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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 wonderful addition in all formats that is sure to spark joy and hope as well as big conversations.
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.
This joyful, culturally rich introduction to Lunar New Year is a fantastic addition to any collection.
A recommended, entertaining, and educational bilingual adaptation that will be a great resource for language learning.
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.
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
Along Came a Spider: In Spring
A good additional purchase where transitional graphic novels are in demand.
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
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.
A wonderful choice for Spanish-language chapter book collections, this title will have readers wanting to dive into the other series entries.
PREMIUM
Lucky New Year: Colors
This delightful introduction to colors, Mandarin Chinese, and Lunar New Year traditions is recommended for general purchase.
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 recommended purchase, great for fans of Janae Marks or Dusti Bowling.
Calderón’s concise celebratory text is an essential bilingual reference for the middle grade classroom.
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.
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.
An excellent and informative book to introduce toddlers to many of the Lunar New Year traditions.
PREMIUM
El tiburón blanco
Realistic illustrations and lovely Spanish text come together to create an informative, enjoyable, and almost peaceful nonfiction picture book about what is often thought of as a fierce predator. A wonderful addition to Spanish-language nonfiction for children.
An engaging rendition of this must-have YA response to Casey McQuiston’s popular Red, White & Royal Blue.
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
Guess Who? I Love You!
A charming read-with-me experience in the tradition of many door-based, lift-the-flap board books.
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.
PREMIUM
Wallflower
An astute and emotional story of the courage it takes to truly accept oneself and to love others for who they are.
A spot-on cautionary tale and a perfect addition to any library’s collection of folktales and myths. Recommended.
A nice addition for libraries wishing to expand their classic canon English literature collection.
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.
PREMIUM
Grumpy Monkey Father’s Day Fuss
This Father’s Day tale is a welcome and meaningful addition to any collection.
PREMIUM
Is It Spring?
A lighthearted book for preschoolers who ask these kinds of questions and need Henkes’s kind of answers.
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
The Lionharts: Book 1
Intriguing and dramatic, this is a fantastic introduction to middle grade fantasy from the author of Star Scouts.
PREMIUM
Death by Whoopee Cushion
This lighthearted middle grade mystery tackles a heavy subject—the power of friendship and family
A high-quality book that combines mystery and fun with math and learning. Highly recommended for the dual-language format and bilingual story time.
A solid purchase for upper elementary and middle school library collections where realistic reads and heartwarming magical stories are popular.
A fun graphic novel with cute characters, recommended for mystery and animal lovers alike.
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.
A simple story for those seeking to add to their lower elementary graphic novel collection.
PREMIUM
Leonard Grows a Haunted Garden
A simple story with lots of charm, this is a nice addition to any fall book collection.
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.
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.
PREMIUM
Tu camioneta
A gentle book perfect for reading at bedtime, and for all board book collections.
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.
A humorous and engaging read-aloud with wide appeal; a strong choice for storytime and preschool collections.
This is a terrific book to read aloud when some humor is needed, or classroom pizza parties are about to commence.
This warm family story will resonate with youngest children everywhere, regardless of a particular holiday or season. Highly recommended.
This nonfiction picture book has a place in every collection. This would also make a great curricular tie-in.
An enjoyable learn-to-read vowels set. Great for new readers at home or in the classroom.
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.
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.
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.
An excellent coming-of-age graphic novel from the author of Pumpkinheads, great for tweens and teens learning more about themselves and what they want from their future.
This engaging and detailed book is an excellent addition to school library collections. Its unique blend of artistic digital illustrations and fascinating biological content about these often-misunderstood ocean creatures makes it a worthwhile purchase for science and nature sections.
PREMIUM
H Is for Hiking
For shelves about the great outdoors, here’s a way to invite young children into the joys of hiking and connecting with nature.
PREMIUM
Puffins!
An appealing dive into the life and environment of puffins for classroom or individual reads.
An informative visual feast that celebrates the natural world on the other side of the door.
This phenomenal historical account of the Alabama River is a must-purchase for all library collections.
A good choice to introduce babies and toddlers to the celebration of Ramadan.
Avi is a master of historical fiction, addressing universal issues that transcend his novel’s setting and timeline. A first purchase.
PREMIUM
The Dragon and the Sun Lotus
An excellent and sometimes bittersweet conclusion to a sweeping story filled with romance, drama, and adventure.
This uplifting and encouraging sports biography is sure to be a great addition to any library’s preschool collection.
Recommended only where interest in the Cuyahoga River Valley is high and supplementary resources are available.
Florance’s experimental cosmic handbook is an inventive and informative nonfiction addition for middle to upper elementary students.
A wonderful addition to any fantasy collection, this is especially good for reluctant and new readers of middle grade.
Another hit from Pilkey, sure to be popular with his many fans, this is a multi-copy purchase for any library serving young people (and adults!).
A fun and engaging addition to nonfiction collections, especially appealing to children who enjoy reading science-focused works like the DK’s “Eyewitness Books” or learning through hands-on exploration.
A delightfully informative addition to any career or science section, geared towards older readers.
A suspenseful and heartwarming true rescue story to captivate readers and budding conservationists.
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.
Brimming with superficial sentiment and bad prose, this is not recommended for libraries.
Today’s guest blogger is Lisa Menasha, introducing WEIRD, SAD, AND SILENT by Alison McGhee.
I'm curious what's moving the most at your libraries, especially if you're in Minnesota.
Can you guess the children’s book by its scathing one-star review on Goodreads?
"The mode of operation in writing about one’s past is searching for the hidden patterns. They are there in the first place but only the hindsight examination avails them to you." Eugene Yelchin recounts his teenaged years in Russia and we discuss what doing that entails.
One title is for young readers and the other is for middle grade, but both books share the importance of the cultural holiday that begins on December 26 and has been celebrated since 1966.
In cartoonist Hamish Steele's new book, lonely little boy Tobi becomes a giant, kaiju-fighting superhero. In addition to being a lot of fun, this is also a metaphor.
Lullabies for the Insomniacs strings together the countless lonely sleepless nights I spent as a teenager, stranded in the turbulence of my mind and emotions.
Lullabies for the Insomniacs strings together the countless lonely sleepless nights I spent as a teenager, stranded in the turbulence of my mind and emotions.
I chat with Fuse #8 Production blogger Betsy Bird about her latest picture book.
Bold and brassy (but never bratty) the iconic pig reaches her 25th year, and we've her editor and publisher on hand for a quick Q&A.
In typical McBride fashion, the lines and verses evoke a story that is more shadow play than structure.
This year's Newbery winner will need to excel in the area of "presentation for a child audience." As we consider this year's contenders with that in mind, let's recall some past award winners that were especially notable for the ways they connect with child readers.
In Dietrich’s book, Owen rooms with a prince of Hell; in Joyce’s book, the Princess of Hell plans an escape with Nate.
A first pet story with a cultural and magical twist. Disappointed that he didn’t have a connection with one of the animals at the pet adoption agency, Leo roams a busy marketplace where he comes acros...
SLJ chats with the Pura Belpre–winning artist about the creative process for this year’s December Best Books cover.
We hope that SLJ’s Best Books of 2025, filled with adventurous and fantastical stories, silly and breathtaking picture books, true-crime mysteries and stirring romances, and universally consumed manga and graphic novels, will be the joy-making resource that you need to impact the next generation of readers (and their grown-ups).
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.
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