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 26, 2024
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Anne of Green Gables
Montgomery, L. M.
Paper Book
Anne, an eleven-year-old orphan, is sent by mistake to live with a lonely, middle-aged brother and sister on a Prince Edward Island farm and proceeds to make an indelible impression on everyone around her.
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
The third book in the New York Times bestselling MOTHER BRUCE series, perfect for bedtime, classrooms, readalouds, and any time you'd like a good laugh. All Rupert the mouse wants is to star in a beautiful, wordless picturebook. One that's visually stimulating! With scenic...
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
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * 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...
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 * A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF THE CENTURY The extraordinary, beloved novel about the...
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...
Don't let the Pigeon drive the bus!
Willems, Mo.
CD
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
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
Winner of the 2017 Newbery Medal ★ A New York Times Bestseller ★ An Entertainment Weekly Best Middle Grade Book of 2016 ★ A New York Public Library Best Book ★ A Chicago Public...
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
When the government of the magic world and authorities at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry refuse to believe in the growing threat of a freshly revived Lord Voldemort, fifteen-year-old Harry Potter finds support from his loyal friends in facing the evil wizard and other new terrors.
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 frombestselling 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
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...
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...
Komi can't communicate.
Oda, Tomohito,
Paper Book
The journey to 100 friends begins with a single conversation. Timid Tadano is a total wallflower, and that's just the way he likes it. But all that changes when he finds himself alone in a classroom on the first day of high school with the legendary Komi. He quickly realizes she...
Last night at the Telegraph Club /
Lo, Malinda.
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD AND STONEWALL BOOK AWARD * From acclaimed author Malinda Lo comes a gripping, tender coming-of-age novel exploring identity, queerness, and historical upheaval set in San Francisco's Chinatown during the 1950s. ...
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...
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 night market /
Wedlick, Seina,
Paper Book
Journey with a young girl as she explores the mesmerizing wonders of a Nigerian night market, where each stall is an adventure waiting to be discovered! Filled with vibrant illustrations, this captivating picture book invites young readers into a world of magic, mystery, and the joy of finding...
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
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 with a sweet-but-slightly-spooky story that makes it an ideal gift book The witch and her cat couldn't be happier, flying through the sky on their broomstick-until the witch drops her hat, then her bow,...
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 winning recipe for...
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...
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 (Cartoonist)
Paper Book
"A lovely, gentle fantasy." -- KIRKUS Revisit the enchanting world of Tea Dragons with an all-new companion story to the two-time Eisner Award-winning graphic novel The Tea Dragon Society! Rinn has grown up with the Tea Dragons that inhabit their village, but...
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
"The single best children's book of the past 20 years. Hands down." --The Wall Street Journal New York Times bestseller and Caldecott Honor winner They All Saw a Cat is a visual delight and a charming read-aloud that invites kids...
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 pitter-patter of...
Under my hood I have a hat
Kuskin, Karla.
Paper Book
Winter is hereand it's time to put on your gloves and mittens and scarf and hat and...Only award-winning poet Karla Kuskin and illustrator Fumi Kosaka could make bundling up for the snow so much fun
Under this red rock /
McGinnis, Mindy
Paper Book
A Chicago Public Library Best Teen Book of 2024 A 2025 YALSA Top Ten Best Fiction Selection 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...
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 #1 New York Times bestseller! 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...
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
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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