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Highly recommended for middle school collections.
Recommended for purchase in a school or public library, this work is historically accurate on an underrepresented topic in the curriculum.
A must-have for school libraries; perfect for author studies, lessons on book awards, and all fans of Pinkney’s work.
PREMIUM
Hervé Tullet’s Art of Play: Creative Liberation from an Iconoclast of Children’s Books (and Beyond!)
An excellent choice for art classes, courses on writing and craft, and biography shelves.
A necessary addition to all collections, warmly illustrated and beautifully told.
A curious and appealing biography that is recommended where literary classics are popular.
A good choice for genre studies shelves.
Informative as well as inspiring, this book shows how Karikó’s tenacity is proof to never give up. A first purchase for all biography collections.
This true crime history is highly recommended for library collections serving upper junior high and high school readers.
Highly recommended for nonfiction and even parenting collections, where it will fly off the shelf with science-loving kids and neutralize any adult melodrama around talking to kids about sex.
For story hours or classroom use, this is a calming and reassuring read that demonstrates mindful breathing in a way that will resonate for many children. Recommended where books on mindfulness and social emotional learning are in demand.
An accessible graphic novel for high schoolers seeking a character they can relate to and a safe space to read about mixed heritage and identity.
This book is a must-read, and a rich addition to any collection on children’s media.
Revelatory and illuminating, this is a must-purchase.
Despite a slightly awkward conceit, this is a good introduction to the critters living in the ocean’s twilight zone. The illustrations are sure to keep readers turning the pages.
A well-done if not completely up-to-the-minute discussion of the popular series. Read alongside Harry Potter and the Other, edited by Sarah Park Dahlen and Ebony Elizabeth Thomas.
PREMIUM
We Are Allies!
This vividly illustrated manual teaches kids how to be allies, optimistic, and think how they can participate in change. A necessary purchase.
Recommended for all academic shelves serving adolescent literature scholars.
PREMIUM
Roald Dahl
With the resurgence of Matilda’s popularity, this biography will most likely find a home on most biography shelves for book-loving adults.
PREMIUM
A Beautiful House for Birds
This attractive, very brief title will serve best as a springboard for primary grade math lessons.
A work of art in itself, this volume about the picture book art form is a must-have for shelves celebrating children’s books.
Recommended for purchase for upper elementary through high school collections, this would pair well with John Lewis’s “March” trilogy.
Incredibly, this book makes garbage fun to read about and is a great choice for browsable nonfiction shelves and curricular tie-ins.
This is a welcome and riveting tale of an often overlooked artist, interesting enough to engage any age, from elementary to high school.
A fascinating and timely text from a range of contributors and perspectives.
Johnson’s book will well serve a nonfiction STEM collection for young readers.
PREMIUM
Save the...Giraffes
The book does not follow a traditional nonfiction format but will appeal to animal enthusiasts and activists, especially those who enjoy their facts delivered in narrative prose.
A wonderful addition to public, school, and classroom collections.
PREMIUM
The Gentle Genius of Trees
A playful yet appreciative overview of tree life that can be enjoyed by a slightly younger audience than Can You Hear the Trees Talking? by Peter Wohlleben.
PREMIUM
1,000 Facts About Space
This is a must for every library and a reminder that children have always looked to the stars.
PREMIUM
How to NAVIGATE Middle School
A useful addition to collections for middle schoolers and their caregivers, especially where the other “Kid Confident” books are popular.
A lush and vibrant picture book which will leave readers wanting to know more. Supplement with additional nonfiction resources.
Purchase this outstanding picture book biography for all nonfiction collections.
Moving and profound, this inspiring glimpse of photographs and text will remind all readers of the value of family connections, of time’s passing, and the need for remembrance. Recommended for purchase.
A necessary and inspirational book about a little-known light amid a dark period of history, this book should find a home in all libraries.
An important true account to add to all collections. Gauthier’s inspiring story will spur on anyone who doubts just how much difference one young person can truly make.
This stirring tribute to a rare actor and the iconic role she played on “Star Trek” should be a welcome addition for all collections.
Ending injustice through love and nonviolence, a quaint notion in these turbulent times, is a necessary message; purchase for public, school, and classroom libraries alike.
While not a standout for its visual appeal, the book’s writing will ensure that it is a solid research recommendation for the current controversy of banning books.
Worth purchasing for the illustrations alone, and a good discussion starter on what can be a sensitive subject for a wide variety of ages.
A fine choice for abortion research, but the politically fluctuating social topic will cause some information to become quickly outdated.
The position statement from the National Council of Teachers of English says nonfiction offers more than traditional textbooks and "has never been more vibrant or vital."
Recommended for all collections.
A recommended title for library collections that support life science classrooms. Beautiful images and interesting inclusions set this apart from other science works.
PREMIUM
You Are a Honey Bee!
A very useful work for environmental science and animal studies in the classroom and for individual reading. The hardworking life of a honey bee is shown through a lively text and colorful illustrations which offer significant information.
Including fiction, nonfiction, and memoir, these titles cover topics from the making of the atomic bomb to the history of video games.
This collection of stories sets the Civil Rights Movement in the context of a child’s family life, providing insight for modern readers to understand both the movement and the realities of life for African Americans in the Jim Crow South.
The godmother of rock ‘n’ roll, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, has influenced music greats like Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis. These picture book biographies finally put the pioneer center stage where she belongs.
PREMIUM
Twinkle, Twinkle Daytime Star
This colorful board book that introduces the youngest children to the role of earth’s most important star, the sun, is highly recommended for early nonfiction or board book collections.
PREMIUM
I Am John Lewis
While somewhat less sanitized than some of the others in this series, this is still a mixed bag in terms of tone and presentation of a charged period in history underlying an accessible if imperfect biography.
A fun and appealing board book adaptation for reading aloud, suited to acquainting the youngest audience with space travel.
With an enticing mix of playful whimsy and quiet moments, this well-crafted collection of accessible verse and lovely illustrations should appeal to a wide audience.
Both a teaching tool for writing poetry as well as an ode to poetry itself. Highly recommended.
Poetry fans and educators alike will enjoy this bright and cheery collection of floral-focused haiku.
PREMIUM
Dark Testament: Blackout Poems
A compelling and thoughtful read, and a great introduction to blackout poetry. A strong first purchase for libraries.
For collections looking to add religious-based, serviceable picture books, this one might help children identify what kindness can look like and how to practice it in their communities.
PREMIUM
MEOW!: The Truth About Cats
For collections where animal nonfiction circulates well, this is a very good purchase. The photographs have a charm factor that will keep readers enchanted for repeated outings.
PREMIUM
A World of Dancers
Recommended as an introduction to world dance styles that is accessible and inclusive of many cultures.
Inspiring text and illustrations evoke the journey of an iconic filmmaker. Recommended for all collections.
PREMIUM
Gertie, The Darling Duck of WWII
A delightful historical tale that will encourage young people to find similar “good news” stories in their world today. Recommended.
A robust addition to general poetry collections, sure to appeal to a wide range of poetry lovers.
An essential purchase for all libraries.
A STEAM-themed poetry collection that should have broad appeal for young readers and will be a welcome addition to the shelves. Recommended.
The dual thrust should interest fans of Peters’s many other books and may invite or challenge pet lovers, as well as readers and teachers of poetry or science.
PREMIUM
A World of Gratitude
A good additional purchase to collections, with activities that easily translate to libraries and classrooms.
An overdue narrative of one of early rock’s most influential figures, and an additional purchase for most biography collections.
This attractive and educational poetry book will be a great addition to poetry and nature study collections.
Recommended for all readers. Fans of Traci Chee’s We Are Not Free will be particularly drawn to this work.
PREMIUM
Outdoor School: Tree, Wildflower, and Mushroom Spotting: The Definitive Interactive Nature Guide
This is a wonderful interactive workbook, which would be difficult to place on library shelves. It might be of use as part of programming.
A fascinating work about the importance of a seemingly simple life form with a gigantic impact, this is a strong choice for middle grade collections.
Aitken urges his readers to be unafraid of the dark and after reading this excellent book, tweens will want to venture forth into the night without a flashlight.
An inspiring and lovely gift book in celebration of Black Lives Matter that shows how our country has been shaped by the diversity of its people. Due to the recorded material and need for batteries, it may have to be closely monitored in a library setting.
An excellent purchase for all libraries, expertly organized to document the psychological benefits and historical and contemporary ways crafting brings communities together in action.
Tweens will leave with a greater understanding of how their brain works and the importance of keeping it healthy.
A general purchase for curricular tie-in as needed.
With the look and feel of a scrapbook, this piece of history is a unique portrait of the home front during a significant event in American history. A notable, unique addition to nonfiction collections.
This inspirational text about underrepresented folks in STEM fields is nonfiction at its best.
This delightful primer on being human is a mix of facts, speculation, and advice which is not to be missed. It will definitely get kids and adults alike thinking about what it means to be them in this world both now and in the future.
A first purchase for all libraries serving young children, this is an outstanding poetry compilation about the meaning of home.
A fresh and female addition to the music legend canon, just in time for Black History Month displays. Purchase where picture book biographies, especially those about musicians/rock history, circulate well.
Steer teens toward these powerful works and organizations focused on environmental movements and climate justice.
PREMIUM
The Story of Us
A confusing message that will nevertheless find a place in most church libraries and Christian homes because of its unique treatment of Christian beliefs and captivating illustrations.
A great story about the world’s loneliest elephant and how activism and a few dedicated people saved him.
A pleasant book to browse through or for simple research, with a diverse cast and population numbers that will make world travelers even of the armchair variety.
An awe-inspiring picture book biography about an outstanding storyteller.
This remarkable biography of a talented and determined man is highly recommended.
Making the connection between nonfiction books and the five-paragraph essay.
With its range of text structures, innovative formatting, and rich language, expository literature is a great choice for modeling high-quality informational writing.
Enhance your curriculum by showing how these standout nonfiction works reflect strategies of nonfiction writing.
A good choice for sharing one on one, especially where representation of groundbreaking Black, female, Latinx artists is needed. Pair with Patty Rodriguez and Arianna Stein’s Celia for a well-rounded collection.
PREMIUM
Tales of Whimsy, Verses of Woe
The quirky illustrations cannot save this clumsily written collection. Stick with Silverstein.
Charming illustrations and a brief text make accessible an early suffragist and lesser-known British composer. Eclectic but enjoyable.
This edition is an excellent choice for senior high school and undergraduate curriculum that includes educator-assisted lessons on Modernist poetry, but the assertion that it is somehow more comprehensible to all readers is overstated and unconvincing.
The winner will be announced during the Youth Media Awards ceremony on January 30.
PREMIUM
A Kids Book About War
The “A Kids Book About” series is well-intentioned, but the formats defy grade levels and uses, demand the participation of adults, and leave so much murkiness that children end up with more questions than answers.
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