The Dictionary Story

The Dictionary Story is a delightful tale with fun illustrations. Dictionary wants to tell a story like all the other books, but when she does, unexpected things happen. A friend comes along to help her put things back in order.

Into the Goblin Market

A beautiful tribute to the timeless poem by Christina Rosetti, this picture book reminds me of the strange fascination I had with goblins and fairy tales as a child. A bedtime story and a whimsical dream all in one!

Go, Wilma, Go!: Wilma Rudolph, from Athlete to Activist

Told with a chantable refrain and collage illustrations, this is more than just the story of how Wilma won a gold medal! This tells the story of what happens once Wilma got home after experiencing Europe where she wasn’t treated differently because of her skin color. This is the story of activist Wilma Rudolph, one that is not as well known but is just as important. This belongs on every bookshelf.

King Lion

King Lion is a unique friendship tale with delightful illustrations. A fierce lion demands new friends, but a little girl helps him learn the art of friendship. A story of empathy and battling preconceived notions.

The Quacken

What’s up with the ducks at Cucumonga Campground? Legend has it that a giant duck roams the grounds, always in search of its next big meal. When Hector breaks the rules and feeds the ducks, The Quacken emerges! Pick up this laugh-out-loud story to find out what happens next.

Tiny Jenny: Little Fairy, Big Trouble

Tiny Jenny is a wingless fairy born in a nest of wrens. She goes in search of her fairy family and hopes to earn her wings. After a surprising journey, she finds where she truly belongs in this beautifully illustrated picture book.

Crick, Crack, Crow!

A corvid lover’s dream for the young or young at heart! Whimsical watercolor illustrations, rhyming, and lots of facts about your favorite clever birds!

Wolfgang in the Meadow

A little ghost finds joy in the meadow where he lives, but his dream is to become spooky. But what if joy is best?

Sheepwrecked

These adventures of a sheep pirate crew had me laughing out loud. Full of puns and witty dialogue, this will be enjoyed by readers of all ages.

Little Ghost Makes a Friend

This story about a ghost and a girl becoming friends on Halloween is the perfect blend of sweet and spooky.

Fowl Play

Chloe leaves the reading of her uncle’s will with a parrot who spouts words like “Murder” and “Cyanide”. She launches into an investigation with her family that takes them on a journey of discovery and togetherness.

Such Charming Liars

Jamie is a jewel thief planning to go straight after one last score. Jamie and her daughter Kat cross paths with Liam and his dad Luke who was married to Jamie for 24 hours a long time ago. Both Luke and Jamie plan to fleece the same woman. Jamie plans to swap a diamond necklace for a perfect fake and Luke plans to marry her and get her money. A murder takes place complicating everyone’s plans.

Hearts Overboard

Savannah is determined not to be boring. In a very public breakup, her ex told everyone at school that she was. That can’t be the case, especially on a cruise with her (very cute) arch enemy into the Alaskan wilderness. What could possibly be boring about that?

The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky

A poignant and important story that feels like a hug to your younger self. Brett has been struggling ever since his adoptive mother was diagnosed with cancer. He tries to express his emotions in his comic books but is plagued by a negative relationship with food and body image. When Brett’s journal is discovered by his school, he must reach out for help to find a way through the pain of grief and adolescence.

There Is a Door in This Darkness

It’s the fall of 2020, and Wilhelmina had a very different plan of what her gap year was supposed to be. What follows is an emotionally complex journey of Wilhelmina stepping into her own, and Cashore takes the reader through every moment alongside Wilhelmina. A tender examination of grief and growth, this novel gave me so much to think about. I already miss the characters.

Youth Group

If you’re looking for a darker graphic novel with spooks and scares while also being comedic, then this is the book for you. This book is like if The Exorcist became a comedy. It is set sometime in the 90’s so it has a nostalgic feeling to it as well. It features three teens fighting literal demons and figuring themselves out. What more could you want?

Everlost (The Skinjacker Trilogy #1)

After a fatal car accident, Allie and Nick find themselves in an afterlife limbo called Everlost, a magical but dangerous land of lost places and things. Just be careful not to forget your old life, or you might be stuck there forever. Neal Shusterman is the ultimate world-builder and this was one of my favorite books as a teen, guaranteed to yank you out of your reading slump!

The Doll People

If you’ve ever imagined your toys coming to life when you’re not looking, this is the book for you. The Doll family has lived in their dollhouse for over a century when a new doll family, the Funcrafts, move next door. The Doll People sparks imagination and takes readers on a journey to unravel the mystery.

The Phantom Tollbooth

I read this book when I was 10 (as a bored kid like Milo who doodled in class and struggled to pay attention), and I still think about it every day. I will forever attribute my love of puns, wordplay, and sense of humor to this witty book. This is an adventure novel unlike any other, exploring language and the magic of learning that surrounds us all the time, even when we can’t see it.

Sprout Book Club: August Selection

Tiny Jenny: Little Fairy, Big Trouble

Spark Book Club: August Selection

Fowl Play

ParnassusNext: August Selection

Death at Morning House