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Books for Kids and Tweens June 2023 |
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| Ellie Engle Saves Herself! by Leah JohnsonStarring: ordinary 7th-grader Ellie, who realizes two things after surviving an earthquake in her hometown. One: she has a crush on her popular friend Abby. Two: she can bring dead things back to life.
What happens: Despite having reading enough comics to understand how superpowers can mess up your life, Ellie is unprepared for what happens when news of her ability gets out.
Who it's for: This offbeat, heartfelt story will grab fans of realistic fiction and fantasy alike. (Ages 8-13.) |
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| Good Different by Meg Eden KuyattWhat it's about: Selah depends on her rules for "Being a 'Normal' Person" to mask her unruly "dragon" feelings. But the rules break down at her new school, causing Selah to change how she sees herself.
How it's told: in honest, authentic poetry written by an autistic author who knows what it's like to be in Selah's place.
For fans of: Elle McNicoll's A Kind of Spark, another own voices book about an autistic girl who takes a stand and finds real friendship. (Ages 9-12.) |
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| When Clouds Touch Us by Thanhhà LaiTexas, 1976: After arriving in America last year as a refugee from Vietnam, 12-year-old Hà is uprooted again when her family moves to a new state. Inside, Hà wants to scream, but she still tries to face the unfairness and uncertainty with humor and strength.
Series alert: This moving story-in-poetry is the sequel to the award-winning Inside Out & Back Again, but you can start here even if you haven't read that one. (Ages 9-13.)
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| Four Eyes by Rex Ogle; illustrated by Dave ValezaWhat it's about: Middle school is off to a rough start for Rex: he's short, he has no real friends (besides his abuela), and he has to wear ugly glasses that his poor family can barely afford.
Series alert: With colorful art, a 1990s setting, and a blend of humor and angst, this graphic novel memoir kicks off a series.
For fans of: Raina Telgemeier's Guts or the realistic, sometimes painful truth in author Rex Ogle's earlier book, Free Lunch. (Ages 8-12.) |
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| Grounded by Aisha Saeed, Huda Al-Marashi, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, and S.K. AliWhat it's about: When a storm leaves lots of families stuck in the airport on their way home from a large Muslim conference, four unlikely new friends band together to find a missing cat.
Featuring: Hanna, intent on rescuing Snickerdoodle the cat; Feek, longing to write lyrics like his rapper dad; Sami, anxious about missing his karate tournament; and Nora, uncomfortable with being a congresswoman's daughter.
You might also like: You Are Here, edited by Ellen Oh. (Ages 8-12.) |
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| Ghosts, Toast, and Other Hazards by Susan TanWhat it's about: Dreaming about a ghost elephant is just one of the many things that 12-year-old Mo has to handle these days. Since her stepdad left and her family moved to a new town, Mo's been holding onto lots of sadness and stress -- but maybe investigating the tragic, real-life history of Maudie the circus elephant can help her to let go.
Try this next: Tae Keller's When You Trap a Tiger, another moving, fantasy-tinged family story. (Ages 8-12.) |
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| Duet by Elise Broach; illustrated by Ziyue ChenWhat it's about: The unlikely partnership of singing goldfinch Mirabelle and human piano prodigy Michael kicks off this quirky tale, which leads to a treasure hunt for the lost piano of famed composer Frédéric Chopin.
Why it stands out: Not only is this musical mystery rich with details and fascinating history, it also offers a literal bird's-eye view, since Mirabelle herself narrates the story. (Ages 8-12.) |
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| Miss Quinces by Kat FajardoWhat it's about: Though she'd prefer a chill summer reading manga with her friends, Sue is instead whisked off on a family trip to Honduras by her mom, who's also planned the giant quinceañera Sue never wanted.
For fans of: Claribel Ortega's Frizzy, and other amusing yet bittersweet graphic novels about growing up -- and being yourself -- in two cultures. (Ages 10-13.)
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| Aviva vs. the Dybbuk by Mari LoweWhat it's about: Ever since her father died, lonely Orthodox Jewish Aviva has been dealing with a dybbuk, getting blamed for the actions of the mischievous spirit. When anti-Jewish violence threatens Aviva's community and the dybbuk gets more intense, Aviva must revisit the secrets surrounding her father's death.
You might also like: Sofiya Pasternack's Black Bird, Blue Road, another book with a memorable Jewish heroine, a thoughtful take on grief, and a combo of common concerns and legendary monsters. (Ages 8-13.) |
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| Honestly Elliott by Gillian McDunnWhat it's about: Elliott's ADHD might make things tough at school, challenging with friends, and complicated with his divorced parents, but in the kitchen? Elliott is a focused, creative pie-baker. And once he joins forces with ultra-smart classmate Maribel for a gluten-free pie business, he might just be unstoppable.
How it's told: Footnotes that keep you bouncing around the page give you a hint at how Elliott's brain works in this warm and funny slice of life. (Ages 9-12.)
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| The Sheep, the Rooster, and the Duck by Matt PhelanWhat it's about: In 1783, Benjamin Franklin visits France, where a squad of undercover animal spies protect his inventions from being stolen by evil-doers.
Featuring: masked swashbuckler Pierre (a rooster), brilliant engineer Bernadette (a sheep), and tactical genius Jean-Luc (a duck), as well as their human comrades Sophie and Emile.
Read it for: a historical animal fantasy that's inventive, adventurous, and unapologetically silly. (Ages 8-11.) |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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