Books for Kids and Tweens
April 2026

Recent Releases
Don't Eat the Birthday Boy!
by Donna Barba Higuera; illustrated by Juliana Perdomo

At home in the Abyss of Horror, little monster El Cucuy misses his human friend, Ramón. That's why he jumps at the chance to reunite, even though the reunion involves defending Ramón's birthday party from a group of rogue boogeymonsters. This 2nd chapter book in The Unlikely Aventuras of Ramón and El Cucuy is just as funny and spooky as the first. (Ages 7-10.)
Wilderness Hacks
by Joslin Brorsen

After a flood strands them alone in the Rockies, 13-year-old wilderness YouTuber Rad Shaw and his reluctant guide Sadie Hahn are forced to work together in order to survive. Told in both kids' voices, this gripping story offers breathless thrills as well as fascinating characters. (Ages 8-12.)
 
Queso, Just in Time
by Ernesto Cisneros

After wishing for more time with his father, who died two years ago, Quetzalcóatl Castillo Anguiano -- aka Queso -- is transported back to 1985, where his father is just Pancho, a fellow 12-year-old. Deep emotions pair with time-travel culture clashes in this funny, moving story. (Ages 8-12.)
 
Clementine H. Hopeful Is Not a Hero
by Noah Corey

Seventh-grader Clementine gets treated like an outsider just because he's anxious, loves pink shoes and spiders, and sees monsters no one else can see. Well, no one except his new friends Bug and Anise. With them, Clementine launches into magical adventures -- and faces big decisions about what it really means to be a hero or a villain. (Ages 9-13.)
 
Red River Rose
by Carole Lindstrom

Inspired by the real-life North-West Resistance of 1885, this richly detailed historical book focuses on spirited 12-year-old Rose, a Métis girl whose everyday concerns about friends and family transform into courage when the Canadian government threatens her Saskatchewan community. Read-alikes: Louise Erdrich's Birchbark House series; Linda Sue Park's Prairie Lotus. (Ages 8-12.)
 
Hafsa's Way
by Aisha Saeed

Aspiring doctor Hafsa is thrilled to travel from rural Pakistan to Lahore, where she's supposed to stay with her sister and attend an elite science camp. Once she arrives, nothing goes according to plan, but determined Hafsa won't let that stop her from making the most of the experience. For fans of: the author's inspiring companion books, Amal Unbound and Omar Rising. (Ages 9-13.)
 
Nonfiction
How to Say Goodbye in Cuban
by Daniel Miyares

In the style of a graphic novel, author Daniel Miyares tells the true story of his father's childhood. Things are tough for young Carlos when his family moves from rural Cuba to a city -- and even tougher when Fidel Castro's revolution forces them to flee Cuba altogether. Dramatic artwork supports the powerful emotions in this memoir. (Ages 8-13.)
 
My Presentation Today Is About the Anaconda
by Bibi Dumon Tak; illustrated by Annemarie van Haeringen; translated by Nancy Forest-Flier

Classroom reports get a twist in this collection of presentations about animals, by animals. For instance, a cleaner fish talks about sharks, a barn owl talks about Tasmanian devils, and a howler monkey talks about...unicorns? Complete with hilarious interruptions from the audience, this fact-filled read will encourage you to think beyond the human point of view. (Ages 8-12.)
 
Smash, Crash, Topple, Roll! The Inventive Rube Goldberg
by Catherine Thimmesh; illustrated by Shanda McCloskey

Combining biography and science, this illustrated book looks at the life of cartoonist Rube Goldberg, who asked "Why do something the simple way... if, instead, there is a catapult option?" Goldberg's mischievous drawings turned simple machines into wildly complicated contraptions, and if you read the final how-to chapter of this book, you'll learn to do the same thing. (Ages 8-12.)
 
Weirdo
by Tony Weaver, Jr.; illustrated by Jes and Cin Wibowo

After being bullied and treated like an outcast because of his geeky interests, 11-year-old Tony is depressed and suicidal. He begins to find healing, however, thanks to therapy, creativity, and a better school. This moving, authentic graphic novel autobiography is a must-read for fans of Jerry Craft and Rex Ogle. (Ages 10-13.) 
Contact your librarian for more great books!