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With controlled vocabularies and short page counts, hi-lo (­high-interest, low-readability) books present engaging, age-­appropriate options for students reading below their grade level. This roundup of new and forthcoming series highlights a wide range of titles for collections serving elementary, middle, and high school ­audiences.

Ten mysteries for independent readers ranging from laugh-out-loud interactive fun to edge-of-your-seat thrills.

These adult novels—historical, thriller, fantasy, and more—are sure to appeal to teens looking outside of YA fare.

Warning: These 18 titles may induce giggle fits or milk-out-the-nose laughing. 

Whether kids are eager to read about friendship woes, holidays, or new pets, they’ll find something to satisfy them in this list of realistic chapter books. Looking for more summer reading recommendations? SLJ is publishing lists all summer long—from family stories to mysteries to teen reads. 

The young people featured in these middle grade novels are intrepid, confronting racism, grief, queer identity, and more. They’re relatable teens and tweens, making mistakes and stumbling as they find themselves. Looking for more summer reading recommendations? SLJ is publishing lists all summer long—from family stories to mysteries to teen reads. 

COVID-19 continues to raise challenges for people across the globe. Some parents are eager to find books that will educate children about handwashing and personal hygiene. These 15 titles (picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and nonfiction) will teach young readers about developing and maintaining healthy hygiene habits as well as the science behind germs and how to prevent them.

Despite the rich history of stories within the D/deaf, Hard of Hearing, or Deaf-Blind community, finding #OwnVoices books, especially for children and teens, remains a challenge. Hopefully this list will provide a starting point and serve as a call to action for more books about Deaf kids.

Paula Willey considers the ghostly, mysterious, and all around non-realistic books in contention for this year’s Printz Award.