Rick Riordan
[isbn]
Riordan’s first standalone delves into a more modern “myth” — 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Ana Dakkar, descendant of Captain Nemo, is a freshman at the famed Harding-Pencroft Marine Academy. When tragedy strikes, she and her friends (a diverse cast that highlights Riordan’s commitment to representation in fiction, and also an orangutan chef) may be the only ones who can save the day!
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Kate Dicamillo, Sophie Blackall
[isbn]
Anything DiCamillo writes is gold, but her newest fantasy tale, replete with gorgeous illustrations by Sophie Blackall, has a particularly brilliant shine. From the glorious opening chapter on the delightfully vicious Answelica the goat, I was hooked. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will walk away filled with the importance of sharing stories and love.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Darcie Little Badger
[isbn]
Darcie Little Badger burst onto the YA scene with 2020’s indie fave Elatsoe. In her mesmerizing sophomore novel, she again draws on her Lipan Apache identity and heritage, as Lipan girl Nina (believer of the old tales) and cottonmouth kid Oli (denizen of the land of spirits and monsters) are drawn together when their worlds collide.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Margaret Owen
[isbn]
This is my favorite read of 2021. I fell in love with Margaret Owen’s uniquely smart, emotionally resonant, surprisingly funny writing with her Merciful Crow duology. (I say “surprisingly” because I didn’t expect to do any laughing reading about a fantasy plague.) These traits are at their best in Little Thieves, a standalone fairy tale retelling that has been hijacked off the beaten path by protagonist Vanya, who would like to know the... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Travis Wheels Wheeler, Logan Jenkins, Lee Terrill
[isbn]
I listen to a lot of actual play podcasts (I know, I’m incredibly cool), and Very Random Encounters is the cream of the crop. They use a number of systems, but their basic premise is randomizing as much as they can, from stats to names to villains to settings. It’s always a delight, and has made me want to add some randomness to my own games (I know, I’m incredibly cool). The VRE crew’s new book facilitates... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Margaret Rogerson
[isbn]
I stayed up until 2 a.m. finishing this book and I regret nothing. Rogerson’s Sorcery of Thorns was my favorite read of 2019, and I’ve been not-so-patiently waiting to see what she’d do next. This gorgeous, atmospheric series starter does not disappoint! Born with the Sight, Artemisia was trained by the Gray Sisters to subdue spirits. When her convent is attacked, she comes to its defense by taking up a revenant: an ancient, violent... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Anne Ursu
[isbn]
I want to give a copy of this masterfully woven fable to every young person in my life. Marya doesn’t fit the role demanded of her in her incredibly patriarchal society. She’s too loud, too curious, too much, and ends up at Dragomir Academy, a finishing school for “troubled” girls. Following her childhood mentor’s advice to consider “Who does this story serve?,” Marya untangles just what makes these girls “troubled,” and how they can reclaim... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Emily Winfield Martin
[isbn]
Portland local Emily Winfield Martin writes with the kind of soft-but-radical hope that I expect from a Mike Schur television show. Her dreamy, inspiring artwork — somehow both vintage and incredibly new — elevates her books from great to excellent, and This Is a Gift for You is no exception. It’s exactly what I needed to read in the midst of a very tough stretch of time.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Soman Chainani
[isbn]
“On the first day of spring, the wolves eat the prettiest girl.” From the first line, I was hooked. Soman Chainani takes the fascination with fairy tale morality that clearly inspired his School for Good and Evil series and spins a collection of dark, compelling re-imaginings that will stick with you long after you’ve read them — and keep you up at night.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Courtney Gould
[isbn]
There’s something dark in Snakebite. In this supernatural thriller debut, Logan’s ghost-hunter dads drag her to their rural Oregon hometown just as a local teen disappears. As Logan starts to fall for Ashley, the missing boy’s girlfriend, she also circles closer to the terrible truth of why her family left in the first place.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Mo Willems
[isbn]
It’s time for another super-fun activity book from Mo Willems and his best co-creator: you! This delightful, adventurous book, featuring favorite characters Elephant, Piggie, and Pigeon (as well as new stars, the Doodle Poodles) is the perfect way to get your kiddo’s imagination running before they start school again in the fall.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Sangu Mandanna
[isbn]
Anxiety is a beast, and for Kiki, the best way to calm it is drawing — usually images from the Indian stories and myths her mother loves to tell. But when Kiki is pulled into her own sketchbook, the beasts become a lot more literal. Can she work through her anxiety to save the day?
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Elizabeth Lim
[isbn]
To save her brothers from her stepmother’s curse, Shiori must learn to control the magic inside of her and somehow find help without speaking a word. Pulling from European fairy tales and East Asian folklore alike, this kickoff to Elizabeth Lim’s new duology is a fantastic original fantasy not to be missed!
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Anne Carson
[isbn]
Like Anne Carson herself (Poet? Classicist? Translator? Modern-day oracle?), Autobiography of Red defies classification. Novel in verse? Epic poem? Modern retelling? Original narrative? It’s all of the above and more. Grounded in the surviving fragments of Stesichorus’s account of Geryon — the red monster killed by Heracles as one of his 12 labors — Carson masterfully weaves a tale both ancient and modern, with cameras and airplanes and... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Chris Colfer and Jon Proctor
[isbn]
Venture back into the Land of Stories in this first graphic novel from Chris Colfer and Jon Proctor! The dangerous Dwarf Forests are the only refuge for scoundrels, fugitives, and anyone else unwanted by fairy-tale society. Goldilocks is one such renegade, and when the Charming brothers target her forest home, she’ll do whatever it takes to protect it.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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William Goldman
[isbn]
Like so many people, I fell in love with the film first. It’s like the grandfather says: “Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles.” There’s something for everyone, and it taps into something so magically, extraordinarily human. Also like so many people, I found a battered paperback with a broken spine on my shelf that I couldn’t remember buying, and then I fell in love all over again. Goldman’s... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Toni Morrison
[isbn]
Toni Morrison started her career as an editor — the first Black female editor at Random House — and her literary criticism is incisive and brilliant. She had an unparalleled ability to apply those skills to her own works, and I can’t possibly do more justice to Sula (her second novel, which circles around expectations and expressions of Black womanhood in the mid-20th century) than she herself does in the foreword: “In much literature a... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan
[isbn]
Carl Sagan wrote about our smallness in the universe in the most uplifting way imaginable. He understood it first-hand; the famous “Pale Blue Dot” photo was taken by Voyager on his recommendation to NASA. It would be easy to look at a photograph like that and say: “We are so small; nothing we do matters.” Instead, Sagan says: "[I]t underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish…the only home we've... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Gayle Forman
[isbn]
Since his brother died and his mother left, the only book Aaron’s been able to read is about the extinction of the dinosaurs. Stuck working with his father at their floundering bookstore, it feels apropos. When a chance encounter grants him a new friend and his father a renewed vigor to save the store, he starts to wonder: Is that looming asteroid really inevitable?
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Maggie Stiefvater
[isbn]
Experiencing the unfolding of this second book in the Dreamer Trilogy is so rewarding, so compelling, that I'm reticent to provide anything that might count as a spoiler. I'll just say that as we follow Ronan's and Jordan's journeys to unravel the secrets of dreams and dreamers, we find ourselves in a gorgeous meditation on the power of art, and the tension between human advancement and the preservation of the (magical, miraculous) natural world.... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Victoria Aveyard
[isbn]
What happens when the chosen ones fail? In Aveyard’s sophomore series, the untrained, unknown, and unexpected will have to step up to save the world. Inspired by classic fantasy epics and switching between several compelling narrators, Red Queen fans and new readers alike will be enthralled by Realm Breaker.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Charlie Jane Anders
[isbn]
Tina's been waiting for years for the aliens (who left her on Earth as a baby) to deliver her to her destiny. But there's more to "destiny" than getting to leave the miseries of high school behind: entire species are counting on her to end an intergalactic war. Don't miss this beloved sci-fi author's YA debut!
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Lynette Noni
[isbn]
If you’re looking to lose yourself in a fantasy page-turner, this is your stop. Kiva Meridan is the healer for the infamous Zalindov prison; she’s also a prisoner herself, brought in when her father was accused of consorting with rebels. She’s kept herself alive for a decade by keeping her head down, avoiding attachments, and clinging to the few coded communications she’s been able to have with her family on the outside, who promise they’ll find... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Jasmine Warga
[isbn]
Great fiction helps kids process things even adults struggle to work through. This book shrunk me into smaller shoes and walked me through two middle schoolers’ unspeakable loss, in a story that will remain all too real until this country does something about our shamefully unaddressed epidemic of gun violence. Cora’s sister Mabel was killed in a school shooting by Quinn’s brother, Parker, who also took his own life. Before, Cora and Quinn were... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Brittney Morris
[isbn]
Author Brittney Morris (Slay) describes this as “a Black-boy-joydespite” book, and that’s exactly how it reads. Alex can see the future of any person or object he touches, and he’s learned the hard way that doesn’t mean he can change things. When he sees that his little brother Isaiah is doomed to die soon, he decides to do everything he can to give Isaiah the best last days possible. Morris deftly bares the particular expectations,... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Aiden Thomas
[isbn]
Following their powerhouse debut Cemetery Boys, Portland author Aidan Thomas turns their focus to the shadows of Neverland. Five years ago, Wendy and her brothers went missing in the woods of their hometown, Astoria. Only Wendy returned — with no memory of what happened during her months-long absence. Now, children are going missing again, and only Wendy’s lost memories — and the magical boy she could never quite forget — can save them.... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Justina Ireland
[isbn]
YA powerhouse Justina Ireland (Dread Nation) gives voice to the voiceless dead in this middle grade novel. When a posse of white men come to set their house alight in the night, Ophie’s father tells her to take her mother and flee. The next morning brings impossible news: Ophie’s father had already been killed, and the warning came from her first ghost. When she and her mother move to Pittsburgh, theoretically more welcoming to Black... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Cleo Wade and Lucie de Moyencourt
[isbn]
This beautiful picture book debut from poet Cleo Wade tells us it’s okay to go the wrong way, or be scared, or stumble and fall. If we're brave and ask for help and keep going, we will make all sorts of discoveries and lead others to them, too.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Luisa Uribe
[isbn]
This absolutely unique read helps toddlers understand their families — including any babies on the way! The story shows all types of families celebrating their bonds, and its card stock pages are perfect for little hands excited to learn how to turn them. The book also features a fill-in family tree and a mirror, letting kiddos see themselves in their family story. A great book to sit down and share together!
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Andrea Pippins
[isbn]
Author/illustrator Andrea Pippins’s debut picture book is a heartfelt meditation on welcoming a new baby to the family. Will Little One have Grandma’s boldness, cousin Curlena’s joy, Auntie’s sense of adventure? Will they watch the clouds with their brother? “My wish is that you will be all these things and more. You will be your own self, for no one in the world has ever been like you.” A wonderful read-aloud for ages three and up.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Margaret Owen
[isbn]
PNW author Margaret Owen had me hooked from the first line of her 2019 debut, The Merciful Crow: “Pa was taking too long to cut the boys’ throats.” The caste-driven fantasy world of plague tenders and bone magic that unspooled from there kept me glued to the page until I’d devoured the whole thing as quickly as I could. I’m now counting down the days until the sequel, The Faithless Hawk, publishes in July; the brief excerpt... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Emily Winfield Martin
[isbn]
Portland-based artist/author Emily Winfield Martin’s gorgeous, gauzy illustrations have enticed and astounded me since I first encountered them in her 2013 picture book Dream Animals. Here, snippets of found text inspire fantastical landscapes, people, and creatures; each page is a tiny world I want to dive into and explore.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Patrice Caldwell
[isbn]
This powerhouse YA anthology is a sci-fi/fantasy exploration of the experiences of Black women and gender-nonconforming individuals, with settings ranging from folklore to Afrofuturism. The 16 exquisite stories in this collection (from astronomically talented authors of color including Elizabeth Acevedo, Justina Ireland, Rebecca Roanhorse, and Ibi Zoboi) will stick with you long after you finish reading; editor/author Patrice Caldwell is one to... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Marlon James
[isbn]
Tracker has a nose: he can find anyone. But when he takes a job to locate a missing child, he ends up as part of a splintered fellowship running headfirst into a conspiracy of magic and kings. James’s meditative prose delivers a gripping fantasy adventure rooted in African mythology and history.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Rebecca Roanhorse
[isbn]
In this fantasy adventure inspired by Navajo/Diné legend, 12-year old Nizhoni Begay can sense monsters — and most of the time, they’re disguised as regular people. When one such monster kidnaps her father, Nizhoni, her brother, and her best friend must pass a series of trials so Nizhoni can save him — and follow her destiny as a monster hunter.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Laura Renauld and Brigette Barrager
[isbn]
This beautifully illustrated biography carries one of Fred Rogers’s most important messages (one we too often forget): it’s okay to have feelings. A great gift for any child learning to navigate emotions healthily, and for adults who (like me) could use a gentle reminder from Fred that it’s okay to be mad; what matters is what we do with the mad that we feel.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Rosanne Parry and Monica Armino
[isbn]
Separated from his family, wolf cub Swift must trek 1,000 perilous miles across the Pacific Northwest to find a new safe place to call home. Inspired by the true story of OR-7, a wolf also known as Journey, and illuminated by Mónica Armiño’s beautiful illustrations, local author Rosanne Parry’s A Wolf Called Wander is sure to speak to young readers who love animals, the great outdoors, or a heartfelt adventure.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Fiona Waters, Frann Preston Gannon
[isbn]
New Years is a wonderful time to contemplate the cycle of the seasons and our natural world. This gorgeous book of poetry contains a nature poem for every day of the year. Each poem (with authors ranging from Shakespeare to Beatrix Potter to Langston Hughes and more) is fully illustrated with intricate, elegant outdoor scenes. Geared to ages 8 and up, this would also be a lovely read-aloud book for younger children.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Hannah Eliot, Alina Chau
[isbn]
Hannah Eliot’s Celebrate the World board book series offers toddlers a first look at global holidays. This Lunar New Year installment highlights the cultural history and folklore of the Chinese New Year, with beautiful watercolor illustrations from illustrator Alina Chau.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Brandon Sanderson
[isbn]
This YA series is a favorite of teen and adult readers alike! Spensa has fulfilled her lifelong dream of becoming a starship pilot, helping to defend her scavenged homeworld, Detritus, from the never-ending attacks of the Krell. But what is beyond the Krell blockade? Could there be a new home for her people out there in the stars?
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Hafsah Faizal
[isbn]
The intricate, character-driven plotting of Graceling, the world-building of Rebel of the Sands, and the boundary-defying heroines of Tamora Pierce collide in this fierce debut from Hafsah Faizal. The Hunter is renowned in Arawiya, for he alone can enter the deadly magical forest of the Arz and return with food to spare. Prince Nasir is spoken of too, but in whispers, for he is his father’s best and cruelest assassin. But there... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Maggie Stiefvater
[isbn]
Quis somnium ipsos somniators? Ronan Lynch has a magnificent, dangerous gift, and he’s not the only one. When a voice comes to him in his dreams, he finds himself in the middle of a complicated web of forgers, dreamers, hunters, and killers. If he can’t unravel his family history and make sense of his inherited talent, he may just be staring down the end of the world. This start to bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater’s new trilogy... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Natalie C Parker
[isbn]
Captain Caledonia Styx returns in this Mad Max-esque futuristic celebration of sisterhood on the high seas! Fresh off a failed attempt to take out the man who killed her family, all Caledonia wants is to fight her way back to her crew. But when she finds herself in the midst of a group of defectors from the dictator who pulls the world’s strings, she may end up fighting her way to revolution. This joyous, thrilling series is not to be... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Ben Hatke
[isbn]
It’s the intergalactic team-up you’ve been waiting for! Jack and Zita have both had their share of adventures, but it will take all of their combined experience, cleverness, and heart (not to mention their friends!) to take down the army of giants and screeds knocking at Earth’s cosmic door.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Rick Riordan
[isbn]
Apollo (or Lester, as he’s known on Earth) faces his toughest challenge yet on his quest to restore his godly powers: the siege of Camp Jupiter. The evil Triumvirate is closing in, and while the key to victory may lie in a forgotten tomb, the ruler interred there may be worse than any foe Apollo has seen yet.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Chris Colfer
[isbn]
When Brystal became a maid at her local library to get around her country’s ban on women reading, she couldn’t know she’d find a room full of banned books, or a future in their pages. Colfer’s new venture is a searing ode to the importance of knowledge, questioning, and compassion, and the power they give us to better our world.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Rainbow Rowell
[isbn]
So, you’ve averted the apocalypse: Now what? Simon was willing to sacrifice his magic to save the world, but even a voluntary sacrifice leaves a wound. Enter boyfriend Baz, best friend Penny, and the road trip of the century. What comes after the “Chosen One” narrative? What do you do after your life’s purpose has been fulfilled?
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Mo Willems
[isbn]
The award-winning duo of Gerald the Elephant and Piggie the — well, Piggie — is back! This second “Biggie” gathers five of their previous adventures into one sure-to-be-loved volume (including my favorite, the fourth-wall-breaking We Are in a Book!). As Piggie and Gerald would say: “Five is a LOT of adventures for one book! Also, how did we get in this blurb?”
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Katie O'Neill
[isbn]
Return to the world of the Eisner Award-winning The Tea Dragon Society in this standalone companion! When Rinn finds a sleeping dragon in the woods, they learn that new friends let you see your world through new eyes; and after his long enchanted slumber, Aedhan discovers that even the most winding road can lead you where you’re meant to be.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Vicki Conrad and David Hohn
[isbn]
This beautiful picture book biography of the incredible, beloved children’s author and librarian Beverly Cleary is sure to delight both longtime fans and new readers alike. David Hohn’s joyful art feels like it belongs alongside Louis Darling’s original cover illustrations of the Klickitat Street crew, and author Vicki Conrad has clearly done her homework; the main narrative is perfect for the intended audience (ages 5-9), and the back matter... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Terri Libenson
[isbn]
Middle school is tough enough as part of a close-knit clique. But when your best friend texts you that you’ve been voted out? That’s world-shattering. It’s the last day of seventh grade, and Jaime is alone — or is she? Maybe she has more friends than she thinks — friends who don’t need her to be anything but Jaime.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Beverly Cleary
[isbn]
I have always been the Beezus to my sister Faith’s Ramona. I have so many fond early memories of our parents reading this series aloud to us (and later to my youngest sister, whose arrival paralleled Roberta’s and cemented in our minds that this series was somehow Meant For Us) that for a long time, “reading” and “Beverly Cleary” were practically synonymous in my mind. On our first childhood trip to Portland, the two most important stops on our... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Clint McElroy and Griffin McElroy and Justin McElroy
[isbn]
The second volume of this graphic novel adaptation of the McElroys' much-beloved D&D podcast grants +2 to all stats and delivers the goods. Longtime listeners and first-time readers alike are sure to be delighted by Carey Pietsch’s joyous rendering of this classic train mystery — featuring, as all good train mysteries do, a secret moon base (with no dogs allowed), a mystical being known as Garfield the Deals Warlock, questionable physics, and... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Margaret Owen
[isbn]
No one in Sabor trusts the Crows. They have no magical birthright; they’re nomads and plague tenders (being the only caste with immunity doesn’t earn them any goodwill); and their witches have an uncomfortable gift: they can channel other castes’ birthrights through bone. When Fie, a Crow chieftain-in-training, finds herself in the midst of a royal conspiracy, she just might be able to leverage her help to make a better life for her people — if... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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DK
[isbn]
This newest installment in LEGO’s excellent Build Your Own Adventure series takes young inventors to the hallowed halls of Hogwarts! The perfect gift for the kid in your life with a giant box of Legos and no idea of what to make; this book has suggestions to build their way from Privet Drive to Diagon Alley.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Joyce Wan
[isbn]
Joyce Wan turns her adorable and joyous style towards female trailblazers in this perfectly lap-read-sized board book. The text is truly geared towards ages 0 to 3, and there’s biographical info at the back, making this book a great first introduction to important women in our history — as well as a wonderful encouragement to go for the gold!
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Emma Berquist
[isbn]
A YA murder mystery with a paranormal twist! Lexi has a terrible gift: whenever she touches someone, she sees how and when they’ll die, and she’s powerless to stop it. When the ghost of a (beautiful, vivacious) girl whose death she foresaw shows up asking Lexi’s help in revenge, she’s pulled into investigating a series of murders that hits uncomfortably close to home.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Katharyn Blair
[isbn]
This fantasy debut is just plain fun, even in its darkest moments. There’s been a resurgence of powers in the world, but Vesper’s gift feels more like a curse: she can summon anyone’s worst fears into reality, and the more she tries to bottle it up, the more violently it bursts out. An underground tournament with a powered-up prize of rewriting the past could be her chance to set things right — if she can train as a fighter and master her fear in... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Sabaa Tahir
[isbn]
First in an excellent trilogy, An Ember in the Ashes introduces an ironfisted empire on the brink of civil war. Scholar Laia didn’t plan on rebellion until her brother was charged with treason. Soldier Elias may be the Empire’s poster child, but he plans to defect. When their paths intertwine, magic ensues — and the Empire may fall.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Kelly Barnhill
[isbn]
This gorgeous, masterful book reads like the best of fairy tales. Every year, the people of the Protectorate make a terrible sacrifice to keep the witch of the woods at bay — but nothing is quite as it seems, and truth buried deep will always, eventually, erupt. Can Luna piece the whole story together before it’s too late?
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Margaret Rogerson
[isbn]
Elisabeth was raised in the Great Library, where sorcerous texts are kept appeased and imprisoned lest they transform into menacing beasts. When one such monster escapes, Elisabeth is accused of conspiracy. To prove her innocence and catch the real culprits, she’ll need the help of sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn — but can she trust anyone who gained their power from a deal with a demon? Reminiscent of Howl’s Moving Castle and Strange the... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Peskimo
[isbn]
Following in the footsteps of Star Wars Block, this adorable board book is the perfect way to introduce the little geek in your life to Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Groot, and many more beloved characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe — all in Peskimo’s playful, enthralling art style!
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Kate Allen
[isbn]
Lucy’s mother, a marine biologist who studied sharks, passed away suddenly when Lucy was seven. The summer she’s 12, a great white washes ashore, and her best friend Fred ignites her interest in her mother’s old research. When tragedy strikes again, that research becomes a line through her grief and back to connection with her father. Featuring beautiful line drawings of sharks throughout, this is a gorgeous debut about coping with loss:... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Matt Myers
[isbn]
A beautiful picture book about creativity and expectations! Jamie is having a wonderful beach day — or she would be, if people would stop asking her about what she’s making and just let her make it. Why should knowing what it’s going to be get in the way of making what it is? When a fellow creator finally appears, and Jamie is understood, something magical happens. Myers’s first solo title (he’s previously illustrated a number of excellent... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Mo Willems
[isbn]
Mo Willems’s hot-headed bird friend is exploring a brave new frontier: the bathtub! Squishy, waterproof, and cute, this bath book is perfect for any toddler in your life. (Especially reluctant bathers — those who know Pigeon will be unsurprised to hear that he starts out pretty reluctant himself!)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Vera Brosgol
[isbn]
Portland illustrator Vera Brosgol has been a storyboard artist with Laika, and won a Caldecott Honor for her first picture book, Leave Me Alone! Her follow-up, The Little Guys, follows a group of tiny forest dwellers who already know they can accomplish anything if they work together, but need a lesson in being kind to those around them.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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A. S. King
[isbn]
A. S. King is known for stories that defy categorization (save for categorically bowling me over with their brilliance), and Dig. is no exception. Her immersive writing meanders between a handful of teenagers and the retired couple that eventually connects them, like tangled roots climbing back to their source. (That source is a potato. It will make sense later.)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Jennifer Donnelly
[isbn]
By the time Isabelle cuts off her toes to squeeze her foot into the glass slipper, she’s already spent years slicing parts of herself away to better fit in a world that insists only a certain type of girl is worthy: demure, charming, and — most importantly — pretty. To build a future past the end of the fairy tale, Isabelle must toe the line between Fate and Chance, rectifying her mistakes and reclaiming the pieces she’s left behind to become the... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Jesse Wiley
[isbn]
Ford the river, or take the ferry? Finish out with trails or rapids? The Oregon Trail has been giving gamers tough choices since the 1970s, so this “choose your own trail” series is a perfect adaptation. Complete with nostalgic 8-bit artwork, The Oregon Trail: Alone in the Wild is sure to entertain parents and kids alike!
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Christian Robinson
[isbn]
This sweet, playful wordless picture book is the first solo offering from Christian Robinson, illustrator of the Caldecott Honor/King Honor/Newbery Medal winner Last Stop on Market Street. A girl and her cat find a nighttime portal to another world, and an adorable adventure ensues. Perfect for the curious kiddo in your life.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Natalie C Anderson
[isbn]
Refugee, homeless, child soldier, spy: Abdi has been all these things and more to keep his family alive. Where can he go from here? Darting back and forth in time, this is a compelling story about a young man deciding whether to let himself drown or to kick back against the forces trying to keep him under the waves.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Leigh Bardugo
[isbn]
Civil war left the country of Ravka scarred — quite literally in the case of its king, Nikolai Lantsov. But scars are the least of his worries: there are monsters lurking in Nikolai’s past, and if he wants to save his country, he’ll need to vanquish his demons. Bardugo is in fine form in this return to her compelling Grishaverse!
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Django Wexler
[isbn]
Isoka, a ward boss in the slums, is used to violence. She’ll gladly confront and create it to keep her younger sister safe. But when her hidden magical talent is discovered, that dedication is held over her head: to save her sister, she must become a sacrifice to a ghost ship of legend and claim it for the emperor. With a compelling cast of characters and world building reminiscent of Brandon Sanderson, I can’t wait to see where this series goes... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Lincoln Peirce
[isbn]
When your uncle is a traveling musician, you’re expected to follow in his footsteps. But Max has no interest in singing (terrible) songs to (bored) crowds — Max wants to be a knight! An ancient prophecy and a mystic quest (all told with Lincoln Pierce’s trademark cheery humor) may lead to a chance at knighthood after all.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Eli Saslow
[isbn]
This is the most important and (surprisingly) hopeful book I’ve yet to read about the current crisis of white nationalism. Saslow deftly and evenhandedly reports the story of Derek Black, raised to inherit the white power throne, who finds his beliefs challenged by friends and strangers alike when his family history is outed at his university. Derek’s journey to overcoming (and eventually speaking against) the racist rhetoric he grew up with... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Justin McElroy, Sydnee McElroy, Teylor Smirl
[isbn]
Justin and Dr. Sydnee McElroy’s first book is as funny, educational, and fascinatingly horrifying as the podcast on which it’s based. Brilliantly illuminated by Teylor Smirl’s fantastic artwork, this is the perfect read for anyone who enjoys strange history, medical facts, or just having a good laugh at human “ingenuity” (with due celebration for the folks who’ve actually gotten things right). Remember: don’t drill a hole in your head!
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
[isbn]
YA greats Albertalli and Silvera’s collaboration is more than a love story: it’s an ode to the people whose edges line up with ours like puzzle pieces, who shape our lives and bring out the best in us. A summer — a life — can change in a single moment, if we open our hearts and let it.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Brandon Sanderson
[isbn]
Spensa has lived her whole life in the underground caverns of Detritus, the shipwreck planet that houses the last bastion of humanity. Her father inspired her to fly, but his desertion branded her a coward’s daughter. How can she claim the stars if the admiralty won’t let her reach them? A thrilling start to a sweeping new series!
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Robert Galbraith
[isbn]
This long-anticipated fourth offering in the Cormoran Strike series picks up where the third left off, and given Galbraith’s mastery of suspense, it would be a disservice to give much else away. It is worth noting that “lethal white” is a deadly equine syndrome: Who will the pale horse and his rider come for in these pages?
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Laini Taylor
[isbn]
Return to the exquisite waking dreamworld of Portland author Laini Taylor’s Strange the Dreamer. In the mythical city of Weep, Sarai and Lazlo have been transformed. Can a ghost and a godspawn end a centuries-long cycle of fear and hate? Can we choose forgiveness as our justice, or will the lure of vengeance always be too strong?
Recommended by Madeline S.
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K ONeill, Katie ONeill, Kay ONeill
[isbn]
Lana and her father moved when her mother was lost at sea. Finally back to help her beloved aunt clear storm debris, Lana finds an injured aquicorn — a magical seahorse that lives in the coral reef. The reef and the town are out of balance and in danger; can they learn to coexist? A beautiful, LGBTQ-friendly conservation fable.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Ngozi Ukazu
[isbn]
Set against a backdrop of hockey and pies — with a soundtrack that’s all Beyoncé — # Hockey follows Eric “Bitty” Bittle as he navigates coming to college, coming out, and coming to terms with his feelings for his team captain, Jack. Funny, charming, and honest, Ngozi Ukazu’s heartfelt coming-of-age comic is one of a kind: a genuine gift to the reader and an absolute joy to experience.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Carl Hiaasen
[isbn]
Billy Dickens is good at catching snakes, bad at sitting idly by, and determined to track down his long-absent, drone-flying father. Billy’s chaotic-good approach to life is a perfect outlet for Hiaasen’s trademark humor, and whether this is your first trip to his iconic Florida backwoods or your fifteenth, you’re bound to have a great time.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Jill Lepore
[isbn]
In 1776, the claim of “self-evident” equality was incendiary, integral — and hypocritical, as the Founders simultaneously debated whether slaves counted as people. Lepore’s magnificent American history does not shy away from either of these truths, celebrating the genuine triumphs of these United States, while shining a light on the many people history has tried to forget.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin, Giovanni Rigano
[isbn]
“No human being is illegal.” Elie Wiesel’s powerful words echo through this timely, heartbreaking graphic novel. Twelve-year-old Ebo is a determined, caring boy who loves his siblings and loves to sing. An achingly real human being, he and his fellows defy the faceless, easily dismissed categorization of “illegal immigrants” and challenge us to remember our common humanity.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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John Lewis and Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell
[isbn]
This incredible memoir is a masterful example of what the graphic novel format can accomplish. The emotive art and engaging storytelling work hand-in-hand to immerse the reader in Congressman John Lewis’s early life and activism, and the frame narrative of President Obama’s 2009 inauguration pulls the struggles, efforts, and hopes of the civil rights movement into the modern day. March is an essential reminder that this history is far... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Clint McElroy and Griffin McElroy and Justin McElroy
[isbn]
Dungeons and dragons and gerblins, oh my! I’m a big fan of the McElroy family’s D&D/live play podcast, and its first graphic novel adaptation is everything I hoped for and more. The McElroys' clever storytelling and Carey Pietsch’s charming illustrations give new life to this sweeping fantasy adventure without sacrificing the comedy or heart that make the podcast so wonderful. +10 to merriment, -5 to time management (listen, you’re not going to... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Madeline Miller
[isbn]
Prepare to be ensorcelled. Miller’s first novel, The Song of Achilles, is one of my favorite books of all time, so it was with a mix of excitement and dread that I picked up her long-anticipated follow-up, Circe. I’m thrilled to say she’s not a one-hit wonder: Circe is a masterpiece. Miller’s voice is clear, strong, and beautiful. The simple but poetic prose that made The Song of Achilles so magical is again at... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Drew Callander, Alana Harrison and Ryan Andrews
[isbn]
The land of Astorya is in danger, and only you can help! As a real human in a land of stories, anything you write or draw comes to life. And yes, I do mean you — you’re the main character in this unique novel/activity book, so have your pencil at the ready. Can you save Astorya?
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Kristin Cashore
[isbn]
I am wildly in love with Cashore's Seven Kingdoms trilogy, so when I heard she had a standalone novel coming out, I pretty much lost my mind. This bizarre gem of a book includes — but is not limited to — umbrellas, espionage, wildlife photography, quantum physics, Winnie the Pooh, and art fraud. In short, it is an unforgettable adventure that you'll simply have to experience for yourself.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Cole Horton, Liz Hee Heinecke
[isbn]
This fantastic project book boasts a balanced blend of scientific fact and Star Wars geekery. Activities range from easy (using the Force of static electricity to levitate tinsel) to tricky (creating a moving droid with a basic circuit). Readers will walk away more knowledgeable about how our world works — and about a galaxy far, far away.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Arree Chung
[isbn]
Reds, Yellows, and Blues each think their own color is best — so it only makes sense for them to live separately. But when a Yellow and a Blue fall in love, they create something magical: Green! A charming illustration of how, in exploring and celebrating our differences, we can make the world a kinder, more colorful place.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Chad Sell
[isbn]
In the Cardboard Kingdom, you can be whatever you want to be — a sorceress, a knight, a robot, a superhero. Most importantly, you can be yourself. This celebration of imagination is full of diverse kids fighting to be exactly who they are; the world is a kinder place when we help them succeed.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Roxane Gay
[isbn]
This moving collection of essays, edited by feminist powerhouse Roxane Gay, operates on the simple principle that any level of sexual harassment or assault is, in fact, that bad. Sure, someone else may have had it objectively “worse," but that doesn’t make what we’ve been through okay.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Sally Green
[isbn]
The Smoke Thieves boasts inventive world-building — three countries on the brink of war, a fantastic species whose dying breath is a black market drug — but it is the cast of unique characters that makes it shine. Catherine in particular is a gift: raised under a totalitarian regime where her only value is her marriageability, it’s a genuine pleasure to watch her discover her autonomy and begin to create her own definition of womanhood.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Marcus Sedgwick, Thomas Taylor
[isbn]
In the wake of her parents’ passing, Scarlett is determined to carry on the family monster-hunting tradition (aided by her trusty butler, Napoleon, and their one-of-a-kind roadster, Dorothy). With its coterie of delightful characters and fantastic creatures, this is a marvelous series starter!
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Jesse Andrews
[isbn]
In a world where size is literally dependent upon wealth, Warner is littlepoor — rat-sized. His unique speech and bleak sense of humor make this book shine. When society is set up to keep you small, here’s to rooting for the little guy!
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Clemantine Wamariya, Elizabeth Weil
[isbn]
In the most important way, this book was hard to read and harder still to put down. Clemantine Wamariya’s voice is strong, sure, and unafraid to be vulnerable, angry, flawed, and human. This is not a feel-good, rags-to-riches refugee story; nor does it sensationalize the horrors that Clemantine and her sister (and so many others) experienced. Instead, we are granted the incredible gift of sitting beside Wamariya as she constructs and claims the... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Jillian Tamaki
[isbn]
I say “beautiful.” A Caldecott Honor winner, Tamaki’s picture book debut is simple, elegant, and emotive. Sure to kick-start your imagination and warm your heart, They Say Blue is a colorful, everyday adventure.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Tamora Pierce
[isbn]
I first read Tamora Pierce the summer I turned 12, and fell in love with her particular brand of magic. This book (a standalone prequel to Wild Magic) is sure to win over new fans of all ages and recapture the attention of longtime readers.
Recommended by Madeline S.
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