|
|
|
|
Books for Kids and Tweens February 2026* |
|
|
|
| Hattie Mae Begins Again by Sharon G. FlakeIt's 1938, and Hattie Mae Jenkins has left rural North Carolina for busy Philadelphia. There, she grapples with homesickness and mean girls as she tries to find her place at an elite girls' school. This vivid historical story in verse stands on its own, but fans of Once in a Blue Moon will enjoy revisiting familiar characters. (Ages 8-12.) |
|
|
|
Birdy
by N. West Moss
After losing her mother to cancer and moving in with unfamiliar relatives for the summer, cautious Birdy struggles to adjust while her younger brother, Mouse, quickly grows attached to their new home, until Birdy's fears lead her to make a mistake that could threaten their future.
|
|
| The Moon Without Stars by Chanel MillerQuiet, creative Luna and her best friend Scott have gotten good at making zines to help their middle school classmates who are struggling. And it's those zines that grab the attention of the popular girls, forcing Luna to decide between social status and staying true to herself. Read-alike: Mallory in Full Color by Elisa Stone Leahy. (Ages 10-13.)
|
|
|
|
Hypergifted by Gordon KormanSchool has never been a problem for twelve-year-old super-genius Noah Youkilis--at least not until he gets an admission letter to the prestigious Wilderton University. The last thing Noah wants is to go straight from eighth grade into college. Will his life ever just be normal?!Meanwhile, Noah's best friend, Donovan, has been looking forward all year to a summer of doing nothing. But when Wilderton allows Noah to bring a friend for the summer term, Donovan's parents jump at the chance. Suddenly, Donovan's summer of slack has turned into hanging with Noah and working as a summer camp counselor for professors' kids.Once they arrive on campus, Noah's determined to fit in--and to him, that means joining the top-secret Society of the Gavel. But becoming a Gaveler is harder than it seems, and it's made all the harder when Noah and Donovon smuggle Wilderton's mascot, a two-hundred-pound pig named Porquette, into their dorm. Now Noah and Donovan must combine all their middle-school smarts to keep their pig-sized secret, fix a haywire AI program before it pretty much ends the world, and keep track of Donovan's campers.
|
|
| Basket Ball: The Story of the All-American Game by Kadir NelsonHit the court with award-winning author/illustrator Kadir Nelson in Basket Ball, a history of the game from its humble beginnings to the high-profile sport of today. Combining vivid full-color paintings with fascinating facts and a focus on Black excellence, this overview is a must-read for sports fans. For fans of: We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball, also by Kadir Nelson. (Ages 9-13.)
|
|
| The Lions' Run by Sara PennypackerIn Nazi-occupied France, soft-hearted orphan Lucas discovers that small acts of courage, like helping his new friend Alice protect her beloved horse, can lead to bigger ones, like helping the Resistance. With realistic characters and growing suspense, this hopeful historical story will grab all kinds of readers. (Ages 8-13.)
|
|
| Gumshoe by Brenna ThummlerAnxious Willa dreams of becoming a mailwoman, which makes it extra unfair when she's mistaken for mail-stealing outlaw Two Gum Tilly and forced to go on the run. Luckily, Willa is taken in by the Gumshoe Gang, fellow runaways determined to stop Tilly's crimes. Colorful, high-energy artwork will keep you glued to this Western-themed graphic novel. (Ages 8-13.)
|
|
| The Partition Project by Saadia FaruqiAt first, Texas 12-year-old Maha Raheem is annoyed by her Pakistani grandmother, Dadi. But when Dadi begins to share stories from the violent 1947 partition of India and Pakistan, Maha finds a subject for her school documentary project, as well as a new understanding of her history and heritage. Read-alikes: Reem Faruqi's Zarina Divided; Katherine Marsh's The Lost Year. (Ages 8-12.)
|
|
| Gut Reaction by Kirby Larson and Quinn WyattBaking makes Tess feel closer to her late dad, and she's eager to compete in this year's big baking competition. But there are plenty of complications in her way, including stomach pains that turn out to be Crohn's disease. Realistic fiction fans won't want to miss this funny yet sensitive look at life with chronic illness. Read-alike: The Year My Life Went Down the Toilet by Jake Maia Arlow. (Ages 8-12.)
|
|
| The Night Librarian by Christopher LincolnCuriosity and boredom prompt twins Page and Turner to visit the New York Public Library, where an encounter with the night librarian reveals that magical energy is escaping from the books -- along with some dangerous fictional characters. Cartoony illustrations add to the offbeat energy in this graphic novel adventure. Read-alike: Kekla Magoon's The Secret Library, Polly Shulman's The Grimm Legacy. (Ages 8-12.)
|
|
| The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnonAfter getting expelled from etiquette school again, orphaned sisters Gertrude, Eugenia, and Dee-Dee Porch are invited to study with mad scientist Millicent Quibb -- and their first lessons involve enormous, puppy-eating worms. Fast-paced, clever, and unapologetically weird, this series-starter by actor Kate McKinnon is a must-read for fans of Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events. Next in the series: Secrets of the Purple Pearl.
|
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|
|
|
|