Fierce Aunties
Laurel Goodluck
| Celebrates aunts, related by birth or not, who surround children with unyielding love and support. Includes author's note. |
List
The Bear Out There
Jess Hannigan
| A little girl invites the reader to hide in her house with her to hide from a bear. |
The Mango Tree, La Mata de Mango
Edel Rodriguez
| Two small boys from an island village spend their days in a mango tree until one is swept away in a storm and wakes up in a new, unfamiliar land. |
For a Girl Becoming
Joy Harjo
| A baby girl is welcomed to the breathing world by generations of her family and set on the magnificent journey of becoming. As she grows, she is reminded of her connections to the natural world; to her family, her ancestors, her neighbors; to the source of all magic and sorrow -- and of her responsibility to uphold and honor those connections. With US Poet Laureate Joy Harjo's transcendent verse and Pura Belpre Award winner Adriana Garcia's monumental illustrations, For a Girl Becoming acts as a blessing and a harbinger for a young girl's life -- and reminds those of us who still stand at the door of becoming that it is our relationships with nature and with each other that carry us through it. |
A Year of Pride and Joy: 52 LGBTQ+ Voices Share Their Life Passions
Simon James Green
| Edited by award-winning children's author Simon James Green, this buoyant title celebrates the joy, talent, and contributions of members of the LGBTQIA+ community--and delivers a full year of celebration. Each of the 52 entries--one for each week of the year--is tied to a particular season, event, international day, or week. Feel the timeless joy of old movies with actor Stephen Fry and discover his all-time favorite classic movies on Global Movie Day. Discover the joy of knitting with Olympic gold medalist Tom Daley, then follow a beginner's step-by-step knitting guide. Find the joy of pets with singer Rina Sawayama, then consider which pet is right for you. Experience the joy of food with actress Miriam Margolyes, then uncover a recipe to her famous chicken soup with matzo balls. Vibrant illustrations are paired with the engaging text. Whether you read an entry a week or pick it up whenever you are feeling in need of joy, this is a book to treasure all year round. |
Riverkeeper: Protecting an American River
Nancy F. Castaldo
| "America's "first river," the Hudson, and the Riverkeepers who protect it, offer insight into the history of environmental activism and how individuals and communities can learn by example to protect watersheds all over the globe"-- Provided by publisher. |
Catching Cryptids: The Scientific Search for Mysterious Creatures
Kim Long
| "A STEM-based, fun fact-filled, quirky cryptozoology book for fans of The Book of Mythical Beasts and Magical Creatures"-- Provided by publisher. |
The Door is Open: Stories of Celebration and Community by 11 Desi Voices
| "A story of community, belonging, and friendship told by South Asian authors through an interconnected anthology, based in the fictional town of Maple Grove, New Jersey, and centralized at the town community center."-- Provided by publisher. |
Elvira Vance and the Monster Mystery
Kacy Ritter
| "Half-siren Elvira Vance doesn't trust outsiders. Especially not the human detective who's been hired to investigate the disappearances of a chupacabra and the crown for the Marfa Monster Festival. While humans are convinced the monster skipped town with the crown, Elvira knows there's more to the story. As the daughter of Vince Vance--founder of Vince Vance's Vintage Trailer Park Inn for Monsters--Elvira cares too much about her home to let this mystery go unsolved. With her two best friends, Elvira collects clues and investigates humans, banshees, vampires, and ghosts. But when more creatures start disappearing and antimonster attitudes rise, Elvira realizes that her friends could be in real danger. Now time is running out, and Elvira must use her siren powers and sleuthing skills to solve this mystery--or lose everything she loves."-- Provided by publisher. |
Wildcats
Crystal Velasquez
| "Four girls from different backgrounds realize they have more in common than they think. At Temple Academy, an elite boarding school in New Mexico, Mina, Shani, Lin, and Ana discover they can turn into big cats. But as it turns out, something more than fate may have drawn them together against all adds. The girls will have to learn how to control their newfound powers while uncovering the ancient secrets that Temple Academy (and some of its staff) may be hiding"-- Provided by publisher. |
Continental Drifter
Kathy Macleod
"With a Thai mother and an American father, Kathy lives in two different worlds. She spends most of the year in Bangkok, where she's secretly counting the days till summer vacation. That's when her family travels for twenty-four hours straight to finally arrive in a tiny seaside town in Maine. Kathy loves Maine's idyllic beauty and all the exotic delicacies she can't get back home, like clam chowder and blueberry pie. But no matter how hard she tries, she struggles to fit in. She doesn't look like the other kids in this rural New England town. Kathy just wants to find a place where she truly belongs, but she's not sure if it's in America, Thailand... or anywhere"-- Provided by publisher.
Chidori
Jennifer Maruno
| "Hana is at school, high on the hill, when her village is devastated by a powerful tsunami. When she is finally reunited with her family, she learns that the wave has taken more than she could have ever imagined. To cope with her grief, Hana begins to paint chidori (a thousand birds), to honor those that are lost."-- Provided by publisher. |
Warm and Fuzzy
Scott Rothman
| "Warm and Fuzzy are going on an adventure, but Fuzzy has a few questions -- where are we going? What if it's scary? What if I don't like it there? Do I need to bring snacks? A sensible change of clothes? How about some toilet roll? Warm assures Fuzzy that they have everything they need, and if there are any unexpected surprises, they will be able to handle it because, "We are smart. We are strong. We are imaginative. And we are ready for anything." But let's pack that toilet roll just in case. This is a picture book for anxious children that acknowledges their fears and doesn't diminish them, while still encouraging readers to go outside of their comfort zone."-- Provided by publisher. |
Vanya and the Wild Hunt
Sangu Mandanna
| "Eleven-year-old Vanya Vallen has always felt like she doesn't fit in. She's British Indian in a mostly white English town, her parents won't talk about their pasts, and she has ADHD. Oh, and she talks to books. More importantly, the books talk back. When her family is attacked by a monster she believed existed only in fairy tales, Vanya discovers that her parents have secrets -- and that there are a lot more monsters out there. Overnight, she's whisked off to the enchanted library and school of Auramere, there's no escaping monsters. The mysterious, powerful Wild Hunt is on the prowl, and Vanya will need all her creativity and courage to unmask its leader and stop them before they destroy the only place she's ever truly belonged." -- Book jacket. |
So Over Sharing
Elissa Brent Weissman
| Two very different twelve-year-old girls, Hadley and Willow, bond over Instagram as they both struggle with oversharing influencer moms and grapple with how long their lives will stay public. |
The Summer of the Bone Horses
Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve
| Homesick at the thought of staying with his grandparents for the summer, Lakota Eddie quickly adjusts to life on the reservation, embracing new experiences and bonding with his family. |
Harlem Honey: The Adventures of a Curious Kid
Tamron Hall
| "For Moses, Harlem couldn't be any more different than the Texas he moved away from, and his only friends are his dog, Lotus-May, and his bird, JoJo. But, when Moses is asked to help his new neighbor Laila deliver jars of honey to the people of Harlem, he finally gets the chance to make new friends and see the places and feel the magic of this bustling neighborhood."--Provided by publisher. |
Another Word for Neighbor
Angela Pham Krans
| "Han is happy to spend his days with his tea, his newspaper, and his plants. Everything is nice and quiet-- just the way he likes it. That is, until Kate and Olly move in next door. From the APALA Honor Award-winning author of Finding Papa, Angela Pham Krans, and artist Thai My Phuong comes a heartfelt tale of friendship that reminds us the best surprises in life come from letting people in."--dust jacket. |
Bodega Cats: Picture Purrfect
Hilda Eunice Burgos
| Told in alternating voices, follows Miguel and his newly adopted street savvy cat Lolo as they build a loving and supportive friendship in Washington Heights. |
Are You a Friend of Dorothy? : The True Story of an Imaginary Woman and the Real People She Helped
| ""Are you a friend of Dorothy?" In a time when the LGBTQ+ community was forced to hide in the shadows, a woman named Dorothy helped her people find each other in the dark and celebrate themselves in the light. But who was Dorothy? Was she from the neighborhood, someone's wife, mother, or sister? Was she that clever writer, who threw parties where there were no rules about who you could and couldn't dance with? Or was she a girl from Kansas, who dreamed of leaving her black-and-white, small-town life and finding a vibrant, colorful world that loved her?"-- Amazon.com. |
One Crazy Summer
Rita Williams-Garcia
In the summer of 1968, after traveling from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to spend a month with the mother they barely know, eleven year old Delphine and her two younger sisters arrive to a cold welcome as they discover that their mother is resentful of their intrusion and wants them to attend a nearby Black Panther summer camp.
Chickenpox
Remy Lai
"All big sister Abby wants is to spend more time with her friends, far away from the sticky fingers and snooping eyes of her annoying brothers and sisters. But when a case of the chickenpox leaves the Lai kids covered in scratchy red spots and stuck at home together for two weeks of nonstop mayhem, Abby thinks this might be the end...of her sanity. Yet she feels responsible for the situation since her best friend was Patient Zero and brought chickenpox into their home. Will the itch to escape her siblings overwhelm Abby or will she realize being a big sister isn't all bad?" -- Amazon.
Afia in the Land of Wonders
Mia Araujo
| Sixteen-year-old Afia leaves her beloved twin sister to embark on a journey of self-discovery in a magical land with a beguiling queen and dangers untold. |
Rise Up! Powerful Protests in American History
Rachel C. Katz
In rhyming text, briefly describes twenty-five moments of protest in United States history. |
Mamiachi & Me
Jolene Gutiérrez
| On the day of her performance with her mother's mariachi band, Rosa battles stage fright but finds solace and confidence with the support of her Mamiachi and madrinas. Includes the history of the mariachi tradition, the rise of all-female mariachi groups, and a detailed look at a mariachi's signature suit. |
Marley's Pride
Joëlle Retener
"Marley is a little nonbinary kid with big anxieties. Crowds? Pass. Loud noises? No, thanks. When their Zaza is up for an award at Pride, they want to go to the parade for the first time with their beloved grandparent. But can Marley overcome their fears? Highlighting the joyful experiences of a queer family of color finding community at Pride, this story features endmatter about the history of Pride, a glossary of LGBTQ+ terms, and a list of resources." |
Every Monday Mabel
Jashar Awan
Every Monday Mabel takes her breakfast outside and waits for her favorite part of the week: the garbage truck.
The Peanut Man
Carmen Agra Deedy
Cuban refugee Coqui warmly recalls Emilio, the friendly peanut salesman, from her Havana neighborhood when she encounters a peanut vendor at a baseball game in Georgia while Hank Aaron played for the Atlanta Braves. |
Soggy Like Cush Cush
Karly Pierre
A gloomy, rainy day is turned upside down when Gran-momam takes Petite Marie on an adventure through town, where they have a magical day filled with friends, delicious Louisiana creole cooking, and a lot of care and kindness. |
My Olive Tree
Hazar Elbayya
"A girl's grandpa and her neighbors help her grow an olive tree in a war-torn land"-- Provided by publisher |
Climate is Just the Start
Mikaela Loach
| "Climate is Just the Start is a hopeful and empowering guide for kids on how to STOP climate change and START building a better world--from rising-star activist Mikaela Loach. It's easy to see news about the climate crisis and feel powerless to stop it. But there's another way of looking at things. Mikaela offers an inspiring and optimistic road map toward a brighter future for everyone! Using stories from her life and work, Mikaela explains the climate crisis and how it connects with other social issues. She writes about friends from around the world who are experiencing the worst of climate change and what they are doing to fight back. She delivers a message not only of hope but of excitement to save our planet and create better lives for everyone in the process"-- Provided by publisher. |
Speechless
Aron Nels Steinke
| Middle school was supposed to be a fresh start for Mira, who struggles to speak in class even though she can speak at home without a problem. Her former best friend, Chloe, has become her worst enemy, and Mira's only solace is making videos for her secret stop-motion animation channel. But when Chloe's mom has to travel for a family emergency, Mira is horrified to learn that her family has volunteered to let Chloe stay with them. When it feels like everything is going wrong, will Mira ever find her voice? |
The Strongest Heart
Saadia Faruqi
| Mo got used to tuning out his father's rage, and after mama leaves, Mo and Abbu move to Texas to live with family, but as Mo starts to see a future, he knows the monster within his father can come anytime. |
Glitch Girl!
Rainie Oet
J--'s life is consumed by the roller coaster video game Coaster Boss, and by the power she exerts over the pixelated theme park attendees. Her life outside the game, however, is less controllable. Me. I'm such a big space. I break the universe, a glitch. She's navigating ADHD, the loneliness of middle school, and an overwhelming crush on a girl named Junie. J-- is convinced that Junie sees her as who she really is, a person who isn't "bad" just because she doesn't stay quiet and sit still in class. As a person who is realizing that the name she's been given doesn't really fit her. And that maybe boy doesn't either. Glitch Girl! follows J-- from fifth to seventh grade, from the beginning to the end of her obsession with Coaster Boss, and to the start of a new friendship. When J-- meets Sam, a nonbinary classmate, she begins to realize that it's okay to not fit into neat, pixelated boxes.
I Love Salmon and Lampreys: A Native Story of Resilience
Brook M. Thompson
| "For young readers, an inspiring story about a river, a successful Native-led movement for environmental justice, and the making of a scientist" |