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 THIS IS NOT MY LUNCH BOX BY JENNIFER DUPUIS (AGES 4 – 8).
Author Jennifer Dupuis has the start of a series for young children interested in learning more about the creatures that inhabit their environment. This is NOT My Lunch Box! asks its readers on each page to identify the owner of a lunch box made up of various tasty items that certain animals would love to eat. It’s a fun read to share with your nature-loving child while looking at the gorgeous (and fun) illustrations by Carol Swartz. Dupris has continued with the series by adding the book This is NOT My Bed! which has the same format, flow, and style of illustrations as this book. RPL has both books available to check out.
GENEVIEVRE RECOMMENDS SOUL FOOD SUNDAY BY WINSOME BINGHAM (AGES 4 – 8).
Did you know that June is National Soul Food Month? This is a time when Americans can take
time to learn about and honor the rich cultural and historic culinary contributions of African
Americans and people of the African diaspora. To celebrate, why not read a book that brings to
light the vibrant joy of Black families coming together to celebrate food and connection! In this
story, a young boy learns how to prepare soul food with his Granny for their weekly family meal.
Not only does it showcase intergenerational love between a grandmother and her grandson, but
it also celebrates cultural pride through a combination of rhythmic and repetitive text that gives
the story joyful energy and bounce. The story pairs beautifully with the colorfully dynamic and
expressionistic mixed-media illustrations, which will make you want to be a part of the family fun
and food. There’s also a mac ‘n’ cheese recipe at the end that I will definitely be trying!
RACHEL RECOMMENDS WOODLORE: DISCOVER THE SEASONS AND STORIES OF THE FOREST BY KEVIN PARR (AGES 5 – 10).
Witness the turning of the year through an oak tree in this book vividly decorated in a style reminiscent of illuminated manuscripts. Woodlore is fully illustrated, 50 pages long, and broken up into four easily digestible sections based on the seasons. Learn about nests in spring, the Green Man in summer, gall ink in autumn, and tree blessings in winter. Also, there are fairies in most of the pictures. Can you find them?
BETH RECOMMENDS IVY AND BEARLOCK HOLMES: THE MYSTERY OF THE DINOSAUR FOSSIL BY KRISTYNA LITTEN (AGES 5 – 9).
Let me just start by saying… this book is AMAZING!!!! Ivy and her grandfather Bearlock go on these adventures, and they like to solve puzzles. In this book, a dinosaur fossil is missing. It is written is small chapters in graphic novel form. The best thing is there are puzzles you must help to solve to move the story along. What a great first practice in deductive reasoning and some non-fiction information as well. This book is a MUST read for children who love graphic novels, just starting to read, love to solve puzzles and mysteries, enjoy funny stories, likes non-fiction as well…. okay I know what you are thinking. YES, this book is really for everyone.
SUMMER RECOMMENDS IF YOU’RE A KID LIKE GAVIN BY KYLE LUKOFF (AGES 4 – 8).
June is Pride Month, and Gavin’s story of being a young trans man fighting for basic dignity – the right to use the appropriate bathroom – is an inspiring tale for queer youth. When Gavin uses the boys bathroom at school, people in the community start to gossip about whether he belongs there. Schoolmates bully him, and the school tries to make Gavin use a bathroom they built in a closet. But with the help of the ACLU, a group which advocates for human rights across the country, Gavin stands up to his school and continues to fight for transgender youth. This Pride, as the basic rights of queer people remain under attack, reading and sharing the stories of queer trailblazers is one way to fight back.
ADRIANE RECOMMENDS CAMP MONSTER BY KATE MESSNER (AGES 8 – 12).
If you have ever been to camp, or even wanted to go, this is the book for you! Camp Monster is a historic Yeti camp far away in the woods where no one can find them. But, Yeti enrollment is down, so they open the camp doors to all kinds of monsters. This graphic novel is a great book about learning to fit in, sharing, and making friends. The illustrations are fun and bright and pop off the page to pull you into the story.
MADISON RECOMMENDS DINOS DON’T DO YOGA BY CATHERINE BAILEY (AGES 4 – 8).
Check out this digital read, Dinos Don’t Do Yoga by Catherine Bailey! This hilarious picture book follows Sam, a dinosaur who has just moved to town and started practicing yoga. But dinosaurs don’t do yoga… right? Filled with colorful, whimsical illustrations, this story shows that trying something new can be fun and exciting. Want to read this book? Then download Hoopla using your RPL card to read this fantastic book with your little dinosaur enthusiasts.
MIRISSA RECOMMENDS THE DINOSAUR AND THE BIRD: A TALE OF PREHISTORIC FRIENDSHIP BY RICHARD HO (AGES 3 – 6).
Many folks already know that today’s modern birds are considered dinosaurs (descended from the theropod branch), but were dinosaurs and birds ever friends? This book imagines the friendship between an ichthyornis and a triceratops, two misfits who find company with each other after tragedy. The pair explore their environment together until, through more tragedy, it becomes unlivable for one of them. But even though one friend is gone and the world has changed completely, somehow life continues. It’s a great story of prehistory, hope, and grief. Just be sure to have a tissue or two nearby.
LAUREN RECOMMENDS THE PRINCESS PROTECTION PROGRAM BY ALEX LONDON (AGES 8 – 12).
This book is all about the power to change your own story. When Rosamund is awoken in a way she did not want, she runs away to another story. At first, it seems like a safe place to hide out, but as time goes on, she has more and more questions. She learns over time that searching for answers will get her far but can also get her into problems. With the help of her fellow princesses, she learns the value of creating the narrative you want for your own life. This book also introduces a lot of new vocabulary words in a way that felt very organic to the reader. The only thing about this book I didn’t enjoy was the mention of a clam and pineapple pizza, but hey, to each their own!
RICHARD RECOMMENDS FRUITCAKE BY REX OGLE & DAVE VALEZ (AGES 8 – 12).
Here’s a great graphic novel for Pride Month! The beginning of eighth grade isn’t going well for Rex. Everyone seems to be coupling up, and he’s starting to feel like an outsider… until he meets Charlotte. She’s fearless, smart, pretty, and she likes him back. But as great as Charlotte is, there’s someone else Rex can’t stop thinking about.
Drew is Rex’s childhood best friend, so when he kisses Rex, all kinds of new feelings begin to stir. Though at school, Drew acts like he doesn’t even know Rex, making those feelings turn really confusing really fast. And with all the strong opinions Rex hears from friends and at church, he questions his own worth and what his affections actually mean. Rex wants to be more like his new friend, Nina, and not care what others think, but being himself seems impossible. What will he do?
JOANN RECOMMENDS HOW TO HATCH: A GOSLING’S GUIDE TO BREAKING FREE BY SARA HOLLY ACKERMAN (AGES 3 – 7).
Want to know more about how a gosling hatches into the world? This excellent informational picture book has you covered. How to Hatch: A Gosling’s Guide to Breaking Free is both amusing and educational. It’s also perfectly set up to be shared with a wide variety of ages. The main text of the book reads as an instructional “how to” for the young gosling. Alongside large, realistic illustrations, the encouraging and humorous words of our narrator guide the gosling along 6 steps to freedom. Side bars on each two-page spread give more detailed information about each step in the process. Adults may even learn a thing or two. (I thought I knew most of what there was to know about the process, but I did learn some new things!) I highly recommend this book to share with preschool through early elementary learners.
KATIE RECOMMENDS WATERMELON POOL BY LUNE BONSOIR (AGES 4 -8).
In this whimsical tale, a group of villagers make their way to the town’s “Watermelon pool”. That’s right, they climb up a ladder and dive and play inside a ripe watermelon. Perfect for preschoolers, this story will get everyone ready for refreshing summer traditions.
Well, readers, that’s a wrap! Check back again next month for some more fabulous reading recommendations or check out our past June Book Chats. Until then, happy reading!
June Book Chat with Youth Services Team – 2025
June Book Chat with the Youth Services Team – 2024
