternoon distraction for daydreamers or worldbuilding fantasy writers.
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