| PICTURE BOOKS |
Recommended by Katie
By Brad Montague, Kristi Montague
For every parent out there trying to help their kid understand that it’s okay if our first pancake is ugly or to swing and miss at the game. Brad & Kristi Montague’s books are bursting with heart, creativity and laughter, and Fail-a-Bration is such a lovely way to teach our kids to not just make peace with failure but to also celebrate it. I LOVE this book.
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Recommended by Lindsay
By Shawn Harris
I read this book and immediately pledged my lifelong fealty to the Teeny-Weeny Unicorn. If you’re with me, we ride at dawn.
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Recommended by the whole Parnassus staff!
By Ann Patchett, Robin Preiss Glasser (Illustrator)
Ivan and Estie Vert know how to celebrate, each in their own special way in this fabulous new picture book! Ann’s text and Robin’s art give readers a unique celebration full of family, friends, and fun.
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Recommended by Jenny
By Christie Matheson
A scurry of squirrels is on the look for their favorite mischief of mice, questioning all the different animals in a snowy wood. A perfect cozy winter tale for all ages!
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Recommended by Cheryl
By Mies Van Hout
The bird illustrations jump out of the page. Wonderful for expecting parents and simply enchanting for children with just one or two words per page.
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Recommended by Ashby
By Marie Dorleans, Polly Lawson (Translator)
What’s better? An ordered garden? An overgrown wild patch of earth? The Prickletrims learn to find joy in the unexpected, appreciating the hidden treasures and wonder found in disorder. A wonderful lesson for adults too!
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Recommended by Rachel
By Katie Gilstrap, Lori Nichols (Illustrator)
My favorite picture book of the year! Finnegan Fox isn’t like his siblings, but that’s okay. Finnegan gains courage in his own time! The scent of raspberries draws him out on a grand adventure.
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Recommended by Chelsea
By Nina Crews
A great introduction to sizes and comparisons, this delightful board book is so sweet and filled with fun illustrations. Grown ups and kiddos alike will enjoy finding new details on each re-read!
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Recommended by Chelsea
By Loren Long
This heartfelt picture book is all about finding joy and purpose in every stage of life. Just a few words accompany Long’s detailed illustrations, and readers of all ages will delight at the hopefulness found in these pages.
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Recommended by Chelsea
By Thyra Heder
Toby is the new dog in town, but when messages get crossed, will he be able to make new friends? A sweet book about being brave, Nose to Nose is full of dogs, dogs, and more dogs. I loved every page.
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Recommended by Rae Ann
By David Litchfield
A girl is sure her next door neighbor isn’t just an amazing baker. He’s also a dinosaur! When scientists take him away, she realizes everyone is free to live the life they wish in this beautifully illustrated picture book.
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Recommended by Aly
By Jessie Sima
Kat and Ari are tired of waiting. Grandpa is making cookies and they want to eat them NOW. With a little help from a time machine, they learn just how sweet waiting can be.
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| Recommended by Tara
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| CHAPTER BOOKS & CLASSICS |
Recommended by Ann
By Kate DiCamillo, Carmen Mok (Illustrator)
A rat, an owl, a piece of butterscotch candy and a red velvet slipper set the stage for a beautiful and unlikely friendship. Get in on the ground floor of what will be a beloved series. Bonus: it’s dedicated to me.
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Recommended by Hannah P.
By Annie Barrows, Sophie Blackall (Illustrator)
I loved this hilarious and charming book about the sweet friendship between two sisters. Stella and Marigold have big imaginations and even bigger love for each other. Together, they create adventures and magic that warm your heart, make you laugh, and make you want to go hug your own sister. Perfect for fans of Ivy & Bean and Ramona & Beezus!
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Recommended by Cheryl
By Frances Hodgson Burnett, Kate Lewis (Illustrator)
This children’s classic is beautifully illustrated by Kate Lewis. Her prints on quality paper make this a gift or art book for all ages.
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| MIDDLE GRADE |
| Recommended by Cheryl
What a team: Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin! By using the real history of Bletchley Park and its value to the winning of the war against the Nazis, the authors give exciting intrigue and smarts to the characters. |
| Recommended by Rae Ann
Two friends need help finding someone dear to each of them who is lost. When they find out about the Witching Wind, they’re sure it’s responsible. They set out on an impossible mission that’s only possible with friends in this delightful and magical novel! |
| Recommended by Hannah P.
I can’t express how much I loved this heartfelt mystery. Told from the perspectives of a forgotten typewriter and a word-obsessed boy searching for his missing mother, this story is brimming with wit, adventure, and emotion. It will stay with you long after you have finished! |
| Recommended by Jake
A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall follows Rami, a young boy who needs to recover a stolen painting to clear his mother’s name. With the help of a classmate, a ghost, and a turtle, Rami must navigate all of the twists and turns standing between him and the truth. A thrilling, heartfelt mystery, this is also a must-read for anyone who wants to read from the perspective of a turtle named Agatha. |
| Recommended by Jenness
The town of Pearl always comes together to celebrate Halloween, unaware that each year a local witch casts her sinister spell to steal a child and harvest their energy. Only Mason and his friends see what is happening and attempt to stop the spell and set things right again. I loved this creepy, fun, and exciting book! |
| Recommended by Rae Ann
Elwood McGee knows ghosts like coffee and can be nervous when spotted in the wild. He knows because he can see them, and there is one ghost he really wants to see one last time. A charming middle grade debut. |
Recommended by Ashby
By James Ponti
Read the City Spies series? The first in a new series is an equally action-packed mystery. Four kids start a detective agency with a retired reporter grandfather. Cadillac convertible? Storage unit of cold cases? Buried treasure? Mobster Al Capone? Island in the Everglades? Crooked corporation? See how it turns out…
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Recommended by Rae Ann
By Kristin O’Donnell Tubb
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.
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| Recommended by Katie
I (like many of you out there, I imagine) ADORE Joy Wilson and I am so excited she is extending her baking magic to the world of children’s books and the lovely “Life Changing” series. In this sweet biographical beginner’s guide, Joy shares some of her most treasured baking memories and tips and techniques she has learned along the way. The perfect addition to you and your kiddo’s kitchen collection. |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS |
| Recommended by Aly
Perfect for readers of The Baby-Sitters Club. This entirely relatable book takes you into the world of Lia, who moves from Romania to Canada during middle school Can she find any friends and can they help each other make it through? |
| Recommended by Katie
This beloved “silent comic” from former Disney animator Christian Slade is all together in one seriously stunning and insanely adorable compilation. When Ivy and her beloved corgi Sprout wake up one morning, they have no idea about all the adventures they’ll have in Korgi Hollow. A truly all-ages book, Korgi is a delightful ride for everyone. |
Recommended by RJ
By Scout Underhill, Liana Sposto (Contributions by)
DnDoggos is the start of a new graphic novel series about a group of dog friends playing a tabletop role-playing campaign. Featuring the cutest adventuring party of all time, this story blends table-side antics and in-game action to create a fun, accessible story for young D&D players and beyond.
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| YOUNG ADULT |
| Recommended by Rae Ann
This is the story of the Fall siblings in California wine country. This is the story of a girl who may be an angel. It’s also the story of a family curse and how they’re all connected. A unique and compelling novel. |
| Recommended by Aly
Nothing is what it seems in this book of mystery and murder. As Dia Gannon is chosen as one of the handful of interns for the prestigious Darkly Games company, she can’t help but question everything. Who are these other interns? Who really was the mysterious puzzlemaker, Louisiana Veda? And are they really expecting a bunch of teenagers to potentially solve a murder? |
| Recommended by Aly
Morgan Matson returns to her roots in this beautiful and hilarious story. Darcy believes in true love. That’s why, when she meets Russell at the bus station and borrows his phone charger, she knows it’s fate. But can anyone truly get to know and love someone in just one night? |
| Recommended by Raegyn
Twilight had it wrong. Vampires don’t sparkle. Kidan says they lure you with their dark gaze and plump lips until they can taste you. To her, they’re pure evil, and all evil must be purged. When a vampire takes her sister, Kidan vows to do anything to get her back, even if she must become the monster she hates. With enemies-to-lovers, secret societies, and African lore, Immortal Dark is a debut you won’t forget. |
| Recommended by Rachel
This is one of those books that makes you hold your breath. An exploration of the Icarus myth with young queer love, poetically short chapters, and art thievery. Icarus stole my heart and won’t give it back. |
| Recommended by Tara
Death at Morning House will keep you on the edge of your seat and flipping pages furiously until the very end. Told in two alternating timelines, it is the breakout ya thriller of the year. |
| Recommended by Raegyn
Howl’s Moving Castle meets Beauty and the Beast? Ask, and you shall receive. Sade needs a job, preferably as a maid, but that changes when she accidentally binds herself to the Crocodile God: a beast who feasts on the flesh of pretty girls—or so the rumors say. Now, she must break his curse and appease her new employer with her curse-eating power, or else it’s kill or be killed. BEWARE THE CROCODILE GOD! |
| Recommended by Ashby
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. |
| Recommended by Rachel
As someone who adores Pride and Prejudice, I am very protective of its main characters, and I am happy to report that Gabe Cole Novoa gave them brilliant new lives in this retelling. My little queer heart was bursting at the seams! |
| Recommended by Chelsea
An orphan with her own agenda of revenge, Arthie is forced to steal from vampire society in order to keep her teahouse and her found family safe. The worldbuilding, the vibes, and the cast of characters are all perfection. Faizal has delivered a twisty page-turner that I haven’t stopped thinking about. |
Recommended by Ester
By Lynn Painter
Liz and Wes are in college now, but the happily ever after we expected isn’t so happy anymore. After a falling-out, Wes is determined to win Liz back and he’s got a foolproof plan. I loved every moment of this– Lynn Painter ate and left no crumbs.
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Recommended by Jennifer
By Sabaa Tahir
The world of Ember in Ashes is back, but this time with the descendants of our beloved characters. As the world that Laia and Elias sacrificed falls apart, a prince, a prophet, and a magical tracker must find their own paths to their destiny.
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Recommended by Chloe
By Jordan Morris, Bowen McCurdy (Illustrator)
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?
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Musing 