Great New Children’s Books for Older Readers
Title: The Enchanted Life of Valentina Mejía
By: Alessandri, Alexandra
Published: 2023
Suggested ages and title descriptions are from the publisher or each item's library catalog record.
Fantasy/Adventure
Ages 8 to 12
Valentina and her younger brother, Julián, get dragged along on another magical-creature hunt. While they're in the Andes, a powerful earthquake hits. Valentina and Julián fall through the earth...and find an alternate Colombia where, to Valentina's shock, all the legends are real.
Title: Harriet Spies
By: Arnold, Elana K.
Published: 2023
Mystery
Ages 6 to 10
Harriet Wermer investigates more mysteries during her stay on Marble Island.
Title: No Matter the Distance
By: Baldwin, Cindy
Published: 2023
Realistic Fiction/Novel in Verse
Ages 8 to 12
The unexpected appearance of a dolphin in her backyard creek helps a sixth-grader with cystic fibrosis learn to write her own story.
Title: Sincerely Sicily
By: Burgess, Tamika
Published: 2023
Realistic Fiction
Ages 8 to 12
Sixth-grader Sicily Jordan learns to use her voice and to find joy in who she is--a Black Panamanian fashionista who rocks her braids with pride--while confronting prejudice both in the classroom and at home
Title: Save Noah (Superworld)
By: Cheney, Yarrow
Published: 2022
Humor/Graphic Novel Hybrid/Adventure
Ages 8 to 12
When a meteor crashed to Earth on his birthday, the whole planet got supercharged! Everyone but Noah, who is now the only non-super kid in a world of superheroes. Then the biggest, baddest villain in town plots to take over Superworld forever. Sometimes being normal in a world of super might be just what this planet needs most!
Title: The Many Fortunes of Maya
By: Collier, Nicole D.
Published: 2023
Realistic Fiction/Soccer
Ages 8 to 12
Always turning to her Wheel of Fortunes, a cardboard circle covered with wisdom she's collected from fortune cookies, for answers and a dose of luck, 12-year-old Maya must find the courage to write her own fortune to answer her deep-down questions.
Title: Morning Sun in Wuhan
By: Compestine, Ying Chang
Published: 2022
Realistic Fiction
Ages 8 to 12
What was the pandemic of the century like at the start? This swift, gripping novel captures not only the uncertainty and panic when COVID first emerged in Wuhan, but also how a community banded together. Weaving in the tastes and sounds of the historic city, Wuhan's comforting and distinctive cuisine comes to life as the reader follows 13-year-old Mei who, through her love for cooking, makes a difference in her community.
Title: Terry's Crew
By: Crews, Terry
Published: 2022
Graphic Novel
Ages 8 to 12
Inquisitive young artist Terry strives to make space for himself as the new kid at Rock City Academy, a place where he can finally hone his talents. Terry learns the consequences of dreaming big and the value of real friends along the way
Title: Housecat Trouble: Lost and Found
By: Dickerson, Mason
Published: 2023
Graphic Novel/Humor
Ages 7 to 10
When Buster, Nova and Chauncey find a lost stray they take to the streets to find its old owner, but this strange cat turns out to be a ghost, and reuniting him with his lost owner is going to be a lot harder than they thought.
Title: A Taste of Magic
By: Elle, J.
Published: 2022
Fantasy
Ages 8 to 12
Twelve-year-old Kyana has just discovered she's a witch! This means classes every Saturday at Park Row Magic Academy, a learning center hidden in the back of the local beauty shop, and Kyana can't wait to learn spells to help out at home. The only downside is having to keep her magic a secret from her BFF, Nae. But when the magic school loses funding, the students must pay huge fees at the fancy school across town or lose their magic!
Title: This Is How I Roll
By: Florence, Debbi Michiko
Published: 2023
Realistic Fiction
Ages 8 to 12
Susannah Mikami dreams of becoming a famous sushi chef like her dad. And this summer, she plans to learn everything about his traditional kitchen. Only he refuses to teach her, and won't tell her why. Is it because he doesn't want her to embarrass him in front of the documentary crew filming at his restaurant? Or worse, because she's a girl? Either way, Sana decides he's not the only one who can keep secrets.
Title: The Spirit Queen (A Firebird Novel)
By: Flores, Arnee
Published: 2022
Fantasy
Ages 8 to 11
When their friend Ilsbeth is kidnapped, Calliope and Prewitt the Bargeboy set out on a secret quest to save her--a quest that traps Calliope on the Nymph Isles, a place of great darkness and ancient Spirit Magic.
Title: Not an Easy Win
By: Giles, Chrystal D.
Published: 2023
Realistic Fiction
Ages 10 and Up
Nothing has gone right for twelve-year-old year old Lawrence since his Pop went away, but after getting expelled from school for fighting, he discovers the world of chess and things begin to change.
Title: Can't Get Enough Shark Stuff
By: Hargrave, Kelly
Published: 2022
Non-Fiction/Sharks
Ages 7 to 10
This book covers the subject of sharks, featuring information about the latest info on prehistoric sharks, studying sharks in the wild, and surprising discoveries about shark behavior. It includes fun facts, games, hands-on activities, shark jokes, and stories from shark experts.
Title: The Worlds We Leave Behind
By: Harrold, A. F.
Published: 2023
Paranormal/Horror
Ages 8 to 12
After an accident in the woods involving a young girl, eleven-year-old Hex meets a mysterious woman who offers him a deal to change his world, which sets off a ripple effect that Hex's best friend Tommo must rectify.
Title: Daisy Woodworm Changes the World
By: Hart, Melissa
Published: 2022
Realistic Fiction
Ages 8 to 12
When thirteen-year-old amateur entomologist Daisy gets an assignment to 'change the world,' she is determined to help her older brother, Sorrel--who has Down syndrome and adores men's fashion--fulfill his dream of becoming a YouTube celebrity.
Title: Once I Was You
By: Hinojosa, Maria
Published: 2022
Memoir
Ages 8 to 12
Born in Mexico and raised in the vibrant neighborhood of Hyde Park, Chicago, Maria was always looking for ways to better understand the world around her-and where she fit into it. Here, she combines stories from her life, beginning with her family's indelible experience of immigration all the way through the first time she heard her own voice on national radio, with truths about the United States' long and complicated relationship with immigrants. Funny, frank, and wise, Maria's story is one you will want to read again and again, and her voice will inspire you to find your own.
Title: Hazel Hill Is Gonna Win This One
By: Horne, Maggie
Published: 2022
Realistic Fiction
Ages 10 to 14
Seventh grader Hazel Hill is too busy for friends. No, really. She needs to focus on winning the school-wide speech competition and beating her nemesis, the popular and smart Ella Quinn, after last year's embarrassing hyperbole/hyperbowl mishap that cost her first place. But when Hazel discovers Ella is being harassed by golden boy Tyler Harris, she has to choose between winning and doing the right thing.
Title: Harmony and Heartbreak (Suitehearts)
By: Kann, Claire
Published: 2023
Magic/Fantasy
Ages 10 and up
Living in the penthouse suite of San Francisco's Hotel Coeur, matchmakers-in-training Rose and Cora learn how to use magic to bring about love connections and must perfect their charms and enchantments to pass a test that will determine their future.
Title: Mihi Ever After
By: Keller, Tae
Published: 2022
Fantasy
Ages 8 to 12
When she and her new friends discover a portal to a fairy tale realm, Mihi Whan Park finally gets her shot at being a princess, but she must decide where her loyalties lie when her friends want to go home.
Title: Cookie Monsters
By: Kendrick, Erica J.
Published: 2023
Realistic Fiction
Ages 8 to 12
As twelve-year-old Brooklyn goes head-to-head against her rival to win her school's cookie-selling competition, her friends help her cope with the death of her mother and help her try to clinch the Cookie Queen title.
Title: Operation Final Notice
By: Landis, Matthew
Published: 2022
Realistic Fiction
Ages 8 to 12
As the new year approaches, best friends Ronny, whose family is in financial trouble, and Josefina, who has a big audition at a prestigious music academy, must learn how to depend on one another and their community when things get tough.
Title: Buzzkill: A Wild Wander Through the Weird and Threatened World of Bugs
By: Maloney, Breanna
Published: 2022
Non-Fiction
Ages 10 to 14
The praying mantis is the only animal on Earth with one ear--and it's in the middle of its chest. Aphids are born pregnant. Moths can't fly during an earthquake. If you didn't know these things, you soon will. Packed full of jaw-dropping facts, Buzzkill presents the big picture on bugs. You might think ew, gross. Insects are icky. Or scary. Or dangerous. They can be. But there's so much more you need to know.
Title: Show Us Who You Are
By: McNicoll, Elle
Published: 2022
Science Fiction/Neurodiversity
Ages 8 to 12
Cora didn't intend to befriend Adrien. The son of the intimidating CEO of Pomegranate Institute is unpredictable, insistent, and, ultimately, irresistible. Like Cora, he understands how it feels to navigate a world that isn't always built for the neurodiverse. The two become best friends. The further Cora steps into Adrien's world, though, the more she is enthralled with the mysterious holograms Pomegranate creates. The captivating AI brings real people back to life--and Cora has the opportunity to be part of the research. But she soon discovers this tremendous science hides dark secrets and dangerous consequences.
Title: Crunch
By: Miller, Kayla
Published: 2022
Graphic Novel
Ages 8 to 12
Olive is balancing the too-many things she wants to do with the too-few hours in the day to do them. When everything adds up, suddenly it's crunch time! It's no secret that Olive loves trying new things. Between taking guitar lessons, making a short film, joining Berry Scouts, and leading the charge on her school's dress code reform, Olive has her hands full!
Title: Mwikali and the Forbidden Mask
By: Nguru, Shiko
Published: 2022
Magic/Adventure
Ages 9 to 13
12-year-old Mwikali is moving to a new school in Nairobi and just wants her life to be normal. But when she meets Soni, Odwar and Xirsi who reveal that she is descended from an ancient bloodline of legendary Kenyan warriors, all hope of a normal life fades. Now, with an array of malign forces massing, Mwikali must delve deep into the past to discover her ancestry, learn to harness her extraordinary powers, and enter a race against time to defeat a village elder who has turned to dark magic in an effort to gain ultimate power.
Title: The Prince of Steel Pier
By: Nockowitz, Stacy
Published: 2022
Ages 10 to 14
Historical Fiction (mid-1970s)
While helping out at his Jewish family's struggling Atlantic City hotel in 1975, thirteen-year-old Joey Goodman gets a summer job working for a mobster and faces a life-or-death decision.
Title: Hither & Nigh
By: Potter, Ellen
Published: 2022
Fantasy
Ages 8 to 12
As they uncover their magical powers, Nell and her new friends discover a parallel New York City called the Nigh, where monsters roam Central Park, Finfolk haunt the Hudson River, and a terrifying Minister, who controls it all, holds the key to Nell's missing brother
Title: You Are a Champion: How to Be the Best You Can Be
By: Rashford, Marcus
Published: 2022
Non-Fiction/Sports/Self-Confidence
Ages 10 to 14
It's hard to know what's possible until you start. You have to be able to dream big and be prepared to work toward your dreams. Big things rarely happen overnight, and good thins rarely happen as if by magic... Before he was a Manchester United and England soccer player, and long before he startd his isnpiring campaign to end child food poverty, Marcus Rashford was just a kid form Wythenshawe, South Manchester. Now Marcus wants to show YOU how to achieve your dreams in this positie an inspiring guide for life.
Title: Dragonboy (Heroes of Havensong)
By: Reyes, Megan
Published: 2023
Fantasy
Ages 8 to 12
An ancient prophecy has put a boy-turned-dragon, his reluctant dragon rider, a runaway witch, and a young soldier, on a collision course with destiny--and with each other--in a mission to heal the fractured realm once known as Haven
Title: A Seed in the Sun
By: Salazar, Aida
Published: 2022
Historical Fiction (1965)
Ages 8 to 12
Lula, a farm-working girl with big dreams, meets Dolores Huerta, Larry Itliong, and other labor rights activists and joins the 1965 protest for workers' rights.
Title: The Carrefour Curse
By: Salerni, Dianne
Published: 2023
Paranormal
Ages 8 to 12
When twelve-year-old Garnet finally gets to meet her magical extended family she discovers they're all trapped in the ruins of their crumbling manor and Garnet must break a curse that has decimated three generations of Carrefours.
Title: The First Time for Everything: A True Story
By: Santat, Dan
Published: 2023
Graphic/Non-Fiction Memoir/Humor
Ages 10 to 14
Dan has low expectations when his parents send him on a class trip to Europe. At first, he's right. He's stuck with the same girls from his middle school who love to make fun of him, and he doesn't know why his teacher insisted he come on this trip. But as he travels through France, Germany, Switzerland, and England, a series of first experiences begin to change him--first Fanta, first fondue, first time stealing a bike from German punk rockers... and first love.
Title: Pearl of the Sea
By: Silverston, Anthony
Published: 2023
Graphic Novel/Adventure
Ages 10 to 13
Since her mother left, Pearl has spent more and more time in the ocean, fishing to help her father pay the bills. But when she gets mixed up with a group of illegal abalone poachers and starts diving near a restricted wreck, Pearl meets an ancient sea monster named Otto—who isn’t quite as monstrous as she thought.
Title: The Tryout
By: Soontornvat, Christina
Published: 2022
Graphic Novel/Cheerleading
Ages 8 to 12
As one of the only Asian Americans in her school, Christina confronts both well-meaning ignorance and cruel racism, but in middle school fitting in is important, which is why she and her best friend Megan are both excited and nervous to try out for the popular cheerleading squad.
Title: Sisters of the Lost Marsh
By: Strange, Lucy
Published: 2023
Gothic Horror
Ages 9 to 14
Living in fear of their father, six cursed sisters sneak out to visit Full Moon Fayre, but when Grace, the oldest sister, goes missing, they must battle inner doubts and the legends that have haunted their family to save her.
Title: The Grip
By: Stroman, Marcus
Published: 2023
Sports/Baseball
Ages 8 to 12
Marcus, a young baseball pitcher, learns that perfect games only come with a lot of practice--and some strikeouts.
Title: Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind
By: Sugiura, Misa
Published: 2023
Adventure/Fantasy/Mythology
Ages 8 to 12
It turns out that Momo's mother is a banished Shinto goddess who used to protect a long-forgotten passageway to Yomi—a.k.a. the land of the dead. That passageway is now under attack, and countless evil spirits threaten to escape and wreak havoc across the earth. Joined by Niko the fox and Danny—her former best friend turned popular jerk, whom she never planned to speak to again, much less save the world with—Momo must embrace her (definitely not "ordinary") identity as half human, half goddess to unlock her divine powers, save her mother’s life, and force the demons back to Yomi!
Title: Juniper Harvey and the Vanishing Kingdom
By: Varela, Nina
Published: 2023
Fantasy
Ages 9 to 12
Eleven-year-old Juniper Harvey is having trouble coping in her new Florida town, but when the girl from her recurring fantasy dream appears in her room they have to figure out how to save Galatea's world from a war of rival gods--and deal with their mutual attraction
Title: You Are Here: Connecting Flights
By: Various authors
Published: 2023
Short Stories/Realistic Fiction
Ages 8 to 12
In a crowded Chicago airport, an incident at TSA impacts twelve young Asian Americans, all strangers to one another before this day. As events cause their journeys to intertwine, they discover the challenges of friendship, the perils of younger siblings, the power or words, and the unexpected significance of a blue Stratocaster electric guitar. Twelve virtuoso authors draw from their own experiences to explore themes of identity and belonging in the interwoven stories of young people whose family roots may extend to East and Southeast Asia, but who are themselves distinctly American.