Latest Reviews

That You Are Here Is No Small Thing by Traci N. Todd and Vashti Harrison is a bedtime story for PreS-Grade 4. It connects three young Black children with ancestral history in dreamlike sequences.

That You Are Here Is No Small Thing | Picture Book Spotlight

Mexikid Dreams by Pedro Martin is the stand-alone companion to Mexikid (2023). Recommended for Grades 5-8.

Mexikid: Dreams | Middle Grade Spotlight

Whenever You Are by Martine Leavitt is a speculative fiction novel about two teen boys who may have found a portal out of juvenile detention. Recommended for Grades 8+.

Whenever You Are | YA Spotlight

This post features 16 recommended Halloween picture books.

16 Halloween Picture Books to Read Aloud

Have You Ever Seen a Ghost is a picture book by Daniel Kwan and Julia Potts. It features a shy ghost who needs encouragement to attend a party. Recommended for PreS-Grade 3.

Have You Ever Seen a Ghost? | Picture Book Spotlight

In this Picture Book Spotlight, author Leslie Helakowski writes about a young reporter who investigates escaped gnus while learning to spot misinformation. Fake Gnus is recommended for Grades K-4.

Fake Gnus | Picture Book Spotlight

Reading the Bones: Homo Naledi and the Mysteries of Human Evolution is a middle grade narrative nonfiction book by Marc Aronson and John S. Mead. Scientists uncover ancient human relatives deep in a South African cave. Recommended for Grades 5-9.

Reading the Bones | Middle Grade Spotlight

No Place on Earth by Andrea Beatriz Arango is recommended for Grades 4-8. This realistic fiction novel is about Puerto Rican boy who navigates anxiety, friendship, and dreams in Yellowstone National Park.

No Place on Earth | Middle Grade Spotlight

Raise the Bar by Fernanda Frick H is a middle grade graphic novel about a tween female powerlifter chasing Olympic Gold. Recommended for Grades 3-8.

Raise the Bar | Middle Grade Spotlight

Survival Show is a YA dystopia by Juno Dawson. Recommended for Grades 8-12.

Survival Show | YA Spotlight

In this Picture Book Spotlight, author Lesa Cline-Ransome celebrates Mary Peake, a teacher who started a secret school for young Black students in the pre-Civil War American South. Recommended for Grades 1-7.

Freedom to Read | Picture Book Spotlight

Invisible by Eloy Moreno is a middle grade novel about bullying, being invisible, and abuse. It earned starred professional reviews from SLJ, BCCB, and Kirkus. Recommended for Grades 4-8.

Invisible by Eloy Moreno | Middle Grade Spotlight

Homesick by Audrey Verney and Liz Garton Scanlon is a 2026 picture book that celebrates the joy of leaving for a trip and returning home.

Homesick | Picture Book Spotlight

If the Moon is a picture book by Matthew Burgess, illustrated by Matthew Forsythe. It's on my 2027 longlist of Caldecott contenders!

If the Moon | Picture Book Spotlight

Exposures by Lily Williams is a realistic fiction book for Grades 3-7. OCD, resilience, and building empathy are major themes.

Exposures | Middle Grade Spotlight

Nest of Tongues by Randy Ribay is a YA supernatural folklore book released in August 2026. A great pick for fans of the TV series Grimm. Recommended for Grades 9-12.

Nest of Tongues | YA Spotlight

Shook by Julian Randall is a middle grade sports fiction novel in verse for Grades 4-8. Great for reluctant readers! Image includes the cover of Shook on a light blue background.

Shook by Julian Randall | Middle Grade Spotlight

Scritch Scratch by Teri Sloat makes a great picture book read-aloud for Halloween Storytime. Recommended for Grades K-3. This image also includes the book cover.

Scritch! Scratch! by Teri Sloat | Picture Book Spotlight

Weaver and the Web by Chris Baker is a gorgeous informational book for Grades K-3. This image includes the book cover, which features a large brown spider on a web, with a dark blue night sky and stars in the background.

Weaver and the Web by Chris Baker | Picture Book Spotlight

Today is the Day by Chelsea Lin Wallace is a quiet look at one day around the world. Recommended for PreS-Grade 3. This image also includes the book cover.

Today Is the Day by Chelsea Lin Wallace | Picture Book Spotlight

The Skeleton and the Cat is a cozy Halloween

The Skeleton and the Cat by Brandon James Scott | Picture Book Spotlight

Sleepless is a middle grade novel by Gordon Korman. It poses the question, If you could choose to never need sleep again, would you?

Sleepless by Gordon Korman: Middle Grade Spotlight

The Mueganos by Jaque Jours is a humorous picture book spotlighting Mexican culture and family togetherness.

The Muéganos by Jaque Jours | Picture Book Spotlight

This is a Librarian's Perspective Review of Some of Us Are Brave by Saadia Faruqi.

Some of Us Are Brave: A Librarian’s Perspective Review