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!
MAEVE RECOMMENDS WHAT DO WE DO IN PRESCHOOL? BY KATHRYN WANLESS (AGES 3 – 6).
New experiences can be scary but knowing what to expect can help ease children’s fears. This book does a wonderful job of showing kids what to expect at preschool. While reading the story you can highlight some of the actives that your child already enjoys doing such as making art and playing outside. As the school year progresses this can also be a great book to read again to discuss with your child all the new things they have done at school.
RACHEL RECOMMENDS THE INK WITCH BY STEPH CHERRYWELL (AGES 8 – 12).
Becca Slugg lives in the motel her mom runs in Cape Disappointment. The town is…exactly as exciting as it sounds. When Becca wishes for more excitement, she imagines maybe being allowed to try out for her school’s production of The Wizard of Oz. What Becca gets is discovering her witch heritage when her estranged aunt turns Becca’s mom into a mindless meat puppet. But! According to Becca’s mom’s familiar, Natalya the Russian tarantula, there is a cure! It just involves a few slightly uncommon ingredients: powdered troll teeth, mermaid eggs, the treasure of a Witch-Queen, and Becca’s own budding magic.
The Ink Witch is a quest narrative that runs through a world in the vein of Gravity Falls and The Addam’s Family. The Ink Witch touches on themes of nature and nurture, who benefits from the silencing of social outliers, the cycle of abuse, and the terror and privilege of being seen. Please be aware that this book contains nonconsensual magical body modification, usually played for laughs.
KATIE RECOMMENDS 100 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE UNKNOWN BY JEROME MARTIN (AGES 8 – 11).
100 Things to Know about the Unknown by Jerome Martin is full of fun facts about science, history, and unsolved mysteries and includes illustrations and eye-catching infographics. If you are interested in learning what dark matter actually is, how fast a T. rex could really run, and how an ancient empire vanished into the jungle, then you will love this book!
MADISON RECOMMENDS WOLF’S BELLY BY JOHN AUGUST (AGES 8 -12).
A stunning graphic novel that reimagines the classic tale of Little Red Riding Hood. Lu dreams of stepping out of her remarkable family’s shadow and making a name for herself, so she sets off to slay the infamous wolf. But unprepared for the challenge (despite best efforts), Lu is swallowed whole and finds herself inside the wolf’s belly, where she meets a community of unfortunate people who have suffered the same fate. Will Lu be able to help herself and her new friends in finding a way out? Filled with courage, humor, and clever nods to beloved fairy tales, this adventurous retelling is sure to win over the hearts of those who love the original story.
LISA RECOMMENDS THE LITTLEST DROP BY SASCHA ALPER (AGES 3 – 7).
The setting of The Littlest Drop takes place in a land where animals of different sizes and shapes live harmoniously along with each other. The animal protagonist of the book is a tiny hummingbird who lovingly makes a nest for the eggs she is expecting to lay. A fire sparks in the woods causing chaos as all the animals flee to the river for safety and become paralyzed with inaction. The hummingbird decides that she must do something although the other animals question what a small creature like the hummingbird can do. The message of the book is that heroes can be anyone and to never underestimate the abilities and determination of even the smallest. The illustrations were originally begun by award-winning illustrator Jerry Pinkney but remained unfinished at the time of his death. His son, Brian, another award-winning artist, completed his father’s work for the book. The collaboration between the two artists creates vibrant, colorful and expressive illustrations which help to bring the reader into the story.
SUMMER RECOMMENDS DON’T EAST EUSTACE BY LIAN CHO (AGES 4 – 8).
When the lonely lighthouse keeper Bear fishes Eustace out of the sea for lunch one day, Eustace stalls for time. (After all, while we all love to eat lunch, who wants to be lunch?) After Bear repairs a heron’s wing, makes a coat for a shark, and crafts a hat for Eustace, Eustace accepts it’s time for Bear to eat him… but Bear has a change of heart. With adorable illustrations and hilarious text (“’I’m not going to eat you,’ said Bear as they filled Eustace’s pot with half an onion, two peppers, and five tomatoes”), this picture book is a delightful read for both children and their caregivers.
MIRISSA RECOMMENDS WEAVER AND THE WEB BYCHRIS BAKER (AGES 4 – 8).
While a nonfiction book about spiders may not be at the top of your list for light reading, this story may just change your mind. Framed more like a picture book, the author and illustrator introduce readers to Weaver, a spotted orb weaver whose mission each night is to make a web and use it to catch a meal. The most interesting thing about this book is that it’s told from her perspective, including her limited range of vision. We start out by seeing the world around us in muted black-and-white, just barely sensing the movement of wind and distant wings. But as the web starts to form, it allows us—and Weaver—to see more clearly, with colors becoming “bright and sharp and clear.” But what happens when the rainbow web is accidentally destroyed by an unlucky human face? That I’ll leave for you to discover.
BETH RECOMMENDS SMOKE & MIRRORS BY ROSALYN RANSAW (AGES 8 – 12).
Meet 12 year old Andy who is staying with his aunt in a small town while his dad is in jail for something Andy doesn’t think he did. Andy has to constantly watch his back as everyone in town thinks the worst of him and his dad because of the color of their skin. One day Mr. Gilbert’s barn burns down and of course without even listening to what happened, they accuse Andy. Instead of having to go to juvie, Mr. Gilbert tells Andy he can work off his debt helping to fix up an old house. At first Andy does it out of necessity but soon learns about a mystery that goes with the house. The house once belonged the famous Illusionist, The Red Knave. The Red Knave disappeared many years ago after they found a body and claimed the Red Knave killed the man. Now it is up to Andy to figure out what really happened and to get the town to realize he didn’t do everything they think. Will he solve the murder before there is more trouble? Read Smoke and Mirrors to find out all the answers.
ADRIANE RECOMMENDS STAND UP, YUMI CHUNG! BY JESSICA KIM (AGES 9 – 12).
Yumi Chung is a shy, 11-year-old Korean American girl with dreams of becoming a stand-up comedian. When she is accidentally mistaken for another student at a summer comedy camp, she adopts that identity to pursue her passion while secretly helping her family’s struggling restaurant. Ultimately, she learns to face the truth, embrace her authentic self, and use her comedy to save the family business. This one was a cute story of mistaken identity, making new friends, and pulling together as a family.
RICHARD RECOMMENDS WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND?: A CALMING BOOK FOR BUSY BRAINS BY TODD PARR (AGES 4 – 6).
Todd Parr’s newest book is great for helping young ones organize their thoughts when things get overwhelming, and calm anxiety at the same time. As always Parr uses simple language, bright colors, and fun illustrations to get that message across to young readers helping to bring peace to a sometimes-frantic world. Try this great picture book with your little ones to help them understand mindfulness and eliminate anxiety.
GENEVIEVRE RECOMMENDS RA PU ZEL AND THE STINKY TOFU BY YING CHANG COMESTINE (AGES 5 – 8).
This is such a cute twist on the classic Rapunzel story. In this version, set in ancient China, Pu Zel is an unconventional princess who just wants to be herself by eating what and how she wants and not having to follow the strict rules that come with being royalty. To escape the constant corrections, she locks herself in a towering pagoda with her spunky dog, Bao. Soon, princes arrive from far and wide to try convincing the princess to come down from her tower. But what could possibly convince her to leave her tower sanctuary? Filled with beautiful, colorful illustrations that depict the magic of being true to oneself, this book is perfect for families who want a more cultural and empowering take on a classic. Since stinky tofu is an iconic food in Taiwan, and the illustrator is Taiwanese, this book feels like one I would love to share with my future children as a fun celebration of their dad’s Taiwanese heritage. I also love that the story celebrates a food that seems unfamiliar and stinky at first. Since it’s deeply loved by many families and cultures, it’s great that it finds time to shine here.
JOAN RECOMMENDS PAVLO GETS THE GRUMPS BY NATALIA SHALOSHVILI (AGES 3 – 6).
Pavlo has woken up with a case of the grumps. This cranky kitten shoots down every idea Mama has for the day. He doesn’t want to go to the park because the swings are too swingy, the sandbox is too sandy, and of course the slide is “too SLIDEY!” He doesn’t want to go swimming or see a movie either. When Mama declares that the best thing to do with the grumps is to go out anyway,” Pavlo reluctantly gets dressed, but not before denying that he has the grumps! After Pavlo emerges onto the sidewalk with Mama, they run into Pavlo’s friend, and the two families head to the park together. Before long, the grumps have gone, and Pavlo is making plans for what to do next. I think that although the storyline is simple, it reflects the intensity of emotions and the speed at which they can change in a young child, making it relatable to toddlers and preschoolers. I liked that it supports the message that all feelings are valid. It’s okay to feel whatever you are feeling- good friends and family will still love you. Meanwhile, who knows what is just around the corner? I also appreciated the soft, sweet illustrations. They clearly show how Pavlo is feeling through body language and facial expressions, plus they’re just plain cute!
That is a wrap for this month’s Book Chat with the YS Team. Want more book suggestions from the YS Team at RPL? Then check out these past blogs!
August Book Chat with Youth Services Team – 2025
August Book Chat with the Youth Services Team – 2024
