Ledding Library Staff Favorites of 2025Unpublished

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#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * ONE OF BARACK OBAMA'S FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2025 * NEW YORK TIMES 100 NOTABLE BOOKS OF 2025 * KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOKS OF 2025 * NPR BOOKS WE LOVE 2025 "A must-read for progressives who want a blueprint for reforming...

A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year | A Chicago Public Library Best Kids' Book of the Year | An NCTE Charlotte Huck Award Honor Book | A 2025 Horn Book Fanfare Selection Book # 1 New York Times bestselling and Newbery Honor author...

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK * From the author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & The Six comes an epic new novel set against the backdrop of the 1980s space shuttle program about the extraordinary lengths we go...

NATIONAL BESTSELLER * Three women in three different eras encounter danger and witchcraft in this eerie multigenerational horror saga from the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic. "In Silvia Moreno-Garcia's sure hands, every uncovered secret is...

In this "unflinching and wildly entertaining" investigation of the modern New Age movement in America, a journalist aims to understand how women like Amy Carlson (the leader of Love Has Won) and others become devoutly invested in their beliefs (Talia Lavin, author of Culture Warlords)....

"Utterly charming . . . I would read a hundred of these stories." --Shelby Van Pelt, New York Times bestselling author of Remarkably Bright Creatures Seven struggling customers are given the unique opportunity to take home a "blanket cat" . . . but only for three days,...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK AS FEATURED ON TODAY * Three estranged siblings return to their family home in New York after their beloved sister's death in this "deeply nuanced and compelling" (Vogue) novel, from the acclaimed author of...

"Jon Swift + Witches of Eastwick + Kelly 'Get In Trouble' Link + Mean Girls + Creative Writing Degree Hell! No punches pulled, no hilarities dodged, no meme unmangled! O Bunny you are sooo genius!" --Margaret Atwood, via Twitter "A wild, audacious and ultimately unforgettable novel."...

From the best-selling author of The Dog Stars and The Last Ranger, a novel about two men-friends since boyhood-who emerge from the woods of rural Maine to a dystopian country racked by bewildering violence Every year, Jess and Storey have made an annual pilgrimage...

WINNER OF THE 2016 ARTHUR C. CLARKE AWARDThe last remnants of the human race left a dying Earth, desperate to find a new home among the stars. Following in the footsteps of their ancestors, they discover the greatest treasure of the past age - a world terraformed and prepared for human life...

A Michael L. Printz Honor Book A queer Appalachian thriller that pulls no punches--following a trans autistic teen who's drawn into the generational struggle between the rural poor and those who exploit them. The INSTANT New York Times, USA Today, and Indie...

Mr. & Mrs. Smith meets The Hating Game in this heartfelt, witty, and utterly unputdownable enemies-to-lovers romance from international bestseller Mhairi McFarlane, about two journalists who must fake a relationship in order to land a huge story. Bel has just landed a job at...

From #1 New York Times-bestelling author of ODDER, WISHTREE and THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, an unforgettable and magical story about an unhoused family, friendship, and resilience. Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There's no more money for rent. And not much...

Named one of the best travel books of the year by National Geographic, Smithsonian, and Afar "Eliot Stein's quietly powerful new book celebrates the kind of singular, site-specific expertise that's endangered by globalization and technology...smart, genial and...

In this modern reimagining of Anne of Green Gables, effervescent extrovert Dan Stewart- lvarez is surprised to find home and community in rural Tennessee. Despite a life on the road with his free-spirited mother, fifteen-year-old Dan Stewart- lvarez has always wanted to...

Effie is Deaf, and no one in her family speaks sign language, her language. This moving story of survival and found family, inspired by a true court case, is perfect for fans of Wonder and Out of My Mind. * "Quietly extraordinary." --Kirkus Reviews,...

One of The New York Times 10 Best Books of the Year National Book Award Finalist Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Prize Finalist for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize Finalist for the New York Public Library's Young Lions...

A finalist for the 2023 National Book Critics Circle Award Winner of the Women's Prize for Nonfiction NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER | National Indie Bestseller A New York Times notable book of 2023 | Vulture's #1 book of 2023...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * The apocalypse will be televised! Welcome to the first book in the wildly popular and addictive Dungeon Crawler Carl series--now with bonus material exclusive to this print edition. You know what's worse than breaking up with your...

**Shortlisted for the 2025 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize** The bestselling author of Your Inner Fish takes readers on an epic adventure to the North and South Poles to reveal the secrets locked in the ice about life, the cosmos, and our planet's future. ...

A New York Times bestseller! The beloved author of Because of Winn-Dixie has outdone herself with a hilarious and achingly real love story about a girl, a ghost, a grandmother, and growing up. It's the summer before fifth grade, and for...

NATIONAL BESTSELLER . A lyrical ode to all the secret spaces in our world, this gorgeous picture book inspires imagination, creativity, and wonder. The world is filled with forts. Tiny worlds within this world, safe as coat pockets. ...

PULITZER PRIZE FINALIST NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST A NEW YORK TIMES TOP 10 BOOK OF 2018 LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE WINNER ALA CARNEGIE MEDAL WINNER THE STONEWALL BOOK AWARD WINNER Soon to Be a Major Television Event, optioned by...

" Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping new novel from Emily Henry. Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big...

An instant New York Times bestseller! "A meditative, charming delight." --School Library Journal (starred review) An unlikely team of talkative plants, a curious spider, and a grumpy goldfish use their newfound magical abilities to defend their...

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AN APPLE BEST BOOK OF THE MONTH Singer-songwriter Neko Case paints a vivid portrait of an extraordinary life--one forged through a poverty-stricken childhood, obsessive desire, bursts of comedy, and...

DELUXE EDITION--a gorgeous hardcover edition featuring bright green sprayed edges, a foil stamp on the casing, and custom endpapers illustrated by the author. From New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes Hemlock & Silver, a...

A queer hijabi Muslim immigrant survives her coming-of-age by drawing strength and hope from stories in the Quran in this "raw and relatable memoir that challenges societal norms and expectations" (Linah Mohammad, NPR). "A masterful, must-read contribution to conversations on...

"Combining a centuries-old practice with the story about a Palestinian family and their relationship to the land make Hilwa's Gifts an absolute treasure." --Booklist (starred review) A heartwarming picture-book debut brings a tradition many thousands of years old-...

New York Times and USA Today Bestseller Viral sensation and Emmy Award-winner Leslie Jordan regales fans with entertaining stories about the odd, funny, and unforgettable events in his life in this unmissable essay collection that echoes his droll, irreverent voice. ...

NATIONAL BESTSELLER * A BARNES & NOBLE BOOK CLUB PICK * A career defining tour-de-force from New York Times bestselling, award-winning and "formidably gifted" (Chicago Tribune) author of Peace Like a River Leif Enger. "A rare, remarkable book to be kept and...

2025 Mildred L. Batchelder Award Winner 2025 Kirkus Prize Finalist 2025 USBBY Outstanding International Book 2022 Bologna Children's Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition winner 2021 The White Ravens catalog 2021 Tartu Prize for...

Monsieur Perdu can prescribe the perfect book for a broken heart. But can he fix his own?   Monsieur Perdu calls himself a literary apothecary. From his floating bookstore in a barge on the Seine, he prescribes novels for the hardships of life. Using his intuitive feel...

"An inspiring memoir about coming home to who you are." --People Magazine One woman's decades-long journey to a diagnosis of autism, and the barriers that keep too many neurodivergent people from knowing their true selves Marian Schembari was thirty...

Meet Llama, the next great picture-book megastar, who has most definitely driven a bus and who loves tacos way more than you. He also loves cake, and that's where our story begins. On Monday, Llama discovers a pile of cake, which he promptly eats. On Tuesday, Llama...

Now a New York Times bestseller and a #1 Indie Bestseller, readers won't want to miss this story of a little free library guarded by a cat, and a boy who takes on the mystery it keeps. A TODAY SHOW Kids' Read Pick! * The Amazon #1 Best Book for Kids * "A...

Oliver was a very minor mage. His familiar reminded him of this several times a day.He only knew three spells, and one of them was to control his allergy to armadillo dander. His attempts to summon elementals resulted in nosebleeds, and there is nothing more embarrassing than having your elemental...

The New York Times bestselling creators of Nom Nom Paleo are back with a new collection of internationally-inspired, umami-packed dishes--including keto-friendly, Whole30, and plant-based recipes. With step-by-step photos, fun cartoons, and a dash of snarky humor, ...

NATIONAL BESTSELLER * A NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW TOP TEN BOOK OF THE YEAR A WASHINGTON POST TOP TEN BOOK OF THE YEAR * FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD AND THE MARK TWAIN AMERICAN VOICE IN LITERATURE AWARD A sweeping novel...

This poignant yet reassuring picture book follows a family and the van that provides them with safety, warmth, and togetherness amidst economic and housing insecurity An old blue van may not look like much, but it holds everything this family needs--shelter, a place to sleep,...

WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE 2024 * A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER **New York Times Book Review Book Club Pick** **Stephen Colbert's The Late Show Book Club Pick** Winner of the 2024 Hawthornden Prize Shortlisted for the 2024...

A 2020 Caldecott Honor Book From the New York Times best-selling author behind The Quiet Book comes a mindful contemplation on the many ways nature affects our everyday lives, even when we're stuck inside. Five starred reviews!

NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK * NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * FINALIST FOR THE 2025 WOMEN'S PRIZE * A moving and fascinating meditation on freedom, trust, loss, and our relationship with the natural world, explored through the story of one woman's unlikely friendship with a wild hare....

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Soon to be a Netflix Film A Read With Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick! NAMED A BEST BOOK OF SUMMER by: Chicago Tribune * The View * Southern Living * USA Today "Remarkably Bright Creatures [is] an ultimately...

NATIONAL BESTSELLER * A darkly comic and warm-hearted novel about an old man on a cross-country mission to reunite with his high school crush--bringing together his adult daughter, two orphaned kids, and a cat who can predict death--by the beloved author of Rabbit Cake and Unlikely...

#1 New York Times bestseller * Best Book of the Year from The Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, New York Public Library, Chicago Public Library The One and Only Ivan meets The Wild Robot in this unique and deeply moving middle grade novel about the journey of a fictional...

NATIONAL BESTSELLER * To save his family's failing funeral home--and his own chance at a queer love story--a reluctant clairvoyant must embrace the gift he long ignored in this poignant and warmhearted debut. "For top-notch drama, this year's medal goes to Rules for Ghosting....

Longlisted for the PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel and the Carnegie Medal for Excellence | Shortlisted for The Center for Fiction First Novel Prize | Selected as One of Barack Obama's Favorite Books of the Year! In this New York Times...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * The award-winning, best-selling author of Station Eleven and The Glass Hotel returns with a novel of art, time travel, love, and plague that takes the reader from Vancouver Island in 1912 to a dark colony on the moon five hundred years...

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER When a woman discovers a rare book that has connections to her past, long-held secrets about her missing sister and their childhood spent in the English countryside during World War II are revealed. In the war-torn London of...

The product of five years of research and hundreds of interviews across every level of the business, The Secret Life of Groceries is essential reading for those who want to understand our food system - delivering powerful social commentary on the inherently American quest for more and compassionate...

A New York Times Editors' Choice A USA TODAY Bestseller A Booklist Editor's Choice A Goodreads Choice Award Nominee A "beautifully written" (Anthony Doerr, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of All the Light We...

New York Times Bestseller * Read With Jenna Book Club Pick as seen on Today * Winner of the Los Angeles Times Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiography * Winner of the American Library Association Alex Award * A Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Book of the Century

The story of Gumluck continues! From New York Times bestselling author Adam Rex, this acclaimed, laugh-out-loud series is perfect for young fans of magic, wizardry, and the special alchemy of friendship. A hero fights for what is right! A hero's...

A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of 2023  A 2023 Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book  FIVE STARRED REVIEWS!    "Adorable."--Shelf Awareness, starred review

The story of Gumluck continues! Introducing the second installation in a laugh-out-loud and critically acclaimed chapter book tale from New York Times bestselling author Adam Rex. Readers, be warned! This book contains three precious eggs, one confused...

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A Goodreads Choice Awards Winner "Come for the Gilmore Girls anecdotes, stay for the revealing truths about what it takes to build a lifelong career in and out of Hollywood" (The A.V. Club) in...

Longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal of Excellence in Fiction A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice A USA TODAY Bestseller A Best Book of 2025 for Vogue Named one of Time...

NATIONAL BESTSELLER * Soon to be a Hulu Original series * The internationally acclaimed author of Wild collects the best of The Rumpus's Dear Sugar advice columns plus never-before-published pieces. Rich with humor and insight--and absolute honesty--this "wise and...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK * A "tender, beautiful and radiantly outraged" (The New York Times Book Review) novel that follows a year of seismic romantic, political, and familial shifts for a teacher and her students at a boarding school for the deaf, from the...

★ "Heartbreaking, marvelously funny, and generously redemptive." ―Kirkus, starred review   In one of the best-reviewed children's books of 2025, an undead fox and an entirely dead badger begrudgingly team up to change their...

WELCOME TO FOXFIREThe rules here are simple:Don't look in the trees.Don't whistle in the woods at night.Don't answer if you hear yourname called.And remember . . . everything wants.Verity Vox is a witch-in-training who has never met a problem her spells can't solve. But when a cryptic plea for help...

The #1 New York Times bestselling author, whose books so many love, brings us a fresh, contemporary story of a woman and her unruly blended family "Nobody writes women the way Jojo Moyes does." --Jodi Picoult Lila Kennedy has a lot on her plate. A broken...

The runaway New York Times bestseller with over one million copies sold A Today Show #ReadwithJenna Book Club Pick, New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice, and a #1 Indie Next Pick Named a Best Book of the Year by The Guardian, Time,...

In this "delightfully uncanny" collection of feminist retellings of traditional Japanese folktales (The New York Times Book Review), humans live side by side with spirits who provide a variety of useful services--from truth-telling to babysitting, from protecting castles to fighting crime....

An Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller A #1 Indie Bestseller With stunning illustrations and an inspiring, universal message, The Yellow Bus from #1 New York Times bestselling author-illustrator Loren Long is a tender and hopeful...