|
|
|
|
Books for Kids and Tweens January 2026 |
|
|
|
| The Stolen Songbird by Judith Eagle; illustrated by Jo RiouxWhile her moms are traveling, 12-year-old Caro and her secret pet rabbit, His Nibs, are sent to stay with strict great-aunt Gam. It's there that Caro discovers a stolen painting and gets caught up with a treacherous gang of art thieves. This twisty illustrated mystery plunges you into an adventure across 1950s London. (Ages 8-12.) |
|
| Xolo by Donna Barba Higuera; illustrated by Mariana Ruiz JohnsonIn Aztec mythology, the feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl gets the credit for reviving humanity after their destruction. But in this eye-catching and emotional graphic novel, dog-headed Xolotl (god of lightning, misfortune, and death) proves himself as the real hero. For fans of: underdog characters and bright, bold artwork. (Ages 7-10.)
|
|
| Agent Cupcake by Mel Hilario and Lauren Davis; illustrated by Katie LonguaJoining the Mystical Beasts Bureau as their first ever human spy, 12-year-Miguel Mangayayam feels pressure to do well -- and that's before he's partnered with ultra-cool unicorn operative Agent Cupcake. Cute, cartoony artwork amps up the energy in this offbeat graphic novel fantasy. For fans of: Adam Gidwitz's Unicorn Rescue Society books or Stuart Gibbs' Spy School series. (Ages 9-13.)
|
|
|
|
Spark by Chris BaronFinn and his friend Rabbit live in a rural area that's been hit hard by wildfires. Families were displaced and school was interrupted. Moreover, their beloved forest is suffering -- animals and plants haven't been able to come back, and the two friends wonder if there's anything they can do to help. Rabbit's uncle, a science teacher, is part of a study that may help bring the forest back to life, but Finn and Rabbit wonder if the forest can wait. And what if another fire comes in the meantime? They believe a small part of the forest -- the forest heart -- that survived the wildfire may hold the key to regrowth, but first, they have to find it and then convince the adults around them to listen. (Ages 10-14.)
|
|
|
|
Cincinnati Lee, Curse Breaker by Heidi Heilig.Cincinnati Lee's great great (great?) grandfather is famous. His adventures discovering ancient artifacts have been made into movies, and his work is widely respected by museums across the world. The thing is, in that line of work, you're bound to get cursed. And that leaves your great great (great?) granddaughter to break the curse by returning the artifacts you "preserved." Cincinnati's own adventure begins in the Cosmopolitan Museum in New York City, where her single mom works and Cincinnati has grown up. Soon she learns about the ancient Spear of Destiny--and its potential to right all the wrongs in her family's past. Or bring about the end of the world. It all depends on whose hands it falls into. (Ages 8-12.)
|
|
| At the Speed of Gus by Richard ScrimgerFor 13-year-old Gus, having ADHD means that his racing thoughts can become a maze, and sometimes it's tough to separate imagination from reality. When a school suspension gives him time to visit his sister on Vancouver Island, the journey is anything but straightforward. This honest, funny whirlwind of a story offers a peek into one kid's brain. (Ages 9-12.)
|
|
|
|
The Taylors
by Jen Calonita
Taylor (aka Teffy to her family) is terrified to start middle school. She wishes she could fade into the background, unnoticed. But on the first day of school, she finds herself in the spotlight when it's revealed that her homeroom class has four girls all named Taylor! There's a couple of things they can agree on: Taylor Swift is the greatest singer-songwriter of all time--and they are definitely going to need nicknames. Soon, Teffy's outside her comfort zone, going out for cheerleading and starting a friendship bracelet-making business. And when the Eras tour comes to town, the four friends will do whatever it takes to get tickets-- . (Ages 8-12.)
|
|
| Bad Cheerleader by Alex ThayerSeventh-grader Margaret, aka Bag, is determined. She doesn't let dyslexia stop her from being a bookworm. And when she realizes that her cheerleader sister Minerva is hiding something, she doesn't let her lack of school spirit stop her from joining the cheer squad to learn the truth. Read-alike: Miss Liberty by Erin Moonyeen Haley. (Ages 10-13.)
|
|
|
Explore More Great Books from the 2026 Great Stone Face Award Nominee List! (how many can YOU read before voting in April?)
|
|
|
|
Wild Wave (the Wild Series)
by Rodman Philbrick
Another WILD adventure from Rodman Philbrick, author of Wildfireand Wild River. Wild Wave is the adventure of two kids trapped in the aftermath of a tsunami. It's kids vs. nature in another edge-of-your seat read When a tsunami heads for the coast, Nick Chase and Jess Hardy have to run. They make it into the woods above the bay--only to see the sea flooding their whole neighborhood along the shore. Destroying everything.In the broken landscape that's left behind, the two must try to find their way to safety. But when they come across a stranded elderly couple, it's up to Nick and Jess to work together and get help so that they can all make it out alive.This is another gripping environmental survival story from the Newbery Honor author of Wildfire and Wild River.
|
|
|
|
Table Titans Club
by Scott Kurtz
New girl Valeria Winters finds new friends in the Table Titans tabletop gaming club, but when the club is threatened, Val must join the wrestling team and make peace with her bully to save her new group of friends--
(Graphic Novel)
|
|
|
|
The Bletchley Riddle
by Ruta Sepetys and Steven Sheinkin
In the summer of 1940, two siblings face two dangerous puzzles: 19-year-old Jakob works to break Nazi codes at Britain’s Bletchley Park, while 14-year-old Lizzie searches for the truth about their mother, who’s gone missing in Poland. Authentic details blend with white-knuckle suspense in this historical mystery. For fans of: Alan Gratz. (Ages 10-13.)
|
|
|
|
Deer Run Home
by Ann Clare LeZotte
Things are lonely and tough for Deaf 12-year-old Effie: her friends are gone, and her abusive family won't even learn American Sign Language. But with support from the one person who listens to her, Effie might find safety. If you like intense, realistic fiction about surviving painful situations, this story in verse is for you. (Ages 10-13.)
|
|
|
|
The Girl Who Kept the Castle
by Ryan Graudin
Wizard West was dead for nearly an entire day before he noticed. And Faye, the daughter of West's groundskeeper, is charged with the unfortunate task of informing the wizard that he is now a ghost who has lost all magical powers. (But not before West tries turning her into a cat!) To make matters worse, the enchanted castle of Celurdur, the only home that Fay has ever known, will fall apart at the next new moon if its foundation spells can't be renewed. After (sort of) accepting his demise, West decides to host a competition to choose his successor. And Faye now finds herself fighting behind the scenes to keep the tournament running smoothly: putting out kitchen fires, feeding the compost dragon, and making sure competitors stay away from the cockatrice pen. But killer roosters soon become the least of her worries. A servant of the evil Shadow Queen has sabataged the contest, and is set on destroying not only Celurdur, but the entire kingdom of Solum. Faye must find a way to stop him, but she'll need more than a mop and some magic to save everything she loves from utter destruction.
|
|
Ask your librarian for more great books! |
|
|
|
|
|
