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These Take Five lists can help you with collection development, displays, reading lists, and more.
The Unfinished is all about finding the bravery to face uncertainty in many ways – in one’s relationships, identity and creepy monsters that haunt the forest.
As we prepare for the launch of our new series, Westfallen, we get asked one question more than any other: “What was it like writing a novel with your sister/brother?”
Filled with plenty of action, this look at feelings, strengths, found family, and friendship is a satisfyingly creepy fantastical story full of heart.
What does it mean when a book like THEY THOUGHT THEY BURIED US is praised for “strong queer Puerto Rican/Latine representation”?
Library Girl took me back to the forgotten memories of my childhood and the Kalamazoo Public Library. It took me back to that time in childhood when you are let loose from your parents’ leash and begin to explore the world on your own.
These short story collections center diverse characters and stories in creepy, readable tales.
I know there are readers who are tired of love triangles, and I don’t blame them. But I’m also a firm believer that no trope is overdone until everyone has had an equal chance to play with it, especially authors from marginalized backgrounds.
Jason Chin's next nonfiction picture book is called HURRICANE and today we have a first look at the cover.
Here are SLJ's reviews of the books that made the longlist for the 2024 National Book Award for Young People's Literature, including six books with SLJ stars.
Check out these titles by queer and BIPOC authors that will satisfy young readers as we approach spooky season
While driving home from a book event a couple weeks back, I turned on the recorder and talked about how THE SHIP IN THE WINDOW came to be.
Throughout history and around the world, dancing has been a way for people to express themselves and celebrate their cultural identity. Share these titles with young readers in time for National Dance Day on September 21.
As always, a list of five is only sharing a tiny bit of what’s new this month. Check your local library for other new releases!
How do we make the world safe for all of us to express our emotions? To begin with, we need to stick together as we cry and laugh our way through the world.
An engaging and informative nonfiction text with all the facts about vaccinations. A must-have for middle school libraries.
Chavez’s prose and Le Large’s cartoon illustrations work well together to lighten up what is most often a difficult topic.
A thrilling historical account useful for report writing, those planning to visit the island, and entertainment.
This comprehensive book will hold greater appeal for horse-lovers, more than fans of WWII nonfiction. An additional purchase.
An additional purchase to expand holiday diversity in collections.
The title serves as an introductory resource to expand knowledge about holidays and seasons celebrated around the world, and could be successful in helping readers discover more about the topic.
Lyrical and lovely. Recommended for all collections.
PREMIUM
The Last Pomegranate
This wintry tale will lead readers to develop an understanding of multicultural holiday traditions as well as to learn the practice of everyday philanthropy.
PREMIUM
One Foggy Christmas Eve
A solid buy for holiday collections, but the Christmas vibes are subtle enough that this wondrous story also has year-round appeal.
Purchase where more picture book biographies about strong Latinx women are needed.
PREMIUM
Felix Powell, Boy Dog
This charming, lightly magical tale is a wonderful addition to all libraries serving young readers.
These titles with book banning and censorship themes are good to share with students and patrons of all ages during Banned Books Week and all year round.
Don’t judge a book by a dated-looking cover. This title is an engaging read and would be good for those seeking to boost nonfiction and historical collections with this explosive title.
A story that young readers will enjoy, this will be a welcome addition to holiday collections.
PREMIUM
Martee Dares to Dance
A suggested purchase for collections seeking more books that will empower young readers.
A charming movable book that promises to delight readers of all ages, making it a must-have addition to any holiday collection.
How GUAVA AND GRUDGES Pays Homage to the Golden Age of YA Romance, a guest post by author Alexis Castellanos
When I started working on my novel A Second Chance on Earth, I wanted to capture, in verse, the beauty and complexity of a Colombia that I love so intensely.
Lisa Fipps returns to talk about her latest book And Then, Boom!
I’m thrilled to share the Team Canteen kids with this next generation of readers and hope the members of The Baby-Sitters Club would choose to sit with them in the mess hall.
These titles include the background for the current state of book banning, as well as ideas to help librarians respond proactively and reactively. Turn to these titles for information and inspiration for the fight.
PREMIUM
The Vincent van Gogh Atlas
This is well-crafted narrative nonfiction. Purchase where more coverage of the artist is needed.
Recommended for general purchase for all nonfiction collections; there are impossibly few resources available to this readership that take on this topic and cover it in such depth.
Recommended only for research or where presidential biographies are in demand or need updating.
PREMIUM
Pop-Up Planetarium
An excellent resource that is a recommended addition to any school library.
A great addition to any collection, as it builds an influential bond between readers and nature’s call to aid in its rejuvenation.
An approachable, comprehensive guide to empower kids to find their passion and make a change. A must-purchase for all libraries.
This book is especially recommended because it not only explains the growth of a successful writer, but it also can stimulate discussions of the ways in which reading and writing enrich our lives.
PREMIUM
We Are Free, You and Me
This is a powerful and accessible invitation for readers of all ages to embrace and support the freedom inherent to all.
A stunning book and essential purchase, stuffed with ideas, poetic musings, and more than one reason to connect with rocks wherever they are found.
PREMIUM
She Persisted: Dolores Huerta
An informative biography that highlights the importance of making difficult decisions and helping others, and an inspiring read for young audiences.
PREMIUM
Family and Feelings
In the books for new siblings space, this is a very thoughtful and thorough approach.
An outstanding choice for biography and science classes, women’s history studies, and Black history studies.
Answering deep questions, this book will encourage meaningful, grounded discussions and will be an important part of the elementary library collection.
A fantastic resource for introducing children to robotics. This book educates and inspires, making it a valuable addition to any children’s library.
An excellent purchase to help readers learn about the importance of the brain, and a great addition to Gravel’s other nonfiction titles.
A compelling set of stories that will fascinate animal lovers, and a recommended purchase.
A compelling story of a young girl remaining true to herself, this will inspire readers and athletes of all faiths.
Words and illustrations provide an excellent introduction to how one woman brought her love of fine Chinese food to the United States.
Positive, straightforward, and useful, this appealing graphic novel is a solid choice for youth collections.
This is a joyful but meaty take on the celestial beings that surround Earth. It delivers solid SEL as well: in an argument between good friends, sometimes all that’s needed is a little perspective.
Debut author Mepani pulls from her own childhood experiences to capture a single Saturday gathering full of family, friends, and joyful chaos. An important book for every growing library collection.
PREMIUM
The Last Tamale
A beautiful love letter to Latinx culture celebrating the importance of family culinary traditions.
This charming book will have children holding love in their hands; a must-have for any social-emotional collection.
PREMIUM
Boy Here, Boy There
This can be enjoyed with or without acknowledging the Neanderthal/Homo Sapien subtext, but either way it should be read aloud to make the most of the poetic text. A good choice for most libraries.
PREMIUM
The Little Green Swing
Make story hours that contrast this "Three Little Pigs" with other more traditional tellings, and watch Ruby, again, come in first, but with grace.
This delightful picture book allows Indigenous children to connect with and feel pride in the abundance of powwow participation, and gives all readers a great counting book full of cultural imagery.
PREMIUM
The Helping Sweater
A positive and uplifting book with a generous circular ending that young readers will love.
An odd interactive introduction to the concept of local resources and problem-solving but not entirely relatable for the intended audience.
A fun and imaginative story to read aloud with young children.
An uplifting story that celebrates the idea of “extraordinary,” which includes the story’s heroine, one’s friends, and Japan’s gift of cherry trees to the nation’s capital.
PREMIUM
The Dinosaur Next Door
A fun fantasy about finding one’s own place as well as respecting that in others.
PREMIUM
Clydeo Takes a Bite Out of Life
An easily digestible morsel of life advice, not too heavy on the moralistic sauce, but tweaked with a dash of cleverness.
PREMIUM
Dogs Love Books, Too
A gentle invitation to young readers to explore the joy and possibility of reading.
A moody book about adventure and one’s place in the world, this isn’t essential but will find receptive readers.
A plea for peace that younger readers will clearly hear, pointing no accusatory fingers, but shining with steady resolve to endure.
For the construction shelf, for story hours, for busy toddlers to pore over, this is one rescue that everyone will want in on.
The sensitive treatment and outstanding illustrations warrant a recommended purchase; this is a loving story with beautiful artwork for a broad audience on the importance of grandparents and memory.
PREMIUM
Fox Is Coming!
This is a pleasurable read-aloud for intergenerational pairings, as well as a book younger readers will want to reread often.
At around 200 pages, this standalone book doesn’t feel overwhelming and would be a good choice for reluctant readers and those who enjoy pop culture.
PREMIUM
Sweetest Darkness
The opening chapters are powerful enough to pull in reluctant readers, but later chapters require much more diligence. A secondary purchase for libraries in need of beefing up their horror/supernatural offerings.
PREMIUM
Morgana and Oz, Vol. 1
While this graphic novel will inevitably bring to mind other paranormal romances, its great art, identifiable characters, and interesting plot and conflict will make it a hit with readers.
PREMIUM
The Lies We Conjure
Despite some moments of heavy exposition, this blend of magical elements, family drama, and murder mystery wraps up neatly, providing a satisfying standalone read.
PREMIUM
Pearl
A fine graphic novel that navigates tumultuous historic events, this is a good choice for book reports and readers who can't get enough of WWII stories.
PREMIUM
The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn
Hand this to readers who enjoy supernatural adventures involving bonds between the living and the dead.
A priority purchase for fans of the first book and any collection with teens in search of their post–“Percy Jackson” obsession.
PREMIUM
The Ghost of You
This story is touching, heartbreaking, and poignant. A must for readers who enjoy complex emotional journeys.
PREMIUM
One Last Chance to Live
A moving portrayal of a teen confronting the world and himself. Recommended.
An insightful and empowering graphic novel about the complexities of 1980s South Korea, featuring young people’s pursuit of justice and freedom of thought despite the risks.
PREMIUM
This Fatal Kiss
This beautiful Slavic reimagining of “The Little Mermaid” will appeal to fans of fairy-tale retellings and queer romantasy adventures.
Equally heartbreaking and uplifting, this recommended book reminds readers that a forgotten past is irreplaceable, and the present is a gift.
PREMIUM
To the Bone
Hand this title to fans of Tracy Smith’s First Lady of Jamestown and Lauren Groff’s The Vaster Wilds. A general purchase for high school libraries.
PREMIUM
Luminous Beings
This graphic novel is sure to be a hit for fans of Paper Girls, Stranger Things, and Unbeatable Squirrel Girl.
PREMIUM
Signed Sealed Dead
Readers will find themselves drawn into the dark story of this small town. With only some violence and brief description of dead bodies, it would be acceptable for younger teen readers.
PREMIUM
They Thought They Buried Us
A modern take on horror for fans of Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and Jordan Peele films that falls short due to a lack of clarity.
PREMIUM
Full Shift
Part fast-paced adventure, part poignant coming-of-age romance, Full Shift is recommended for all teen collections and pairs well with Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Lisa Sterle’s Squad.
PREMIUM
Us in Ruins
A fun romantic adventure with a bit of magical realism. Great for fans of the film The Mummy and novels like Holly Rose’s Until the Stars Fall.
PREMIUM
Little Moons
Storm and the art team beautifully weave a story about culture, heritage, family, loss, and grief in a tight-knit package.
PREMIUM
Aisle Nine
This book will delight readers with its dark comedy, but also provides enough twists and turns to keep readers guessing. A perfect release for the upcoming spooky season.
PREMIUM
Old Wounds
Both a nuanced look at the complexities of being trans in our current landscape and a thoroughly enjoyable horror thriller, this book is sure to appeal to teens who love Jordan Peele films or Tiffany D. Jackson.
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