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...
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
Once there was a girl with a big laugh and a big heart and very big dreams. She grew and grew and grew. And it was good... until it wasn't. When the girl grows big, the world begins to make her feel small. She feels out of place and invisible, and soon she isn't...
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
The bestselling Swedish children's book of 2020, translated by B. J. Woodstein, with graphic design by Alexis Holmqvist WARNING! Stop what you're doing! Don't you know that this book does NOT want to be read? Not now and not ever. Because...
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...
Curious George and the hot air balloon
Rey, H. A.
Paper Book
While on vacation, George and the man with the yellow hat stop to see Mt. Rushmore. There's no time to take a helicopter ride for a close-up view - the hot air balloon races are about to start! Whisked up and away at the races, a surprised George gets a close-up view of the presidents after all....
Delicious in dungeon
Kui, Ryoko,
Paper Book
It's eat or be eaten...literally!Laios nears the bottom of the dungeon and his inevitable confrontation with Sissel, the lunatic lord of its labyrinthine halls. In a succubus-induced slumber, Laios comes face-to-face with the winged lion, the source of Sissel's power. Laios knows only that the lion...
Delicious in dungeon
Kui, Ryoko,
Paper Book
In her first hours as lord of the dungeon, Marcille has completely transformed the dungeon's layout, sending hordes of monsters from the deepest floors--as well as several of her own making--hurtling dangerously close to the surface. Though the demon's influence is strong, Laios has a surefire way...
Delicious in dungeon
Kui, Ryoko,
Paper Book
It's eat or be eaten...literally!Locked in battle with the Lunatic Magician, Laios is the last man standing against an array of the dungeon's deadliest dragons. Using his extensive monster knowledge to his advantage, Laios manages to defy the odds of almost certain death--at least until Sissel...
Delicious in dungeon
Kui, Ryoko,
Paper Book
It's eat or be eaten...literally!Led to Sissel's threshold by the winged lion imprisoned within it, Laios and friends steel themselves for...some heavy-duty cleaning?! Sissel's seemingly innocuous cottage is piled with clutter, hindering both their search for the lion and their meal prep! Once...
Delicious in dungeon /
Kui, Ryoko,
Paper Book
It's eat or be eaten...literally!Massive changes in the dungeon have drawn out new monsters for Laios and his party to take on--and taste! But the shift has attracted the attention of the western elves, whose intervention could spell further trouble not only for Laios, but also for everyone on the...
Delicious in Dungeon 13
Kui, Ryoko/ Engel, Taylor (TRN)/ Blackman, Abigail
Paper Book
It's eat or be eaten...literally!Though the party succeeded in breaking Marcille free from the dungeon's influence, the winged lion remains at large. Should the demon escape to the surface, its all-powerful manifestation will surely grow to feast upon the world--and the desires of all who live in it...
Delicious in Dungeon 14
Kui, Ryoko/ Engel, Taylor (TRN)/ Blackman, Abigail (CON)
Paper Book
It's eat or be eaten...literally!Laios's plan to overcome the demon seems to have worked--but at great physical cost to his monstrous form. As the dungeon crumbles around them, his friends are forced to leave him behind in a race to escape. Even with the demon out of the picture, the people of the...
Delicious in dungeon.
Kui, Ryoko,
Paper Book
The time has come! Showdown with the Red Dragon!!!After finally reaching the fifth floor, it's time for the adventurers to face their greatest challenge yet. They're putting their lives on to the line in a fight with a monster with crimson hide that turns away even the toughest steel and a fiery...
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!
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
Old companions reunited in the dungeon...Will ex-comrads be able to work together in the rescue of Falin from the Lunatic Magician? Will a shared meal manage to right past wrongs?
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
It's eat or be eaten...literally!In the dungeon, one false step can be the difference between life and death...or elf and dwarf?! The changeling mushrooms have done their work, leaving Laios and company radically altered, transformed from one race to another! The journey into the heart of the...
Delicious in dungeon. 5
Kui, Ryoko
Paper Book
The party has defeated the Red Dragon and rescued Farin! But their quest won't be finished until they make it back out of the dungeon unscathed. The adventure's not complete until everyone returns alive...and full!
Don't let the pigeon drive the bus!
Willems, Mo.
Paper Book
The Pigeon REALLY wants to drive the bus. Will you let him? Finally, a really big book you can say "no" to!
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
The Grace children discover the faerie world is closer than you think in this repackage of the first book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Spiderwick Chronicles. After finding a mysterious, handmade field guide in the attic of the ramshackle old mansion they've just moved...
The girl who drank the moon
Barnhill, Kelly Regan
Paper Book
An enchanting and unforgettable modern fable that is impossible to put down.
Goodnight moon
Brown, Margaret Wise
Paper Book
In a great green room, tucked away in bed, is a little bunny. "Goodnight room, goodnight moon." And to all the familiar things in the softly lit room--to the picture of the three little bears sitting on chairs, to the clocks and his socks, to the mittens and the kittens, to everything one by one-...
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
The most eagerly anticipated book in history becomes the biggest paperback release of 2004!The book that took the world by storm....In his fifth year at Hogwart's, Harry faces challenges at every turn, from the dark threat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be- Named and the unreliability of the government of...
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, available in a board book format! How do dinosaurs say good night? Brimming...
How to catch an elf /
Wallace, Adam,
Paper Book
From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling How to Catch series comes a hilarious Christmas adventure, perfect for stocking stuffers! "With delightful rhymes, How to Catch an Elf slots itself into place along such classics as 'The Night Before Christmas.'"--Foreword Reviews It...
The hundred dresses
Estes, Eleanor
Paper Book
This Newbery Honor classic, illustrated by a Caldecott Medalist, is a beautifully written tribute to the power of kindness, acceptance, and standing up for what's right. Wanda Petronski is ridiculed by her classmates for wearing the same faded blue dress every day. She claims she has one...
I'm not scary
Kaduji, Raahat
Paper Book
  Bat just wants to make friends, but everyone is scared of him! When other animals see Bat's shadow at their window, they're terrified and think he's a monster. How can Bat show them that he just wants to share some cake? This is theperfect snuggle-up bedtime story,...
Komi can't communicate /
Oda, Tomohito,
Paper Book
The journey to 100 friends begins with a single conversation. Socially anxious high school student Shoko Komi's greatest dream is to make some friends, but everyone at school mistakes her crippling social anxiety for cool reserve. Luckily she meets Tadano, a timid wallflower who...
Komi can't communicate.
Oda, Tomohito,
Paper Book
The journey to 100 friends begins with a single conversation. Socially anxious high school student Shoko Komi's greatest dream is to make some friends, but everyone at school mistakes her crippling social anxiety for cool reserve. Luckily she meets Tadano, a timid wallflower who...
Komi can't communicate.
Oda, Tomohito,
Paper Book
The journey to 100 friends begins with a single conversation. Socially anxious high school student Shoko Komi's greatest dream is to make some friends, but everyone at school mistakes her crippling social anxiety for cool reserve. Luckily she meets Tadano, a timid wallflower who...
Komi can't communicate.
Oda, Tomohito,
Paper Book
The journey to 100 friends begins with a single conversation. Socially anxious high school student Shoko Komi's greatest dream is to make some friends, but everyone at school mistakes her crippling social anxiety for cool reserve! With the whole student body keeping their...
Komi can't communicate.
Oda, Tomohito,
Paper Book
The journey to 100 friends begins with a single conversation. Socially anxious high school student Shoko Komi's greatest dream is to make some friends, but everyone at school mistakes her crippling social anxiety for cool reserve. Luckily she meets Tadano, a timid wallflower who...
Komi can't communicate.
Oda, Tomohito,
Paper Book
The journey to 100 friends begins with a single conversation. Socially anxious high school student Shoko Komi's greatest dream is to make some friends, but everyone at school mistakes her crippling social anxiety for cool reserve. Luckily she meets Tadano, a timid wallflower who...
Komi can't communicate. Volume 3
Oda, Tomohito
Paper Book
The journey to 100 friends begins with a single conversation. Socially anxious high school student Shoko Komi's greatest dream is to make some friends, but everyone at school mistakes her crippling social anxiety for cool reserve. Luckily she meets Tadano, a timid wallflower who...
Komi can't communicate. Volume 4
Oda, Tomohito
Paper Book
The journey to 100 friends begins with a single conversation. Socially anxious high school student Shoko Komi's greatest dream is to make some friends, but everyone at school mistakes her crippling social anxiety for cool reserve. Luckily she meets Tadano, a timid wallflower who...
Komi can't communicate. Volume 5
Oda, Tomohito
Paper Book
The journey to 100 friends begins with a single conversation. Socially anxious high school student Shoko Komi's greatest dream is to make some friends, but everyone at school mistakes her crippling social anxiety for cool reserve. Luckily she meets Tadano, a timid wallflower who...
Last night at the Telegraph Club
Lo, Malinda
Paper Book
WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE; THE ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR YOUTH LITERATURE; THE STONEWALL BOOK AWARD (YA); THE PRINTZ HONOR _____________________________________________________________________________________________
I Love You Little Cottontail
Crow, Katrine/ AtOLOnia
Paper Book
Tell your little one just how much you love them with this charming rhyming board book. Each sturdy board page features a beautiful watercolor animal parent and baby as well as simple text, making this perfect for tummy time with baby or bedtime with your growing little one. The...
The Mona Lisa vanishes : a legendary painter, a shocking heist, and the birth of a global celebrity
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. ...
Narwhal :
Fleming, Candace/ So'oteh, Deena (ILT)
Paper Book
Venture to the Arctic Ocean and discover real life underwater unicorns--narwhals--in this stunningly illustrated nonfiction picture book. A HORN BOOK AND BOOKLIST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR You are a narwhal. Shy... Swift... Small...
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...
Night light /
Blechman, Nicholas.
Paper Book
Count the nighttime lights on a train, a helicopter, a fire truck, and seven more vehicles in this bold picture book with die-cut surprises. 1 light, shining bright? A train! 7 lights, flashing red and white? A fire truck! And so on all the way to ten lights....
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
Late on Christmas Eve, after the town has gone to sleep, a boy boards a mysterious train that waits for him: the Polar Express bound for the North Pole. When he arrives there, Santa offers him any gift he desires. The boy modestly asks for one bell from the reindeer's harness. It turns out to be a...
The Red Pyramid - Book 1 - Kane Chronicles
Riordan, Rick
Paper Book
The bestselling author of Percy Jackson and the Olympians takes on ancient Egypt in the first book of a trilogy that offers a modern-day portal into a rich fantastical world of ancient myth. "Fans of the Riordan magic--equal parts danger, myth, and...
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...
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
Crash-landed on a desolate planet light-years from Earth, seventeen-year-old Jessica Mathers must unravel the mystery of the bloody destruction all around her--and the questionable intentions of a familiar stranger. 2199. Deep-space exploration is a reality and...
Strange the dreamer
Taylor, Laini
Paper Book
'Prepare to be enchanted' Sun The magical Sunday Times bestseller by Laini Taylor, author of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy The dream chooses the dreamer. Since he was five years old, Lazlo...
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...
Taxi ghost /
Escabasse, Sophie,
Paper Book
In this hilarious and heartwarming graphic novel, a young girl's first period brings an unexpected gift- the ability to see ghosts! As she meets these spectral visitors, she uncovers her family's secret lineage of mediums, while learning about the power of compassion and community.
The Tea Dragon Festival /
O'Neill, Kay
Paper Book
"A lovely, gentle fantasy." -- KIRKUS Now available in paperback, revisit the enchanting world of Tea Dragons with the beloved companion story to the two-time Eisner Award-winning graphic novel The Tea Dragon Society. Rinn has grown up with the Tea Dragons...
The Tea Dragon Society Slipcase Box Set: The Complete Collection
O'Neill, K.
Paper Book
The complete collection of K. O'Neill's enchanting, award-winning Tea Dragon books, now all together in one paperback slipcased box set! In the bewitching Tea Dragon Society series, two-time Eisner Award-winning creator K. O'Neill offers three stories featuring the enchanting world 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...
That's not my name /
Lally, Megan,
Paper Book
An instant bestseller! She thought she had her life back. She was wrong. A gripping debut thriller perfect for fans of Natalie D. Richards and Vincent Ralph. It was a mistake to trust him. Shivering and bruised, a teen wakes up on the side of a dirt road with no memory of how...
There was a cold lady who swallowed some snow!
Colandro, Lucille.
CD
A new twist on the familiar tale of There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly.This cold lady is swallowing everything from snow, to a pipe, some coal, a hat, and more! With rollicking, rhyming text, funny illustrations, and a hilarious ending, this lively version will appeal to young readers...
They all saw a cat
Wenzel, Brendan
Paper Book
They All Saw A Cat by Brendan Wenzel - New York Times bestseller and 2017 Caldecott Medal and Honor Book The cat walked through the world, with its whiskers, ears, and paws . . . In this glorious celebration of observation, curiosity, and imagination, Brendan Wenzel...
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...
Under this red rock /
McGinnis, Mindy
Paper Book
A Chicago Public Library Best Teen Book of 2024 From award-winning author Mindy McGinnis comes a mesmerizing YA psychological mystery following a teen girl who is grappling with the death of her brother as she starts a new job in the caverns of Ohio--only to become the number...
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...
I want my hat back
Klassen, Jon
Paper Book
A bear searches for his missing hat in the bestselling, multiple award-winning picture book debut of Jon Klassen.In his bestselling debut picture book, the multiple award-winning Jon Klassen, illustrator of This Is Not My Hat and Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, tells the story of a bear who's hat has gone....
We don't eat our classmates! /
Higgins, Ryan T.
Paper Book
It's the first day of school for Penelope Rex, and she can't wait to meet her classmates. 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...
The wild robot
Brown, Peter
Paper Book
A gloriously illustrated story of a robot's adventures in the wild
Words of Love: A Friend for Little Ones When They Need it the Most
Biggin, Jake.
Paper Book
An extraordinary book of love, inspiration, and comfort. This is a story about a child and a clever little sausage dog, Sunny, who has little thoughts and big questions. He's wise and full of love. He's a loyal companion, guide, and mentor. Sunny inspires us all - we could all...
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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