Staff Picks for Kids
Recommended titles for children and young adults that our booksellers love!
An instant classic!
—Mary
This book is magical and stunning! It can see it becoming a graduation gift book!
—Mary
*Instant New York Times Bestseller*
The Davenports delivers a totally escapist, swoon-worthy romance while offering a glimpse into a period of African American history often overlooked.
"A fresh, utterly enchanting read.” —Ayana Gray, New York Times bestselling author of the Beasts of Prey trilogy
I love this beautiful and thoughtful book!
—Mary
This was such a sweet, lighthearted read that I devoured in one sitting! All the characters are so well developed; you can really see growth for them from start to finish. Painter's YA books are an instant read for me.
—Taylor
Absolutely incredible!!!
—Mary
This book it wonderfully nostalgic for adults, and exciting for younger readers! An unbreakable trio of friends is torn apart when one of them mysteriously disappears on Halloween night. Then, 6 years later, he returns like nothing happened—but something's not quite right.
Farizan's newest was fun, humorous, and fast-paced, filled with lots of heart and memories of delicious candy that they no longer make anymore!—Nikki
I loved the Hazel Wood, and this new book from Melissa Albert is so so good. It's creepy and sooo creepy and unputdownable. If you like witches and a little bit of horror, you will love this.
—Michelle
Ok, I'm really excited for this one to come out. It's dark, and terrible, and magical, and classic. It hooked me in the first chapter and I couldn't help but want to keep reading.
—Michelle
Honestly, this is one of the best children's books on music I've seen. I love it! It beautifully shows the origins of many different types of instruments from cultures around the world, and the ways music has been an integral part of community throughout the world.
—Michelle
Really cute story about a knitting superhero. I recently got into crocheting, and it's cool to see knitting portrayed in such a fun, exciting way for kids!
—Michelle
Hilarious! This reminded me of fun cartoons I watched when I was a kid. What a lively, funny, adventure for a truly happy indoor cat.
—Michelle
McQuiston keeps killing it! I couldn't put down this wonderful coming of age book with loveable and hilarious characters. I loved the found family themes and mystery plot. A lot of fun B-movie tropes and twists and turns which had me laughing!
—Nikki
A very lovely middle-grade book about a young girl who just wants to be seen for who she is. An intimate look into an experience that needs to be talked about! This is a great read for both children and adults, and for anyone who has ever struggled to live as their authentic self!
—Nikki
Christina Soontornvat is hands down one of my favorite middle-grade authors. Just as incredible as her debut, A Wish in the Dark, The Last Mapmaker is a story I'd read again and again. It explores colonialism, truth, the journey to creating a life for yourself and the value of a good mentor. Vivid and exciting, this story left me loving the characters and rooting for them from the first page.
—Michelle
Really cool, inspiring book. It's great to see just how many cultures and people are represented! Great for any young person to see that people their age really can make a difference.
—Michelle
This is hilarious and adorable and so so accurate and I LOVE it. Also it does a great job of teaching cool body parts!
—Michelle
This was a really sweet little book, with beautiful watercolor illustrations. It's a soft, sweet way to dream about all the things you could be and all the things you have been.
—Michelle
I can't WAIT to read this at a storytime!
—Mary
This book is a hilarious and informative story about the creation of the universe that will delight early elementary schoolers!
—Mary
This was a beautiful beautiful book with haunting illustrations. The story humanized Medusa and made her snakes individual characters, which I loved. Loved the dynamic between Medusa and Perseus and the way Medusa comes to own her power, her new identity, and come to terms with the trauma of her past.
—Michelle
A Powerful and multi-voiced novel in verse based on the true story of the Clotilda, the last ship to bring enslaved Africans to the U.S. (years after the transatlantic slave trade was outlawed). The structure—short explorations into all the characters involved, from the capture to the establishment of a community called African Town in Alabama after emancipation—is extremely instructive, allowing us into the minds of the enslaved people as well as the enslavers. The descendants of the Clotilda survivors, and all those who contributed to this storytelling are essential and brave—keepers of the fire.
—Mary
Morgan wants to escape from those who don't quite understand her, but finds home in a relationship with a shape-shifting selkie named Keltie. A magical coming-of-age queer romance with beautiful illustrations!
—Nikki
I LOVE this book! A truly inspiring book about the joy of a first garden blooming.
—Mary
I am always blown away by Klassen's work and this is no exception! It's familiar to fans in its seeming simplicity and frankness, but taking some surprising turns. This has a wider color palette than his previous books and the illustrations were just gorgeous!
—Nikki
What an amazing, passionate and fast-paced take on Kendi’s original Stamped from the Beginning! It takes you on a journey of racist ideas from then to now, the how and why it still lingers on. Reynolds’s engaging way with words will connect with young adults, and everyone else too. This is a book for everyone to read, so that we all can do better in identifying and stamping out racist thoughts.
—Anne
1 king, 6 queens, 7 authors! That’s right, 7 YA authors take on a voice in this wonderful reimagining of the six wives of Henry VIII! An engrossing, scandalous, intimate, well-crafted, and unique look into one of the most infamous stories in royal history.
—Nikki
This was such a cute book with well-written, interesting characters, and a fun plot. When writing a contemporary rom-com there's a fine line between too much and not enough pop culture, but Emma Lord managed to walk that line with great poise. I believed the characters, their motivations, and their relationships. The only reasons I didn't rate this book a 10/10 were because the ending was a little obvious, as I feel most YA rom-coms are, and it didn't quite hit that emotional chord I reserve for 10/10 books. But this is definitely a feel-good coming-of-age read I would recommend for fans of Sarah Dessen and Chris Colfer!
—Jennifer
This book is amazing! So smart, funny, empathetic, and dealing with family matters (grandfather with Alzheimer's, overprotective mother, absent father) as well as moving to a new town, making friends, and class issues. All the while telling the story of the sensitive and totally appealing, baking-obsessed young girl. So lovely.
—Mary
Out of stock at the moment; would not arrive before the holidays.
My 8-year old loved this book!
—Mary
This book is fantastic!! So funny and emotionally deft -- I loved loved loved reading this thoughtful YA book. This will definitely appeal to Rainbow Rowell fans, John Green fans, and to adults who want to peek into teen lives.
—Mary
My son says " Best book ever. These pictures were super great. The fox was amazing and cute too. Okay, I love animals." Really gorgeous --- for fans of Erin Stead and Pamela Z.
—Mary
As a kid I read these books until the covers fell off, and now 20 years later I still get scared remembering them! The illustrations are brilliant and mesmerizing, you'll want to read these stories again and again (just not with the lights off)!
—Nikki
My 7-year old loved this! He's a big Dogman fan.
—Mary
Loved this book! I'm a little late to the party, but "New Kid" is truly worth all the hype. Jerry Craft deftly expresses the anxieties of navigating a new school and new environment while also keeping a down-to-earth and lighthearted tone, even when tackling the complex issues of bullying, racial insensitivity, and all the universal challenges middle school can bring.
—Jennifer
Magical!
—Mary
This beautifully drawn story features all your usual Lumberjanes hijinks and humor, while also taking a close look at the importance of friendship and the difficulties of communication. Also robots!!
—Nikki
Reading this stunning graphic novel is like walking through a dream! Walden’s illustrations express so much action, emotion, and thought. After I finished this I immediately wanted to begin again!
—Nikki
This book is a super fun look at what a smart octopus does in an aquarium last night. This will be a GREAT read aloud for storytimes!
—Mary
I love this book. It will be a great holiday present "from" any kid to their mom! The illustrations are also adorable.
—Mary
Oh my gosh, this book is hilarious. It is super fun and informative and....oops, I have to go, my son just lost his lunch. (Reading the chapter on digestion.) Brilliant!!!
—Mary
A wonderfully-illustrated book for both parents and their kids to enjoy!
—Nikki
This book is lovely and magical, and a tender treatment of kids who have more than a little imagination. I loved it and I do feel like it will become a classic.
—Mary
Sarah Prager’s debut is perfect for teens and adults who are new to or experts on LGBTQ history! She provides an inclusive look at queer liberation movements spanning multiple cultures, countries, races, genders, and classes. The 23 people range across time from ancient Rome to today to highlight the magnitude of queer movements throughout the world. Full of info and beautiful art, this book is a must have!
—Nikki
"A fun, fast read . . . it will resonate with readers who dabble in any sort of arts, dark or otherwise." --NPR.org
"With a singular and hilariously cutting teen voice, Undead Girl Gang is sure to be one of the most talked-about YA novels of the year." --BookPage
This is just beautiful!
—Mary
Take a journey through time and genres to discover stories where queer teens live, love, and shape the world around them.
Seventeen young adult authors across the queer spectrum have come together to create a collection of beautifully written diverse historical fiction for teens.
I thoroughly enjoyed this charmingly written and illustrated gem of a graphic novel featuring a prince, a dressmaker, and a secret. Prince Sebastian has no interest in getting married. Frances is an aspiring fashion designer with a knack for dressmaking. When the two meet, magic happens. By day, Sebastian prepares to rule the kingdom. By night, he becomes Lady Crystallia--and, with France's help, the most fashionable person in the kingdom. But not everyone in the kingdom is okay with who Sebastian is. And keeping his secret may mean Frances can't achieve her dream. This novel is beautifully illustrated and written, teaching a lesson about love for and acceptance of your friends and yourself in an entertaining and tender way.
—Jennifer
Initially intended as a short story for Amnesty International, this short but powerful YA novel from the incomparable M.T. Anderson envisions a future where poverty has spread in the wake of alien overlords called Vuvv. A young, talented artist named Adam suffers from chronic illness, but can’t receive a cure from the Vuvv unless he wins an art scholarship that would take him away from Earth and his poor life. Each chapter describes the conditions of Adam’s landscape portraits, resulting in a touching, expertly-crafted read that speaks to identity and family.
—Nikki
Did you know that the fishing cat has partially webbed paws for catching fish? Or that pumas can leap over 15 feet into trees? There are roughly 38 species of cats today, each one superbly adapted to their environment - whether that be in the rainforest or the desert!
This captivating and stunningly illustrated guide will teach you everything you need to know about our feline friends.
This book is so beautiful. A young girl asks her grandfather how to say something in Cree, their ancestral language, and he sadly tells her he can't remember. His words have been stolen. The next day, she finds a Cree dictionary from the library, and shows it to him. The smile on his face as he says his long-forgotten words is priceless. A beautiful, moving book, sparse and poetic, with lovely drawings. Every bookstore and library needs this.
—Mary
*A fun activity included in every book!*
A Junior Library Guild Fall 2017 Selection
An Amazon's Best Children's Books of 2017
A Beverly Clearly Children's Choice Award Nominee
An Evanston Public Library's 101 Great Books for Kids List 2017
A Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best Books 2017
A 2017 Nerdy Book Club Award Winner
I could flip through this book every day for the 1000 years it would take for the mighty Sarlacc to digest me. It’s full of (always practical) information about the Star Wars universe and characters you already adore, presented to you in colorful, creative infographics. Love it you will!
—Nikki
Easy and instant communication, knowing the answer before the teacher finishes the question, constant entertainment. Having access to the internet in your head sounds like a dream, and it is for a while for Titus and his friends. That is, until corporations and hackers start taking control of everyone’s thoughts. This book is a humorous, yet poignant look at society’s reliance on technology to replace human contact.
—Nikki
This remains one of the most well-crafted, quirky, informative series of my childhood. Follow the Baudelaires as they uncover the mysterious circumstances surrounding the fire that killed their parents. You’ll also learn how hot air balloons work, what the word “denouement” means, and the pastimes of a junior mycologist as you journey through these lightly-gothic tales.
—Nikki
No one knows Luke exists. Literally. He lives in a world where the law says couples can only have two children, and is an illegal 3rd child. He doesn’t go to school, he doesn’t have friends, he can barely go outside for fear of being taken by the Population Police. But one day he notices a face he’s never seen before in a house that already has 2 children. Could this be the friend Luke has waited 12 years for? Or will he be discovered and taken from his family?
—Nikki