Books for Kids and Tweens
May 2025
Recent Releases
Return to Sender
by Vera Brosgol

Ten-year-old Oliver discovers that the wish-granting mailbox in his new apartment may make his dreams come true, but they come with a cost.
All Ears 
by Stuart Gibbs

Resident sleuth Teddy Fitzroy is on the case to find a missing African elephant and clear his friend Xavier of vandalizing a bulldozer in protest of a builder ruining a beloved piece of land they call TurtleTown.
Dreamslinger
by Graci Kim

As a dreamslinger, 14-year-old Korean American Aria is trained to repress her volatile magical abilities. When the Kingdom of Royal Hanguk opens its Annual Royal Slinger Trials, Aria intends to spy on their dangerous activities, but soon finds her loyalties tested. Lighthearted magic blends with serious themes in this fantasy series starter. (Ages 10-13.)
The Gate, the Girl and the Dragon
by Grace Lin

Stone spirit Ji is stuck in the People's world, but with the help of his new friends Lulu and Worm, he hopes to find a way back home through the Old City Gate before it disappears forever. 
The Trouble With Heroes
by Kate Messner

After an act of vandalism, angry and grieving 13-year-old Finn accepts an unusual deal to make amends: he’s got to climb 46 Adirondack peaks alongside a crew of volunteers and a smelly, slobbery dog. Told through poems, letters, and other snippets from Finn’s life, this moving and funny story is a snapshot of a change-filled summer.  (Ages 10-13.)
The Cartoonists Club
by Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud

Makayla, Howard, Lynda, and Art all have different ideas and talents, but they have a common goal: making comics. Together, they form the Cartoonists Club, and you can follow along as they figure out friendships and discover tips and tools for creating graphic novels. With relatable characters and inviting art, this graphic novel is exactly what you’d expect from fan-favorite Raina Telgemeier and comics expert Scott McCloud. (Ages 8-13.)
Color Our World
Make your summer more colorful with these books about art and artists. 
 
Amil and the After
by Veera Hiranandani

A year after his family fled to Bombay from their home in Pakistan during the violent 1947 Partition from India, 12-year-old Amil (who is both Muslim and Hindu) uses art to work through his difficult emotions. Though it’s a sequel to The Night Diary, this deep, vivid story stands on its own. (Ages 8-13.)
Drawing Deena
by Hena Khan

From her family’s money troubles to school stress, it seems like everything makes Pakistani American Deena feel so worried she gets sick. Could her art help her communicate when her words can't? This hopeful story will grab readers who like a deep dive into a character’s mind. (Ages 8-12.)
Gigi Shin Is Not a Nerd
by Lyla Lee

Against her parents’ practical wishes, Texan seventh-grader Jiyoung "Gigi" Shin wants to be a professional artist. When Gigi and her friends start a tutoring club to raise money for an elite art program, they have to keep it a secret from her parents. For fans of: the upbeat tone and friendship focus of Ann M. Martin’s Baby-Sitters Club series. (Ages 8-12.)
Doodles from the Boogie Down
by Stephanie Rodriguez

Thirteen-year-old Bronx artist Steph has set her sights on going to a Manhattan art school, even though she knows her over-protective mom won’t approve. Packed with fun details from the year 2000, this slice-of-life graphic novel is inspired by creator Stephanie Rodriguez’s own experiences. (Ages 9-13.)
Timid
by Jonathan Todd

Based on the author's own life in the 1980s, this funny and sensitive graphic novel follows shy cartoonist Cecil as he struggles to both fit in and be himself at a new middle school where he's one of the few Black kids. For fans of: Jerry Craft's New Kid series. (Ages 8-12.)
Contact your librarian for more great books!
Chester Library
www.chesterlib.org

908-879-7612