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PREMIUM
Jazz Davies Skips a Beat
A solid read that tackles the challenges of a tween realizing she’s bisexual, the pressures of growing up too fast, and discovering who your real friends are.
A recommended purchase, great for fans of Janae Marks or Dusti Bowling.
Chang’s latest is a welcome addition to any middle school historical fiction collection and will surely attract readers drawn to impactful stories told through lyrical verse.
A solid purchase for upper elementary and middle school library collections where realistic reads and heartwarming magical stories are popular.
PREMIUM
The Star of Moon Village
A heartfelt, fast-paced look at courage, connection, and discovery among the stars, purchase where sci-fi is popular.
Ultimately, the patience required to juggle multiple plotlines make this an additional selection for the middle grade magical realism audience.
PREMIUM
Valentine’s Day in the Village
A community-oriented Valentine’s Day story to sweeten any library holiday collection.
PREMIUM
Tiny Bear’s Easter Prayer
A charming book that will be in high demand for Christian families wanting an Easter read-aloud.
PREMIUM
A Stickler Valentine
A whimsical holiday read with standout artwork, recommended for most collections.
PREMIUM
The Hoppity Wheels on the Bus
Add to collections where more secular Easter books are in demand.
A thoughtful, if uneven, resource for introducing a wider range of Jewish holidays to young audiences.
PREMIUM
Lucky New Year: Colors
This delightful introduction to colors, Mandarin Chinese, and Lunar New Year traditions is recommended for general purchase.
An excellent and informative book to introduce toddlers to many of the Lunar New Year traditions.
This joyful, culturally rich introduction to Lunar New Year is a fantastic addition to any collection.
PREMIUM
Grumpy Monkey Father’s Day Fuss
This Father’s Day tale is a welcome and meaningful addition to any collection.
A strong addition to school and public library collections, this is ideal for young readers, especially those interested in learning about family traditions, Ramadan, or the joy of preparing special meals together.
PREMIUM
Leonard Grows a Haunted Garden
A simple story with lots of charm, this is a nice addition to any fall book collection.
This book is sure to be a hit beyond Valentine’s Day and is a great addition to early reader sections and for kids who love funny books.
This warm family story will resonate with youngest children everywhere, regardless of a particular holiday or season. Highly recommended.
This story reflects the inclusivity of the Lunar New Year and the love people have for one another as they celebrate a holiday that brings the community together.
Not an essential purchase, but a decent addition to library Easter collections for its depiction of imaginative play.
An exceptional, heartfelt Eid story that gently impresses upon readers that community is about both giving and receiving.
PREMIUM
Ten Little Leprechauns
With limited quality titles centered on St. Patrick’s Day, this book is a charming and worthwhile addition to any holiday collection.
PREMIUM
Guess Who? I Love You!
A charming read-with-me experience in the tradition of many door-based, lift-the-flap board books.
A welcome addition for collections seeking more representation of Muslim characters and an entertaining read for grade school students who enjoy realistic fiction with a dash of humor.
PREMIUM
Mystery in the Grand Canyon
A thought-provoking, if uneven, novel best suited for strong readers ready to grapple with layered themes; teachers may find it most effective as a guided read-aloud or small group discussion text rather than an independent reading choice.
A humorous and engaging read-aloud with wide appeal; a strong choice for storytime and preschool collections.
An enjoyable learn-to-read vowels set. Great for new readers at home or in the classroom.
PREMIUM
Aya Has Never Seen a Bear
As a beautiful introduction to the Oroqen people or a subtle look at the environment, this book would be a powerful choice for ecologically themed story hours.
PREMIUM
I Am a Bon Dancer
This title is highly recommended for school libraries, offering rich opportunities for discussions on heritage, history, and community.
A solid story about a positive experience with a first haircut; this is a good choice for libraries needing books about people in the community for young readers.
A spot-on cautionary tale and a perfect addition to any library’s collection of folktales and myths. Recommended.
PREMIUM
Is It Spring?
A lighthearted book for preschoolers who ask these kinds of questions and need Henkes’s kind of answers.
PREMIUM
Lydia Loves Bugs
Whether bug lovers or bug dodgers, they’ll be drawn into Lydia’s enthusiasm. Add this playful, fact-filled pick to the shelves.
Flett’s sentiments shine but never overwhelm in this simple message of love; it’s a first choice for any library’s picture book collection.
This is a terrific book to read aloud when some humor is needed, or classroom pizza parties are about to commence.
PREMIUM
Mari and the Great Market Swap
A vibrant tale of island life, quick thinking, and community building, ripe for the classroom or group sharing.
A wonderful choice for Spanish-language chapter book collections, this title will have readers wanting to dive into the other series entries.
PREMIUM
Maisy va al dentista
This beloved and well-known series will be a delight to find in the children’s Spanish section. A solid staple for any Spanish-language collection: reassuring, vibrant, and informative.
A recommended, entertaining, and educational bilingual adaptation that will be a great resource for language learning.
A high-quality book that combines mystery and fun with math and learning. Highly recommended for the dual-language format and bilingual story time.
PREMIUM
Solitary Animals: Introverts of the Wild/Animales solitarios: Los introvertidos de la naturaleza
Purchase for browsable nonfiction collections, especially where there’s a gap on bilingual titles.
PREMIUM
Tu camioneta
A gentle book perfect for reading at bedtime, and for all board book collections.
This nonfiction picture book has a place in every collection. This would also make a great curricular tie-in.
An engaging rendition of this must-have YA response to Casey McQuiston’s popular Red, White & Royal Blue.
PREMIUM
Death by Whoopee Cushion
This lighthearted middle grade mystery tackles a heavy subject—the power of friendship and family
Give this to fans of Marcus Sedgwick, Margaret Atwood’s “MaddAddam” trilogy, and The Last of Us television show and video game.
PREMIUM
The Light That Blinds Us
Good for readers who like Percy Jackson or fast-paced, action-packed fantasies.
PREMIUM
The Spiral Key
A great addition to the YA thrillers lineup, especially for school and public libraries.
A moving, page-turning portrait that will resonate with readers familiar with Plath’s battles with mental health. A sound addition to school libraries.
PREMIUM
The Fall of Iris Henley
A good addition to a teen or school library’s thriller collection, this can be handed to readers who like Joelle Charbonneau’s Need and Dhonielle Clayton and Sona Charaipotra’s The Rumor Game.
A compelling look at an oft-forgotten era of queer history that will appeal to teens who crave descriptive historical fiction.
PREMIUM
The Boyfriend Launcher
A sweet introduction to the romance genre, ideal for readers who crave a happy ending.
PREMIUM
The Sun and the Starmaker
Readers looking for a stand-alone fantasy will find themselves immersed in an imaginative fairy tale of magic and romance.
PREMIUM
Until the Clock Strikes Midnight
An enchanting, magical twist on a classic fairy tale that deals with real-world issues in a fantasy setting, this is an excellent addition to shelves for lovers of cozy fantasy and diverse storytelling.
With its charming supernatural relationship in a fantasy academia setting, blended with humor, and the adventure and intensity of end-of-the-world stakes, this will appeal to fans of Harry Potter.
With complex yet relatable characters and an engaging plot, this is a fantastic edition to any young adult shelf, especially in libraries with avid fantasy readers.
PREMIUM
Paradise Coast
Perfect as either a beach read or stormy night mystery, this is a hit that will roll right off shelves.
This entertaining modern-day fairy tale reinvention will appeal to fans of cosplay and all things “nerd” related.
PREMIUM
Mysterious Things
Part vocabulary building and part philosophy lesson, this is great for sparking the imagination of readers to find out more about mysteries in this world.
A nice addition for libraries wishing to expand their classic canon English literature collection.
Just in Case: Saving Seeds in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault by Megan Clendenan and A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez by María Dolores Águila are the Orbis Pictus and Charlotte Huck award winners, respectively.
Avi is a master of historical fiction, addressing universal issues that transcend his novel’s setting and timeline. A first purchase.
A wonderful addition to any fantasy collection, this is especially good for reluctant and new readers of middle grade.
PREMIUM
My Subway Runs
This beautiful gem offers simple joy and a dreamy glimpse into subway travel. A must-purchase to bring joy, movement, and poetic wonder to shelves.
PREMIUM
Dancing on Memories
A helpful choice for children who can relate to the experience of watching the struggle of memory loss by a loved one.
This valuable picture book will help children learn about and understand traditional African wisdom and heritage.
PREMIUM
Absolutely No Worries!
A lighthearted cautionary message about the experience of overthinking things, with art that amply repays closer looks.
PREMIUM
Nani and the Lion
Children will delight in the adventure and admire Nani’s bravery and cleverness in taming the lion in this bright, musical new folktale perfect for read-alouds.
PREMIUM
Decoy Saves Opening Day
Good for the sports shelves or seasonal baseball displays on current sports stars.
PREMIUM
Whirby
A good addition to an SEL bookshelf, readers will easily relate to Whirby’s dilemma of needing to balance his excitement for the big battle with his need to rest and recharge.
A book that embraces libraries and patrons everywhere, meant to be enjoyed and shared.
A must-have for read-alouds in schools, this northern tale will captivate both ears and eyes alike of young listeners and onlookers.
This beautiful book is for any library needing books about art and the process of creating, learning to do something new, or the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren.
PREMIUM
Time to Leave, Laverne!
Exceptional artwork helps this book stand out in the crowded field of anger management picture books, despite a flawed and uninspired text. A fine addition for larger collections.
PREMIUM
Beatrix and the Unicorn
A gentle tale of friendship and acceptance that will appeal to all readers.
This beautifully sincere and striking picture book belongs in every collection.
A beautiful book about true friendship, with teachable skills for younger elementary students.
A secondary purchase for collections where sports history is popular.
PREMIUM
Tomorrow I’m in Charge!
This German import will be useful and enjoyable in classrooms or on the SEL shelves. Recommended.
PREMIUM
Rhapsody Smith: Ice Angel
Canadian sportswriter Schultz Nicholson brings the sport of girls’ hockey to the forefront, with plenty of players and goals to cheer for.
PREMIUM
The Dragon and the Sun Lotus
An excellent and sometimes bittersweet conclusion to a sweeping story filled with romance, drama, and adventure.
From sensory-filled illustrations to relentlessly funny characters, the 2025 Best Picture Books make for excellent read-alouds, heartfelt one-on-ones, and heartrending reads.
These Best Transitional Books of 2025 for beginning, emerging, and newly independent readers include relatable friendship tales, challenges overcome, and everyday slice-of-life stories that are pitch-perfect for the age group.
The Best Middle Grade titles of 2025 feature action-packed fantasies, resonant realistic fiction, and heart-pounding horror stories for tweens.
The 2025 YA Best Books list has a choice for every teen—long-anticipated companion novels, adorable rom-coms, and genre-bending romantasy.
Vibrant anthologies, powerful celebrations of groundbreaking figures, and volumes filled with concrete poems and traditional rhymes make their appearance on our Best Poetry list.
From poo and tentacles to contemplative picture book biographies, this year’s picks for the Best Nonfiction for Elementary readers are filled with facts, information, and wonder.
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