The books in this collection navigate themes and ideas appropriate for younger readers. Whether you're looking for contemporary hits like Front Desk by Kelly Yang or beloved classics like Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, you can explore this collection to find a title that will excite the young readers in your life.
Publication year 1999
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2020
Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Teams, Identity: Race
Tags Sports, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Economics, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mythology, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature
Publication year 1975
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Race
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Asian Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Chinese Literature
Originally published in 1975, Dragonwings is a children’s historical novel by Chinese American author Laurence Yep. The story was inspired by the life of Fung Joe Guey (Feng Ru), a Chinese immigrant who came to the United States in the early 1900s and earned acclaim for his work as a pioneer airplane designer and aviator. The book is part of Yep’s Golden Mountain Chronicles, a series of 10 novels that explore the long history of... Read Dragonwings Summary
Publication year 2012
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Tags Humor, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Romance, LGBTQ
Drama is a young adult graphic novel by Raina Telgemeier published in 2012. It is Telgemeier’s third book and her first fiction graphic novel—her first two were autobiographical. Drama is critically acclaimed and spent 240 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list. This guide refers to the 2012 edition by Scholastic/Graphix.Plot SummaryCallie Marin is a seventh-grader at Eucalyptus Middle School. She has long, purple-dyed hair and likes to wear the color green. She also... Read Drama Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Equality, Relationships: Family, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Realistic Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Social Justice, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Music, Humor
Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie (2014) is a young adult novel by American author Jordan Sonnenblick. Sonnenblick is a well-known young adult author whose novels include After Ever After, Falling Over Sideways, Notes From the Midnight Driver, and Zen and the Art of Faking It. The story follows Steven Alper, a 13-year-old drummer whose life is turned upside down when his five-year-old brother, Jeffrey, is diagnosed with leukemia. As Steven navigates the trials of early... Read Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Disability, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Disability, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 1996
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Action / Adventure, Survival Fiction, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Natural Disaster, Education, Education
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Music
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Music, Magical Realism, Fantasy
Echo (2015) by Pam Muñoz Ryan is a young-adult novel about the power of music to unite individuals across time, and even save lives: the wide-reaching novel follows an enchanted harmonica to 1933 in Germany, 1934 in Pennsylvania, and 1942 in California, before uniting the characters we meet along the way at Carnegie Hall in 1951. Covering the rise of Nazism in Germany, the tail end of the Great Depression in the United States, and... Read Echo Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Poverty, Animals, Gender / Feminism, Relationships, Science / Nature, Great Depression, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, History: World
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Realistic Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Children's Literature, Social Justice, Modern Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture
Publication year 1874
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2014
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Disability
Tags Humor, Disability, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Biography
El Deafo is a 2014 semi-autobiographical, graphic novel by American author and illustrator Cece Bell. Bell, who was born deaf, recounts her childhood in the format of a guide starring an anthropomorphic rabbit, “Cece.” The book endeavors to undermine negative representations of deafness by representing Cece’s difference as valid, even empowering, with the assistance of modern technology. Throughout the book, Cece occasionally assumes a superhero persona, “El Deafo.” El Deafo challenges common misconceptions about disabilities... Read El Deafo Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Animals, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Action / Adventure
Roland Smith’s Elephant Run (2007) is a middle grade adventure novel that takes place during World War II. Narrator Nick Freestone tries to escape the war and moves from the deadly bombings in London to his father's teak plantation in Burma. Unfortunately for Nick, the war follows him to Burma, and Japanese soldiers soon imprison him and his childhood friend Mya at his family home. Aided by the ancient monk Hilltop, Mya and Nick set... Read Elephant Run Summary
Publication year 1991
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Education, Education, American Literature
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Family
Tags Children's Literature, Animals, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, History: World
Elijah of Buxton is a 2007 middle grade novel by American writer Christopher Paul Curtis. Set in the 1850s, it follows 11-year-old Elijah Freeman, the first freeborn child of Buxton, a Canadian settlement of escaped slaves, as he makes a dangerous journey into the United States. The novel was a Newbery Honor Book and won the Coretta Scott King Award. Plot SummaryThe story opens as Elijah investigates strange animal tracks with his friend Cooter. A local... Read Elijah of Buxton Summary
Publication year 1997
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Fantasy, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Romance, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction
Gail Carson Levine’s book Ella Enchanted was awarded the Newbery Honor in 1998 after its publication in 1997. In 2004, a film adaptation was released, though it received criticism for diverging from Levine’s story, including adding new key characters. Ella Enchanted was Levine’s debut. She also wrote Fairest, which retells Snow White’s story and is set in the same world as Ella Enchanted. Some of her other notable works include Dave at Night, The Wish... Read Ella Enchanted Summary
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Community, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Realistic Fiction, Poverty, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Grief / Death, Urban Development, Arts / Culture
Emako Blue is a novel for young adults written by Brenda Woods. Set in Los Angeles, California, Emako's friends and schoolmates relay the events leading up to Emako Blue’s gang-related murder in alternating first-person narration, primarily through flashbacks. The text explores the effects of poverty, gang violence, guns, and how these issues have far-reaching impacts on each member of a community. As the events of the story unfold, each narrator must consider what they want... Read Emako Blue Summary