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: The Iguanodon’s Horn: How Artists & Scientists Put a Dinosaur Back Together Again & Again & Again! by Sean Rubin (ages 7-10)
This book is a good introduction in explaining the scientific process to an elementary aged child. Using the discoveries over the years of iguanodon bones, artists and scientists have changed their ideas on what they thought dinosaurs look like. The illustrations are colorful and detailed and some of the earlier renditions of the iguanodon are funny knowing what we know now. This is a great book for a parent and child to read, explore, and discuss together. It won numerous awards in 2024 including being named an ALA Notable Book of 2024 as well as Good Housekeeping’s 2024 Children’s Book Award Winner. The author/illustrator lives in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Beth recommends: A Cure for Hiccups by Jennifer E. Smith and Brandon James Scott (ages 4 and up)
We have all been there… gotten the hiccups and they just won’t go away. We all know the tricks, right? Hold your breath, drink upside down, etc. We also know that those tricks don’t always work – so here is a cute story of what you really need to do. Join Max as she tries everything to get rid of them but then learns it really is just a matter of having patience. That is really the theme of this story… patience. What a fun way to teach children what can happen if they just have a little patience everyday!
Adriane recommends: Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy by Angie Thomas (ages 9-12)
Nic is a Remarkable, part of a secret society with magical gifts. She is learning about her world and how to use her gifts. When Nic’s father is accused of stealing the Msaidizi, a powerful artifact, Nic tries to find it with the help of her brother and best friend to clear her father’s name. I really enjoyed the blend of African American history and folklore with contemporary fantasy. This one is available in our catalog as an ebook on Hoopla!
Lauren recommends: The Taylors by Jen Calonita (ages 8 to 12)
Calling all Swifties! If you love Tay-Tay as much as I do, this heartwarming story about four friends all named Taylor – who also happen to love T-Swift – is for you! Set in middle school, with each of the Taylors having their own personalities and problems, they all band together to conquer the drama that is fifth grade. But when one of their own breaks a pact they made about attending the Eras tour, will their friendship be able to handle the bad blood? Full of Easter eggs, inside jokes, and song lyrics, this story reminds us all that friendship is about forgiveness – because it never goes out of style. This is available as an ebook or eaudiobook in our catalog via Hoopla.
Mirissa recommends: Baby Spinosaurus by Julie Abery (ages 1 to 4)
Writing about modern baby animals was clearly not enough for board book author Julie Abery because she’s now moved onto writing about baby dinosaurs! Like her stories about cuddly penguins and pandas, this new series is full of rhyming text and a colorful –if prehistoric–environment. In this one, Baby Spinosaurus gets to know her new body and explore how it relates to the wild world around her. When things get tough, Mama Spinosaurus is always there to help. Unlike some dinosaur tales that are full of stomping and roaring, this one takes the Cretaceous and makes it cute. If a Spinosaurus doesn’t appeal, don’t fret; there are five other dinosaurs in this series to choose from.
Sarah recommends: Year Round by Audrey Helen Weber (ages 4 to 8)
“Will you spend the year with me, and be my special friend?’ That’s exactly what Year Round asks of readers as it follows a classroom through a full year of winter questions, spring feelings, summer wishes, and fall thoughts. Filled with whimsical paintings and fun rhyming prose, this book encourages you to notice the world around you, explore seasonal rhythms, and use your imaginations. A colorful, inquisitive sure to spark joy. Check it out today!
Madison recommends: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats (ages 1 to 5)
While snuggling up with my own teen after playing in the recent snow, we found ourselves reminiscing about snow days past- drinking hot chocolate and reading The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats after playing outside. That moment of nostalgia inspired January’s book recommendation, and what a joy it has been to return to this beloved classic. For anyone who might need a little reminder, The Snowy Day follows a little boy named Peter as he explores his urban neighborhood, enjoying the fun the snow day brings. The Snowy Day is a classic for a reason, and not just for Keats beautifully collaged illustrations, but also for its historic impact. In 1963, The Snowy Day became the first picture book featuring a Black protagonist to win the Caldecott Medal. Whether you’re revisiting a childhood favorite or discovering it for the first time, The Snowy Day is a perfect winter read. Check out this timeless story at any Richmond Public Library
Summer recommends: Griso: The One and Only by Roger Mello, translated by Daniel Hahn (ages 4 to 8)
Griso is a unicorn searching for others like him. Each full-page spread of this gorgeous picture book is inspired by a different eras and regions of art history, from prehistoric cave paintings to 20th century Surrealism. As readers accompany Griso on his journey, they travel through time and across the globe in beautiful, full-color illustrations. Griso even meets some narwhals – sea unicorns – rendered in a beautiful medieval/Renaissance European style. While Griso doesn’t find exactly what he’s looking for, he does meet another equine just as special as he is. The entrancing visuals and sweet story make this unique volume a must-read – ESPECIALLY for any of my fellow unicorn aficionados.
Genevievre recommends: The Snowball Fight by Beth Ferry (ages 3 to 7)
The Snowball Fight by Beth Ferry is a picture book about a wintry morning when two neighbor children wake up to a snow day and enjoy snow day fun, including building snow forts, enjoying winter treats, having a snowball fight, and more! It perfectly captures the magical and nostalgic feeling of friendship and carefree childhood days. Written in rhyming couplets, the book makes an excellent story to read aloud while snuggled up warm on a cold winter day.
Rachel recommends: Telephone of the Tree by Alison McGhee (ages 8-12)
On Ayla’s and Kiri’s block, trees are special. Trees are planted to celebrate birth and, sometimes, to remember someone who has died. The two best friends love the trees and none more so than their own birth trees: Ayla’s river birch and Kiri’s white pine. They even have a secret code they use to talk to each other while they’re in their trees. A code Ayla hasn’t used since the accident, which took Kiri away. Away where Ayla can’t see or text or write them. Still, she waits in her river birch for Kiri to come back. Then, one day, an old telephone appears. A magic telephone people use to talk to those who have died. It’s useless to Ayla. She knows death is something people don’t come back from, and Kiri will come back. So why is the phone in Ayla’s tree? The Telephone of the Tree is a novel in verse about grief, acceptance, and the bonds that absolutely nothing can break apart.
Richard recommends: The Lost Prince by Frances Hodgson Burnett (ages 9 to 12)
Set in Edwardian London, the book is about a young boy, Marco Loristan, and his father who move to London to escape a cruel dictator in the fictional kingdom of Samavia. From there they and Marco’s new friend nicknamed “The Rat,” an Artful Dodgeresque-character, are working to create a revolution in Samavia to overthrow the dictatorship and restore the rightful sovereign to the throne. The book is a really great adventure story, and readers may be familiar with the author who also wrote such children’s works as “The Secret Garden”. As always, happy reading! Note this one is available as an ebook via Hoopla or accessible in our Special Collections room at Main Library.
Joan recommends: Ray: How Light Works by Emily Kate Moon (ages 6 to 10)
This book is a fun way to introduce scientific concepts involving light and a great choice for kids with lots of questions about how things work. Factual information is presented with the help of Ray, a character resembling a fuzzy ball of light. Ray has been around since the beginning of time and is extremely fast and full of energy! With the help of Ray and his friends, kids are introduced to the origin of light and how light moves. They show how light brings energy to Earth and how it influences so many aspects of life on earth. Science pals Puff (Air) and Drop (Water) also make appearances, showing some of the things they do together (e.g., powering the winds and rain, making rainbows.) Don’t forget to check out the inside covers for extra information. The front pages give more information about what light is and where it comes from. The back pages cover solar energy. Due to the amount of information packed inside, I think this book is best for ages 6 and up. Slightly older children are more likely to appreciate the humorous comments scattered throughout the book as well.
Well, readers, that’s a wrap! Check back again next month for some more fabulous reading recommendations. Until then, happy reading!
