Welcome to another installment in our series of blog posts featuring children’s books we’re currently loving! “Book Chat with the Youth Services Team” features one book recommendation from each of our Youth Services team members. We cover a variety of books from fiction to non-fiction, picture books to chapter books, graphic novels and more! We hope that this month’s reading recommendations get you excited about some awesome new books we’ve added to our collection as well as some oldies but goodies. Enjoy!
Lisa recommends: Victor, The Wolf With Worries by Catherine Rayner (ages 3-6)
Victor is a wolf that worries a lot! He worries that he is not brave. He worries that he is not fierce and big. He even worries what people will think if he is those things. A beautifully illustrated picture book that uses a wolf to parallel the social emotional needs of a young child who experiences worry and anxiety. Empathy is demonstrated when Victor confides his worries to his friend Pablo who shares his worries and teaches him coping mechanisms to help. Selected for EmpathyLab’s 2024 Read for Empathy Collection.
Adriane recommends: Graciela in the Abyss by Meg Medina (ages 3 to 7)
Graciela was once a normal girl enjoying life with her family, but now she is a sea ghost living at the bottom of the ocean making sea glass. Jorge Leon works in his family’s forge, and when he finds a harpoon his ancestor made he decides it needs to be destroyed. Along the way the harpoon is reunited with its creator and he has evil plans for the harpoon. Graciela and Jorge must work together to stop him. In true Meg Medina form, this novel had beautiful imagery and fantastical creatures. It made for an engaging read!
Mirissa recommends: Boy Here, Boy There by Chuck Groenink (ages 4 and up)
In picture books and children’s media, cavemen or Neanderthals are often included for comic relief. Not so with this beautifully illustrated read that follows along with a young boy as he explores the natural world around them. Along the way, we’ll see wooly mammoths and other creatures, the cozy details of family life inside a warm cave, and the tangible marks our long-ago cousins left behind. We’ll even catch a glimpse at our own ancient ancestors and wonder, maybe these two branches of our family tree aren’t so different after all?
Sarah recommends: Thank You, Everything by Icinori (ages 3 and up)
Thankfulness can be an abstract concept for little minds, making it a sometimes tricky thing to discuss . I often introduce it as an idea that means you are happy that something exists or that you like something. Thank You, Everything is a wonderful introduction to this idea of gratitude for young readers. It starts by saying thank you to everyday, mundane items like an alarm clock or a tree. What follows is an expression of gratitude for things and concepts big and small, filled with simple yet ethereal illustrations. Ultimately, this book is a celebration of the world around us that urges readers to appreciate their surroundings. A timely read for the season of giving and thankfulness. Check it out today!
Madison recommends: Vanya and the Wild Hunt by Sangu Mandanna (ages 8 to 12)
If your young reader loves fantasy stories filled with magic, monsters, and mythology then check out Vanya and the Wild Hunt by Sangu Mandanna. Eleven-year-old Vanya Vallen feels like an outcast in her community – she’s a British Indian kid who’s navigating a mostly white town while grappling with ADHD. As if that wasn’t enough for one eleven-year-old, Vanya can also
talk to books in her parents’ book shop! When a monster attacks her family’s shop, Vanya discovers that her ability to communicate with books comes from a magical lineage – and she can learn how to harness her powers at a hidden magical school called Auramere. Will Vanya be able to save her family from the monsters that wait? Vanya and the Wild Hunt is an entrancing start to what promises to be a compelling series. It offers humor, inclusivity, and a fresh take on mythology – perfect for reader who love discovering new worlds! Pick up a copy at your local branch today!
Summer recommends: No Place Like Home by James Bird (ages 10 and up)
Opin lives with his mom and older brother in an old station wagon. While his brother frequently runs off, Opin and his mother do what they can to survive each day. Whether it’s eating remnants of meals left behind on the tables at McDonalds or sneaking into a hotel to grab a hot shower, he and his mom try to make the best of their situation living in poverty. Opin and his mother are Ojibwe, far from their people’s Aneshinaabe homelands of the Great Lakes. As his family travel toward LA for family and stability, Opin adopts a stray dog – but keeping a pet while living in a car isn’t always easy. Most shelters don’t allow pets. This book is a touching middle-grade novel about the resilience of youth, especially young indigenous people. November is also Native American Heritage Month, making this a great volume for your next read.
Kayleigh recommends: Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell (ages 10 and up)
On a visit to his grandfather in Scotland, Christopher discovers a family secret–he comes from a long line of Guardians who care for the gates between our world and another, more magical place called the Archipelago. He’s quickly drawn into this world as he stumbles across Mal, a determined young girl on the run trying to figure out why the magic is fading. As the two travel through this magical world, teaming up with a grumpy berserker and mysterious academic, they begin to unravel the true mystery of what’s happening in the Archipelago . . . and realize what they must do to save it.
Impossible Creatures is at times humorous, at times philosophical, and always completely magical, from the wide variety of mythic creatures our heroes interact with to the emotional and lovely relationships built between characters. The physical copy includes a bestiary in the back with illustrations and information about each kinds of creature, as well as delightful illustrations throughout. Be aware this story contains multiple instances of violence and death and might be better suited for more mature readers.
Rachel recommends: The Bakery Dragon and the Fairy Cake by Devin Elle Kurtz (ages 4-8)
Ember the dragon loves bread, and he loves baking it. Happy customers from the dragon mountain to the human town agree that Ember has a kneading knack! Word of Ember’s talent has even reached the fairy kingdom, and Princess Turnip commissions him to bake a birthday cake. Ember’s never heard of birthday cake bread before, but how hard could it be?
The Bakery Dragon and the Fairy Cake is a sweet treat stuffed with lush and wonderfully expressive illustrations. This highly anticipated companion to Kurtz’s The Bakery Dragon does not disappoint!
Richard recommends: The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (ages 8 and up)
This classic is a series of tales related the adventures of several animal friends and neighbors in the English countryside—primarily Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger. Although the animals converse, philosophize, and behave like humans, each creature also retains its distinctive animal habits. A good deal of the book involves the friends attempting to reform Toad and his obsession with automobiles, which ultimately lead to his imprisonment. I won’t spoil the rest for everyone, so check out the book today and enjoy a true classic in children’s literature.
Joan recommends: Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson (ages 3 to 7)
Thanksgiving is just around the corner. If you’re looking for a timely tale about sharing and gratitude starring cuddly woodland creatures, you can’t go wrong with Bear Says Thanks. Bored and lonely, Bear decides to throw a dinner party with his friends, but sadly his cupboard is bare. One by one, Mouse, Hare, Badger, Gopher, Mole, Raven, and Owl arrive, bringing food and drink for everyone. Bear thanks each of them warmly, feeling grateful but also embarrassed that he has nothing to contribute. Bear’s friends reassure him that his company is all they need, and they help him discover that he does have something to share- his stories. I recommend this book for its sweet tone and gentle, rhythmic text. Although set in autumn and perfect for Thanksgiving, it’s a great year-round choice for the topics of sharing and gratitude.
Well, readers, that’s a wrap! Check back again next month for some more fabulous reading recommendations. Until then, happy reading!
