2024 Top SCLS Youth Services Recommended Children, Tween and Teen Books.

The books on this list are recommended by the Sussex County Youth Services Team as their favorite reads in 2024. Many were used in our storytimes, book clubs and other programs throughout the 2024 year.

Updated December 17, 2024
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Anne of Green Gables /
Montgomery, L. M.
Paper Book
The cherished favorite featuring everyone's favorite red-headed orphan, now in a deluxe hardcover edition with beautiful cover illustrations by Anna Bond, the artist behind world-renowned stationery brand Rifle Paper Co. The classic Anne of Green Gables;inspiration for the...
The Bad Guys in one last thing
Blabey, Aaron
Paper Book
Now a major motion picture! "I wish I'd had these books as a kid. Hilarious!" -- Dav Pilkey, creator of Captain Underpants and Dog Man They may look like Bad Guys, but these wannabe heroes are doing good deeds... whether you like it or not in this New York Times<...
Be quiet! /
Higgins, Ryan T.
Paper Book
All Rupert the mouse wants is to star in a beautiful, wordless picturebook. One that's visually stimulating! With scenic pictures! And style! He has plenty of ideas about what makes a great book, but his friends just WON'T. STOP. TALKING. Children and adults alike will chuckle at this comedic...
Bear snores on /
Wilson, Karma.
Paper Book
One by one, a whole host of different animals and birds find their way out of the cold and into Bear's cave to warm up. But even after the tea has been brewed and the corn has been popped, Bear just snores on! See what happens when he finally wakes up and finds his cave full of uninvited...
Big /
Harrison, Vashti,
Paper Book
Winner of the Caldecott Medal! A Coretta Scott King Award Author and Illustrator Honor book, a National Book Award finalist, and a New York Times bestseller! This deeply moving story shares valuable lessons about fitting in, standing out, and the beauty of joyful acceptance,...
The Bletchley Riddle
Sepetys, Ruta/ Sheinkin, Steve
Paper Book
A stunning collaboration between award-winning and bestselling authors Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin, this middle grade historical adventure follows two siblings at Bletchley Park, the home of WWII codebreakers, as they try to unravel a mystery surrounding their mother's disappearance.
The book that did not want to be read /
Sundin, David,
Paper Book
Beware! This picture book will do anything in its power to stay unread in this fun, interactive, and irresistibly silly read-aloud perfect for fans of The Book with No Pictures and Press Here. WARNING! Stop what you're doing! Don't you know that this book does...
The book thief
Zusak, Markus.
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE'S 100 BEST YA BOOKS OF ALL TIME * A NEW YORK TIMES READER TOP 100 PICK FOR BEST BOOKS OF THE 21ST CENTURY The extraordinary, beloved novel about the ability of books to feed the soul even in the darkest of times...
Delicious in dungeon.
Kui, Ryoko,
Paper Book
With the possibility of starvation as a constant companion, Laios's party continues advancing deeper into the dungeon. The adventurers have made it to the third floor, but only rotting zombies, ghastly spirits, living paintings, and golems await them--all of which are absolutely inedible. The party...
Delicious in dungeon.
Kui, Ryoko,
Paper Book
When young adventurer Laios and his company are attacked and soundly thrashed by a dragon deep in a dungeon, the party loses all its money and provisions...and a member! They're eager to go back and save her, but there is just one problem: If they set out with no food or coin to speak of, they're...
Delicious in dungeon.
Kui, Ryoko,
Paper Book
New dangers and new recipes await the party in the third installment of the utterly unique and endearing Delicious in Dungeon!
Don't let the pigeon drive the bus! /
Willems, Mo.
Paper Book
Mo Willems, #1 New York Times best-selling creator and three-time Caldecott Honoree, presents the book that started it all: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! Finally, a book you can say "no" to!   When the Bus Driver takes a break from his route,...
Endlessly ever after : pick your path to countless fairy tale endings! : a story of Little Red Riding Hood, Jack, Hansel, Gretel, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, a wolf, a witch, a goose, a grandmother, some pigs, and endless variations
Snyder, Laurel
Paper Book
This funny, original, choose-your-path picture book of fractured fairy tales will charm any young fan of the genre, putting the power of storytelling right in the reader's hands! Grab your basket and your coat. Put on some walking shoes. Turn the page...
The field guide /
DiTerlizzi, Tony.
Paper Book
Book 1 in The Spiderwick ChroniclesA #1 New York Times BestsellerGo away . . . close the book . . . put it down . . . do not look.
The girl who drank the moon /
Barnhill, Kelly Regan.
Paper Book
Winner of the 2017 Newbery Medal The New York Times Bestseller An Entertainment Weekly Best Middle Grade Book of 2016 A New York Public Library Best Book of 2016 A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2016
Goodnight moon /
Brown, Margaret Wise,
Paper Book
In this classic of children's literature, beloved by generations of readers and listeners, the quiet poetry of the words and the gentle, lulling illustrations combine to make a perfect book for the end of the day. In a great green room, tucked away in bed, is a little bunny. "Goodnight...
The grace of wild things /
Fawcett, Heather
Paper Book
An inventive and fantastical reimagining of Anne of Green Gables--with magic and witches!--that explores found family, loss, and the power of a girl's imagination, from the acclaimed author of The Language of Ghosts and The School Between Winter and Fairyland. Perfect for readers who loved The...
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix /
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
The next volume in the thrilling, moving, bestselling Harry Potter series will reach readers June 21, 2003 -- and it's been worth the wait!We could tell you, but then we'd have to Obliviate your memory.
Hot mess /
Kinney, Jeff
Paper Book
In Hot Mess, book 19 of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series from #1 international bestselling author Jeff Kinney, Greg Heffley is in for a particularly awkward summer with his whole family. The pressure is building for Greg Heffley, who discovers that when you...
The house in the night /
Swanson, Susan Marie.
Paper Book
This Caldecott Medal-winning picture book gets children ready for bed with rhythmic text and glowing illustrations that explore the warmth and light that makes us feel at home. "Here is the key to the house." Inside the house are nighttime things both...
House of roots and ruin /
Craig, Erin A.
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * A modern masterpiece, this is a classic Gothic thriller-fantasy from bestselling author Erin A. Craig, about doomed love, menacing ambition, and the ghosts that haunt us forever. In a manor by the sea, one sister is still cursed.
How do dinosaurs say good night? /
Yolen, Jane
Paper Book
Perfect for bedtime reading, children love the laugh-aloud antics of playful dinosaur children who stomp and fuss and jump on the bed in this award-winning New York Times bestseller! How do dinosaurs say good night? Brimming with humor and familiar good-night...
How to catch an elf /
Wallace, Adam,
Paper Book
The hundred dresses /
Estes, Eleanor,
Paper Book
A 1945 Newbery Honor Book Eleanor Estes's The Hundred Dresses won a Newbery Honor in 1945 and has never been out of print since. At the heart of the story is Wanda Petronski, a Polish girl in a Connecticut school who is ridiculed by her classmates for...
Last night at the Telegraph Club /
Lo, Malinda.
Paper Book
Winner of the National Book Award A New York Times Bestseller "The queer romance we've been waiting for."--Ms. Magazine Seventeen-year-old Lily Hu can't remember exactly when the feeling took root--that desire to look, to move closer, to touch....
The Mona Lisa vanishes :
Day, Nick
Paper Book
A "witty thriller" (The New York Times) for middle-grade readers about how the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre, how the robbery made the portrait the most famous artwork in the world--and how the painting by Leonardo da Vinci should never have existed at all. ...
Neither /
Anderson, Airlie,
Paper Book
In this colorful and touching story that celebrates what makes each of us unique, a little creature that's not quite a bird and not quite a bunny--it's "neither"--searches for a place to fit in. In the Land of This and That, there are only two kinds: blue bunnies...
Next stop
Fong, Debbie
Paper Book
Get ready for a graphic novel road trip with more than just a few bumps in the road! Middle schooler Pia is dealing with grief as she finds herself on the biggest adventure of her life--a bus tour stopping at weird and wacky roadside attractions. Inspired by a real life road trip and...
The okay witch
Steinkellner, Emma,
Paper Book
A School Library Journal Best Graphic Novel of 2019 A YALSA 2020 Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers A YALSA 2020 Great Graphic Novel for Teens Sabrina the Teenage Witch meets Roller Girl in this hilarious, one-of-a-kind...
The Polar Express /
Van Allsburg, Chris
Paper Book
The Polar Expressis a treasured holiday tradition. This lavish gift set includes a CD audio recording read by Liam Neeson, a keepsake "All Aboard" ornament, and a note from author Chris Van Allsburg. Awarded the prestigious Caldecott Medal...
The red pyramid
Riordan, Rick.
Paper Book
Since their mother's death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. Sadie lived with her grandparents in London while her brother traveled the world with their father, Egyptologist Dr. Julius Kane. One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment " at the British...
Room on the broom /
Donaldson, Julia.
Paper Book
This fun family read-aloud is the perfect way to start Halloween celebrations and an ideal gift book. A sweet story of quick wits, friendship, and inclusivity from the creators of The Gruffalo! The witch and her cat are happily flying through the sky on a broomstick when...
Share some kindness, bring some light
Stott, Apryl
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller​! "It's impossible to resist [this book's] big-hearted appeal." --BookPage ​A little girl and her friend Bear learn the true meaning of selfless kindness in this sweet, stunningly...
Snowmen at night
Buehner, Caralyn.
Paper Book
Have you ever built a snowman and discovered the next day that his grin has gotten a little crooked, or his tree-branch arms have moved? And you've wondered . . . what do snowmen do at night? This delightful wintertime tale reveals all! Caralyn Buehner's witty, imaginative verse offers many amusing...
A spoonful of frogs /
Lyall, Casey,
Paper Book
Frogs are the most important ingredient in a witch's favorite treat--but they are also the hardest to get into the cauldron! From acclaimed author Casey Lyall and Caldecott Honor artist Vera Brosgol, A Spoonful of Frogs is a humorous and wholly original picture book--and a...
Star splitter /
Kirby, Matthew J.,
Paper Book
A 2024 Edgar Award Nominee! Survival and self-determination collide in this haunting, pulse-pounding science fiction novel from Edgar Award-winning author Matthew J. Kirby that spans both space and time. "An intense, read-in-one-sitting kind of ride.″--<...
Strange the dreamer /
Taylor, Laini.
Paper Book
From National Book Award finalist Laini Taylor comes an epic fantasy about a mythic lost city and its dark past. The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around--and Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has always feared his dream chose poorly....
I survived the Black Death, 1348 /
Tarshis, Lauren.
Paper Book
The Black Death was a pandemic of unimaginable propotions, taking the lives of 75 - 200 million people worldwide. Lauren Tarshis's story of one girl surviving the plague pulses with terror, action, and hope. The deadliest disease in the history of the world... Elsie dreams of...
The Tea Dragon Society /
O'Neill, Kay
Paper Book
From the award-winning author of Princess Princess Ever After comes The TeaDragon Society, a charming all-ages book that follows the story of Greta, ablacksmith apprentice, and the people she meets as she becomes entwined in theenchanting world of tea dragons. After discovering a...
There was a cold lady who swallowed some snow!
Colandro, Lucille.
Paper Book
For use in schools and libraries only. This time, the old lady is swallowing everything from snow to a pipe, some coal, a hat, and more! With rollicking, rhyming text and funny illustrations, this lively version will appeal to young readers. And this time, there is a surprise at the end no re
They all saw a cat /
Wenzel, Brendan,
Paper Book
New York Times bestseller and Caldecott Medal winner They All Saw a Cat is a visual delight and a charming read-aloud that invites kids and parents to explore the concept of perception. The cat walked through the world, with its...
Tokyo night parade /
Takahashi, J. P.,
Paper Book
Spirited Away meets Where the Wild Things Are by way of yokai mythology in this enchanting picture book by debut author J. P. Takahashi and illustrator Minako Tomigahara. The night parade is about to begin . . . The ground thunders in Tokyo. A gust of wind blows. The...
The unteachables /
Korman, Gordon
Paper Book
A hilarious new middle grade novel from beloved and bestselling author Gordon Korman about what happens when the worst class of kids in school is paired with the worst teacher--perfect for fans of Ms. Bixby's Last Day. A good choice for summer reading or anytime! The Unteachables are a...
I want my hat back /
Klassen, Jon
Paper Book
A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of 2011! A picture-book delight by a rising talent tells a cumulative tale with a mischievous twist. The bear's hat is gone, and he wants it back. Patiently and politely, he asks the animals he comes...
We don't eat our classmates! /
Higgins, Ryan T.
Paper Book
But it's hard to make human friends when they're so darn delicious! That is, until Penelope gets a taste of her own medicine and finds she may not be at the top of the food chain after all. . . . Readers will gobble up this hilarious new story from award-winning author-illustrator Ryan T. Higgins.
The wild robot /
Brown, Peter,
Paper Book
Now a DreamWorks movie available on Prime Video! This #1 New York Times bestselling illustrated middle grade novel from a Caldecott Honor winner tells an extraordinary story full of action and thought-provoking questions as a robot learns to survive--and...
A wrinkle in time /
L'Engle, Madeleine
Paper Book
NEWBERY MEDAL WINNER * TIME MAGAZINE'S 100 BEST FANTASY BOOKS OF ALL TIME * NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE FROM DISNEY Read the ground-breaking science fiction and fantasy classic that has delighted children for over 60 years! "A Wrinkle in Time<...

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