Andrew Knapp
[isbn]
I think it’s a beautiful thing to teach children that sadness is a part of life. In Find Momo Everywhere, author Andrew Knapp talks directly to children about his own experience losing a pet, rather than telling a fictional story about a theoretical pet owner. I think kids will find it more real and reassuring, like your uncle gently sitting you down and telling you about how they dealt with a difficult loss and that it’s going to be... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah B.
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Gene Luen Yang and Leuyen Pham
[isbn]
An absolutely beautiful book. I fell in love right at the beginning and stayed in love throughout. It's one thing to craft relatable characters you will wholeheartedly root for — it's a separate and magical thing to create such a lovable cast of side characters with their own character arcs. The moments of physical comedy made me feel like I was watching a classic romcom and I genuinely laughed out loud several times. Then, it's another,... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah B.
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Isabel Canas
[isbn]
This gothic horror novel reminded me of HBO's series The Last of Us because it is scary, suspenseful, and visceral, while also telling a love story that will make every part of you ache. It was hard to stop myself from skipping to the end of each page.
Recommended by Sarah B.
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Briony May Smith
[isbn]
Smith's warm, quaint art style is perfect for fans of Brambly Hedge by Jill Barklem. The small town of Fairhurst is usually just as tranquil, except for Old Oak Road, where cars zoom past with no regard for small, hungry woodland creatures trying to cross to get to the blackberry bushes. This charming picture book is perfect for fans of Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey or of local government.
Recommended by Sarah B.
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Ross Montgomery, Sarah Warburton
[isbn]
While cuddling together to stay warm, this huddle of penguins fell asleep and got STUCK — and now they can't get unstuck! A journey that takes them all the way to NYC to find help, this delightful picture book is similar to an animal seek-and-find book because of the detailed furry friends on each page.
Recommended by Sarah B.
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Bess Kalb and Erin Kraan
[isbn]
Buffalo Fluffalo is in a bad mood. The kind of bad mood that even a floppy hat won't fix. Actually, Buffalo Fluffalo doesn't even want to LOOK at a floppy hat. Get that floppy hat away from him! But is Buffalo Fluffalo really as big and tough as he seems? This fun new picture book is meant to be read aloud with dramatic sound effects. Buffalo Fluffalo teaches children that, even though you might want to stay grumpy, it is worth it to... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah B.
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Maggie Tokuda Hall and Yas Imamura
[isbn]
With beautiful watercolor illustrations, Maggie Tokuda-Hall tells the story of her grandparents meeting and falling in love in the library at Minidoka, the Japanese internment camp where both George and Tama were imprisoned. She describes the constant worry and fear they felt, but also how the library and the books allowed Tama to escape, even for just a moment. This nuanced book is about injustice, perseverance, and hope.
Recommended by Sarah B.
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Raymond Antrobus
[isbn]
This children's picture book follows Little Bear as he, with the help of his father, realizes he is having trouble hearing his teachers and friends. Little Bear goes to the audiologist and takes a few tests, then he starts hearing therapy and lip-reading classes and begins to wear hearing aids. I loved how this book describes both Little Bear's experience hearing clearly for the first time, but also how sometimes Little Bear feels tired or... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah B.
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Edgar Allan Poe, Ryan G Van Cleave
[isbn]
This collection has beautiful illustrations that make the book feel like a vintage handmade collage. Van Cleave also uses the righthand margin to define key words in the poems like "talisman" or "sabre" and includes discussion questions like, "At what point does the poem take a dark turn?"
Recommended by Sarah B.
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Tricia Levenseller
[isbn]
This is a fast-paced action-adventure story with a fierce female heroine and a fiery enemies-to-lovers romance. I finished the book in one night and immediately bought the next in the series.
Recommended by Sarah B.
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Roxanne Moreil, Cyril Pedrosa
[isbn]
This is a high fantasy graphic novel that isn't being talked about enough. The art by Cyril Pedrosa is intricate and stunning and reminiscent of Fantasia and the earliest animated Disney movies. I was immediately engrossed in this fast-paced story of political upheaval and in the lives of the characters stuck in its wake. Fantasy lovers will be absolutely enthralled by this book.
Recommended by Sarah B.
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Juneau Black
[isbn]
Shady Hollow is the first in a lovely, cottagecore, cozy-murder mystery series that will satisfy your need for a fast-paced and witty amateur sleuth whodunnit.
Recommended by Sarah B.
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K. O'Neill
[isbn]
I adore this book. K O'Neill's artwork is absolutely stunning, with beautiful watercolor sunsets and vibrant desert landscapes. I love O'Neill's ability to create whimsical and cozy magical worlds that stand out from other fantasy books. This lovely and layered story also has subtle and sweet queer and disability representation that does not focus on trauma, but instead focuses on the love and care the characters have for one another. I cannot... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah B.
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Tyler Feder
[isbn]
In this graphic memoir, Feder perfectly captures the small, surreal moments involved in the death of a loved one and the sad, awkward, and messy parts of adapting to life without them. Anyone who has ever lost a parent will deeply relate and this is the perfect book to help anyone 12+ feel less isolated in their grief.
Recommended by Sarah B.
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Angeline Boulley
[isbn]
When Perry is forced to spend her summer working at the local historical center of her Anishinaabe tribe with the town oddball Cooper Turtle, she discovers her fiery passion for reclaiming the stolen remains of Ojibwe ancestors. I cried at the scene on the local ferry during golden hour when Cooper Turtle asks Perry for "her resignation or her word" to help return the remains of Warrior Girl to Sugar Island. At the start of the summer, a local... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah B.
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Kara Thomas
[isbn]
Calling all mystery/thriller readers: Kara Thomas is an author you NEED to pay attention to. Every time I thought I had made it to the climax or the main reveal in Out of the Ashes, Thomas surprised me with another unexpected twist. This book is somewhat like a roller coaster, but more like one of those amusement park rides that aggressively whips you around in a figure eight and might actually be unsafe for riders.
Recommended by Sarah B.
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Jessica Goodman
[isbn]
Camp Alpine Lake is a pristine New England summer camp where kids come from all across the country to spend the best months of the year. It is idyllic, perfect, and safe — until the dead body of a local boy is found in the camp's lake and Goldie Easton becomes suspicious of the police's "accidental death" call. Jessica Goodman does an excellent job at crafting engrossing characters and emotional twists and turns.
Recommended by Sarah B.
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Silvia Moreno Garcia
[isbn]
WARNING: this book was TERRIFYING! It genuinely kept me up at night and gave me nightmares. I brought it up in therapy and watched as my therapist wrote down the book's title and author. That being said, it was excellent and you should read it. The plot was expertly executed and the characters are so vividly detailed that you will feel like you are stuck in the spooky mansion with them.
Recommended by Sarah B.
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T Kingfisher
[isbn]
Kingfisher weaves in vivid and jarring elements of horror — a pelican dentist, a cursed ventriloquist, and more — into this high-fantasy story in a way that scared but also delighted me.
Recommended by Sarah B.
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Scott Mccloud
[isbn]
Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art gives readers an introduction to storytelling via the media of comics or graphic novels. McCloud explains basic theory and concepts in a clear and engaging way for anyone who is new to the genre or seeking to better understand its complexities. While this book would work as a textbook, it would also make an excellent gift for anyone who loves comics and graphic novels.
Recommended by Sarah B.
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Kara Thomas
[isbn]
Instead of going to sleep, I stayed up all night and finished this book in one sitting. Kara Thomas does an excellent job at writing female protagonists that feel real and relatable. This is the first book I recommend when anyone is looking for something new to read and it's perfect for fans of Karen McManus, Holly Jackson, or Courtney Summers.
Recommended by Sarah B.
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Morgan Matson
[isbn]
Every Morgan Matson book is genuinely funny and layered without being heavy. If you're in the mood for a light, heartwarming read, this is the YA book for you.
Recommended by Sarah B.
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Kendare Blake
[isbn]
I was immediately hooked by the premise of this book — three sisters forced into a competition and a fight to the death for the crown. This book was recommended to me by a friend who reads YA fantasy nonstop and it's one of her favorites and now mine.
Recommended by Sarah B.
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