I see your puppies and kitties and raise you ADORABLE cryptid babies. Snoring dragons, yawning jackalopes, chomping Nessies – I am truly obsessed. So cute!

Blanca Gómez’s bright, playful illustrations are a perfect pair to the whimsical poetry of E.E. Cummings in this celebration of the seasons.

Zookeeper Amos McGee and his animal friends prepare for the snow in this delightful return to one of my favorite books. It may make you want to be snowed in with Amos and the zoo animals with mugs full of hot chocolate with plenty of marshmallows.

Also loved by Abigail!

We all love dogs with jobs! Follow Ingrid (a real-life guide dog!) as she learns to be the smartest, cutest, most amazing guide dog ever and help her new person go on lots of adventures.

Also loved by Rachel!

A girl with overwhelming emotions creates an origami boat and journeys to the sea where she can feel free in this delightfully whimsical picture book.

This true story of a giant train station clock that gets a new life. Perfect for kids preparing a trip to Paris!

Lion and I have a lot in common. Neither of us want to get out of bed. Will his family be able to convince him to get up and enjoy the day?

For our final lap around the Track series… author Jason Reynolds takes us back to the 1980s, where we meet Otie Brody, the fastest sprinter for the Defenders. Fans of the Track series finally get to meet Otie, AKA Coach, and learn about the hardships, triumphs, and big laughs that made him who he is today. Don’t walk! Don’t run! SPRINT faster than Carl Lewis to go read it! (I highly recommend on audio, too)

This isn’t a book. It’s a teleportation device that sends you to thirteen of the best museums in the world! From the depths of the ocean to the beauty of the art world, each museum is a journey through time and space, creativity and connection.

Mallory is a self-proclaimed expert on the infamous Count Bastien Saphir. She’s also a self-proclaimed witch. One of these is true. When she accepts a fee to banish the late count from the mansion he continues to haunt, everything is under control, until someone dies. Romantasy and a murder mystery, layered with lots of banter.

Things at Brighton and Hove boarding school are always mysterious. When Effy is invited to the elite January arts course, to be taught by a renowned author and actress, she has no idea what she’s getting into. And when their teacher starts daring them to dangerous things, she wonders if they’ll make it out.

Finley is just getting settled in Alaska again after four years in the lower 48, until a house party turns deadly in this thriller full of icy suspense,

Luc and Charlotte return in the stunning conclusion to the Waking Hearts duology. Outlaw Charlotte and her lavender scarecrow Worth are staging a rebellion, but someone in their group is not who they seem in this YA fantasy inspired by The Three Musketeers.

Did you know beaches are made of fish poop? Read this for shark facts delivered in wonderfully funny illustrations, and learn more about the ocean and its creatures!

When Liz dies shortly before her 16th birthday, she doesn’t have a boyfriend or a driver’s license. Now she’s in Elsewhere, an afterlife much like the world of the living where everyone ages backward. Can Liz still experience the joys of growing up without growing older? I missed this surreal, witty book when it came out 20 years ago, but it was such a delight to discover in 2025!

The timeless story of a magical nanny is “practically perfect in every way” now that it’s accompanied by the charming, quirky collage art of Lauren Child in this beautiful gift edition.

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 in this charming middle grade novel, now out in paperback.

This adventure is based on the secret Bletchley Park where cryptologists decoded the German Enigma machine and helped win WWII. Now that this upper middle grade book is released in paperback it can be enjoyed by any reader who enjoys exciting intrigue and smart characters.

Sprout Book Club: November Selection

The November 2025 Sprout Book Club selection is Gather Grateful by Megan Litwin and Alexandra Finkeldey. The animals and people begin to prepare for the fall as they gather in groups, together and apart, in this beautifully illustrated tribute to togetherness in the autumn.

Early praise for the book:

“A spellbinding, festive tale of community.” – Kirkus, starred review

Sprout Book Club is the book subscription box for picture book lovers. Every month members will receive a first edition picture book. Set up a subscription for yourself or buy a gift membership for your favorite picture book lover for 3, 6, or 12 months. 

Spark Book Club: November Selection

The November 2025 Spark Book Club selection is The Free State of Jax by Jennifer A. Nielsen. After Jax moves in with his aunt, uncle, and their six children, things don’t go well. They’re all bullies. Jax takes a raft and floats onto the lake nearby, declaring a micronation, The Free State of Jax, with him as the only citizen. He is happy, but his family will do anything to get him back. There’s a mystery to be solved and secrets to uncover, but it will take all of his courage and possibly, the loss of his freedom.

Early Sparks for the novel:

“A funny, fast-paced coming-of-age adventure mystery about one lonely boy’s quest to claim agency over his own out-of-control life.” – Shelf Awareness

Spark Book Club is the first editions club for middle grade readers. Every month members will receive a first edition middle grade novel — plus a letter written by the author especially for club members. Makes a great gift for the independent reader! Sign ups are available for 3, 6, or 12 months.

ParnassusNext: November Selection

The November 2025 ParnassusNext selection is The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer. Mallory Fontaine is a fraud. She and her sister support themselves by selling fake spells and giving tours of the Saphir mansion where a murder took place. The fates align with an offer for Mallory and her sister to rid the Saphir’s country estate of the murderous count’s ghost. A paid vacation in the country offered by a handsome young count? The Fontaine sisters accept immediately, but things are not as they seem at the estate in this atmospheric retelling of Bluebeard.

Early praise for the novel:

“Meyer takes the classic French folktale “Bluebeard” and expertly sprinkles in ghosts and otherworldly creatures to create an eerie tale with a side of steamy romance. The characters are full-bodied, possessing either winsome or terrifying auras, while the setting beautifully conveys a bewitching ambiance.” – Kirkus, starred review

ParnassusNext is the book subscription box for YA lovers. Every member of ParnassusNext receives a first edition hardcover of each month’s selected book, signed by the author. There is no membership fee to join — and no line to stand in for the autograph. Not only will you have one of the best YA books of the month when it comes out, you’ll have it straight from the author’s hands, with an original, authentic signature! Set up a subscription for yourself or buy a gift membership for your favorite YA reader for 3, 6, or 12 months.