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Today’s families are increasingly blended, made up of different cultures and circumstances. Children’s literature reflects this growing trend with books that feature biracial kids, matriarch-led households, and more. Offer these new titles by award-winning fan favorites selected by the editors at Junior Library Guild.

From a naughty girl-turned-spy to a best friend who sometimes makes mistakes, these strong female characters make their own choices, even when it’s scary to do so.

Middle grade titles by Sheila Turnage, Tim Federle, and newcomers Natalie Lloyd and Henry Clark combine humor and poignancy, creating the perfect recipe for great reads. Incorporate the following booktalks and tools when sharing these powerful books with kids.

With the award season in full swing, how can you make the best use of the wonderful books you’re adding to your collection? Junior Library Guild's Deborah B. Ford offers booktalks and resources for acclaimed fiction titles for elementary readers.

Junior Library Guild editors share fun sequels for independent readers. These follow-ups include new entries in favorite series by Lemony Snicket and Jack Gantos, and will have kids anxiously waiting for their next titles.

When kids have long outgrown the nightmare in their closet, they still clamor for a story that scares them into sleeping with the lights on. From zombies to murdering ghosts, the following new fiction titles, selected by the editors at Junior Library Guild will keep middle school readers looking over their shoulders.

From Victorian England to modern day America, orphaned children often face struggles that kids with parents rarely confront. However, most middle-grade students will relate to the issues explored in these new fiction titles―from poverty to self-confidence―selected by the editors at Junior Library Guild. In fact, these works may give young readers hope about their own issues, while giving them stories that help them step back from their own realities.

From paperboy routes to dealing with a dad fighting in Afghanistan, these new releases selected by Junior Library Guild editors feature boys who make difficult, life-altering decisions.

From Rita Willams-Garcia's P.S. Be Eleven to Cynthia Kadohata's The Thing About Luck, these middle grade novels selected by Junior Library Guild editors showcase plucky protagonists who learn to forge their own paths despite the circumstances that come their way.