Sohla El-Waylly
[isbn]
Sohla El-Waylly. Too good for the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen (they didn’t deserve her!!) but absolutely necessary for your kitchen. I have no idea what I’m doing when it comes to cooking but this book is so darn accessible! Start Here doesn’t presume you know what your doing — it says “that’s ok” and helps you learn not only recipes but also the foundational hows and whys that will inspire you to become the... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Sophie Blackall
[isbn]
What would you do if you were a horse? The imaginative narrator of this delightful new picture book from Caldecott Medalist Sophie Blackall has some ideas! Classic, playful, and charming — sure to garner many a suggestion for your horse-ish to-do list at story time.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Jon Klassen
[isbn]
A young runaway befriends (and capably protects!) a skull in this spooky-charming folklore retelling perfect for little readers who get thrills from a few bone-rattling chills. Trust picture-book master Jon Klassen to turn this set up into a perfectly weird and atmospheric tale of friendship, humor, heroism, and suspense.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Gracey Zhang
[isbn]
A cacophonous, celebratory, cat-filled concerto about finding your own musical voice and finding your audience. Beautifully illustrated and just plain fun. You’ll want to pick up a violin, a paintbrush, or maybe both.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro
[isbn]
I will always be delighted to return to the world of Percy Jackson, even if it means putting my best boy Nico and his best boy Will through the terrors of Tartarus. Luckily the pair are in deft hands on this adventure co-written by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro — the latter of whom brings an exciting new voice and perspective to this much-beloved series.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Esther Yi
[isbn]
Esther Yi writes sentences the way I like to read sentences: clipped, pointed, acerbic, honest, and delightfully funny. Y/N captivated me. It’s an absurd and surreal exploration of the transcendent rise that comes with singular obsession and identity-through-devotion alongside the uneasy and uncomfortable fall that follows.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Claire Dederer
[isbn]
In the introduction to Monsters, Claire Dederer recollects an adage from poet William Emerson, "life involves maintaining oneself between contradictions that can't be solved by analysis." Dederer wants to know what to do with bad behavior — monstrous behavior — and good — even excellent — art. Can the audience think themself out of that contradiction? Can they feel their way out? Do they just have to sit there… maintaining? What do we... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Martha Wells
[isbn]
This was one of those books that I devoured over a long weekend and every second I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about how much I wished I was. I adore every little thing I learned about the cultures, peoples, and histories in this world and would happily visit again and again (please! more!). Also, maybe I only want to read epic fantasies with hyper-competent protagonists tasked with solving their own murders served with a side of massive... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Zach Weinersmith and Boulet
[isbn]
A magnificent middle reader graphic novel retelling worthy of the source material. The great hall? A great treehouse. Our heroes? Kid-conquerors of suburbia. Our monster? A joyless adult. Like the old epic, I was hooked from the first poetic kenning.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Kikuko Tsumura and Polly Barton
[isbn]
Deliciously odd and all too relatable. A young woman's quest for an "easy" job (close to home, little thinking, preferably sitting) intersects with the surreal, the suspicious, and (maybe, hopefully) the meaningful. Unlike some workdays, I never wanted this book to end.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Matthew Cordell
[isbn]
On more than one occasion I have felt like a very small and timid squirrel sent on a quest through the big wide forest. I hope to always face my fears with as much tenacity (and as little soup-spilling) as little Evergreen. This is a beautiful picture book, told in brief episodic chapters, that brims with classic charm and gentle humor.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Tamara Shopsin
[isbn]
I’m positive that Tamara Shopsin reached directly into my heart and pulled this book out of my combined desires for fiction that is odd, scrappy, and deliciously niche and to know things that are odd, scrappy, and deliciously niche. A coming-of-age set inside the legendary nineties indie Mac repair shop Tekserve. It’s wistful fiction and fascinating history. I’m old enough for floppy discs to have been on my school supply lists — only just — and... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Randall Munroe
[isbn]
No one speaks to my unending desire for fun facts like Randall Munroe. Always delightful, absolutely hilarious, and yet somehow along the way you’re learning thermodynamics or aerospace engineering. Real science with wacky scenarios — a perfect shared read accessible to curious minds of any age.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
[isbn]
My all-time favorite fairy tale could be in the hands of no finer picture book duo. Barnett and Klassen know how to have the last laugh; this troll doesn’t know what’s coming to him. I would talk my way across a BILLION troll bridges to make sure you read this book.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Aiden Thomas
[isbn]
Portland author Aiden Thomas (Lost in the Never Woods, Cemetery Boys) is bringing all my favorite YA things in this duology opener: rich mythology, perilous competitive trials, teen drama, witty banter, found family, joyful queerness, and dazzling worldbuilding. Plus, if that wasn’t enough, there are so many fun birds. More YA books should have fun birds.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Naomi Novik
[isbn]
Uprooted by Naomi Novik is one of those stories that you feel has somehow always existed. I mean that as a highest compliment. It captures the essence of a classic fairy-tale: what is really in that tower? and just how dangerous are those woods exactly? Novik has proven time and time again that she’s a fantasy collection must-have with napoleonic dragons, magic schools, fable, and more. Still, Uprooted is where... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Paolo Bacigalupi
[isbn]
This story hits the ground running through the dangerous winding streets of a future Bangkok, walled against the rising sea and populated with characters clawing out existence amidst food shortage and energy collapse. One of the single greatest science fiction settings I have every had the pleasure of “visiting.” Calories have become currency, crops are going extinct, and synthetic lifeforms are on the brink (or past the point) of singularity.... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Neil Gaiman
[isbn]
In 1992, Neil Gaiman moved to America. In 2001, he released American Gods. In the 10th anniversary edition, he recollects “this strange huge place where [he] now found [himself] living” and the urge not just to understand it but also to describe it. Describe it he did. I hesitate to use the term “masterwork” in book reviewing but here no lesser word applies. American Gods is masterful. Gaiman’s ability as a storyteller and myth... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Ling Ma
[isbn]
I almost never finish short story collections but I absolutely could not put this one down. Weird, wry, wonderful, searching, and observant — Ma is a delight to read.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Gabrielle Zevin
[isbn]
Video games and their infinite potential as transgressive, powerful, artistic endeavors told through the incisive and probing medium of literary fiction? It’s about time. If you’ve ever loved an indie game, sought meaningful connection, or considered the vast possibilities of human creativity: this one’s for you.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Julia Sarda
[isbn]
Three sisters venture into the woods for a wild, and occasionally worrisome, nighttime adventure. A visual dreamy delight that invokes the wonder and mystery of childhood and the neverland-esque apprehension towards what comes after. The kind of book that will stay in the imagination long after storytime ends.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Nghi Vo
[isbn]
I cannot get enough of Nghi Vo's mesmerizing world-building and characterization. Her very sentences dazzle. In Siren Queen, Vo steeps pre-Code Hollywood in dangerous and deadly magic while her protagonist strives, trades, and outsmarts her way along the perilous and unforgiving road to stardom. Chilling, seductive, and wonderful.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Rachel Ignotofsky
[isbn]
I love beautiful illustrations and I love technology so I’m pretty stoked to see this book on computers for curious young readers (and curious readers just generally) from Rachel Ignotofsky — beloved author/illustrator of Women in Science. Accessible and educational, this book explores the people and innovations that made computing possible. Dive into the ways this technology has changed the world, is changing the world, and will... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Francesca Sanna
[isbn]
Fear is a complicated emotion. When overfed, it is stifling, isolating, and controlling. Me and My Fear is a gorgeous look at a young girl starting a new school in an unfamiliar place and her relationship with her growing fear. With Sanna’s empathetic gaze and imaginative illustrations this book reminds that anxieties come in all different shapes and sizes. In turn, it offers young readers an important lesson: fear may never disappear... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Min Jin Lee
[isbn]
This is what it means for a book to be "readable." 500 pages fly by in an astounding, devastating, breathtaking instant.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Adib Khorram
[isbn]
New YA from Adib Khorram? Sign me up! New YA from Adib Khorram about boy bands, the pressures of being queer in the public eye, complex and supportive friendships, and existing on your own terms even under a spotlight? Sign me up an extra time somehow! A dazzling and delightful read. Queue up a playlist of your favorite boy band tracks and buckle up, you won’t want to leave this tour bus.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Pam Muñoz Ryan
[isbn]
Newbery Honoree Pam Muñoz Ryan returns with a new story for middle readers! Solimar is a princess newly gifted with magic and she must put her powers, courage, and compassion to the test to save her kingdom beset by a greedy king and the endangered butterflies that also call it home. An entrancing and empowering journey from one of the genre’s most beloved voices.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Matthew Forsythe
[isbn]
Mina has some suspicions about the “squirrel” her father brings home one day as a surprise. Will she be able to convince her trusting father that squirrels don’t have pointy ears and very cat-like eyes? Matthew Forsythe is vying for a top spot amongst my favorite picture book makers. His deadpan humor, the colors, the dramatic irony of it all: picture-book-perfect.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Dana Schwartz
[isbn]
The setting: 1800s Edinburgh. The set-up: a lady who dreams of being a surgeon has a chance encounter with a resurrection man just trying to survive. The result? A gothic YA debut that truly has everything: ambition, medicine, murder, romance, science, romance WITH science, and yes, some casual grave digging. Anatomy: A Love Story is clever, thrilling, fun, and gross (in a good way).
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Mac Barnett and Carson Ellis
[isbn]
A child sets out on a journey to understand the nature of love but finds that the answer to his question looks very different from person to person. I am so delighted to see this team-up! Mac Barnett and Carson Ellis have been rocking the picture book world separately for years and this first project from them as a creative duo is a gentle, sweetly humorous, and always heartfelt joy.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Mo Willems
[isbn]
Mo Willems proves once again that he is a true master of the picture book, this time with an invitation to explore opposites with abstract ideas, clever comparisons, and eye-popping color. The thoughtful prompts Willems provides will have readers, young and old, looking at the world with curiosity and wonder.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Andrea Beaty, David Roberts
[isbn]
A new friend for the Questioneers! Aaron Slater dreams of telling stories but his struggles with reading and writing make him fear it’s impossible. Can some imagination and inspiration help Aaron tell a story that’s all his own? Full of joyful art, earnest encouragement, and the most fun story time rhymes around, here is another excellent addition to this wonderful series.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Sally Rooney
[isbn]
Beautiful World, Where Are You follows longtime friends Eileen, an editorial assistant, and Alice, a novelist, grappling with their lives, relationships, contradictions, and cynicism. Emails between the two women — written the way you and your friends hope you sound in your smartest, wittiest, and most introspective moments — give Rooney a venue to explore everything from mental health to politics and climate change to sex.
(read more)
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Katherine Applegate
[isbn]
11-year-old Willodeen is the only one in Perchance with love for some of the more unfavorable creatures in the surrounding wilderness, notably the disruptive (and smelly!) Screechers. Her empathy and penchant for quiet observation mean she’s the first to notice how disruptions in the ecosystem may be the root of the village’s trouble. This fairy tale-like story mixes Willodeen’s determination with a little bit of magic to encourage young readers... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
David Levithan and Jennifer Niven
[isbn]
When Bea Ahern runs away, she makes sure to check every box on her hastily searched "how to run away from home" list, except one. She can’t quite "cut all contact and don’t look back," not when her younger brother Ezra is now alone in their abusive household. Written by two masters of YA storytelling, this riveting and moving story of siblinghood and trust, told in back-and-forth emails, will capture your heart.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Padma Lakshmi and Juana Martinez Neal
[isbn]
A lush and heartfelt ode to things that grow, be it seasonal tomatoes on farms or in backyard gardens, cultural traditions that grow like the recipes Neela so carefully records (and shares with readers!), or the intergenerational love between mothers and daughters that blossoms through the shared art of cooking. Stunning.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Tom Gauld
[isbn]
This sweet fairy tale is beautifully crafted with endearing, detailed art and expertly told with not a word out of place and just the right dash of wit. You will want to return to this particular adventure with the Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess again and again while sly references to side adventures (The Magic Pudding! The Haunted Well!) will set your imagination to work.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Gracey Zhang
[isbn]
You can't help but be drawn in by the jubilant yellow and movement-filled sketchbook illustrations of this delightful debut. But, as the title suggests, it is Lala's words that will capture your heart. Kind words become magical incantation in this story from Lala's first whispered "hello, hello friends" to her mother's final "you are so very special." So very special indeed.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Angie Thomas
[isbn]
The Hate U Give has left such an indelible mark on YA fiction and the culture at large that it is hard to believe it was only published four years ago. This powerful, nuanced, and inspiring story of personal struggle amidst injustice and societal upheaval was both propelled by, and a catalyst for, current events. It wasn’t the first young adult book to speak truth to power — YA is a genre primed for such statements — but in speaking... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Tim O'Brien
[isbn]
No single book has had more of an impact on how I interact with fiction than Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried. Still, it is difficult to articulate just how monumental this novel is. I could tell you that this is the one book assigned in high school with a place of honor on my bookshelf. I could examine failings of US history classes and how O’Brien’s “war story” — his “love story” — was my first entry point to the Vietnam war. You... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Sandra Cisneros
[isbn]
In the introduction to the 25th Anniversary edition, Sandra Cisneros refers to the collection of vignettes that make up The House on Mango Street as “a jar of buttons.” Mismatched “little stories” that came together in the telling into one of literature's most enduring portraits of a neighborhood, a time, a coming-of-age. The House on Mango Street was my first brush with vignettes — how exciting to find that a novel could be... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Patricia Lockwood
[isbn]
Despite the title, or perhaps because of it, I cannot stop telling people about this book. No One Is Talking About This is so deeply affecting and speaks so immersively to “now” — being both a love letter to and an indictment of our digital lives — that I can’t decide if I want all fiction to be like this from now on or nothing to be like it ever again. I spent the first half laughing aloud. At times, I felt like I was reading a modern... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Esme Shapiro
[isbn]
Toad hats are very opinionated. Carol has learned to live with her bossy bonnet, but when an opportunistic pigeon whisks it away she must find the value in her own voice. Esmé Shapiro's imagination is a wonderful place. Carol and the Pickle Toad strikes the perfect balance of odd and heartfelt wrapped in a vivid cityscape full of delightful background characters and yes, a lot of hats.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Natasha Pulley
[isbn]
Natasha Pulley has an uncanny ability to make me feel some kind of way about the concept of time. The interplay of time and memory in her newest novel, The Kingdoms, wows to astounding and gut-wrenching effect. Truly it has everything: alternate history, naval warfare, a yearning-filled love story, and temporally displaced tortoises. I did yell out loud alone in my apartment as I neared the end, which is about as glowing an endorsement... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Molly Knox Ostertag
[isbn]
Morgan Kwon keeps her life in boxes: family troubles here, social life there, and a future where she’s free to be herself in the distance. Things start to change when a mysterious girl from the sea splashes into her life and helps her realize that you don’t have to wait to be yourself. Beautifully illustrated, this sweet graphic novel of first love and self-acceptance is the perfect addition to a summer bookshelf.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Nghi Vo
[isbn]
The Chosen and the Beautiful is a stunning fantasy reimagining of The Great Gatsby with Jordan Baker — recast as a queer, immigrant, adoptee — at the center. Nghi Vo weaves magic into the very fabric of Fitzgerald’s classic and with the same deft hand conjures some of the most magical sentences I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Seductive, subversive, and dazzling.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Andrea Beaty and David Roberts
[isbn]
Full of fun activities and accessible explanations, this hands-on guide to making a difference — guided by the Questioneers Series’ resident activist, Sofia Valdez — is a perfect starting point for young change-makers looking at the world and asking: “How can I help?”
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Robin Robinson
[isbn]
When cautious Bix’s impulsive little sister runs off into danger, Bix must brave the treacherous unknown to get her back. The adventure that follows is heartwarming, punctuated with bursts of humor, and beautifully illustrated. Robin has crafted a fantasy world that I would be delighted to return to again and again.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Sophie Beer
[isbn]
Sophie Beer's art is always brimming with color and joy. I have gifted so many copies of Kindness Makes Us Strong this year; it is a particularly apt choice right now for parents with little ones teaching empathy and working through tough conversations with their kids. Bright, diverse, and hopeful, this book reminds us that, like so many things, kindness is a skill and can be practiced. Help a neighbor! Wave at a friend! Be patient with... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Patricia Maclachlan, Francesca Sanna
[isbn]
You will gasp aloud when you turn the first page of this beautiful ode to our planet. The interplay of cut-out pieces and flip-through pages gives the whole work movement and an immersive quality that is unlike anything I have seen in a recent picture book. Patricia MacLachlan's sweet evocative text could be in the hands of no better illustrator than Francesca Sanna.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Colin Meloy and Shawn Harris
[isbn]
Jubilant and exuberant! This book is a joy to behold. You may be tempted to turn the pages quickly just to see what delightful goings-on happen next, but the bright, retro-feeling illustrations are filled with such humor and detail that each page begs a thorough exploration. Keep an eye out for frogs on every page, a very good book list, and a well-stocked bookshelf.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Jessica Kim
[isbn]
Shy Yumi Chung is supposed to study all summer long so she can pass a prestigious scholarship exam, but all she wants to do is practice her stand-up comedy. What follows is a story all about trusting yourself to be yourself, filled with strong friendships, YouTube stardom, mistaken identity, and of course plenty of comedy. The family dynamics really shine as the heart of the story and you never doubt the Chung family's love and support for each... (read more)
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Kat Zhang, Charlene Chua
[isbn]
For anyone who has ever struggled to make something "perfect," little Amy's quest to bao perfection is a colorful joy! Full of enthusiasm, bright illustrations, families cooking together, and a very good bao recipe.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Davina Bell and Allison Colpoys
[isbn]
An important reminder for readers of all ages that there are so many wonderful ways to be smart. Vibrant colors and charming whimsical illustrations fill the pages with character, and the rhythmic, rhyming text makes it a delight to read out loud. A necessary and joyful celebration of all the different things that we can do, from"reading, writing, spelling" to "caring, sharing, scaring" to my personal favorite "drawing very pointy stars."
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Emmy Kastner
[isbn]
Listen, have you ever seen anything cuter than the planet Earth on the cover of this book? Me neither, and it only gets cuter from there! Full of good info and smart humor, this board book is a fantastic and welcome addition to the growing body of baby space books.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Beth Ferry, The Fan Brothers
[isbn]
Talk about spinning gold from straw! This picture book from Beth Ferry, with illustrations by master storybook artists the Fan Brothers, is a true gem. It is told in a poetic cadence that reads aloud beautifully, filled with lush and detailed illustrations, and contains a tender tale of a most unlikely friendship. It definitely managed to provoke some heartfelt "awwws" and maybe a few tears from the picture book team.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer
[isbn]
There is so much I love about this book — a thoroughly charming reverse parent trap. It comes from a powerhouse author duo, the main characters are hilarious and lovable, there are two summer camps (each deliciously terrible in their own ways), it features one of the best middle reader covers I've seen in ages, and most of all, it includes a powerful message about what it means to create and be a family.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|
Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
[isbn]
The best picture books live just a little to the left of weird and inexplicable. Circle, like its predecessors Triangle and Square, is one such bizarre delight. I hope Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen make books together forever.
Recommended by Sarah R.
|