Nonfiction for Older Readers

Diwali: Festival of Lights - Rina Singh

Fireworks, food and family. Diwali reminds us that light will always prevail over darkness through the retelling of the legends of Rama, Krishna and Lakshmi in the biggest and brightest of all Indian festivals.

Vietnam: A History of the War - Russell Freedman

An account of the Vietnam War describes how it began, why it was so difficult to end, and how its tragic legacy endures today.

Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor's Story - Caren Stelson

Tells the story of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki through the eyes of Sachiko Yasui, who was six when the devastation was wrought, describing her experiences in the aftermath of the attack as well as her long journey to find peace.

New Fiction

Upper Elementary

Beautiful Blue World - Suzanna LaFleur
Sofarende is at war and the army is paying families well to recruit children, so if twelve-year-old Mathilde or her best friend Megs is chosen, they hope to help their families but fear they will be separated forever.


Middle School

Garvey's Choice - Nikki Grimes
Garvey's father has always wanted Garvey to be athletic, but Garvey is interested in astronomy, science fiction, reading--anything but sports. Feeling like a failure, he comforts himself with food. Garvey is kind, funny, smart, a loyal friend, and he is also overweight, teased by bullies, and lonely. When his only friend encourages him to join the school chorus, Garvey's life changes. The chorus finds a new soloist in Garvey, and through chorus, Garvey finds a way to accept himself, and a way to finally reach his distant father--by speaking the language of music instead of the language of sports.

Children of Exile - Margaret Peterson Haddix
A twelve-year-old girl raised in a foster village is returned to her biological parents, and discovers home is not what she expected it to be.

Mark of the Plague - Kevin Sands
Blackthorn Key Adventure - Book 2. 
As the plague decimates London in 1665 and an assassin threatens the apothecary's life, apprentice Christopher Rowe and his faithful friend Tom, following a trail of puzzles, riddles, and secrets, risk their lives to untangle the heart of a dark conspiracy.

Young Adult

Consider - Kristy Acevedo
When mysterious holograms suddenly appear, heralding the end of the world, seventeen-year-old Alexandra Lucas must brave her anxiety disorder and make the ultimate decision for her friends, family, and the human race: to stay, or to go.

Crooked Kingdom - Leigh Bardugo
Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn't think they'd survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they're right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and badly weakened, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals, and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz's cunning and test the team's fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city's dark and twisting streets -- a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of the Grisha world.

Replica - Lauren Oliver
Replica is a "flip book" that contains two narratives in one, and it is the first in a duology. Turn the book one way and read Lyra's story; turn the book over and upside down and read Gemma's story ... Lyra's story begins in the Haven Institute, a building tucked away on a private island off the coast of Florida that from a distance looks serene and even beautiful. But up close the locked doors, military guards, and biohazard suits tell a different story. In truth, Haven is a clandestine research facility where thousands of replicas, or human models, are born, raised, and observed. When a surprise attack is launched on Haven, two of its young experimental subjects--Lyra, or 24, and the boy known only as 72--manage to escape. Gemma has been in and out of hospitals for as long as she can remember. A lonely teen, her life is circumscribed by home, school, and her best friend, April. But after she is nearly abducted by a stranger claiming to know her, Gemma starts to investigate her family's past and discovers her father's mysterious connection to the secretive Haven research facility. Hungry for answers, she travels to Florida, only to stumble upon two replicas and a completely new set of questions.

Glitter- Aprilynne Pike
A teenager living in an alternate-history futuristic Versailles must escape its walls by selling a happy-inducing makeup called Glitter.

New Picture Books

Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of Young John Lewis - Jabari Asim
John wants to be a preacher when he grows up a leader whose words stir hearts to change, minds to think, and bodies to take action. But why wait? When John is put in charge of the family farm's flock of chickens, he discovers that they make a wonderful congregation! So he preaches to his flock, and they listen, content under his watchful care, riveted by the rhythm of his voice. John grew up to be a member of the Freedom Riders, chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and demonstrator on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, and is now a Georgia congressman.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland - based on the song by Felix Bernard & Richard B. Smith
This picture book celebrates winter, using the lyrics of the song Winter Wonderland.

One Day in the Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree - Daniel Bernstrom
Gobbled by a snake, a brown-skinned boy finds a find a way out of his predicament by encouraging the snake to eat an increasing number of animals.

Bad Kitty Does Not Like Snow - Nick Bruel
Kitty is back in this hilarious tale in which she discovers that she does not, in fact, like snow. Not at all. Not even a little.

Mervin the Sloth is About to Do the Best Thing in the World
- Colleen AF Venable
Mervin the Sloth is about to do the best thing in the world. Can you guess what it is? "Flying!" says the bird. "Gazelling!" says the gazelle. "Digging!" says the prairie dog. Hurry up, Mervin! But Mervin moves so slowly. Are you patient enough to wait? No? Turn the page!

Click, Clack, Surprise! - Doreen Cronin
Little Duck celebrates his first birthday with the other animals on the farm by copying their examples, from shearing off all his feathers to taking a mudbath, before enjoying Farmer Brown's yummy frosted maple cake.

Are You Sure, Mother Bear? - Amy Hest
On the first night of winter, Little Miss Bear will not go to sleep. She simply refuses. "Winter is for sleeping," Mother Bear tells her. "But why, Mother?" Little Miss asks. "Because that's what bears do. All bears sleep, all winter long." All winter long is much too long for Little Miss Bear. She is going to miss her stars and her moon, and she is going to miss rolling on hills. Most of all, she is going to miss Mother Bear. But Mother finds a special way to assure her that they will all be there waiting for her--the stars, the moon, the hills, and especially Mother Bear--when she wakes in the spring. From author Amy Hest and artist Lauren Tobia comes a warm and emotionally resonant story that is sure to comfort little bears everywhere.

Steamboat School - Deborah Hopkinson
In 1847 St. Louis, Missouri, when a new law against educating African Americans forces Reverend John to close his school, he finds an ingenious solution to the new state law by moving his school to a steamboat in the Mississippi River. Includes author's note on Reverend John Berry Meachum, a minister, entrepreneur, and educator who fought tirelessly for the rights of African Americans.

In Plain Sight - Richard Jackson
An ailing grandfather and his helpful granddaughter play a unique game of seek and find.


Night Animals - Gianna Marino
Possum is hiding from the sounds in the night, and his fear sets off a chain reaction in the other night animals.


A Voyage in the Clouds: The (Mostly) True Story of the First International Flight by Balloon in 1785
- Matthew Olshan
Dr. John Jeffries and his pilot, Jean-Pierre Blanchard, each want to be the first man to fly from one country to another, across the English Channel. There's only one problem: they can't stand each other! Inspired by the true story of the first international flight.

First Snow - Bomi Park
A tiny girl awakens in the night and quickly dons her boots, coat, scarf, and hat before quietly slipping outside to form a snowball. She rolls the snowball out of town, into the countryside, and past woodland creatures before reaching her destination--an open area where dozens of children are creating snowmen.

Henry & Leo - Pamela Zagarenski
Leo isn't just a stuffed toy, he is Henry's best friend and brother. But when the two are accidentally separated, no one in Henry's family believes Leo is real enough to find his way home.

Nonfiction for Elementary and Middle School

Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life - Ashley Bryan
Using original slave auction and plantation estate documents, contrasts the monetary value of a slave with the priceless value of life experiences and dreams that a slave owner could never take away.

Sea Otter Rescue - Suzi Eszterhas
Offers an illustrated look at the Alaska SeaLife Center's Wildlife Rescue Team and their efforts to treat young, orphaned sea otters.

We Will Not Be Silent: The White Rose Student Resistance Movement That Defied Adolf Hitler - Russell Freedman
The true story of the White Rose, a group of students in Nazi Germany who were active undercover agents of the resistance movement against Hitler and his regime.

Animals by the Numbers: A Book of Animal Infographics - Steve Jenkins
How many species are there across the globe? How much do all of the insects in the world collectively weigh? How far can animals travel? Steve Jenkins answers these questions and many more with numbers, images, innovation, and authoritative science in his latest work of illustrated nonfiction. Jenkins layers his signature cut-paper illustrations alongside computer graphics and a text that is teeming with fresh, unexpected, and accurate zoological information ready for readers to easily devour. The level of scientific research paired with Jenkins creativity and accessible infographics is unmatched and sure to wow fans old and new.

The Rock & Gem Books...and Other Treasure of the Natural World
The Rock and Gem Book is packed full of photos of natural wonders, including rocks, minerals, gems, shells and fossils. This children's encyclopedia displays more than 1,200 full-color specimens, from sapphires and rubies to silver and pearl, revealing the unique qualities of each material and how it is used in industry, architecture, art and science. Including precious metals, rare fossils, tiny gemstones and giant shells, the Rock and Gem Book gives a complete overview of the Earth's naturally occurring marvels and the beautiful objects created from them.

Fiction for Elementary Grades

Ms. Bixby's Last Day - John David Anderson

Loving their gifted teacher, three boys are dismayed when the teacher falls ill and leaves for the rest of the school year, a situation that compels them to share their stories while cutting class and journeying across town together on a fateful day.


Gertie's Leap to Greatness - Kate Beasley
Gertie is a girl on a mission to be the best fifth grader ever in order to show her estranged mother that Gertie doesn't need her--not one bit!

Makoons - Louise Erdrich

Living with their Ojibwe family on the Great Plains of Dakota Territory in 1866, twin brothers Makoons and Chickadee must learn to become buffalo hunters, but Makoons has a vision that foretells great challenges that his family may not be able to overcome.

When the Sea Turned to Silver - Grace Lin
Pinmei's gentle, loving grandmother always has the most exciting tales for her granddaughter and the other villagers. However, the peace is shattered one night when soldiers of the Emperor arrive and kidnap the storyteller. Everyone knows that the Emperor wants something called the Luminous Stone That Lights the Night. Determined to have her grandmother returned, Pinmei embarks on a journey to find the Luminous Stone alongside her friend Yishan, a mysterious boy who seems to have his own secrets to hide. Together, the two must face obstacles usually found only in legends to find the Luminous Stone and save Pinmei's grandmother -- before it's too late.

Hamster Princess: Of Mice and Magic - Ursula Vernon

Harriet Hamsterbone sets out to reverse the curse on twelve mice princesses who are forced to dance all night, every night.

A Dog Like Sam - Edward van de Vendel
Kix and Emilia adopt a stray dog and name him Sam, even though their parents say they cannot keep him, but then Sam's original owner comes looking for him.

Wolf Hollow - Lauren Wolk

Twelve-year-old Annabelle must learn to stand up for what's right in the face of a manipulative and violent new bully who targets people Annabelle cares about, including a homeless World War I veteran.

Picture books

The Airport Book - Lisa Brown
An exploratory journey through the airport.

Plants Can't Sit Still - Rebecca E. Hirsch
Describes some ways in which plants can move, from sunflowers turning towards sunlight and vines creeping up a fence to tulips folding in at night and maple seeds whirling like helicopters in the wind.

Stowaway in a Sleigh - C. Roger Made

Late one night, Slipper the cat awakens to find a furry-booted man in her home and, like any curious cat would, climbs into his big red sack.

Mr. Putter & Tabby Hit the Slope - Cynthia Rylant
Mr. Putter and his fine cat, Tabby, and Mrs. Teaberry and her good dog, Zeke, head for the sledding slope for the wildest ride ever. Maybe winter is not so slow after all!


Who What Where? - Olivier Tallec
Simple text asks the readers a series of questions about the characters on each page, and the child must decipher the visual clues to find the answer.