NYPL Blogs: Children's Literature @ NYPL

Nonfiction Recommendations for Kids from the Teen Reading Ambassadors

Rachel Roseberry, Youth Literacy Programs — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 16:31:52 -0400

The New York Public Library's Teen Reading Ambassadors internship program brings together 10th–12th grade students to help further the Library's mission to inspire lifelong learning in others, particularly young children. Ambassadors work at NYPL After School programs across the city providing tutoring and literacy enrichment activities to children ages 6–12. They also show children the joy of reading by connecting them with engaging books from the Library’s collections!

In these book recommendations, Ambassadors highlight engaging nonfiction titles for children. From a picture book biography of an artist you may not have heard of before to an exploration of the history of glasses to a survey of the unique animals of Antarctica, these titles are sure to introduce kids to new facts and spark their curiosity! For more nonfiction recommendations, visit NYPL’s Best Books for Kids list and filter by nonfiction.

The People’s Painter: How Ben Shahn Fought for Justice with Art written by Cynthia Levinson and illustrated by Evan Turk

Ages 7–10
Recommended by Kel A., Woodstock Library

This nonfiction book follows the life of Ben Shahn, an artist known for his work for social realism. The book uses colorful illustrations to construct the strong opinions that Shahn held throughout his life. Ben Shahn was a creative artist who included parts of his culture through his art and this book shows that by showing us various examples of art pieces that Shahn did. This book shows a young audience that having a strong opinionated voice is acceptable and is encouraged. The author shows examples of Shahn disobeying parts of religion that he believes was negatively impactful to different communities. This book's main target is 7–10-year-olds who have a passion for civil rights activists and love for the arts. We follow a boy who finds his passion in art and activism and explores it throughout his life.

The Wisdom of Trees: How Trees Work Together to Form a Natural Kingdom by Lita Judge

Ages 7–10
Recommended by Krishmitha N., St. George Library Center

Trees, trees, trees! All beautiful and clean! The Wisdom of Trees is an informational book filled with wonderful illustrations and poems. This fascinating work gives you a glimpse of the secrets of trees and the way they communicate to make a strengthened environment for themselves and others. Jump into this book to see the story of a tree and how they survive in their community. Although trees may seem quiet and lonely, they are far from it! With a world of their own, trees have their very own way of life. Just like us, trees are raised by a loved one, they protect their environment, share their food, and even talk! Join in to find out what else trees do and the hidden secrets they have. So put on your outdoor gear and climb into this book filled with nature, environment, trees, and lots of fun!

Light Bulb: Eureka! The Biography of an Idea written by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld and illustrated by Stephanie Dehennin

Ages 5–8
Recommended by Emelyn B., High Bridge Library

It is hard to believe there was a time when light didn’t exist. In Light Bulb: Eureka! The Biography of an Idea by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld (and illustrated by Stephanie Dehennin) we follow the famous inventor, Thomas Edison, through his scientific process of creating long-lasting light. We see him collaborate with many other famous inventors like Alexander Graham Bell (inventor of the telephone). Not only that but we see the difficulties he went through with his ups and downs while trying to find a good solution. Even though we all know how the story ends, the journey Edison went through is just as important to know about. Go ahead and check it out today!

The Pronoun Book: She, He, They, and Me! written by Cassandra Jules Corrigan and illustrated by Jem Milton

Ages 5–8
Recommended by Jeba A., Parkchester Library

In the book The Pronoun Book: She, He, They, and Me!, Ellie and Casey teach us pronouns which help refer to gender identity. There are also letters and vocabulary based on pronouns so you wouldn't be confused when someone tells you their pronouns. In our society, it's our duty to understand and respect all pronouns. Read with your loved one and don’t forget to share with others!

Who Was Rosa Parks? written by Yona Zeldis McDonough and illustrated by Stephen Marchesi

Ages 7–10
Recommended by Reign H., Francis Martin Library

In this book Who Was Rosa Parks? you will be informed about the history of Rosa Parks and how her actions led to the fight for equal rights and freedom for African Americans. In 1955, Rosa Parks was sitting on a bus, and refused to give up her seat to a white passenger. Rosa Parks refusing to do this sparked a lot of attention and played an important part in African American history.

Glasses: Eureka! The Biography of an Idea written by Lori Haskins Houran and illustrated by John Joven

Ages 5–8
Recommended by Anna P., Chatham Square Library

You have definitely seen a pair of glasses before, but have you ever wondered how they came to be? Glasses: Eureka! The Biography of an Idea by Lori Haskins Houran tells the story of glasses from their origins in Ancient Rome to several upgrades made in Egypt, Spain, China, England, and the United States. Through its unique art style and clear timeline, Glasses takes us on a journey through centuries, when water, glass spheres, and even crystals were used to see! The story also includes easy-to-follow, labeled scientific diagrams that help us better understand the function of the human eye and how lenses work! In only 32 pages, you will become an expert on the evolution and function of glasses, and can show off your newfound knowledge to your glasses-wearing friends and family!

Ten Animals in Antarctica: A Counting Book by Moira Court

Ages 5–6
Recommended by Nolan L., Seward Park Library

After reading Ten Animals in Antarctica by Moira Court, I learned so much about the different types of species that live there. For example, I learned about how penguins live in their cold homes. You can learn it too! But the book isn't just a text with facts, it has many helpful pictures with descriptions too. On every page, you can play "I Spy" and count the number of animals on the page. In this way, the book can help improve your math skills at the same time. The book is also filled with fun rhymes to make you wish you could go to Antarctica in the future. What other animals live in the icy poles? Use your imagination!

A Boy Named Isamu: A Story of Isamu Noguchi by James Yang

Ages 5–7
Recommended by Tony C., Chatham Square Library

In the book A Boy Named Isamu by James Yang, Isamu goes to the market with his mother where he starts to get bored so he uses his imagination to start exploring the world. The author takes us on a journey with Isamu as he experiences different parts of the world and all that it offers. Descriptions of the places that Isamu visited are given to us, so it allows us to visit the places with him. Yang shows us that our imagination can take us anywhere we want to go. Have you ever wanted to go somewhere? You can just as Isamu did by using your imagination—the sky's the limit. At the end of the book we learn that the boy Isamu grows up to become the famous Japanese American sculptor Isamu Noguchi! After reading this great book take your imagination for a test run and explore a place you have always wanted to explore! This book takes readers on a wild adventure, and I would highly recommend this book to everyone.

Areli Is a Dreamer: A True Story written by Areli Morales and illustrated by Luisa Uribe

Ages 5-8
Recommended by Ainsley O., Washington Heights Library

Areli Is a Dreamer is a great book for children who have faced or are facing the difficulty of moving from one place to another in search of a better future. In this book, Areli is a happy six-year-old girl who was born in Mexico. In Mexico, she lived in a colorful house with a big backyard and lots of chicken alongside her grandma and big family. Yet there was one thing missing for her to be completely happy. Her parents have been living in America as immigrants and have called for her to go live with them. She is excited to be reunited with her family but faces many issues including living in a new place where she does not know anyone and does not speak their language. To learn more about the challenges Areli faced when arriving in America and how she solved these challenges make sure to check your nearest NYPL branch or search NYPL’s online catalog to read this amazing book.

Girls on the Case: Middle Grade Mysteries

Ruth Guerrier-Pierre, Children's Librarian, Kips Bay Library — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 14:13:30 -0500

Frankie Thomas and Bonita Granville in the motion picture Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase. NYPL Digital Collections, Image ID: ps_the_3054

In the tradition of Nancy Drew and other well-known girl sleuths and detectives let's give a nod to Women's History Month by reading mysteries and adventures featuring girl sleuths, detectives, and crime solvers. They use their minds, guts, and sheer good luck to solve the case!

Friday Barnes, Girl Detective by R. A. Spratt; illustrations by Phil Gosier

Using reward money for solving a bank robbery to attend an exclusive boarding school, Friday Barnes tackles mysteries ranging from disappearing homework and a yeti in a swamp to the reason the school's most handsome boy hates her.

The Fairy-Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley

The sisters learn they are descendants of the Brothers Grimm, whose famous book of fairy tales is actually a collection of case files. The girls are the latest in a long line of fairy-tale detectives, and their new hometown is filled with Everafters (as magical folks like to be called)â"some good and some very, very bad. When a mysterious Everafter sets a giant loose on the town, it's up to the Sisters Grimm to save the day.

The Girl From Felony Bay by John Thompson

Forced to move in with her alcoholic uncle after her father is framed for a terrible crime, sixth-grader Abbey resolves to clear her father's name while outmaneuvering a bully and tackling a mystery on her family's estate with the help of a curious newcomer.

The Case of The Missing Marquess: An Enola Holmes Mystery by Nancy Springer

Enola Holmes, much younger sister of detective Sherlock Holmes, must travel to London in disguise to unravel the disappearance of her missing mother.

Goldie Vance: The Hotel Whodunit by Lilliam Rivera

In early 1960s Florida, sixteen-year-old Goldie, an aspiring detective at the Crossed Palms Resort Hotel, investigates when a diamond-encrusted swim cap goes missing during the filming of a movie.

The Great Cake Mystery by Alexander McCall Smith

Before becoming the first female private investigator in Botswana, eight-year-old Precious Ramotswe tracks down a thief who has been stealing her classmates' snacks.

The Case of The Missing Moonstone by Jordan Stratford

A first installment in a series set in an early 19th-century alternate universe finds brusque 11-year-old genius Ada and romantic 14-year-old Mary forming a detective agency and investigating a stolen heirloom using their math, science, and analytic talents.

Cold-Blooded Myrtle by Elizabeth Bunce

Twelve-year-old Young Lady of Quality and Victorian amateur detective Myrtle Hardcastle returns, and now she is on the trail of a serial killer in her hometown of Swinburne.

Poison is Not Polite by Robin Stevens

In 1930s England, schoolgirl detectives Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are at Daisy's home for the holidays when someone falls seriously, mysteriously ill at a family party, but no one present is what they seem—and everyone has a secret or two—so the Detective Society must do everything they can to reveal the truth ... no matter the consequences.

Murder at the Museum by Lena Jones

Thirteen-year-old Agatha Oddlow's set to become the youngest member of the Gatekeepers' Guild, but before that, she's got a mystery to solve. There's been a murder at the British Museum and, although the police are investigating, Agatha suspects that they're missing a wider plot going on below Londona plot involving a disused Tube station, a huge fireworks display, and five thousand tonnes of gold bullion.

The Dollhouse by Charis Cotter

Alice and her mom are heading to a small town where Alice's mom will be a live-in nurse to a rich elderly lady. The house is huge, imposing, and spooky, and everything inside is meticulously kept and perfect— not a fun place to spend the summer. Things start to get weird when Alice finds a dollhouse in the attic that's an exact replica of the house she's living in. Then she wakes up to find a girl asleep next to her in her bed —a girl who looks a lot like one of the dolls from the dollhouse .

A Girl, A Raccoon, and the Midnight Moon by Karen Romano Young; illustrated by Jessixa Bagley

Eleven-year-old Pearl Moran cannot imagine life without the historic but under-utilized branch of The New York Public Library where she was born (in the Memorial Room) and where her single mother works as the circulation librarian; the other librarians, the neighborhood people, the raccoons, and most of the 41,000 plus books all form the structure and essence of her life—but when someone cuts off the head of the Library's statue of Edna St. Vincent Millay she realizes that the Library is under attack, and it is up to her to save it.

Agatha, Girl of Mystery. Kenyan Expedition by Sir Steve Stevenson; illustrated by Stefano Turconi; translated by Siobhan Tracey; adapted by Maya Gold

A missing white giraffe brings Agatha Mistery and her cousin Dash to the heart of Africa. A rare species of white giraffe, venerated by the Masai tribe as a divinity, has disappeared from the savanna, and it's up to Agatha and Dash to find it! Together with a third cousin and safari expert, the pair must track down the poacher who has stolen the priceless animal.

Zenobia July by Lisa Bunker

Zenobia July is starting a new life. She used to live in Arizona with her father; now she's in Maine with her aunts. She used to spend most of her time behind a computer screen, improving her impressive coding and hacking skills; now she's coming out of her shell and discovering a community of friends at Monarch Middle School. People used to tell her she was a boy; now she's able to live openly as the girl she always knew she was. When someone anonymously posts hateful memes on her school's website, Zenobia knows she's the one with the abilities to solve the mystery, all while wrestling with the challenges of a new school, a new family, and coming to grips with presenting her true gender for the first time.

The Book Case: An Emily Lime Mystery by Dave Shelton

Sent to exclusive St. Rita's boarding school for girls after an expulsion, book-smart Daphne discovers that the school is not quite what she expected before finding herself working as a library assistant to crime-solving genius Emily Lime.

Jolly Foul Play: A Wells & Wong Mystery by Robin Stevens

Daisy and Hazel must solve another murder at Deepdean when a bullying Head Girl turns up dead on Bonfire Night.

Effie Starr Zook Has One More Question by Martha Freeman

City girl Effie Starr Zook is not excited about spending the summer on her aunt and uncle's farm in Nowheresville, Pennsylvania until she stumbles across a mystery that leads her smack into an old family feud.

The Girl With The Glass Bird by Esme Kerr

At Knight's Haddon, a remote all-girls boarding school, feisty orphan Edie is assigned to spy on fragile, exotic Anastasia. Instead, the two become best friends—and discover a sinister mystery.

North of Nowhere by Liz Kessler

Rushing to the sleepy seaside village of Porthaven to help her grandmother when her granddad mysteriously vanishes, Mia discovers a diary on an empty fishing boat and begins exchanging notes with a local girl who makes excuses for not meeting Mia in person, adding to an already mystifying situation.

The Disappearance of Emily H by Barrie Summy

Eighth-grader Raine, a new girl at Yielding Middle School, uses her supernatural ability to see other people's memories to solve the disappearance of a teenage girl.

Conspiracy by Patricia Finney writing as Lady Grace Cavendish

After an assassination attempt goes wrong and claims the life of one of her Gentlewomen of the Bedchamber, Queen Elizabeth I decides to give the woman's young daughter, Lady Grace, special treatment in her Royal Court, yet as more mysterious events unfold, Lady Grace becomes fearful for her queen and so decides to look into the strange happenings in order to find out who is involved—and bring them to justice.

Unstoppable Octobia May by Sharon G. Flake

In 1953 ten-year-old Octobia May lives in her Aunt's boarding house in the South, surrounded by an African American community that has its own secrets and internal racism, and spends her days wondering if Mr. Davenport in room 204 is really a vampire—or something else entirely.

Under The Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald

Her grandfather's dying words lead thirteen-year-old Theodora Tenpenny to a valuable, hidden painting she fears may be stolen, but it is her search for answers in her Greenwich Village neighborhood that brings a real treasure.

Vanishing Acts: A Madison Kincaid Mystery by Philip Margolin

In Portland, Oregon, between soccer games and beginning seventh grade, twelve-year-old Madison Kincaid and new classmate Jake try to track down her missing best friend, while also helping her attorney father solve a missing-persons case.

Pepper's Rules of Secret Sleuthing by Briana McDonald

Amateur detective Pepper Blouse, a rising seventh-grader, cannot resist investigating when her Great Aunt Florence passes away under mysterious circumstances, but strictly following her mother's Detective Rulebook may not be the best plan.

Snowize & Snitch : Highly Effective Defective Detectives by K. H. Briner

A once-intrepid spy, a dignified rodent, and a girl with a perplexing past team up to find out who is draining the minds of great scientists of their knowledge.

The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson

Twelve-year-old Candice Miller is spending the summer in Lambert, South Carolina, in the old house that belonged to her grandmother, who died after being dismissed as city manager for having the city tennis courts dug up looking for buried treasure—but when she finds the letter that sent her grandmother on the treasure hunt, she finds herself caught up in the mystery and, with the help of her new friend and fellow book-worm, Brandon, she sets out to find the inheritance, exonerate her grandmother, and expose an injustice once committed against an African American family in Lambert.

Matasha by Pamela Erens

It's 1970's Chicago. Eleven-year-old Matasha Wax is fixated by the story of Martin Kimmel, a nine-year-old boy who disappeared a few months ago, and whose body has yet to be found. But none of these ongoing problems could have prepared Matasha for her mother's sudden disappearance. When the letters start coming from Switzerland, she knows something is very, very wrong—but no one will tell her what's going on, so Matasha has to figure it all out for herself.

Girl's Best Friend by Leslie Margolis

In Brooklyn, New York, twelve-year-old dog-walker Maggie, aided by her twin brother Finn and best friend Lucy, investigates someone she believes is stealing pets.

Picturebook Adventures at Sea

Clarissa Cooke, Children's Librarian, 96th Street Library — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 11:21:34 -0500

If you are looking for some good sea stories for elementary school-age children, the books on this list will be perfect. There are stories of sailing ships, cargo ships, and one tale of life in a lighthouse. There are voyages on the ocean and voyages of the imagination along with some true sea stories from our nonfiction section.

Fiction

The Antlered Ship by Dashka Slater; illustrated byThe Fan Brothers

Marco the fox has a lot of questions, like: how deep does the sun go when it sinks into the sea? And why do birds have such lizardy feet? But none of the other foxes share his curiosity. So when a magnificent ship adorned with antlers and with a deer for a captain arrives at the dock looking for a crew, Marco volunteers, hoping to find foxes who are as inquisitive as he is that can answer his questions. The crew finds adventure and intrigue on their journey. And, at last, Marco finds the answer to his most important question of all: What’s the best way to find a friend you can talk to?

Captain Jack and the Pirates by Peter Bently and Helen Oxenbury

A swashbuckling high-seas adventure finds young Jack, Zack, and Caspar building a sand boat on the beach before embarking on an imaginative voyage that pits them against enemy pirates and strands them on a desert island, where they discover a “treasure” of delicious desserts.

Captain's Log Snowbound by Erin Dionne; illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler

Excited to give his report on explorer Ernest Shackleton in school, and frustrated by a monstrous snowstorm that has left his family and city snowbound, a boy imagines himself on a voyage where he and his crew (his family) are trapped by the ice, just like his favorite explorer and the ship, Endurance.

Faraway Things by Dave Eggers; illustrated by Kelly Murphy

Lucian's father called them faraway things, those mysterious objects orphaned upon the windswept shore, their stories long lost in the shroud of ocean fog. Lucian's discovery on the beach this particular day, though, is no ordinary faraway thing. It's a cutlass: strong, shiny, and powerful. As its history comes to light, Lucian faces a choice: cling to the sword he loves or accept a gift that shines farther, wider, and deeper than he could have ever dreamed.

Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall

Watch the days and seasons pass as the wind blows, the fog rolls in, and icebergs drift by. Outside, there is water all around. Inside, the daily life of a lighthouse keeper and his family unfolds as the keeper boils water for tea, lights the lamp's wick, and writes every detail in his logbook.

Hope at Sea: An Adventure Story by Daniel Miyares

When she stows away on her father’s 19th-century merchant vessel, Hope embarks on a high seas adventure of a lifetime, in this action-packed picture book that also captures the love between a father and child.

My Clementine by Roberto Innocenti

A captain narrates the many adventures he had aboard the refrigerated cargo ship Clementine, from his first sight of the ship in the 1930s, to its voyages around the world, to its becoming a warship in World War II, and to its final sinking in a storm.

Ocean Meets Sky by Terry Fan; illustrated by The Fan Brothers

A story about a young boy who sets sail to find the magical place where the ocean meets the sky in accordance with his late grandfather's descriptions, a voyage marked by imaginative animals and castles that leads to an unexpected discovery.

Nonfiction

How Sweet the Sound: The Story of Amazing Grace by Carole Boston Weatherford; illustrated by Frank Morrison

A poignant picture book biography of the man behind the iconic hymn, "Amazing Grace", describes how John Newton miraculously survived a stormy night at sea and became a minister before ending his own slaving activities and sharing the words of his prayers to help abolish slavery in England.

Man-of-War by Richard Platt; illustrated by Stephen Biesty

Covering everything from warship design to navigation, a 25th anniversary edition of a nautical entry in the award-winning series features elaborately detailed, fact-filled cross-sections of an 18th-century man-of-war ship.

Seven Miles to Freedom: The Robert Smalls Story by Janet Halfmann; illustrated by Duane Smith

A biography of Robert Smalls who, during the Civil War, commandeered the Confederate ship Planter to carry his family and twelve other slaves to freedom, and went on to become a United States Congressman working toward African American advancement.

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

Classroom Connections: Women and Their Passions

Amber Certain, School Outreach Librarian — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 13:13:17 -0500

March is Women's History Month—a time to celebrate achievements women have made throughout the course of American history in various fields. This booklist highlights four women: Alice Waters, Patsy Takemoto Mink, Florence Merriam Bailey, and Coco Chanel with an outstanding children's book about each along with recommended titles related to each woman's great passion (healthy eating, gender equality in sports, birds, and fashion). These would be wonderful additions during storytime or great titles to suggest for parents to encourage family and independent reading.

Alice Waters

Alice Waters Cooks up a Food Revolution by Diane Stanley and illustrated by Jessie Hartland

The delicious story of pioneering chef Alice Waters who changed the way America eats and kickstarted the organic food movement. A pioneer of the slow and organic food movements, she is also known for creating Edible Schoolyard, a project that involves kids in the growing of their own food.

Min/Max Grade level: 1–2
Natural Foods

NYPL Digital Collections, Image ID: ps_pho_cd5_54

Explore more titles about healthy eating and gardening:

Grow a Garden! by Alexis Frederick-Frost

Assigned to the most unpopular teacher at Garden Gnome Academy, Violet, Will, and Basil learn unexpectedly engaging lessons about soil, compost and the secrets to growing a healthy garden, in a story that shares step-by-step instructions for growing a container garden.

Min/Max Grade level: 4–6
Vegetable gardening

How to Say Hello to a Worm: A First Guide to Outside by Kari Percival

The beautiful simplicity of a garden is depicted through digital woodcut illustrations and engaging nonfiction text presented as a series of sweet questions and gentle replies. Less of a traditional how-to and more of a how-to-appreciate, this soothingly sparse text paints an inviting and accessible picture of what a garden offers. And with an all-child cast, the absence of an adult presence empowers readers to view the garden and its creatures through their own eyes, driven by curiosity and wonder.

Min/Max Grade level: Pre-K
Gardening

Our Food: A Healthy Serving of Science and Poems by Grace Lin, Ranida T. McKneally and illustrated by Grace Zong

An introduction to the science of food, the food groups, and the qualities of a healthy meal answers basic questions in a sequence of haiku poems and Q&A entries.

Min/Max Grade level: 3 - 4
Nutrition

Plant, Cook, Eat!: A Children's Cookbook by Joe Archer and Caroline Craig

For beginners and green-thumbed foodies, this unusually all-inclusive garden-to-kitchen cookbook is part lesson in gardening and part collection of healthy, delicious, kid-friendly recipes.

Min/Max Grade level: 3 - 7
Vegetable gardening

Patsy Takemoto Mink

Fall Down Seven Times, Stand up Eight: Patsy Takemoto Mink and the Fight for Title IX by Jen Bryant and illustrated by Toshiki Nakamura

A champion of equal rights who helped create a better future for all Americans, this biography of the first Asian American woman elected to Congress showed how she carved her own path to become a historic trailblazer.

Min/Max Grade level: Pre-K–2
Government and politics

NYPL Digital Collections, Image ID: 1683049

Explore books about sports and gender equality:

Girls With Guts!: The Road to Breaking Barriers & Bashing Records by Debbie Gonzales and illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon

A celebration of the strength, endurance, and athleticism of women and girls throughout the ages, Girls With Guts! keeps score with examples of women athletes from the late 1800s up through the 1970s, sharing how women refused to take no for an answer, and how finally, they pushed for a law to protect their right to play, compete, and be athletes.

Min/Max Grade level: 1–4
Sex discrimination in sports

More than a Game: Race, Gender, and Politics in Sports by Matt Doeden

This book explores controversies in sports, including black boxer Jack Johnson, Jessie Owens in the 1936 Olympics, Jackie Robinson breaking baseball's color barrier, Muhammad Ali's refusal to fight in the Vietnam War, #MeToo, and the US gymnastics team, and much more.

Min/Max Grade level: 5—12
Discrimination in sports

Flipster: Access over 100 popular magazines, including Sports Illustrated Kids with your NYPL library card.

Florence Merriam Bailey

She Heard the Birds: The Story of Florence Merriam Bailey: Pioneering Nature Activist written and illustrated by Andrea D'Aquino

Tells the story of pioneering birder and activist Florence Merriam Bailey, whose compassionate approach to nature influenced modern bird-watching and inspired a lasting sense of curiosity and respect for the world's feathered creatures.

Min/Max Grade level: K–2
Ornithologists

NYPL Digital Collections, Image ID: 108346

Encourage children to look for birds all around and pay close attention to their feathers and beaks! Explore more books about birds:

A Garden to Save the Birds by Wendy McClure and illustrated by Beatriz Mayumi

After a bird flies into their window, two children and their mother study how to keep birds safe, and soon their whole neighborhood is helping in different ways.

Min/Max Grade level: 1–3
Bird protection

The Beak Book by Robin Page

Birds around the world have so many amazing kinds of beaks! There are short beaks and long beaks, straight beaks and curved beaks, flat beaks, and even spoon-shaped beaks. But what do all of these beaks do? Discover how beaks of different shapes and sizes are adapted to help birds sip nectar, make nests, battle for mates, and more!

Min/Max Grade level: K–2
Bird identification

Bird Show by Susan Stockdale

Celebrates the beauty and diversity of some of the world's most remarkable birds, introducing amateur ornithologists to familiar and exotic species and their vibrant colors, patterns, and other feathered features.

Min/Max Grade level: Pre-K–2
Bird Identification

Birdology: 30 Activities and Observations for Exploring the World of Birds by Monica Russo, photographs by Kevin Byron

Provides thirty activities that encourage bird watching and observation in parks, zoos, farms, and backyards, and includes discussions on migration, nesting, food, territories, and wildlife preservation.

Min/Max Grade level: 4–6
Bird watching

Feathers: Not Just for Flying by Melissa Stewart and illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen

Profiles sixteen bird species and explores informative sidebars that underscore specific ways each bird uses its feather for a variety of practical purposes.

Min/Max Grade level:1–4
Feathers

Look Up!: Bird Watching in your own Backyard by Annette LeBlanc Cate

A conversational, lighthearted introduction to birdwatching encourages kids to get outdoors with a sketchbook and explains how to identify local varieties by referencing cartoon illustrations that whimsically profile bird characteristics.

Min/Max Grade level: 3–5
Bird Watching

Coco Chanel

Along Came Coco: A Story About Coco Chanel by Eva Byrne

In a time when children were meant to be seen and not heard, along came Coco, a small French orphan with an eye for style, a talent for sewing, and a big imagination. At a time when girls were told to brush their hair 100 times until their arms were sore, Coco promised herself that one day she would snip away her locks so that she wouldn't have to be so fussy—girls needed time for other things, and they needed some of the comforts that boys enjoyed. Why shouldn't girls have pockets? And why did they have to wear corsets all the time? Along Came Coco shows the ways in which Coco Chanel's imaginative spirit led her to grow into one of the world's most beloved fashion icons.

Min/Max Grade level: K–3
Fashion

NYPL Digital Collections, Image ID: 1698201

Exploring books about sewing:

Catalina Incognito by Jennifer Torres and illustrated by Gladys Jose

Eight-year-old Catalina Castañeda uses Taia Abuela's sewing kit to turn ordinary clothing into a magical disguise, enabling her to uncover a thief at the local library.

Min/Max Grade level: 2–3
Being a friend

Create a Costume! by Sarah Myer

The comic convention is just a few short weeks away. All Bea and Parker need now are great costumes . . . but won’t the supplies and materials cost a fortune? Not if Bea and Parker follow a few simple instructions from Costume Critter, the world’s cutest cosplayer!

Min/Max Grade level: 4–6
How to

Sadiq wants to Stitch by Mamta Nainy and illustrated by Niloufer Wadia

Sadiq loves stitching colorful patterns on rugs. However, his Ammi reminds him that boys in his community don't stitch, they tend to the livestock. But Sadiq is determined to pursue his passion.

Min/Max Grade level: K–2
Gender roles

Stitch + String Lab for Kids: 40+ Creative Projects to Sew, Embroider, Weave, Wrap, and Tie by Cassie Stephens

With 40+ inventive projects, Stitch and string lab for kids contains everything from simple sewing, embroidery, and weaving to string art, needle felting, and yarn crafts!

Min/Max Grade level: 3 - 7
Cookbooks

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

Children's Books About Women Artists

Clarissa Cooke, Children's Librarian, 96th Street Library — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 17:38:52 -0500

New York City has so many opportunities for children to see art. There are museums, galleries, and art on the sidewalks. If seeing all this art inspires young kids to learn more, The New York Public Library has many wonderful children's books about artists' lives. In celebration of Women's History Month, we've chosen to highlight books about inspiring women artists.

Art From Her Heart: Folk Artist Clementine Hunter by Kathy Whitehead; illustrated by Shane Evans

Lyrical writing introduces readers to a self-taught artist whose paintings captured scenes of backbreaking work and joyous celebrations of southern farm life, but because of the color of her skin, she was not allowed into the museums or galleries where her art was shown.

The Bluest of Blues: Anna Atkins and the First Book of Photographs by Fiona Robinson

A gorgeous picture book biography of botanist and photographer Anna Atkins, the first person to ever publish a book of photography, using this new technology to catalogue plant specimens in what was to be a true marriage of science and art.

Cloth Lullaby: The Woven Life of Louise Bourgeois by Amy Novesky; illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault

Just as spiders spin and repair their webs, Louise's own mother was a weaver of tapestries. Louise spent her childhood in France as an apprentice to her mother before she became a tapestry artist herself. She worked with fabric throughout her career, and this biographical picture book shows how Bourgeois's childhood experiences weaving with her loving, nurturing mother provided the inspiration for her most famous works. With a beautifully nuanced and poetic story, this book stunningly captures the relationship between mother and daughter and illuminates how memories are woven into us all.

Dancing Through Fields of Color by Elizabeth Brown; illustrated by Aimée Sicuro

Presents the story of Helen Frankenthaler’s early life, how she used colors to express emotion and how she overcame the male-dominated art world of the 1950s to originate her own unique and influential style of abstract expressionist painting. Encourages young readers to express themselves through art in their own unique ways.

Dorothea Lange: The Photographer Who Found the Faces of the Depression by Carole Boston Weatherford; illustrated by Sarah Green

Before she raised her lens to take her most iconic photo, Dorothea Lange took photos of the downtrodden, from bankers in once-fine suits waiting in breadlines, to former slaves, to the homeless sleeping on sidewalks. A case of polio had left her with a limp and sympathetic to those less fortunate. Traveling across the United States, documenting with her camera and her fieldbook those most affected by the stock market crash, she found the face of the Great Depression. In this picture book biography, Carole Boston Weatherford's lyrical prose captures the spirit of the influential photographer.

Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos by Monica Brown; illustrated by John Parra

A picture book tribute to the iconic Mexican artist reveals how the animals in her life and her personal struggles inspired many of her works of art, and how her achievements raised awareness about her indigenous culture and the female form.

My Name is Georgia: A Portrait by Jeanette Winter

A richly illustrated biography of Georgia O'Keeffe follows her life from the time she was a young girl, when she viewed the world in her own way, practicing her drawings and running free, to adulthood, when she followed her love of art from the steel canyons of New York City to the plains of New Mexico.

Georgia Rises: A Day in the Life of Georgia O'Keefe by Kathryn Lasky; illustrated by Ora Eitan

The artist Georgia O'Keeffe spends the day transforming the materials, colors, and landscape of her desert home into paintings, in an imaginative and revealing look at how this artist's creative process is affected by the natural world and small moments of daily life.

In Her Hands: The Story of Augusta Savage by Alan Schroeder; illustrated by JaeMe Bereal

Presents the life of the African American sculptor Augusta Savage, who overcame many obstacles as a young woman to become a premier female sculptor of the Harlem Renaissance.

In Mary's Garden by Tina and Carson Kügler

In this inviting picture book biography of Mary Nohl, we meet the artist as a young girl, just discovering her talent, and watch as her front yard sculpture garden comes to life.

A Life Made by Hand: The Story of Ruth Asawa by Andrea D'Aquino

Ruth Asawa (1926-2013) was an influential and award-winning sculptor, a beloved figure in the Bay Area art world, and a devoted activist who advocated tirelessly for arts education. Delightful and substantial, this engaging title for young art lovers includes a page of teaching tools for parents and educators.

Maya Lin Artist-Architect of Light and Lines by Jeanne Walker Harvey; illustrated by Dow Phumiruk

An introduction to the life and achievements of the artist-architect who designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Describes the creative childhood explorations that inspired her career, and how she learned to think artistically with her hands as well as her mind, while performing unique experiments with light and lines.

Out of This World: The Surreal Art of Leonora Carrington by Michelle Markel; illustrated by Amanda Hall

Ever since she was a little girl, Leonora Carrington loved to draw on walls, in books, and on paper. She loved the fantastic tales her grandmother told that took her to worlds that shimmered beyond this one, where legends became real. Out of This World is the powerful, stunningly told story of Leonora Carrington, a girl who made art out of her imagination and created some of the most enigmatic and startling works of the last eighty year

Pocket Full of Color: The Magical World of Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire by Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville; illustrated by Brigette Barrager

Presents the life of the American artist, describing her early work at Disney Studios, her frustrations at not getting her color work accepted, and the later incorporation of her work into some of Disney's best-loved films.

The Quilts of Gee's Bend by Susan Goldman Rubin

A photo-essay portrait of the remarkable women of Gee's Bend and their celebrated artisan quiltmaking traditions, explores their multigenerational history and culture while celebrating the artistic mastery that led to their 2002 exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

Stitchin' and Pullin': A Gee's Bend Quilt by Patricia McKissack; illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera

As a young African American girl pieces her first quilt together, the history of her family, community, and the struggle for justice and freedom in Gee's Bend, Alabama unfold.

Collections

13 Women Artists Children Should Know by Bettina Schmann; translated by Jane Michael

This book teaches a young audience about the works and lives of thirteen women artists through informative texts, puzzles, coloring exercises, and fun quizzes. In colorful spreads that feature important works as well as portraits of the artists themselves, children will learn how Sofonisba Anguissola, the Renaissance painter and pupil of Michelangelo, mastered portraiture in the Spanish Court; and how Mary Cassatt’s paintings depicted the lives of women in the nineteenth century. Modern and contemporary artists such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Frida Kahlo, Louise Bourgeois, and Cindy Sherman round out this introduction to women artists for children

Women Artists A to Z by Melanie LaBarge; illustrated by Caroline Corrigan

How many women artists can you name? From Frida Kahlo and Georgia O'Keeffe to Jaune Quick-to-See Smith and Xenobia Bailey, this lushly illustrated alphabet picture book presents both famous and underrepresented women in the fine arts from a variety of genres: painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, and more. Each spread features a simple line of text encapsulating the creator's iconic work in one word, such as "D is for Dots" (Yayoi Kusama) and "S is for Spider" (Louise Bourgeois), followed by slightly longer text about the artist for older readers who would like to know more. Backmatter includes photos, extended biographies, and discussion questions for budding creatives and trailblazers.

Women in Art: 50 Fearless Creatives Who Inspired the World by Rachel Ignotofsky

A charmingly illustrated and inspiring book, Women in Art highlights the achievements and stories of 50 notable women in the arts--from well-known figures like painters Frida Kahlo and Georgia O'Keefe, to lesser-known names like 19th-century African American quilter Harriet Powers and Hopi-Tewa ceramic artist Nampeyo. Covering a wide array of artistic mediums, this fascinating collection also contains infographics about artistic movements throughout history, statistics about women's representation in museums, and notable works by women. Women in Art celebrates the success of the bold female creators who inspired the world and paved the way for the next generation of artists.

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

Feminist Reads for Little Ones

Chelsea Condren, Early Literacy Coordinator — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 09:02:57 -0500

March is Women’s History Month and the Library joins readers of all ages in honoring the strength and contributions of women worldwide. Check out our spotlight on Women's History Month to find out how you can join the library in celebrating all month long. Because we know it’s never too early to read to your little one, the early literacy team has compiled a list of our favorite feminist reads!

Angela Johnson and Amy Crews’s A Girl Like Me is an empowering ode to girls of color, richly illustrated with Crews’s trademark collage style, that will inspire your little one to dream big. Your Mama, written by NoNieqa Ramos and illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántar, twists classic “your mama” jokes into an ode to mothers everywhere. In Nana Akua Goes to School by Tricia Elam Walker and illustrated by April Harrison, Zura is excited to take her Nana Aku to school on Grandparents Day but is nervous about how her classmates will react to her Nana’s tattoos.

In a village in the Dominican Republic, Anita watches the dragons soar above her and is never scared—but soon she will leave for a new land, and she must embrace new adventures. Check out the imaginative Anita and the Dragons, written by Hannah Carmona and illustrated by Anna Cunha. More magic abounds in Phoebe Wahl’s Little Witch Hazel: A Year in the Forest, a delightful story about a young witch and her relationship with nature, seasons, and friendship.

There are so many inspiring books about women and girls in history and we chose to highlight just a few! Girl on a Motorcycle, written by Amy Novesky and illustrated by Julie Morstad, retells the true story of Anne France Dauthville, the first woman to travel the world alone by motorcycle! Osnat and Her Dove, by Samuel Sigal and Vali Nitzi, is the true story of the first female Rabbi who lived almost five hundred years ago when many girls were not taught to read. But Osnat convinced her father to teach her, and she grew up to become the first female Rabbi.

Finally, there’s nothing we like more than a story about an inspiring librarian! Jeanette Winters’s The Librarian of Basra: A True Story From Iraq is a story about a librarian’s brave struggle to save her community’s books during a time of war, reminding us that books are truly priceless.

Happy Women’s History Month!

Black History Month Recommendations for Kids from the Teen Reading Ambassadors

Rachel Roseberry, Youth Literacy Programs — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 17:01:39 -0500

Below, NYPL's Teen Reading Ambassadors recommend titles for children that feature the work of Black authors and illustrators and showcase Black characters, experiences, and history. While February is Black History Month, we believe that these titles are affirming, fun, and informative throughout the entire year!

See more ways The New York Public Library is celebrating Black History Month here.

The People Remember written by Ibi Zoboi and illustrated by Loveis Wise

Ages 5–9
Recommended by Yuneydy P., Bronx Library Center

The People Remember is a beautiful book written to show the history of African Americans in the United States starting all the way back to the horrible slave trade conducted in Africa beginning in the 1500s. Before ever having the amount of equality we have today, author Ibi Zoboi explains how there was a constant war in our country that divided people of different skin colors. Being different was not special, but a problem, and throughout history, there were amazing people who sought to change that. Reading this book, you will find yourself understanding the huge changes the country has undergone and the amazing culture that grew from having such a strong community. Zoboi speaks on the fight for freedom from slavery to segregation to the police brutality that persists to this day. Most importantly, Zoboi reminds us that we must never forget the people who fought for this more equal country.

Stella’s Stellar Hair by Yesenia Moises

Ages 5–8
Recommended by Aaliyah T., Mariners Harbor Library

Have you ever had trouble with your hair? Not knowing what you want to do with it? Well you’ll definitely relate to Stella! She’s on her way to Big Star Little Gala, but her hair doesn’t want to cooperate with her. Twists, turns, coils, and loop-de-loops, Stella has no idea what to do. So she travels through the solar system visiting her aunts. Maybe they will know what to do with her hair! From big, colorful, kinky curly afros to braids, and dreadlocks—every hairstyle you can imagine is found. Not only will you learn about these different hairstyles but also facts about the stars and planets in our solar system. Representation of a Black girl interacting with space isn’t very common to find in books, making this book a great treasure.

Milo Imagines The World written by Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Christian Robinson

Ages 5–8
Recommended by Anastacia W., Mariners Harbor Library

Can you tell what someone's life is like at a glance? There is a great big world around us with so many people who live so many lives, some look like a beautiful bride on the way to her wedding and some like a handsome prince on his way to a great big ball. Read this brightly-colored bestselling children's book and follow a young Milo as he draws and imagines the lives of those around him. Find out if you really can tell someone's whole life just by looking at them or if you have to look at it from a new perspective.

Juneteenth for Mazie by Floyd Cooper

Ages 6–9
Recommended by Alice B., Seward Park Library

Have you ever heard of Juneteenth? Juneteenth for Mazie by Floyd Cooper tells the story of a young girl named Mazie celebrating the holiday with her father. Juneteenth is a holiday on June 19th that celebrates the freedom of African American slaves. As her dad teaches her the history, read this book and learn with Mazie. Juneteenth represents many things. It represents freedom and happiness. It also represents looking back on struggle and hardships. Read this book to find out what makes Juneteenth so special. Maybe you can also learn how to celebrate Juneteenth just like Mazie and her father!

Just Like Me by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Ages 5–8
Recommended by Yuneydy P., Bronx Library Center

Have you ever felt bad about the way you look? We're all different and you should never be afraid to let your light shine, something Vanessa Brantley-Newton shows us in her book. It's an inspiring book full of different poems that highlight who we are as girls despite our race, culture, or even the way we look. We're all beautiful. Sometimes we have pimples or our hair looks different than everyone else's, but by reading these poems you'll find that we all have flaws and parts of us that make us unique. You are a work of art just the way you are! In reading Just Like Me, you'll definitely be inspired to find your girl power.

The 1619 Project: Born on the Water written by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson and illustrated by Nikkolas Smith

Ages 6–9
Recommended by Alicia N., Bronx Library Center

This book is very powerful and can touch many people's minds and souls with the emotions and the descriptive visuals showing the cruelty African Americans had to endure for years for us to be here today. This book is very good for children to read to learn things they might not know and to teach them about their identity and acceptance of their culture and ancestry. Even if you are not African American, you will learn about the history and stories of African Americans. It teaches us how African Americans worked to develop many of the things we have today. Even though African Americans suffered, they managed to keep their joy, happiness, culture, and other traditions for generations. This book is very touching, offering important messages and history about where we come from.

The Old Boat by Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey

Ages 5–8
Recommended by Aaliyah T., Mariners Harbor Library

This is a short story about a journey of a boy and his boat. The minimalist art is symbolic to what really makes this story. Time progression and the positive and negative impact humans have on nature are hinted at but not really mentioned, you have to look for it yourself!

The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad and S.K. Ali and illustrated by Hatem Aly

Ages 5–8
Recommended by Sakia T., Stapleton Library

Have you ever been excited to show off your true self only to have others make fun of you or not understand your uniqueness? Maybe you’re like Faizah who’s eager to wear the hijab, just like her older sister Asiya. InThe Proudest Blue, by Ibtihaj Muhammad and S.K. Ali, Faizah admires the beautiful blue color of Asiya’s hijab and the way it reminds her of the ocean. However, on the first day of school, not everyone sees the beauty of Asiya’s hijab and instead makes fun of her for it. How will Faizah react to these hurtful comments made about her beloved sister? What would you do if you were in this situation?

Also recommended by Nicole P., Kingsbridge Library

This book is about a little girl who idolizes her older sister when she gets her beautiful blue hijab. In the story, she admires it while some look down on it, but this doesn't stop her sister from embracing a special part of herself. In this book, there are beautiful colors and metaphors that children would love and the message of the book will not only educate children, but it will give inclusion to those to whom it applies.

Happy Hair by Mechal Renee Roe

Ages 5–8
Recommended by Alice B., Seward Park Library

Do you ever feel down about your curly hair? Maybe you're just having a bad hair day? Happy Hair by Mechal Renee Roe shows the beauty of curly hair! If you have curly hair, this is the book for you! If you don't have curly hair, that's okay, you can absolutely read it too! There are all different types of styles: braids, blowouts, locs, and so much more. Why not add accessories too? Headscarves, headbands, hair clips, flowers—so many options! What kind of hairstyle do you like best? What style can you maybe do on yourself? Read this book to find out!

Incredible Kids Series for Reluctant Readers

Samantha Simoes, Specialist II, School Outreach — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 10:49:57 -0500

Educators, librarians, and parents alike agree that creating a love for reading is incredibly important for any child’s development. Many children love to read, but others struggle and are disinterested or reluctant readers. Remember that every child has an interest—something that engages them and captures their imagination. Sometimes it's a matter of finding the right book for each child. These popular book series below may be just the thing to ignite a child's passion for reading.

Pete the Cat series by James Dean, illustrated by Eric Litwin

Follow Pete the cool, blue cat, along with his many animal pals as they share groovy adventures in this popular series.

Grades K–2
Lexile level 460

Llama llama series by Anna Dewdney and Duncan Reed, illustrated by J.T. Morrow

Llama Llama is a little child who loves his Mama, and likes to play all kinds of games with his friends and he carries his stuffed animal, Fuzzy dolly llama, everywhere he goes.

Grades Pre-K–2
Lexile level 420

Elephant and Piggie series by Mo Willems

Gerald the Elephant and Piggie the Pig are unlikely best friends that do everything together. Simple text, mostly limited to speech bubbles, is rendered laugh-out-loud funny by the two friends' body language.

Grades Pre-K–2
Lexile level 150–300

Scaredy Squirrel series by Mélanie Watt

Scaredy Squirrel is afraid of many things and keeps safe in his tree, following an intricate routine. Once he embraces new adventures and takes a leap into the unknown and discovers to his surprise that he is a flying squirrel.

Grades K–2
Lexile level 560

Ellray Jakes series by Sally Warner and Brian Biggs

Even though he is the smallest boy in his class, Ellray Jakes can get himself into big trouble. Follow Ellray on all his adventures in this incredible series.

Grades K–3
Lexile level 650–820

Meet Yasmin series by Saadia Faruqi, illustrated by Hatem Aly

Throughout this series, Pakistani-American second-grader Yasmin learns to cope with the small problems of school and home, while gaining confidence in her own skills and creative abilities.

Grade 1–3
Lexile level 530

Eerie Elementary series by Jack Chabert, illustrated by Matt Loveridge

Eerie Elementary is alive! Third-grader Sam Graves sets out to stop the school from unleashing its evil….before it's too late!

Grades 2–3
Lexile level 450- 520

The Bad Guys series by Aaron Blabey

In this series, we follow the classic “bad guys” of fairy tales in their quest to redeem themselves for the better in a super series of misadventures.

Grades 2–4
Lexile level 530

Who Would Win? series by Jerry Pallotta, illustrated by Bob Bolster

Young readers will enjoy diving into the animal kingdom to discover which creature will reign supreme! This series features mammals, sea creatures, dinosaurs, and more as they go head to head in battle.

Grades 1–4
Lexile level 570–720

Cat Kid series by Dav Pilkey

Li'l Petey, Flippy, and Molly introduce twenty-one rambunctious, funny, and talented baby frogs to the art of comic-making. As the story unwinds with mishaps and hilarity, readers get to see the progress, mistakes, and improvements that come with practice and persistence.

Grades 4–6
Lexile level 520

Big Nate series by Lincoln Peirce

Big Nate follows the adventures and misadventures of Nate Wright, a spirited and rebellious sixth-grader.

Grades 4–6
Lexile level 370–520

Zita the Spacegirl series by Ben Hatke

When young Zita discovers a device that opens a portal to another place, and her best friend is abducted, she is compelled to set out on a strange journey from star to star in order to get back home.

Grades 4–6
Lexile level 310–520

Maker Comics series by various authors

The ultimate DIY guides, each Maker Comics graphic novel includes inspiring illustrated step-by-step instructions for all your maker needs. This series is here to help you build a game, learn to bake, or introduce your friends to sustainability.

Grades 4–6
Lexile level 690

The Last Kids on Earth series by Max Brailler, illustrated by Douglas Holgate

This series follows Jack Sullivan and his friends as they navigate middle school and fight the zombie apocalypse.

Grades 4–6
Lexile level 540–700

Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi

Amulet follows the adventures of Emily and her brother Navin after they discover a magical circular amulet in her maternal great-grandfather's house.

Grades 4–6
Lexile level 310–500

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

Family & Food: Celebrating Black Families Through Picture Books

Clarissa Cooke, Children's Librarian, 96th Street Library — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 11:13:24 -0500

Here are some wonderful stories about multigenerational Black families enjoying special meals, and special times together. These stories of family love and delicious food will make you hungry while they warm your heart, and make you want to host a meal with your own nearest and dearest. As a bonus, many of these books include a recipe.

Bring Me Some Apples and I'll Make You a Pie: A Story About Edna Lewis by Robbin Gourley

Edna Lewis championed purity of ingredients, regional cuisine, and the importance of bringing food directly from the farm to the table. With lyrical text and glorious watercolor illustrations, Gourley lovingly traces the childhood roots of Edna's appreciation for the bounties of nature. The story follows Edna from early spring through the growing season to a family dinner celebrating a successful harvest. Folk rhymes, sayings, and songs about food are sprinkled throughout the text, and five kid-friendly recipes and an author's note about Edna's life are included at the end.

Full, Full, Full of Love by Trish Cooke; illustrated by Paul Howard

For the youngest member of an exuberant extended family, Sunday dinner at Grannie's can be full indeed: full of hugs and kisses, full of tasty dishes, full to the brim with happy faces, and full, full, full of love. With a special focus on the bond between little Jay Jay and his grannie, Trish Cooke introduces us to a gregarious family we are sure to want more, more, more of.

Peeny Butter Fudge by Toni Morrison and Slade Morrison; illustrated by Joe Cepeda

Even though Mom leaves behind detailed instructions for Nana, the grandmother and the kids have a different idea—dance time, story time, nap time, and fudge-making time—in a book that includes the Nobel Prize-winning coauthor's top-secret family fudge recipe.

The Get-Together by ChristineTaylor-Butler; illustrated by Lonnie Ollivierre

When the Johnson family gathers for a family reunion to celebrate the birthday of Uncle Wesley, the family's patriarch, it becomes a day filled with fun and games, favorite foods, a little arguing, and lots of dancing. Readers will leave this picture book feeling like they just spent the day with a family they will want to visit again and again and again.

Soul Food Sunday by Winsome Bingham; illustrated by C. G. Esperanza

While he is at Granny’s on a Sunday, the narrator helps cook the family meal and even contributes his own sweet surprise, in this loving celebration of food, traditions and gathering together at the table. Recipe for deliciously cheesy Mac 'N' Cheese included at the end of the story.

Sweet Potato Pie by Kathleen D. Lindsey; illustrated by Charlotte Riley-Webb

The summer a great drought sweeps across the county, the only crop Sadie’s family is able to save is the sweet potatoes. Money is tight, and if Papa doesn’t pay back his loan soon, the bank will take away the farm. Suddenly Mama comes up with an idea—sweet potato pies! The family can sell her pies at the Harvest Celebration that starts the very next day. Sweet Potato Pie is a delicious affirmation of strong family ties and creative problem solving. This lively story will capture your heart, as well as your taste buds

Tea Cakes for Tosh by Kelly Starling Lyons; illustrated by E.B. Lewis

Tosh has spent many days in the kitchen with his grandmother, Honey, watching her bake special tea cakes and listening to tales about their slave ancestors, so when Honey's memory starts to fail, Tosh is able to return the gift of tea cakes and stories. Includes a recipe for tea cakes.

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

Festive Holiday Reads for Kids and Teens

Carrie McBride, Communications — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 14:43:29 -0500

There are many wondrous things about the holidays—lights, music, decorations, special foods, and, of course, books. Take a break from the swirl of holiday activities to share a book with a young person in your life or, for older kids and teens, recommend a festive read to get them into the spirit of the season. The selection below includes picture books to read together and suggestions for kids, middle grade readers, and young adults. Most are available in multiple formats and many are available as simultaneous e-books which means they're always available without a wait.

Picture Books

Jan Brett's The Nutcracker by Jan Brett

Set in wintry Russia, this classic Christmas fantasy features young Marie experiencing the magic of toys and animals and the Snow Princess coming to life.

Carla and the Christmas Cornbread by Carla Hall

In this heartwarming tale inspired by her childhood, superstar chef and TV host Carla Hall shares the story of young Carla, who eats a sugar cookie meant for Santa on the night before Christmas and tries to make things right.

Green is for Christmas by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

When Green claims he is the only color for Christmas, the other crayons—Red, White, Silver and Tan—show him that there would be no Christmas without them either.

The People Remember by Ibi Aanu Zoboi, illustrated by Loveis Wise

This beautifully illustrated, powerful tribute recounts the journey of African descendants in America by connecting their history to the seven principles of Kwanzaa.

May Your Life Be Deliciosa by Michael Genhart, illustrated by Loris Lora

Each year on Christmas Eve, Rosie's abuela teaches her not only how to make a delicious tamale, but how to make a delicious life--one filled with love, plenty of spice, and family.

Santa in the City by Tiffany D. Jackson, illustrated by Reggie Brown

Afraid that Santa might not be able to visit her, little Deja, with a little help from her family, community, and Santa himself, discovers that the Christmas spirit is alive and well in her city.

The Christmas Owl: Based on the True Story of a Little Owl Named Rockefeller by Ellen Kalish and Gideon Sterer, illustrated by Ramona Kaulitzki

The story of a little owl who is found inside the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, her curiosity about what the holiday means, and her time spent healing with the woman who saved her life

Kids

The Legend of the Christmas Witch by Dan Murphy and Aubrey Plaza, illustrated by Julia Iredale

Searching for her long-lost twin brother, Santa Claus, Kristtörn, a powerful and much misunderstood witch, finds instead a confrontation that would leave the fate of Christmas hanging in the balance.

The Christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher, illustrations by Shane Devries

Countless years after rolling away from its mother and freezing in the ocean, a dinosaur egg is discovered by Santa Claus, who sits on it until a dinosaur hatches and becomes an accidental Christmas gift for a boy who must protect it from a trophy hunter.

The Girl Who Saved Christmas by Matt Haig

Orphaned Amelia loses everything--including hope--but she may be the only one who can give Santa the extra boost of magic he needs to save Christmas.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

Ralph, Imogene, Leroy, Claude, Ollie, and Gladys Herdman are an awful bunch. They set fire to Fred Shoemaker's toolshed, blackmailed Wanda Pierce to get her charm bracelet, and smacked Alice Wendelken across the head. And that's just the start! When the Herdmans show up at church for the free snacks and suddenly take over the Christmas pageant, the other kids are shocked. It's obvious that they're up to no good. But Christmas magic is all around and the Herdmans, who have never heard the Christmas story before, start to reimagine it in their own way.

How Winston Delivered Christmas by Alex T. Smith

Discovering a lost letter addressed to Santa, a little mouse begins an unforgettable journey to deliver the letter in time, in a heartwarming advent story that provides a chapter and festive holiday activity for every day in December leading up to Christmas.

Middle Grade

The Golden Dreidel by Ellen Kushner, illustrations by Kevin Keele

Receiving a one-of-a-kind Chanukah gift—an enormous golden dreidel—Sara discovers that there’s much more to the dreidel than meets the eye when she spins herself into a whole new world and must rely on her courage to find her way back home.

A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig

Having received a single beloved toy in his life, an 11-year-old boy nicknamed "Christmas" travels to the North Pole when his father goes missing, where he befriends a surly reindeer and discovers an enchanted frozen world along the way.

And check out the newly published origin story of Christmas's friend: A Mouse Called Miika by Matt Haig, illustrated by Chris Mould

The No-Good Nine by John Bemelmans Marciano

In 1931, nine naughty children who received coal in their stockings travel from Pittsburgh to the North Pole to plead their case to Santa Claus.

Top Elf by Caleb Zane Huett

Ollie has always been happy just being an elf and inventing new games for Christmas with his best friend Celia--but then the current Santa (descendent of the original) decides to retire and announces that there will be an open competition for the position of next Santa (his son Klaus is not pleased) and suddenly Ollie and the other elves are vying with the Santa children for the Big Red Suit.

Teens

The Holiday Switch by Tif Marcelo

Planning to enjoy her last snowy winter break of high school by working at a cozy local inn and moonlighting as an anonymous book blogger, Lily Santos’ plans are upended when the boss’s frustratingly cute nephew, Teddy Rivera, becomes her nemesis co-worker then the two accidentally switch phones, a snafu that may just reveal their secrets and bring the rivals together.

Castle in the Clouds by Kerstin Gier

Way up in the Swiss mountains, there's an old grand hotel steeped in tradition and faded splendor. Once a year, when the famous New Year's Eve Ball takes place and guests from all over the world arrive, excitement returns to the vast hallways. Sophie, who works at the hotel as an intern, is busy making sure that everything goes according to plan. But unexpected problems keep arising, and some of the guests are not who they pretend to be. Very soon, Sophie finds herself right in the middle of a perilous adventure—and at risk of losing not only her job, but also her heart.

The Resolutions by Mia Garcia

Four Latinx teenagers that have grown apart revive their New Year tradition of making resolutions, but this year they are making resolutions for each other.

So This Is Christmas by Tracy Andreen

When Finley Brown returns to her hometown of Christmas, Oklahoma, from boarding school, she finds things have changed everywhere and looks to find her own place at home.

The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand

Assigned to work as a Ghost of Christmas Past after refusing to change her ways on a fateful Christmas Eve five years earlier, Holly becomes unexpectedly motivated to help a latest Scrooge, who may offer her a fresh start of her own.

Anna and the Apocalypse by Katharine Turner with Barry Waldo

Anna Shepherd is a straight-A student with a lot going on under the surface: she’s struggling with her mom’s death, total friend drama, and the fallout from wasting her time on a very attractive boy. She’s looking forward to skipping town after graduation—but then a zombie apocalypse majorly disrupts the holiday season. It’s going to be very hard to graduate high school without a brain. To save the day, Anna, her friends, and her frenemies will have to journey straight to the heart of one of the most dangerous places ever known, a place famous for its horror, terror, and pain…high school.

Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

Inked Picture Books: Tattoos in Literature for the Very Young

Rebecca Gueorguiev, Children's Librarian, Great Kills Library — Wed, 08 Dec 2021 17:18:33 -0500

Although tattooing has a long history imbued with cultural significance, for much of the last century in America sporting a tattoo was most often associated with sailors, pirates, circus performers, bikers, punks, and other “unsavory” types. Today tattoos are more commonplace and have lost much of their social stigma. Sadly there still remains a great void in their representation among books for the very young and, in the few instances when they do crop up many of these depictions still carry a lot these old stereotypes. Below are some books aimed at young readers that include updated portrayals of tattoos—worn by average people going about their lives who have embraced this form of self expression and made it the ever-growing art form it is today.

Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal

A loving celebration of this popular food and the significance it has in many Native cultures. Fry bread is many things—food, flavor, time, art, history, cultural identity. Seminole symbols greet us from Father’s wrist as he prepares the meal in a skillet. Auntie’s affectionate embrace sports beautiful flowers upon one arm. Representing the beauty, and physical diversity of indigenous peoples, Fry Bread satisfies more than just hunger by providing much needed cultural sustenance.

God Got A Dog by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Marla Frazee

What if God decided to pay the world a visit? What sorts of experiences would He have? How would She feel? What would it be like to go to beauty school or ride in a boat or go to the doctor if you’re God? Rylant’s free verse poetry accompanied by Frazee’s distinctive drawings explore the possibilities of what it feels like to be human and both the beauties and disappointments of life. Be sure to look for God’s tattoo!

Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry, illustrated by Vashti Harrison

Zuri’s hair is beautiful but it has a mind of its own. Whether as a princess wearing funky braids with beads, or as a superhero sporting Afro puffs, there is nothing her hair can’t do. Because this day is a special one, Zuri needs an equally special hairstyle that calls for the “professional” touch only Daddy can provide. Vibrant artwork accompanies this heartfelt family story in a satisfying celebration of self acceptance, appreciation and pride. Simply lovely.

Mama Needs A Minute by Nicole Sloan

Truer words were never spoken, as any caregiver to the young will attest to. Whether teaching the ABCs, making pancakes, or simply getting dressed, moms are super busy people who sometimes just need a timeout. A variety of mothers, some tattooed some not, accomplish a variety of things with their little ones in this endearing board book. A gentle reminder that in order to care for someone else one must also care for themself.

Nana Akua Goes To School by Tricia Elam Walker, illustrated by April Harrison

To celebrate Grandparents’ Day, everyone in Zura’s class has invited a grandparent to school to share what makes each of them special. Although Nana Akua is her favorite person in the whole universe, Zura is afraid to invite her, remembering a time at the park when people were scared of the tribal markings on Nana’s face. Through loving conversation and careful thinking Nana Akua wisely devises a way to educate others about this disappearing Ghanian practice. Walker pays homage to several Ashanti traditions, while Harrison’s colorful illustrations incorporate Adinkra symbols and their meanings into this intergenerational story of love and cultural pride.

The Neighbors by Einat Tsarfati

A young girl lives on the top floor of an apartment building that is seven stories high. As she makes her daily trip home we see a variety of doors belonging to each of her neighbors and catch a glimpse of their lives. So, yes, this does contain stereotyped tats on the arms of our pirate neighbor (boo!), but as recompense there is a lot of body art adorning the family of acrobats who live behind the red door including their live-in elephant (yay!).

Someone Builds The Dream by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Loren Long

Anything created, whether it be a playground, shopping center, or a picture book starts out as an idea—a dream its creator has. An architect designing a house to be constructed by a building crew. An engineer working through the math to create a bridge. A tattooed father working in construction who reads to his son at the end of the day. All across our world things are only possible with the hard work and dedication of many people coming together to turn those dreams into reality.

Tell Me A Tattoo Story by Alison McGhee, illustrated by Eliza Wheeler

In this affirmation of love from parent to child, a father tells his son the stories behind each of his tattoos and the special meanings they hold for him. Wheeler’s captivating illustrations tell much of the story while perfectly complementing McGhee’s sparse dialogue. An accurate, matter-of-fact representation of body art that is sure to strike a chord with many families.

Book & Activities for Winter Fun With Little Ones At Home

Chelsea Condren, Early Literacy Coordinator — Fri, 03 Dec 2021 15:44:19 -0500

Winter is here, and the Library knows that keeping little ones engaged and occupied while indoors can be a challenge! We have a few suggestions for simple art and sensory activities. These activities feature simple household items—no need to order anything fancy.

While these activities are geared towards small children, we always encourage school-age siblings to join in on the fun. And remember, always have an adult supervising for the safety of every child, especially with any small objects.

If snowflakes are falling outside, you might try creating your own sensory snow at home. All you need is plain shaving cream and baking soda. Play around with the ratio using a mixing bowl or pan to contain the mess—see what texture feels best to your child. This also builds motor skills! Spoons, whisks, and other kitchen tools can add to your conversation and exploration. Ask your child how the snow feels in their hands, what shapes they can see and make, and what they might want to build with the snow. How is it like playing with real snow? How is it different?

For budding artists, cotton balls make great “paint brushes” to paint snow! Little ones can dab a cotton ball in paint and then onto paper and let their imaginations run wild creating winter scenes. Or use glue instead of paint, and stick the cotton balls on paper to create 3D art. This kind of process art, where there are no step-by-step instructions or a model to copy from, builds confident artists!

To skip the painting mess, you can seal a small amount of paint inside a resealable plastic bag such as a Ziploc bag with duct tape (we recommend you use a lot of strong tape) and use your fingers and different objects to create designs on the bag. Talk about it—ask what your little one is working on, and where they got that idea. You might also try painting what you see outside the window!

Of course, we always suggest pairing these activities with some of our favorite winter picture books. Check out one of these cozy reads with your child:

In Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter by Kenard Pak, two small children observe the change in season in a conversation with winter. Luciano Lozano’s Tancho invites us to live in harmony with the animal world. Tancho, written en Español, is one of NYPL's Best Books for Kids 2021 selections. Another pick from the Best Books For Kids 2021 list, also en Español, is Un trineo para Gabo (A Sled for Gabo) written by Emma Otheguy, illustrated by Ana Ramírez Gonzalez, and translated by Alexis Romay. Gabo, shy with other children and having no sled or winter clothing, yearns to go sledding and his neighbor's granddaughter, Isa, helps him find a way.

Susan Avingaq and Maren Vsetula’s The Pencil, illustrated by Charlene Chua, is a story about three sibling who have lots of fun drawing with their grandmother’s pencil after she leaves their iglu—but when she comes back and sees how small the pencil has gotten, what will she say? Most marshmallows like to watch television and lead normal lives—but some marshmallows dream of greater things. Find out what in Rowboat Watkins’s Most Marshmallows. In James Kwan’s Dear Yeti two boys go on a hike hoping to find Yeti but run into trouble along the way. Read the letters they wrote!

Take a walk through the city in winter and experience the sights, sounds, colors, and smells of different winter holidays. From Hanukkah and Christmas to Mawlid al-Nabi and Chinese New Year, everyone has a reason to celebrate in A Winter Walk in the City by Cathy Goldberg Fishman and illustrated by Melanie Hall. In another walking story, Cathy Camper’s Ten Ways to Hear Snow (illustrated by Kenard Pak), Lina walks to her grandmother’s home to help make warak enab (Lebanese stuffed grape leaves) and discovers the many ways to hear snow.

For your tiniest future readers, Sweetest Kulu is a sweet bedtime poem by Inuit throat singer Celina Kalluk and illustrated by Alexandria Neonakis, where a newborn baby is given gifts by all the animals of the Arctic. Finally, Winter Babies by Kathryn O. Galbraith and illustrated by Adela Pons, is an excuse to look at colorful photos of babies dressed for winter—something babies, like many grown ups, really love doing!

Young Creative Writers’ Favorite Books

Hal Schrieve, Children's Librarian, Grand Central Library — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 15:37:17 -0400

Looking for good books to check out for a kid in your life? The best experts on books for kids are the kids who read them!

Grand Central Library’s weekly virtual creative writing club for ages 7–12 meets on Tuesday afternoons. Kids from New York and around the world write stories, letters, poetry, and more and share writing with peers over Google Meets. Each week, our regular participants come up with fascinating stories and ideas—from poems about the changing seasons and short screenplays to stories about Pokemon, dragons, secret passageways, rowdy families, evil babies, and more.

Recently, we took a break from writing original pieces to discuss our favorite books and write book reviews and recommendations.

The participants in our workshop are not representative of all kids everywhere, but most are avid readers who appreciate realistic stories, graphic novels, action, historical fiction, fantasy, and science fiction. Kids read most enthusiastically when they read things they’re interested in, so as librarians, we depend on the kids we work with to tell us what literature speaks to them. And we love to hear about the books that young people are eager to recommend to others.

Here are some real kids’ thoughts on the best books they’ve read this year:

Ayun: I like The Lion of Mars by Jennifer L Holm. 11-year-old Bell has never been to Earth. He would love to try and go. After old Phineus gives him a book about Earth animals, he can’t stop reading it. Then, weirdly and mysteriously, all the adults start becoming sick. And it’s only the children left. A book set in the future is always so interesting. Them living on Mars? Totally awesome! 4th graders should read this book. I’d also recommend Redstone Junior High: Dragons Never Die by Cara J Stevens and Walker Melby. Redstone Junior High is a Minecraft story and an adventurous, exciting, and survival-full book. As a Minecraft book, one of my favorites!

Yui: I like The Baby-Sitter’s Club: Little Sister by Ann M Martin and Christine Almeda. I like it because it’s fun. Anybody who likes comics and graphic novels should read it.

Sophia: I like Guts, Ghosts, and Sisters by Raina Telgemeier. Sisters and Guts are full of the author’s life. My parents, friends, and you should read them. I also like Judy Blume books and the Warriors series by Erin Hunter.

Blu: I read When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed. It’s about people in a refugee camp in Kenya who want to go to America for school and jobs. Everyone should read it. I also like Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd, This was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews, and Cardboard Kingdom Parts 1 and 2 edited by Chad Sell.

Julie: I read Refugee by Alan Gratz. It’s thrilling, adventurous, heart-breaking and eye-opening. It’s three stories in one about three different children all facing the same challenge surviving.

Art by Julie Malik

Florence: I recommend The Unadoptables by Hana Tooke (not currently in NYPL's collection). It was good because it was one big mystery and Hana Tooke set the scene really well. I think you’ll enjoy it if you like mystery and adventure.

I also like Dork Diaries by Rachel Renee Russell. Rachel Renee Russell really incudes how Nikki [the main character] feels and she creates a whole world. People who love family disasters and like to have a little bit of fun should read it. I like Diary of A Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, too.

Quirky Family Adventures for Fans of The Addams Family

Ruth Guerrier-Pierre, Children's Librarian, Kips Bay Library — Mon, 25 Oct 2021 15:08:47 -0400

The Addams family, created by cartoonist Charles Addams in 1937 and popularized by the eponymous 1960s television show, have had many iterations and spinoffs, most recently in two animated films: The Addams Family and The Addams Family 2 . If you enjoy the antics of this macabre and eccentric family, you may enjoy these stories, aimed at middle grade readers, of other quirky family adventures.

The Problim Children by Natalie Lloyd

Seven siblings are forced by the destruction of their swamp home to move into their grandpa's mansion, but greedy neighbors plot to steal their secrets and place them in homes far away from each other.

The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding by Alexandra Bracken

A modern New England boy must rid himself of the ancient demon inhabiting his body and break his family's curse.

Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston

Amari Peters has never stopped believing her missing brother, Quinton, is alive. Not even when the police told her otherwise, or when she got in trouble for standing up to bullies who said he was gone for good. So when she finds a ticking briefcase in his closet, containing a nomination for a summer tryout at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, she's certain the secretive organization holds the key to locating Quinton'if only she can wrap her head around the idea of magicians, fairies, aliens, and other supernatural creatures all being real.

Beyond The Doors by David Neilsen

With their mother missing and their father in a coma, Zack, Janice, Sydney, and Alexa, ages eleven to four, must live with an aunt whose home has memories hidden behind doors.

Magic in the Mix by Annie Barrows

Life seems to be back to normal for "newly twinned" sisters Miri and Molly until their magical house sends them on new time-traveling adventures, including meeting Molly's mother in 1918 and saving two unusual soldiers during the Civil War.

The Storm Keeper's Island by Catherine Doyle

Fionn Boyle, terrified of the sea, must spend the summer with this older sister, Tara, and their grandfather on Arranmore, an island that has been known to make people disappear, and seems to be restless again.

Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi

Yearning to find her missing father, 12-year-old Alice Alexis Queensmeadow embarks on an adventure to find him by traveling through the mythical, upside-down, dangerous land of Furthermore along with a boy named Oliver, whose own magical ability is based in lies and deceit.

The Luck Uglies by Paul Durham

Eleven-year-old Rye O'Chanter and her two friends delve into the secret lore of their village when mysterious creatures of legend reappear on the night of the Black Moon, leading them to the notorious secret society, the Luck Uglies.

Journey Across the Hidden Islands by Sarah Beth Durst

When two princesses—twin sisters—travel to pay respects to their kingdom's dragon guardian, unexpected monsters appear, and tremors shake the earth. The Hidden Islands face unprecedented threats, and the old rituals are failing. With only their strength, ingenuity, and flying lion to rely on, can the sisters find a new way to keep their people safe?

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming, illustrated by John Burningham

Two children persuade their inventor father to purchase and restore an old car which turns out to have magical powers.

Iris and the Tiger by Leanne Hall

Twelve-year-old Iris has been sent to Spain on a mission: to make sure her elderly and unusual aunt, Ursula, leaves her fortune and her sprawling estate to Iris's scheming parents. But from the moment Iris arrives at Bosque de Nubes, she realises something isn't quite right. There is an odd feeling around the house, where time moves slowly and Iris's eyes play tricks on her. While outside, in the wild and untamed forest, a mysterious animal moves through the shadows. Just what is Aunt Ursula hiding?

The Jupiter Pirates: Hunt For The Hydra by Jason Fry

A family of space privateers becomes embroiled in a solar system-wide conspiracy, all while the three sibling compete to determine who will become the next captain of the ship when their mother steps down.

The Great Treehouse War by Lisa Graff

Fifth-grader Winnie, with notes from her friends, writes of turning her treehouse into an embassy after her newly-divorced parents become unreasonable, where she is joined by nine others with complaints.

The Strangers by Margaret Peterson Haddix

The Greystone kids thought they knew. Chess has always been the protector over his younger siblings, Emma loves math, and Finn does what Finn does best—acting silly and being adored. They've been a happy family, just the three of them and their mom. But everything changes when reports of three kidnapped children reach the Greystone kids, and they're shocked by the startling similarities between themselves and these complete strangers. The other kids share their same first and middle names. They're the same ages. They even have identical birthdays. Who, exactly, are these strangers? Before Chess, Emma, and Finn can question their mom about it, she takes off on a sudden work trip and leaves them in the care of Ms. Morales and her daughter, Natalie. But puzzling clues left behind lead to complex codes, hidden rooms, and a dangerous secret that will turn their world upside down.

The Time Sight by Lynne Jonell

After a family emergency sends twelve-year-old Will and five-year-old Jamie to Scotland, a "magic eye" book takes them and their cousin Nan on a journey through their family's violent history.

The Emperor's Riddle by Kat Zhang

During a family trip to China, eleven-year-old Mia Chen and her older brother, Jake, follow clues and solve riddles in hopes of finding their missing Aunt Lin and, perhaps, a legendary treasure.

Bite-Sized Magic by Kathryn Littlewood

Rendered famous by the competition that won back her family's magical cookbook, Rosemary is kidnapped by the Mostess Corporation and is forced to use her magical abilities to create improved recipes for the company's nefarious owner.

Wizardmatch by Lauren Magaziner

Twelve-year-old Lennie Mercado's grandfather, the current Prime Wizard of Pomporromp, is retiring and decides to host a tournament for Lennie and her cousins to compete to win his title, land, position, castle, and unlimited magical powers, but when Poppop introduces new rules to eliminate sibling rivalry, Lennie decides the games are unfair and makes plans to sabotage the event.

Look Out for The Fitzgerald-Trouts by Esta Spalding

The Fitzgerald-Trouts are four barely related siblings living together in a small car on a lush tropical island, but when they begin to outgrow their small vehicle, they must band together to find a new home.

Surviving The Applewhites by Staphanie S. Tolan

Jake, a budding juvenile delinquent, is sent for home schooling to the arty and eccentric Applewhite family's Creative Academy, where he discovers talents and interests he never knew he had.

Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega

For Lucely Luna, ghosts are more than just the family business. Shortly before Halloween, Lucely and her best friend, Syd, cast a spell that accidentally awakens malicious spirits, wreaking havoc throughout St. Augustine. Together, they must join forces with Syd's witch grandmother, Babette, and her tubby tabby, Chunk, to fight the haunting head-on and reverse the curse to save the town and Lucely's firefly spirits before it's too late.

The Matchstick Castle by Keir Graff

Eleven-year-old Brian's summer turns out a lot less boring than expected when he encounters a huge, wacky house in the forest and befriends the eccentric family that lives there.

The Doldrums by Nicholas Gannon

An eccentric like all Helmsleys, eleven-year-old Archer escapes his overprotective mother and recruits two friends, Oliver and Adelaide, to help him plan a rescue of his long-lost grandparents, world-famous explorers who disappeared atop an iceberg in the Antarctic.

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

Spooky Middle Grade Reads To Usher in Fall

Ruth Guerrier-Pierre, Children's Librarian, Kips Bay Library — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 15:00:09 -0400

What the Boys Did to the Cow postcard. NYPL Digital Collections, Image ID: 1587798

Fall is here and with that comes earlier sunsets, the changing of the leaves, chilly temps, and the start of spooky season. As you enjoy your apple or pumpkin pie and a cup of warm cider or cocoa, relax and enjoy these eerie tales that will put you in the mood for the season.

Dead Wednesday by Jerry Spinelli

When the school assigns each eighth-grader the name of a teenager who died in the past year as a lesson in mortality, Worm Tarnauer, who thrives on being invisible, doesn't count on Becca Finch, the seventeen-year-old car crash victim who changes everything.

Ghost Girl by Ally Malinenko

Zee Puckett loves ghost stories. She just never expected to be living one. It all starts with a dark and stormy night. When the skies clear, everything is different. People are missing. And Zee is seeing frightening things: large, scary dogs that talk and maybe even...a ghost. Whatever the storm washed up isn't going away. To fight for what's right, Zee will have to embrace what makes her different and what makes her Ghost Girl.

The Shadow School Trilogy (Archimancy, Dehaunting, and Phantoms) by J.A. White

Sent to a strange boarding school in New Hampshire where she discovers that she can see ghosts, Cordelia teams up with a fellow medium and the class genius to uncover their school’s sinister origins.

Embassy of the Dead by Will Mabbit, illustrated by Taryn Knight

Jake Green is dead. Or he might as well be when he mistakenly accepts a package from the Embassy of the Dead in this hilarious adventure of the afterlife.

The second book in the series, Embassy of the Dead: Hangman's Crossing will be released in November.

The Haunted Mustache by Joe McGee

Fifth-graders Parker and Lucas get more than they bargained for when they seek to debunk one of Wolver Hollow’s greatest legends about a haunted mustache that, every year on the anniversary of its owner’s death, seeks a lip to claim as its own.

Artie and The Wolf Moon by Olivia Stephens

Artie goes out after dark to capture a picture of the a full moon and she finds out that she and her family descend from werewolves.

Ophie's Ghosts by Justina Ireland

Discovering her ability to see ghosts when a cruel act ends her father's life and forces her to move in with relatives in 1920s Pittsburgh, young Ophelia forges a helpful bond with a spirit whose own life ended suddenly and unjustly.

The Dollhouse: A Ghost Story by Charis Cotter

Alice's world is falling apart. Her parents are getting a divorce, and they've cancelled their yearly cottage trip. Instead, Alice and her mom are heading to some small town where Alice's mom will be a live-in nurse to a rich elderly lady. The house is huge, imposing and spooky, and everything inside is meticulously kept and perfect—not a fun place to spend the summer. Things start to get weird when Alice finds a dollhouse in the attic that's an exact replica of the house she's living in. Then she wakes up to find a girl asleep next to her in her bed—a girl who looks a lot like one of the dolls from the dollhouse...

Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

Recent Adventure & Fantasy Reads to Enthrall Middle Grade Readers

Ruth Guerrier-Pierre, Children's Librarian, Kips Bay Library — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 14:42:40 -0400

Beetles and Butterflies at Sea by Ernst Kreidolf. NYPL Digital Collections, Image ID: 1701322

Fall is the season for magical things. And many of those magical things can be found in books. Have a seat, open the pages of these speculative fiction books, and see what adventures await and what magical places you'll travel to.

The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate Dicamillo

Gentle Brother Edik finds Beatryce, curled in a stall, wracked with fever, coated in dirt and blood, and holding fast to the ear of Answelica the goat. As the monk nurses Beatryce to health, he uncovers her dangerous secret—the king of the land seeks just such a girl, and Brother Edik knows why. And so it is that a girl with a head full of stories ventures into a dark wood in search of the castle of one who wishes her dead.

Willodeen by Katherine Applegate

When the annual migration of hummingbears, a source of local pride and income, dwindles and no one knows why, Willodeen, armed with a magical birthday gift, speaks up for the animals she loves and vows to uncover this mystery.

Kaleidoscope by Brian Selznick

A ship. A garden. A library. A key. Two people bound to each other through time and space, memory and dreams. At the center of their relationship is a mystery about the nature of grief and love which will look different to each reader.

Sisters of The Neversea by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Lily and Wendy have been best friends since they became stepsisters. But with their feuding parents planning to spend the summer apart, what will become of their family—and their friendship? Little do they know that a mysterious boy has been watching them from the oak tree outside their window. A boy who intends to take them away from home for good, to an island of wild animals, Merfolk, Fairies, and kidnapped children, to a sea of merfolk, pirates, and a giant crocodile. A boy who calls himself Peter Pan.

Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares by Tehlor Kay Mejia

Months after confronting the legendary La Llorona, Paola starts dreaming again, this time about fantasmas that are stalking her and someone who might be even more dangerous—her estranged father.

The Force of Fire by Sayantani DasGupita

A descendent from a long line of demons who build interspecies relationships to fight tyranny works competitively to control her dangerous fire-breathing skills, before a Serpentine Governor's charming son enlists her help to defeat a growing rebellion.

Healer of the Water Monter by Brian Young

When Nathan goes to visit his grandma, Nali, on the Navajo reservation, he knows he's in for a pretty uneventful summer. Still, he loves spending time with her and his uncle Jet, though it's clear when Jet arrives that he brings his problems with him. One night, while lost in the nearby desert, Nathan finds someone extraordinary: a Holy Being from the Navajo Creation Story—a Water Monster—in need of help. Now Nathan must summon all his courage to save his new friend. With the help of other Navajo Holy Beings, Nathan is determined to save the Water Monster, and to support Uncle Jet in healing from his own pain

The Anti-Book by Raphael Simon

Mickey finds a book that promises to erase whatever is written in it, and after filling the page with all the things and people he dislikes, he finds himself in the anti-world where everything familiar is gone.

KiKi Kallira Breaks A Kingdom by Sangu Mandanna

Drawn into the mystical world she created, Kiki Kallira must battle against her fear and anxiety to save two worlds—the real and imagined—from the wrath of an ancient deity bent on total destruction.

Josephine Against The Sea by Shakirah Bourne

When she discovers her father's new girlfriend, Mariss, is actually a sea creature eager to take her place as his first love, Josephine must convince her friends to help her and use her cricket skills to save her dad from Mariss's clutches.

The Memory Thief by Jodi Lynn Anderson

When sixth-grader Rosie begins to see magic, she learns that her mother's dwindling memory is tied to an age-old battle between the light of the moon and the darkness of witches.

The Dragon In The Library by Louie Stowell

Reluctant reader Kit discovers her wizarding powers and the magic she can wield through books to help save the local library, and its resident dragon, from a power-hungry tycoon.

The Accidental Apprentice by Amanda Foody

Eleven-year-old Barclay Thorne yearns for the quiet life of a mushroom farmer, but after unwittingly bonding with a beast in the forbidden Woods, he must seek Lore Keepers to break the bond and return home.

Eva Evergreen and The Cursed Witch by Julie Abe

Young witch Eva Evergreen embarks on a journey to find& the source of the powerful, magical storm known as the Culling and put an end to it once and for all.

Even and Odd by Sarah Beth Durst

When sisters Even and Odd are trapped and unable to return home to the mundane world they live in, they, with the help of a unicorn named Jeremy, must stop a power-mad wizard from creating an ecological disaster.

One Jar of Magic by Haydu Corey Ann

Joining her family in her community's annual New Year's Day magic-capturing ceremony, a 12-year-old girl who has always been lucky captures just one tiny jar of magic, revealing the true nature and beliefs of her loved ones.

The World Between Blinks by Amie Kaufman

With the whole family reuniting for one last summer vacation at Nana's, cousins Jake and Marisol are prepared for an extraordinary trip of their own. Following a map Nana left behind, the cousins sneak out to a nearby lighthouse, then accidentally slip into another world! The World Between Blinks is a magical place, where all sorts of lost things and people wind up. Everywhere they turn, the cousins find real mysteries from history and a few they thought were just myths. But the man who holds the key to Jake and Marisol's journey home doesn't want to be found...and if the cousins don't catch him fast, they could end up lost in this world forever.

The Firebird Song by Arnee Flores

Tied by destiny, Prewitt the Bargeboy and Calliope the Lost Princess set out on their twelfth birthdays, determined to end the reign of the evil Spectress and her marauders by calling the Firebird back to Lyrica.

The Stolen Prince of Cloud Burst by Jaclyn Moriarty

Esther, an ordinary middle child, returns to school after a quiet summer to discover that her friends haven't returned and the mountains surrounding the school, usually alive with Faeries, have become dark and threatening with Shadow Mages, and it's up to Esther to do something extraordinary.

The Last Shadow Warrior by Sam Subity

Abby Beckett comes from a long line of elite Viking warriors known as the Aesir, being trained her whole life to hunt the creatures known as Grendels. The problem is there hasn't been a sighting of a Grendel in centuries and the Viking Council wants to disband the Aesir. But when her father is attacked by one and no one believes her, Abby embarks on a journey to protect her family's name and stop the plot to destroy them Aesir.

Nightingale by Deva Fagan

After twelve-year-old Lark, determined to escape her squalid life, steals a magical sword from the Royal Museum, she reluctantly becomes the next Nightingale, destined to vanquish an ancient evil.

The Hidden Knife by Melissa Mair

After a tragedy, Vicky bands together with new friends to seek justice in dangerous Glass City, where the magical gargoyles are always watching.

Maya and The Return of The Godlings by Rena Barron

After bringing her father back into the human world, twelve-year-old Maya, a guardian-in-training, is forced to return to The Dark and restore what she left behind, the one thing keeping the veil from falling—her father's soul.

The Other Side of Luck by Ginger Johnson

Ignored because she is a daughter, Princess Una sets out to find the Silva Flower, and her path crosses with Julien, a pauper hoping to free his father by finding the same flower.

Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

Picture Books for Indigenous Peoples' Day

Chelsea Condren, Early Literacy Coordinator — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 10:38:29 -0400

The New York Public Library honors Monday, October 11, as Indigenous Peoples' Day in the United States. We've rounded up some of our favorite picture books about Indigenous communities for families to share with little ones. Celebrate your identity or learn something new with these fantastic reads!

David Robertson and Julie Flett’s On the Trapline is a beautiful story about a little boy and his grandfather who take a trip to a special place that has great meaning for Moshom, the grandfather. Susan Avingaq and Maren Vsetula’s The Pencil, illustrated by Charlene Chua, is a story about three siblings who have lots of fun drawing with their grandmother’s pencil after she leaves their iglu—but when she comes back and sees how small the pencil has gotten, what will she say? Based on author Susan Avingaq’s memories of growing up in an iglu, this book reminds us about the importance of using things wisely.

Tiny future readers will love Richard Van Camp and Julie Flett’s Little You, which celebrates the joy babies bring into the world. Van Camp also wrote Kiss by Kiss: A Counting Book for Families, which counts kisses in beautiful rhyme, in both English and Cree. The perfect book to share during this autumn season, Julie Flett’s We All Play highlights the wonder of play and the beauty of nature, and includes a glossary with the English and Cree names for each animal.

Fans of fairy tales can pick up The Honey Jar by Rigoberta Menchú with Dante Liano, illustrated by Domi and translated by David Unger. The Honey Jar, written by a longtime activist for Indigenous people, retells several Mayan fairtyales told to her by her grandparents.

Join young Zonia in the rainforest in her home near the Amazon, who must learn what to do when the rainforest calls to her for help in Zonia's Rainforest by Juana Martinez-Neal and translated by Arlynder Sett Gaspar Paulino. This lush text is written in both English and Asháninka. Finally, Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade's We Are Water Protectors, an NYPL 2020 Best Books for Kids pick, is a lyrical and stirring book that reminds us how precious water is to all life on Earth, told from the perspective of one brave young girl who stands up to the snake trying to poison her people’s water.

Picture Books to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

Ruth Rodriguez, Manager of Bilingual Children's Services — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 11:19:24 -0400

Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month at The New York Public Library and honor the cultures and contributions of people with ancestors from across the Caribbean, Central and South America, Mexico, and Spain. From September 15 to October 15, explore our book lists for kids, featuring bilingual and monolingual titles in español and English. Plus, all month long, celebrate Latinx literature, experience, and storytelling with multilingual programs, resources, storytimes for kids, and more!

Representation matters. Whether it's in fictional stories using an author's own voice or acknowledging those who have made history, Hispanic heritage can be explored in many different ways. Below are some English-language picture book titles that celebrate the different cultures that make up a heritage that crosses seas, lands, and borders.

Paletero Man by Lucky Díaz, illustrated by Micah Player

book | e-book

On a hot day, nothing is better than a refreshing paleta, but what happens when our narrator finds himself out of dinero?

Coquí in the City by Nomar Perez

book | e-book | e-audiobook

In San Juan, Miguel brought his frog Coquí everywhere, from shops to dinners.But when his family tells him he has to leave him behind some things have to change.

Carmela Full of Wishes by Matt De la Peña, illustrated by Chris Robinson

book | e-book

It’s her birthday and Carmela is finally old enough to run some errands with her older brother. On her path she comes across a dandelion that leads her to reflect.

Luci Soars by Lulu Delacre

book | e-book

Luci is a girl born without a shadow, her mamá says "no, one notices." But others do, follow Luci as she goes on a journey to stand up for herself and be brave.

A New Kind of Wild by Zara González Hoang

book | e-book

Ren lived in a little white house surrounded by greens and his growing imagination. Until the day he didn’t, a story about moving, and seeing things in a different light with a little help from a friend.

Sing with Me: The Story of Selena Quintanilla by Diana Lopez

e-book

Follow the true story of a beloved tejana singer that followed her dreams as a child to later become a music and design icon.

Latinitas: Celebrating 40 Big Dreamers by Juliet Menéndez

book | e-book

Follow how 40 leading Latinas from all along the Americas and the Caribbean became the influential leaders that they are today.

Crack the Case: Middle Grade Mystery Books

Clarissa Cooke, Children's Librarian, 96th Street Library — Mon, 20 Sep 2021 15:45:43 -0400

In addition to the still popular Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, and Encyclopedia Brown mysteries of my childhood, there are many wonderful new mysteries being written for readers age 8 to 12. Recent middle grade mystery books include: a crime solving ape, a choose-your-path series, the theft of a ring that belonged to Frida Khalo, a mystery involving the former Underground Railroad, children investigating a school vandalism incident, and a series inspired by Agatha Christie in which a young Hercule Poirot starts his detecting career in 1902 England. Books on this list also include stories about dognapping, missing masterpieces, stolen fossil bones, and lost treasure. There are puzzles, thrillers, and historical mysteries that will entertain anyone who enjoys the unraveling of a whodunit, and seeing justice meted out to the villains.

Ali Cross by James Patterson

Ali Cross has always looked up to his father, former detective and FBI agent Alex Cross. While solving some of the nation's most challenging crimes, his father always kept his head and did the right thing. Can Ali have the same strength and resolve?

J FIC PATTERSON

Ambrose Deception by Emily Ecton; with illustrations by Gilbert Ford

Chosen to compete for a lucrative scholarship, an overlooked girl, an underachiever, and a show-off begin traveling throughout Chicago to solve clues before discovering that the competition is a sham, a finding that compels the trio to secretly join forces.

J FIC ECTON

Belly Up by Stuart Gibbs

Twelve-year-old Teddy investigates when a popular Texas zoo's star attraction—Henry the hippopotamus—is murdered. A FunJungle novel.

J FIC GIBBS

The Body Under the Piano by Marthe Jocelyn; with illustrations by Isabelle Follath

A middle grade mystery series inspired by the childhood of Agatha Christie, and the creation of her most famous character, Hercule Poirot, follows the experiences of young Aggie Morton of 1902 England, who fatefully crosses paths with a 12-year-old Belgian immigrant at the same time they stumble onto a murder scene.

J FIC JOCELYN

Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman; with illustrations by Tadgh Bentley

After moving to San Francisco, 12-year-old Emily longs to meet a favorite author who lives nearby, unfortunately he is savagely attacked just before the release of his latest online puzzle series.

J FIC BERTMAN

Charlie & Frog : A Mystery by Karen Kane

While staying with his grandparents in Castle-on-the-Hudson, Charlie stumbles upon a mystery, but must learn American Sign Language to keep up with Frog, a deaf girl who wants to help solve it.

J FIC KANE

Digging for Trouble by Linda Fairstein

Looking forward to sharing a quiet summer in Montana with her best friend, Dev participates in an paleontological dig that is sabotaged by a thief who has stolen priceless fossils, a case that leads him to the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein

Twelve-year-old Kyle wins a coveted spot to be one of 12 children chosen to stay in the new town library—designed by his hero, the famous gamemaker Luigi Lemoncello—for an overnight of fun, food and games, but in the morning, the kids find all the doors locked and must work together to solve secret puzzles in order to discover the hidden escape route.

J FIC GRABENSTEIN

The Harlem Charade by Natasha Tarpley

Seventh-graders Jin, Alexandra, and Elvin come from very different backgrounds and circumstances, but they all live in Harlem, and when Elvin's grandfather is attacked, they band together to find out who is responsible. Their search leads them to an enigmatic artist whose missing masterpieces are worth a fortune, and into conflict with an ambitious politician who wants to turn Harlem into an historic amusement park.

J FIC TARPLEY

It Wasn't Me by Dana Alison Levy

Six very different students transcend stereotypes to work together during a mandated detention when they are wrongly blamed for a vandalism incident.

J FIC LEVY

Kazu Jones and the Denver Dognappers by Shanna Holyoak; with illustrations by Shauna M. Holyoak

Eleven-year-old Kazuko, already well-known for "helping" the police, investigates a rash of dognappings, aided by her Japanese mastiff, Genki, and friends.

J FIC HOLYOAK

Lost in the Tunnel of Time by Sharon M. Draper; with illustrations by Joshua Watson

Ziggy, Rico, Rashawn, and Jerome discover their hometown used to be a stop on the Underground Railroad, and set out to explore part of the tunnel right under their school. When a trapdoor slams behind them, locking them in the tunnel, there's only one thing they can do, plunge deeper into the darkness. Where will the tunnel lead them?

J FIC DRAPER

Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring by Angela Cervantes

A room locked for fifty years. A valuable peacock ring. Paloma Marquez is traveling to Mexico City, for the very first time. While in Mexico, Paloma meets Lizzie and Gael, who present her with a irresistible challenge: The siblings want her to help them find a valuable ring that once belonged to beloved Mexican Artist Frida Kahlo.

J FIC CERVANTES

Murder is Bad Manners by Robin Stevens

Forming a secret detective agency after discovering a shared talent for solving mysteries, two best friends at a 1930's boarding school tackle a first case when their science teacher dies and her body disappears.

J FIC STEVENS

The Murderer's Ape by Jakob Wegelius; translated by Peter Graves

When her best friend, the sailor Henry Koskela, is falsely accused of murder, a gorilla named Sally Jones visits the run-down docks of Lisbon, embarks on a dizzying journey across the seven seas, and calls on the Maharaja of Bhapur's magnificent court—all in an attempt to clear Henry's name.

J FIC WEGELIUS

Mystery in the Mansion by Lauren Magaziner

Complemented by interactive puzzles, a choose-your-path series debut introduces a budding young detective and his friends, who need the readers help deciding which suspects to interview, which questions to ask, and which clues to follow.

J FIC MAGAZINER

Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson

Spending the summer in Lambert, South Carolina, Candice discovers the letter that sent her grandmother on a treasure hunt. With her new friend Brandon, she sets off to expose the injustice once committed against a local African American family.

J FIC JOHNSON

Theodore Boone Kid Lawyer by John Grisham

Theo finds himself in court much sooner than expected. Because he knows so much—maybe too much—he is suddenly dragged into the middle of a sensational murder trial. A cold-blooded killer is about to go free, and only Theo knows the truth. The stakes are high, but Theo won't stop until justice is served.

J FIC GRISHAM

Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

Remembering 9/11 with Kids & Teens: 20 Years Later

Tiffany James, School Outreach Librarian — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 12:14:07 -0400

Join the Library as we remember the events of September 11, 2001. For many New Yorkers, this time of commemoration is a moment to teach, discuss, and reflect on our recent history with readers who had not yet been born. As the book discussion, recommendations, and resources below attest, there are lots of ways to explore 9/11 and the legacy of that terrible day with kids and teens, both in the classroom and at home.

To mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11, authors Gae Polisner, Tom Rogers, and Nora Raleigh Baskin joined Shauntee Burns-Simpson, the Library's Associate Director of School Support, to discuss their books for children and young adults about the events of that day.

Here are some of the many titles—in addition to those discussed above—that explore the events of September 11, 2001, in a way that will help younger readers to better understand our recent history and the world we live in now.

Nonfiction

America Is Under Attack: September 11, 2001: The Day the Towers Fell by Don Brown

A moving and informative account of the 9/11 attacks. Told chronologically from perspectives in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania, this illustrated nonfiction book presents details on the attacks, the recovery, and the first responders in a thoughtful and accessible way for children ages 8 and up.

Saved by the Boats: The Heroic Sea Evacuation of September 11 by Julie Gassman, illustrated by Steve Moors

This picture book is based on the story of the heroic boat captains and crews who helped thousands of people get to safety on 9/11. A gentle introduction to 9/11, and a story of hope and humanity for very young children.

This Very Tree: A Story of 9/11, Resilience, and Regrowth by Sean Rubin

A sensitively written story about the aftermath of 9/11 told from the perspective of a tree that remained standing after the attacks and came to be a symbol of light and hope. Includes an introduction to 9/11 and the World Trade Center. Suggested for children ages 5–7.

What Were the Twin Towers? by Jim O'Connor

This beginner's guide gives kids information about the Twin Towers from their construction through to the events of September 11, 2001. Suggested for children ages 8 and up.

Fiction

Branches of Hope: The 9/11 Survivor Tree by Ann Magee, illustrated by Nicole Wong

An introduction to 9/11 for younger children told from the perspective of a family of firefighters that tells the story of the day itself, the rescue efforts, the memorials, and the survivor tree. Suggested for children ages 5–7.

Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Fifth-grader Deja has started a new school and a new life in Brooklyn. When her teacher begins a lesson about September 11, Deja realizes she knows almost nothing about the events of that day. Along with her new friends at school, she begins a journey to answer questions about 9/11 and learns new things about her family, community, and friendships. Recommended for ages 9–12.

Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story by Nora Raleigh Baskin

A story of children in different parts of the United States who experience 9/11 from a range of different perspectives. Four middle school kids in Ohio, California, Pennsylvania, and New York City start out on September 10 consumed by their own challenges at home, including grief and dealing with an absentee father. They have no idea that they are all about to come together in the aftermath of 9/11, as their families and communities are affected by the tragic events. Recommended for ages 9–12.

The Memory of Things by Gae Polisner

On the morning of September 11, 2001, 16-year-old Kyle Donohue watches the first tower come down. Then, while fleeing home to safety, finds a girl covered in ash who has no memory. Suggested for ages 12+.

I Survived the Attacks of September 11, 2001 by Lauren Tarshis

When the 9/11 attacks hit New York, Lucas rushes to the World Trade Center to try to find his dad and his firefighter "uncle" in this fast-paced novel that will draw younger readers in and help them to connect to history in a meaningful way. Recommended for ages 9–12.

Additional Resources

FreedomFlix brings history to life for students. Discover child-friendly introductory videos, e-books, and lesson plans on 9/11 and other related topics. (Library card required)

Kids InfoBits is a child-friendly database with articles on history, current events, and more. This is a useful starting place for searching for reliable information on 9/11 and many other subjects. (Library card required)