Staff Favorite Books for Kids 2023

Updated November 20, 2023
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Mother of sharks
Márquez, Melissa Cristina
Paper Book
Forbes 30 Under 30 Honoree and globally renowned shark scientist Melissa Cristina Márquez teams up with award-winning illustrator Devin Elle Kurtz to create an informative, powerful picture book. With lyrical writing and gorgeous art, this moving story explores Melissa's personal journey...
The umbrella
Ferry, Beth
Paper Book
From the New York Times bestselling creators behind Stick and Stone comes an inspiring story of persistence, kindness, and curiosity--a perfect read-aloud, rain or shine. In a dreary town where it always rains, a little girl and her dog discover an unexpected way to spread the light. Told...
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,...
We are going to be pals!
Teague, Mark
Paper Book
An egret and a rhinoceros navigate the ups and downs of their symbiotic relationship--which is more like a friendship!--in this warm and witty book from bestselling author-illustrator Mark Teague. In a not-so-simple symbiotic friendship between two pals, Egret does his best to...
Carina Felina
Deedy, Carmen Agra
Paper Book
Carmen Agra Deedy, New York Times bestselling author and one of Scholastic's most talented and cherished storytellers, retells a hilarious folktale set in Havana, Cuba. Illustrated by the brilliant, award-winning artist, Henry Cole. "This fun folktale will delight readers...
The museum of lost and found
Sales, Leila
Paper Book
Award-winning author Leila Sales's The Museum of Lost and Found is a warm, relatable middle-grade story about a friendship falling apart and the abandoned museum that becomes a shrine to lost connections--featuring black-and-white illustrations by Jacqueline Li.
Wrecker
Hiaasen, Carl
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Wrecker needs to deal with smugglers, grave robbers, and pooping iguanas--just as soon as he finishes Zoom school. Welcome to another wild adventure in Carl Hiaasen's Florida! Valdez Jones VIII calls himself Wrecker because his great...
The Swifts : a dictionary of scoundrels
Lincoln, Beth
Paper Book
#1 New York Times bestseller! "Knives Out feel by way of Lemony Snicket...This archly told, never muddled debut whodunit reveals a roster of distinct characters, a labyrinthine setting and plot, and a mystery that is as clever as its heroine." - Publishers Weekly...
Cat on the run in cat of death!
Blabey, Aaron
Paper Book
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Bad Guys comes another hilarious illustrated series starring a pampered cat who is way tougher than anyone realizes. What happens when the world's biggest cat video star gets accused of a crime she...
Curlfriends 1 : New in Town
Miller, Sharee.
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER!   2024 Golden Kite Award Winner * An NPR and New York Public Library Best Book of the Year   "I want to be friends with them all" -- Vashti Harrison, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Little...
Frizzy
Ortega, Claribel A.
Paper Book
Winner of the Pura Belpré Award for Children's Text Winner of the Eisner for Best Publication for Kids Indie Bestseller New York Times-bestselling author Claribel A. Ortega and star debut artist Rose Bousamra's Frizzy is about Marlene, a...
Fox has a problem
Tabor, Corey R.
Paper Book
In his next I Can Read adventure, Fox--the hilarious trickster character featured in Geisel Award winners Fox at Night and Fox the Tiger--learns to solve a problem in an unexpected way. Fox has a problem: His kite is stuck in a tree! But every clever plan creates even more...
All are welcome : give what you can
Penfold, Alexandra
Paper Book
Join the call for a better world with this New York Times bestselling picture book about a school where diversity and inclusion are celebrated. The perfect back-to-school read for every kid, family and classroom! In our classroom safe and sound. Fears are lost and...
Cat vs. vac
Windness, Kaz
Paper Book
The arrival of a mysterious box sets off a battle for control of the house in this hilarious rhyming Level 1 Ready-to-Read from Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor-winning author-illustrator Kaz Windness! When a recently delivered package opens to reveal a vacuum, the house...
How to write a poem
Alexander, Kwame
Paper Book
In this evocative and playful companion to their New York Times bestselling picture book How to Read a Book, Newbery Medalist Kwame Alexander teams up with poet Deanna Nikaido and Caldecott Honoree Melissa Sweet to celebrate the magic of discovering your very own poetry in the world around you.<...
Glitter everywhere! : where it came from, where it's found & where it's going
Barton, Chris
Paper Book
Fans of How It's Made will love this fresh, irreverent look at the science and story behind glitter. If you love glitter, this book is for you. If you hate glitter, this book is also for you. Everyone seems to have an opinion about glitter. But how much...
Born reading : 20 stories of women reading their way into history
Krull, Kathleen
Paper Book
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds comes the "action-packed...banter-filled" (School Library Journal, starred review) sequel to his groundbreaking young adult novel Miles Morales: Spider-Man about the adventures of the unassuming, everyday kid who just...
Hooray for DNA! : how a bear and a bug are a lot like us
Thompson, Pauline Elizabeth
Paper Book
Bill Nye meets Green Eggs and Ham in this playful and rhythmic nonfiction picture book that introduces readers to the concept of DNA, and celebrates the similarities we share with all life-forms--and each other! DNA is the ABC of what makes you, you
The book of turtles
Montgomery, Sy
Paper Book
**A SIBERT HONOR BOOK! ** ** A KIRKUS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR ** A BOOKLIST EDITORS' CHOICE OF THE YEAR ** From National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestseller Sy Montgomery comes an ode to one of the most diverse, fascinating, and beloved species on the...
Bluey and Bingo's fancy restaurant cookbook
Paper Book
A deliciously fun cookbook perfect for fans of the wildly successful animated series Bluey, as seen on Disney+ Learn how to make yummy food with Bluey and Bingo! Bake some Shadowland Cupcakes, make BBQ Sausages, Capsicum Salad, or write your very own Fancy Restaurant menu!...

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