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Something Is in The Air: Fantasy and Magic Books Just in Time for Fall

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As we approach the autumn solstice, why not cozy up with a book that transports you to another world? For this month’s S-Collection blog we are placing the spotlight on books within the genres of fantasy and magic. In the fantasy genre, authors utilize magic and other supernatural elements to build a world that is different from our own. In children’s and youth literature, these elements can be seen through talking animals, magic use, paranormal activity, and other potentially mythical creatures. This collection of fantastical picture books, middle grade books, and young adult books engulfs the reader in an aura of magic, mystery, and adventure just in time for fall.

Picture Books

Li, Qiaoqiao
Dad, Don’t Miss It! 2022. Picture Book.
Inspired by Chinese folk culture, this playful tale follows a distracted parent as they come to appreciate a child’s imagination. A child and his dad are taking the day off in the countryside, but the dad is consistently distracted by his computer screen. The child keeps trying to grab his dad’s attention, until finally the dad can see all the magic around them. Now, parent and child can join the imaginative parade full of magical creatures together. This heartwarming story encourages readers to reconnect with their imagination and have fun.
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Murray, Lily
Illustrated by: Katie Hickey
Once Upon a Magic Book. 2018. Picture Book.
In an old toy shop, Sophie and Jack discover a glowing key inside a book. When they turn the key, the friends are transported inside the book. Once inside, a fantastical adventure begins. Sophie and Jack move through beautiful fairy tale forests and encounter pirates — but watch out for the wicked witch! Once Upon a Magic Book uses an I Spy format that allows readers to find objects that help the friends return home.
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Wahl, Phoebe
Little Witch Hazel: A Year in the Forest. 2021. Picture Book.
Little Witch Hazel lives in the forest helping creatures of all sizes. She is a hard worker, kind friend, and avid explorer. In this book, readers can follow Hazel’s adventures through four seasons as she helps creatures and solves forest mysteries. Little Witch Hazel helps everyone she can, but who helps Hazel when she needs help? This story is a lovely celebration of nature and friendship.
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Middle Grade

Chivers Khoo, Rachel
Illustrated by: Rachel Sanson
The Wishkeeper’s Apprentice. 2024. Middle Grade.
Local wishkeeper, Rupus Beewinkle, is in trouble. He is in desperate need of an apprentice, but the council keep rejecting his proposal. Rupus sees the perfect opportunity to finally have an apprentice when ten-year-old Felix makes a special wish. After wishing in the town’s fountain, Felix did not expect to be offered a job. He just wanted his older sister to like him again. But when the town’s wishes are threatened by the mysterious wishsnatcher, it is up to Felix to save and restore the dreams of his fellow townsfolk.
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Johnson, Ginger
The Other Side of Luck. 2021. Middle Grade.
Princess Una longs for a different life outside the palace. Una has experienced extreme loneliness ever since the passing of her mother. For her twelfth birthday, Una’s father opens a contest to the public: Whoever could find the rare Silva Flower and present it to Una would receive a handsome reward.
Julien’s Baba has been arrested by debt collectors. Now, Julien’s only chance to save his father is to win the palace contest. Unbeknownst to him, Princess Una is also embarking on the adventure to find the elusive Silva Flower. What will happen when their paths become intertwined with one another?
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Meloy, Colin
Illustrated by: Carson Ellis
Wildwood. 2011. Middle Grade.
Wildwood, the first book in the Wildwood Chronicles, transports readers to a different world hidden in the woods of Portland, Oregon. Eleven-year-old Prue and her classmate Curtis uncover a secret world inside the Impassible Wilderness when Prue’s baby brother, Mac, is kidnapped. Prue and Curtis’s original rescue mission turns into something much greater as they continue to learn more about those who reside in Wildwood. With everything they learn and with everyone they meet, Prue and Curtis quickly find themselves at the center of a revolution. The Wildwood Chronicles are bursting at the seams with interesting characters, vivid world building, and timeless illustrations.
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Young Adult

Dabos, Christelle
A Winter’s Promise. 2018. Young Adult.
A Winter’s Promise is the first book in the La Passe-Miroir series. Long ago, the world was ruptured into multiple floating celestial islands known as the Arks. Each ark has developed distinct ways, with their own relationships to concepts such as time. Ophelia lives on Anima, an ark where objects have souls. Ophelia actively hides her ability to read and communicate with souls of objects and her power to travel through mirrors. Everything changes when Ophelia is betrothed to a significant member of the Dragon clan. Now, Ophelia finds herself swept up in adventure, mystery, and politics as she leaves behind everything she once knew.
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Klune, TJ
The House in the Cerulean Sea. 2021. Young Adult.
The House in the Cerulean Sea is the first book in the Cerulean Chronicles and takes the reader on a cozy, fantastical journey. Generally, Linus Baker leads a quiet life. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, he manages the well-being of magical children. One day, Linus is tasked with determining whether six dangerous magical children are likely to bring about the end of the world. The children reside in the Marsyas Island Orphanage and are cared for by Arthur Parnassus. As unexpected relationships are formed, Linus must choose between a home or the world. This is a powerful story about love and discovering family in the most unlikely of places.
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Walls, Jasmine
Illustrated by: Teo DuVall
Brooms. 2023. Teen Graphic Novel.
In 1930s Mississippi, magic is permitted only in certain circumstances, and by certain people. Unsanctioned broom racing is banned, but for those who are looking it is there to be found. Luella is trying to protect her cousins, Mattie and Emma, from the government. If the government found out about their magic, Mattie and Emma would be sent away to boarding school where they could potentially have their magic sealed away from use. So, to help them harness their magic and earn money to help the family, Luella asks Billie Mae, Loretta, and Cheng-Kwan if her cousins could join their broom racing team. Meet the Night Storms racing team: Captain Billie Mae, Second-in-Command Loretta, Cheng-Kwan, Mattie, Emma, and Luella. Brooms is a fast-paced graphic novel that navigates friendship, family, and rebellion.
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National Sisters’ Day!

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National Sisters’ Day occurs on August 4th, 2024, so this month we are celebrating the relationship between sisters. In this month’s S-Collection blog, we are highlighting books featuring stories that explore the different facets of sisterhood. Sometimes having a sister feels like having an automatic best friend and supporter. Other times, sisters can clash, change, or have secrets come between them. Sisterhood is complicated. This collection of picture books, middle grade books, and young adult novels invites readers to delve into the complexities of sisterhood and accompany sisters as they share in adventures ranging from the everyday to the extraordinary.

Picture Books

Goth, Shane
Illustrated by: Yong Ling Kang
The Midnight Club. 2021. Picture Book.
Sisters Milly and Becca are both members of the Midnight Club. Tonight is Milly’s first adventure! The sisters sit in Dad’s big chair, try on Mom’s coat, eat jellybeans, and overcome their fear of a scary shadow. There is so much fun to be had in the middle of the night! As their adventure ends, the sisters put away any evidence of their shenanigans. Remember, the most important rule of the midnight club is that the club must remain a secret.
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Hager, Jenna Bush & Barbara Bush
Illustrated by: Romona Kaulitzki
Sisters First. 2019. Picture Book.
A little girl’s wish is granted when her new sister comes into the world. While her baby sister cannot do much, the sisters become inseparable. As they grow together, the sisters are constantly laughing, dancing, and playing. With their wild imaginations, the sisters learn that they are better together than they ever were apart.
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Kokias, Kerri
Illustrated by: Teagan White
Snow Sisters! 2018. Picture Book.
It’s a snow day! Each sister approaches the day in their own way, with one playing in the snow and the other enjoying the indoors. As their day progresses, their roles reverse. Each sister gets to spend their days exploring the joys of a snow day both outside and inside.
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Miura, Tomo
Little Sisters. 2024. Picture Book.
What would it be like to have a little sister? An only child imagines what her life would be like if she had a little sister or many little sisters. They could play hide-and-seek, build towers, share a treat, and jump on the sofa. As each scenario plays out, more little sisters appear — until all the sisters disappear, and the only child is once again alone. This book is full of joy and mischief as our main character questions what life would be like with more siblings around.
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Middle Grade

Fawcett, Heather
The Islands of Elsewhere. 2023. Middle Grade.
The Snolly sisters are staying with their grandfather for the summer. Their grandfather’s property is home to the three mysterious Fairy Islands: Fairy, Little Fairy, and Ghost. The locals of Misty Cove claim that the islands are full of magic. Unbothered by the potential magic, ten-year-old Bee Snolly is more focused on helping her ill grandfather. As the Snolly sisters’ journey into the Fairy Islands, they may discover a secret that can help them all.
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Johnson, Varian
Illustrated by: Shannon Wright
Twins. 2020. Middle Grade Graphic Novel.
Sisters are forever, right? Maureen and Francine Carter are twins and best friends. They do everything together from school projects to after-school clubs. Things begin to change as the girls move into sixth grade. Suddenly, Francine starts going by Fran and starts participating in things that would set her apart from Maureen. It seems like the sisters are growing apart and there is nothing that Maureen can do to stop it. Will their transition into middle school change their relationship forever?
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Kim, Graci
The Last Fallen Star. 2021. Middle Grade.
Riley Oh’s family is a part of a powerful lineage of Korean healing witches called the Gom clan. Her sister, Hattie, is finally going to be initiated into the clan. Riley is so excited to follow in her sister’s footsteps and participate in the clan. Unfortunately, Riley is adopted. She does not possess the heritage magic. Riley’s lack of magic makes her feel alienated from her family. Hattie, wanting to share her magic with her sister, comes up with a plan. This plan involves an old family spell book, breaking ancient laws, and puts the sisters’ lives at risk. When things go wrong, it is up to Riley to save her sister and find out what it means to be a witch.
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Zahler, Diane
Goblin Market. 2022. Middle Grade.
Lizzie and Minka are complete opposites. Lizzie is shy and sensitive, while Minka is outgoing and cheerful. One day, Minka meets a boy, Emil, at the market and is immediately charmed. Minka falls ill after eating a strange fruit given to her by Emil and is taken into the home of the goblins, the dark forest. It is up to Lizzie to find Emil and save her sister before it is too late. Inspired by Polish folklore, this fantasy-horror book captivates readers with its detailed world building and timeless tale of saving a loved one from hidden dangers.
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Young Adult

McCullough, Joy; Sharpe, Tess; Spotswood, Jessica; Richmond, Caroline Tung
Great or Nothing. 2022. Young Adult.
Set in the spring of 1942, this Little Women retelling is told from each March sister’s point of view as they experience loss, love, and self-discovery. The story takes place after the death of the youngest March sister, Beth. This loss creates intense tension between the remaining family members and pushes the March sisters away from one another. With each point of view written by a different author, this retelling sheds a different light to an already classic story about the trials and tribulations of sisterhood.
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Tian, Xixi
This Place is Still Beautiful. 2022. Young Adult.
Annalie and Margaret agree on only one thing, that they have nothing in common. Margaret is ambitious, driven, and has a passion for social justice. She could not wait to escape her small town. Annalie is sweet, popular, and loves that town that she grew up in. Until, one day Annalie comes home to find a racial slur painted on her family’s house. Margaret comes home, outraged by the incident. She expects her family to take a stand on the issue but finds that they would rather forget about the event entirely. Tensions rise between the sisters and untold secrets threaten to tear them apart. A complicated story about family and sisterhood that will captivate readers until the very end.
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All Things Sports

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For this July blog post we are highlighting sports of all kinds! Young adult sport books for this month feature teens and young adults overcoming tremendous hurdles and obstacles to achieve their dreams, find their identity, and succeed. In these fiction novels, the stories illuminate the many struggles that teens can undergo and the realities of being an athlete. Through evocative themes and stories full of pure heart and passion, these books will be sure to enthrall you! Whether you enjoy novels of competition, underdogs, perseverance, or sports in general it will appeal to all teen readers interested in venturing into sports youth literature.


Bishop, Jenn
Free Throws, Friendship, and Other Things We Fouled Up. 2023. Middle Grade.
New to Cincinnati, where her father is now coach of the university basketball team, eighth-grader Aurora (called Rory) finds herself isolated by the heated team rivalries–especially when it turns out her new friend Abby’s father has a mysterious feud with Rory’s father that threatens her new friendship.
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Farid, Diana
Wave. 2022. Young Adult.
A coming-of-age novel in verse set in 1980s Southern California, about a Persian American girl. Thirteen-year-old Ava loves to surf and to sing. Singing and reading Rumi poems settles her mild OCD, and catching waves with her best friend, Phoenix, lets her fit in — her olive skin looks tan, not foreign. But then Ava has to spend the summer before ninth grade volunteering at the hospital, to follow in her single mother’s footsteps to become a doctor. And when Phoenix’s past lymphoma surges back, not even surfing, singing, or poetry can keep them afloat, threatening Ava’s hold on the one place and the one person that makes her feel like she belongs. With ocean-like rhythm and lyricism, Wave is about a girl who rides the waves, tumbles, and finds her way back to the shore.
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Fujimura, Sara
Every Reason We Shouldn’t. 2020. Young Adult.
Sixteen-year-old figure skater Olivia Kennedy’s Olympic dreams have ended. She’s bitter but enjoying life as a regular teenager instead of trying to live up to expectations of being the daughter of Olympians Michael Kennedy and Midori Nakashima — until Jonah Choi starts training at her family’s struggling rink. Jonah’s driven, talented, going to the Olympics in speed skating, completely annoying — and totally gorgeous. Between teasing Jonah, helping her best friend try out for roller derby, figuring out life as a normal teen and keeping the family business running, Olivia’s got her hands full. But will rivalry bring her closer to Jonah, or drive them apart?
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Goodman, Jessica
They’ll Never Catch Us. 2021. Young Adult
Sisters Stella and Ellie Steckler are both determined to win a scholarship and escape their stifling small town, but their plans are upset when a new girl joins the cross-country team and then disappears. Cross-country running is Stella Steckler’s life, and she won’t let anything get in the way of being the best. Her sister Ellie is a talented runner too, but she has friends, goes to parties, and has a life off the course. Their lives are upended when Mila Keene comes to town. At first they view her as a threat. But Ellie’s been looking for a friend, and in a moment of weakness shares her darkest secret with Mila. Stella also connects with Mila but finds her a distraction. When Mila goes out on a training run and doesn’t return, all eyes are on the Steckler sisters.
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Graves, Byron
Rez Ball. 2023. Young Adult.

These days, Tre Brun is happiest when he is playing basketball on the Red Lake Reservation high school team–even though he can’t help but be constantly gut-punched with memories of his big brother, Jaxon, who died in an accident. When Jaxon’s former teammates on the varsity team offer to take Tre under their wing, he sees this as his shot to represent his Ojibwe rez all the way to their first state championship. This is the first step toward his dream of playing in the NBA, no matter how much the odds are stacked against him. But stepping into his brother’s shoes as a star player means that Tre can’t mess up. Not on the court, not at school, and not with his new friend, gamer Khiana, who he is definitely not falling in love with. After decades of rez teams almost making it, Tre needs to take his team to state. Because if he can live up to Jaxon’s dreams, their story isn’t over yet.
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Kress, Emma
Dangerous Play. 2021. Young Adult.
Zoe Alamandar has one goal: win the State Field Hockey Championships and earn a scholarship that will get her the hell out of central New York. She and her co-captain Ava Cervantes have assembled a fierce team of dedicated girls who will work hard and play by the rules. But after Zoe is sexually assaulted at a party, she finds a new goal: make sure no girl feels unsafe again. Zoe and her teammates decide to stop playing by the rules and take justice into their own hands. Soon, their suburban town has a team of superheroes meting out punishments, but one night of vigilantism may cost Zoe her team, the championship, her scholarship, and her future.
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Marie, Racquel
You Don’t Have a Shot. 2023. Young Adult.
Valentina “Vale” Castillo-Green’s life revolves around soccer. When she incites a fight during the playoffs with her long-time rival, Leticia Ortiz, everything she has been working toward seems to disappear. Vale escapes to soccer camp for a summer of relaxation and redemption, only to find out that she and the endlessly aggravating Leticia will be co-captaining a team that could play in front of college scouts. Unless they can get their rookie team’s act together, this second chance — and any hope of playing college soccer — will slip through their fingers. What starts off as a shaky alliance of necessity begins to blossom into something more.
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Mendez, Yamile Saied
Furia. 2020. Young Adult.
Seventeen-year-old Camila Hassan, a rising soccer star in Rosario, Argentina, dreams of playing professionally, in defiance of her father’s wishes and at the risk of her budding romance with Diego. In Rosario, Argentina, Camila Hassan leads a double life. At home, she is a careful daughter, living within her mother’s narrow expectations, in the shadow of her soccer-star brother, and under the abusive rule of her short-tempered father. On the field, she is La Furia, a powerhouse of skill and talent. When her team qualifies for the South American tournament, Camila gets the chance to see just how far those talents can take her. But the path ahead isn’t easy. Her parents would never allow a girl to play fútbol, and she needs their permission to go any farther. And the boy she once loved is back in town. Since he left, Diego has become an international fútbol celebrity, but things have changed for Camila, too: she has her own passions and ambitions, and Furia cannot be denied. As her life becomes more complicated, Camila is forced to face her secrets and make her way in a world unprepared for the dreams of a girl like her. Furia is an achingly real and powerfully told story about family, identity, first love, and, of course, fútbol. It will resonate with anyone who has been told she can’t have it all — especially those who have gone out to get it anyway.
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Takaoka, Shannon
Everything I Thought I Knew. 2020. Young Adult.
Seventeen-year-old Chloe had a plan: work hard, get good grades, and attend a top-tier college. But after she collapses during cross-country practice and is told that she needs a new heart, all her careful preparations are laid to waste. Eight months after her transplant, everything is different. Stuck in summer school with the underachievers, all she wants to do now is grab her surfboard and hit the waves — which is strange, because she wasn’t interested in surfing before her transplant. (It doesn’t hurt that her instructor, Kai, is seriously good-looking.) And that’s not all that’s strange. There’s also the vivid recurring nightmare about crashing a motorcycle in a tunnel and memories of people and places she doesn’t recognize. Is there something wrong with her head now, too, or is there another explanation for what she’s experiencing? As she searches for answers, and as her attraction to Kai intensifies, what she learns will lead her to question everything she thought she knew about life, death, love, identity, and the true nature of reality.
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Tomp, Sarah
The Easy Part of Impossible. 2020. Young Adult.
After an injury forces Ria off the diving team, she forms an unexpected friendship with Cotton, a neuro-divergent boy who helps her to see that Coach Benny’s training methods were actually abuse. Then Benny returns, offering Ria a second chance with a life-changing diving opportunity. How do you separate the impossible from possible when the one thing you love is so tangled up in the thing you fear most?
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Summer Solstice

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The month of June brings about the summer solstice. The summer solstice occurs on June 20th, 2024, and is known as the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. For this month’s S-Collection blog we are highlighting books that feature the summer solstice, nature’s rhythms, and the beauty of our earth. This collection of picture books and young adult novels feature anthologies of poems, arts, and crafts for the summer, and instructional picture books on the summer solstice. Summer is a wonderful time to read picture books on the beauty of our surroundings and these books with breathtaking illustrations will make you appreciate summer and the summer season.


Filippucci, Laura
The Universe is a Tree. 2018. Picture Book.
Trees are teachers, healers, protectors, creators. They keep secrets. They bring peace. This rich anthology of stories, proverbs, and poems about trees from around the world reveals that a tree’s roots not only go down deep into the earth, but its branches also reach up and out into the universe, connecting us all, across time and space. May we peer through the forests of our imaginations to see the beauty and experience the awe that still arches over our world.
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Cook, Fiona
The Wheel of the Year: An Illustrated Guide to Nature’s Rhythm. 2023. Young Adult.
You are magic… and so is the world around you, transforming with each new season! The Wheel of the Year is a way to learn about nature’s rhythms – for noticing and celebrating the seasons as they come and go. The spokes of the Wheel mark important turning points: the Winter and Summer Solstices, the Spring and Fall Equinoxes, and the festivals of seeding, growing, and harvesting that arrive in between. Through themed activities, crafts, and rituals, discover old and new ways of honoring the seasons – and create your own!
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Hakala, Marjorie
Mermaid Dance. 2009. Picture Book.
As the sun sets on the ocean, the sky turns pink, then purple, the spring becomes the summer, and a celebration begins. Mermaids arrive, ready to greet the new season by playing, feasting, and dancing in the high tide. Mark Jones’ pastel illustrations capture an enchanting and mysterious world sure to delight the imagination of all readers.
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Henkes, Kevin
Summer Song. 2020. Picture Book.
Bees buzz, birds sing, and children roll in the grass and feel the heat of the summer sun. With striking verbal imagery, repetition, and alliteration, Kevin Henkes introduces basic concepts of language and the summer season. Laura Dronzek’s glowing paintings beautifully illustrate the wonders of summer.
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Ignotofsky, Rachel
What’s Inside a Flower?: And other Questions about Science and Nature. 2021. Picture Book.
Budding backyard scientists can start exploring their world with this stunning introduction to these flowery show-stoppers — from seeds to roots to blooms. Learning how flowers grow gives kids beautiful building blocks of science and inquiry. In the launch of a new nonfiction picture book series, Rachel Ignotofsky’s distinctive art style and engaging, informative text clearly answers any questions a child (or adult) could have about flowers.

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Jackson, Ellen B
The Summer Solstice. 2001. Picture Book.
Accompanied by a summer tale designed to be read aloud, recipes, and craft activities, this beautifully illustrated picture book celebrates the universal appeal of the sun and the abundance of light and warmth it provides.
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Klepeis, Alicia
Secrets of the Forest: 15 Bedtime Stories Inspired by Nature. 2023. Picture Book.
Every forest contains a thousand secrets… In this charming anthology of stories by Alicia Klepeis, readers will be guided into forests to meet the amazing animals that live there. In one story a squirrel hunts for an elusive acorn it buried earlier in the year, while another looks at an Alaskan wood frog as it freezes itself alive to survive a harsh winter. Children will be thrilled by the tale of a reindeer that gets separated from its herd in the snowy woods of Scandinavia, and marvel at a chameleon changing color in the forests of Madagascar. Other stories feature elephants, wild cats, pangolins, badgers, foxes, monarch butterflies, otters, walking fish, a tree that can live for thousands of years, and even forest-dwelling penguins! All these creatures and their habitats are brought to life with impressive skill by illustrator Kristen Adam. Each story in Secrets of the Forest is based on the real biology and behavior of these amazing wild animals, and at the end of each tale readers will find out more about the science that inspired the story.
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Pfeffer, Wendy
The Longest Day: Celebrating the Summer Solstice. 2010. Picture Book.
In this fourth and final book in a series about seasons, Wendy Pfeffer turns her attention to summer, when butterflies emerge from silky cocoons and daylight hours stretch longer and longer. With lyrical prose and vibrant illustrations, The Longest Day takes us on a journey through the history and science behind the summer solstice, with a focus on summer celebrations from various cultures around the world. Teachers and students alike will treasure the varied and accessible knowledge, and activities in the back let everyone in on the festivities.
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Pourquie, Bernadette and Gambini, Cecile
Strange Trees and the Stories Behind Them. 2016. Picture Book.
Have you ever heard of the Strangler Tree? The Bubblegum Tree? The Upside-Down Tree? How about trees with horns, bottles, sausages, crowns, and ones that walk or even explode? Crazy, maybe, but true. Find out more about these, and many others, in this colorfully illustrated collection of the most bizarre—but real—trees from around the world, once again reminding us that the art of nature is far stranger than fiction. The perfect book for inquisitive naturalists with imaginations, Strange Trees also includes a map of the world showing where the trees grew.
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Singer, Marilyn
Footprints on the Earth: Poems about the Earth. 2002. Picture Book.
This provocative anthology of poems ranges from such lofty subjects as an astronaut’s view of Earth to the burrows of worms and little creatures within the earth, “where I try to tread softly: a quiet giant leaving only footprints on the roof.” Marilyn Singer’s lilting free verse offers visual images that give us fresh new insights and respect for the mighty power of volcanoes, fens, islands, deserts, dunes, and natural disasters. Singer’s easily accessible poems also include some of the lighter moments of childhood, such as sliding on ice and playing in mud. Meilo So’s distinctive India ink drawings on rice paper provide an especially handsome showcase for these buoyant nature poems.
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National Latino Books Month

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This May we are celebrating Latino Book Month where we are highlighting incredible and inspiring Latino/a picture books. This month’s blog is a fantastic way to familiarize yourself with Latino authors and Latino stories depicting themes of bilingualism, food, activism, cultural heritage, and folklore. Through a combination of biographical, auto-biographical, fictional, and non-fictional picture books we want to share the stories of Latino authors and the profound impact on children’s literature.


Aguilera, Claudio
9 Kilometers. 2023. Picture Book.
9 Kilometers is set in the beautiful landscape of southern Chile. It tells the story of a young boy who travels 9 kilometers (over five and a half miles) through the mountains and rainforests of Chile to get to school. The young boy on his long walk encounters butterflies, lizards, and passes the time counting his steps all 15,000 of them. This compelling story by Claudio Aguilera exhibits the perseverance of this young child and the realities many children face in their journeys to get an education.
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Engle, Margarita
Water Day. 2023. Picture Book.
In this insightful picture book Margarita Engle spotlights a young girl’s community in Cuba where the entire community rejoices in the arrival of the water man who visits the town weekly to distribute water to her village. Water Day is an exemplary tale on the global water crisis affecting communities such as this small village that no longer has access to water. In order to access a water supply, the village must get help from the water man whose visits to the village are a celebration for the presence of water.
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Fernandez Nitsche, Melisa
Cantora: Mercedes Sosa, the Voice of Latin America. Picture Book. 2023.
This biographical picture book tells the story of Mercedes Sosa a prominent Argentinian singer whose folk music about justice and human rights resonated with Latin America. Sosa’s passion in her music gave voice to the voiceless and became a symbol of resistance for not only her native country of Argentina but also of Latin America. Unfortunately, her music grabbed the attention of Argentinian government officials that led to her exile in the 1970’s by the Argentinian dictatorship. This picture book is an inspiring tale of the life of Mercedes Sosa. The author does a tremendous job through illustrious colorways and evocative language to display a figure in history that became a beacon for freedom and justice.
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Genhart, Michael
Spanish is the Language of my Family. 2023. Picture Book.
Michael Genhart in Spanish is the Language of my Family reveals his own cultural experience through stories told by his mother on the experience generations of Latinos went through by being punished for speaking Spanish at school. This story centers around a young boy who is preparing for his school’s Spanish spelling bee and asks his grandmother how to pronounce certain Spanish words that he is having trouble trying to spell. As his grandmother helps him study, she begins to express how differently her life was during school when she was a little girl where she was only ever allowed to speak English at school. Hearing his grandmother’s story motivates and inspires the young boy to make his family proud. Genhart’s picture book highlights an inter-generational story on cultural pride, the heritage we share with our family, and the ties that bind each generation. This story highlights how new generations of Latinos and Spanish speakers are finding inventive ways to rejuvenate the language.
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Kemp, Laekan Zea
A Crown for Corina. 2023. Picture Book.
It is Corina’s birthday, and she has the special privilege of picking out beautiful flowers from her abuela’s garden to make the biggest flower crown. Corina’s abuela helps her pick out flowers that each have a special meaning and symbolize members of her family who she holds dear. From sunflowers to morning glories, and coneflowers Corina’s flowers represent a story of love and tradition. This beautiful story demonstrates the symbolism behind Mexican flower crowns and Corina’s self-discovery as she takes part in her family’s tradition.
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Liu-Trujillo, Robert
Jugo Fresco. 2023. Picture Book.
Follow Art and his father as they journey around the neighborhood in the search for fresh ingredients to help make a juice that can heal his father from a cold. Art and his father learn by the end of the book that the secret and most important ingredient to any fresh juice is “community” alongside carrots, cayenne, and collards. Robert Liu-Trujillo brings a warmth and vitality to Jugo Fresco and emphasizes the importance of community through the celebration of mixed families.

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Menendez, Juliet
Latinitas: Celebrating 40 Big Dreamers. 2021. Biography.
In this collection of short biographies discover 40 influential Latin women from all over Latin America and the United States. Juliet Menendez reveals the paths these influential women took to get to where they are today. Through vibrant hand-painted illustrations Menendez celebrates these famous women and the triumphs they have achieved in their lives. The book features a variety of women across all disciplines from artists and scientists, to activists. You can expect any reader to feel encouraged to follow their dreams.
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Norman, Lissette
Plátanos go with Everything. 2023. Picture Book.
Platanos go with Everything by award-winning poet Lissette Norman is a lighthearted dedication to plátanos the star of Dominican cuisine. In this story Yesenia’s favorite food is plátanos. Plátanos can be sweet and sugary, or they can be savory and salty. Plátanos are a part of every dish in her Dominican household and through heartwarming language and warm colors you will find out why plátanos go with absolutely everything, especially with love!
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Otheguy, Emma
Martina Has Too Many Tías. 2003. Picture Book.
This charming and animated picture book reimagines the classic and beloved Caribbean folktale of “La Cucaracha Martina.” In this reimagining a quiet girl by the name of Martina is overwhelmed by her boisterous and loud family. Martina does not enjoy parties because parties are usually full of her tías wearing bold clothing and bellowing laughs; it can be too much for a quiet person like Martina. When Martina wanders into a pot of hot guava she is whisked away to a magical island where she can finally be in solitude and enjoy her peace. However, is she really at home? Follow Martina as she discovers what it truly means to feel at home and how introverted kids can still belong, even in a family full of extroverts.
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Trejo, Jesus
Papa’s Magical Water-Jug Clock. 2023. Picture Book.
Papa’s Magical Water-Jug Clock focuses on little Jesus who is extremely excited to spend the day with his papa’s family business in landscaping. Little Jesus loves to ride in his Papa’s cool truck and see all the tools he gets to use during his workday. His Papa even lets him oversee the magical water jug which also acts as a clock! Papa tells little Jesus that once the water-jug is empty that signals the workday is over. With being entrusted with the magical water-jug Jesus wants to make sure that he executes his job to perfection. However, Jesus cannot help but give water away to all the thirsty animals he encounters such as the dog in the sweater, elderly cats, and a flock of peacocks. Before he knows it, he has given away all the water and the workday is not over, so Jesus begins to panic that he may be fired! Jesus begins to wonder if the magical water-jug is even all that magical. This mischievous tale of Jesus Trejo’s life lesson as a kid will be sure to warm your heart and have you giggling.
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Robotics and AI Galore

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In this month’s April blog post we are highlighting robotics and artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence has become an increasingly hot topic within the digital landscape. This month the young adult fiction novels will consist of robots, cyborgs, humanoids as protagonists, and artificial intelligence as a major figure or theme in the plot. The selection of young adult novels is a great starting point for sci-fi fans interested in finding novels with all thing’s robots and AI.


Bow, Erin
The Scorpion Rules. 2015. Young Adult.
The Scorpion Rules follows Greta, a duchess and crown princess who is held hostage in the name of peace. Greta’s world follows the rules where if you want to lead you must give up one of your children as a hostage. If you are to go to war your hostage dies. Greta hopes to make it to her eighteenth birthday when she can finally be free. In the meantime, she lives in the Precepture school with all the other sons and daughters of the world’s leaders. In the Precepture school she is taught to obey the machines that control their lives. However, things take a turn when a new hostage arrives named Elian who refuses to play by the rules and defies everything that has been taught to Greta. Elian is able to open Greta’s eyes to the brutality that they live under and as both Greta and Elian’s nations come closer to all-out war Greta must find a way to break the rules of the game in order to survive because if not, it will end up killing the both of them.
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Curtis, Simon
Boy Robot. 2016. Young Adult.
Isaak’s life is turned upside down in a single night when his adoptive parents are killed, a mysterious girl saves him from a group of soldiers, and he learns of his own dark origins. Isaak learns he is a robot, a government made synthetic human produced for the sole purpose of becoming a weapon and who is now being hunted and is marked for termination. Isaak, with another band of robots, finds a haven in the underground which is home to a secret network of robots and humans coexisting and working together to ensure a future with both species. However, to be protected by the underground Isaak must make it there first, which proves to be deadly when there is a lethal military force tasked with finding him at any cost. Isaak must face whether to relinquish his humanity to survive or hold on to his humanity and face death.
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Kaufman, Amie and Kristoff, Jay
Illuminae. 2015. Young Adult.
The Illuminae Files is a striking series which begins with Kady breaking up with her boyfriend Ezra, believing that would be the hardest moment of her life although it is quickly diminished when her planet is invaded by lunch time. In the year 2575 two rival mega corporations are at war over a planet and with enemy fire raining down on Kady’s planet she, along with her now ex-boyfriend, is forced to evacuate with a hostile warship on their tail. Just when things go from bad to worse a plague strikes and mutates with terrifying results on the fleet and the fleet’s AI may be their enemy. With secrets all around Kady hacks into the web of data to find out the truth and the only person that would be able to help her is the ex-boyfriend she swore she would never speak to again. With the narrative including hacked documents, emails, maps, files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more, The Illuminae Files is sure to be an enthralling read.
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Kincaid, S.J.
The Diabolic. 2016. Young Adult.
Nemesis is a Diabolic, a humanoid teenager created to protect a galactic senator’s daughter named Sidonia. Nemesis and Sidonia have grown-up alongside each other, and Nemesis is expected to give her life for Sidonia if necessary. Nemesis is also tasked with taking as many lives as possible necessary to keep Sidonia safe. When the emperor learns Sidonia’s father is participating in a rebellion, he summons Sidonia to the galactic court where she is to serve as a hostage. The only way to protect Sidonia is for Nemesis to become her. This leads Nemesis to travel to the galactic court disguised as Sidonia, a humanoid killing machine masquerading in a place full of corrupt politicians and deceitful senators’ children. With threats on every side Nemesis must keep her true abilities a secret or risk everything. As the rebellion looms closer and the empire begins to weaken Nemesis finds within herself a humanity purer than the humans she has faced and realizes her humanity may be the thing that saves her life and the empire.
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Kristoff, Jay
Life L1k3. 2018. Young Adult.
In the first book in the Lifelike series, we follow Eve who finds the ruins of an android boy named Ezekiel in the scrap pile she calls her home. When this happens, her entire world comes crashing down. Follow Eve with her robotic sidekick and her best friend in tow as she and Ezekiel trek across deserts of irradiated glass, battle cyborg assassins, scour abandoned megacities to save the ones she loves, and to unravel the dark secrets of her past.
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Meyer, Marrisa
Cinder. 2012. Young Adult.
Cinder is a Cinderella retelling that focuses on Cinder, a gifted mechanic and cyborg who lives in New Beijing where humans and androids coexist. Cinder is a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, she is reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. Cinder’s life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai when she finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle and forbidden romance. As a deadly plague ravages the population, Cinder is caught between duty and freedom, loyalty, and betrayal. She must uncover the secrets about her past to protect her world’s future.
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Oliver, Ben
The Loop. 2020. Young Adult.
Luka Kane is celebrating his sixteenth birthday, and he has been inside The Loop for over two years. The Loop is a futuristic death row for teens under eighteen experiencing one long repetitive purgatory. Every inmate inside The Loop is serving a death sentence with the option to push back their execution date by six months if they participate in “delays,” scientific and medical experiments for the benefit of the elite on the outside. When rumors begin to swirl of an impending war on the outside it begins to spread to all inmates and their torturous routines become disrupted. The government issued rain begins to stop, strange things begin to happen with the guards, until all the inmates are left alone inside the prison. Luka must now try to survive and break out of The Loop to save his family and figure out who is responsible for the chaos that has been unleashed upon the world.
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Rothenberg, Jess
The Kingdom. 2019. Young Adult.
The Kingdom is an immersive fantasy theme park where guests can soar on virtual dragons, bioengineered species roam free, and castles loom over the park like giants. Ana is one of seven fantasists. Fantasists are beautiful princesses engineered to make the guests’ dreams come true. When Ana meets a park employee named Owen, Ana begins to experience emotions beyond her programming including first-time love. However, this fairy tale soon becomes a nightmare when Ana is accused of murdering Owen, igniting a trial of the ages. Through courtroom testimony and interviews, Ana’s memories of Owen emerge as a narrative of love, lies, and deceit. At the center we learn what it truly means to be human.
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Shusterman, Neal
Scythe. 2016. Young Adult.
The Arc of a Scythe series explores a world with no hunger, no disease, no war, and no misery. Humanity has become so advanced that is has conquered all things, even death. Scythes are now the only ones who can end a life and their duty is to end lives to keep the size of the population under control. Citra and Rowan are chosen to be apprentices to a scythe, a role that neither of them wants to have. These two teens must master the “art” of taking a life or risk failing and losing their own.
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Skrutskie, Emily
Hullmetal Girls. 2018. Young Adult.
When Aisha Un-Haad’s brother catches the plague, Aisha would do anything to save him and that means volunteering to become a Scela, a mechanically enhanced soldier sworn to protect and serve the governing body of the fleet, a collective of starships they call home to fund her brother’s treatment. If Aisha can survive the agonizing modifications and earn an elite place among the Scela ranks she may be able to save her brother. Meanwhile Key Tanaka awakens in a Scela body with little to no memories of her life before. All Key knows is she is from the privileged end of the fleet and has no recollection as to why she decided to relinquish a life of comfort and luxury to become a burly cyborg soldier. If Key can make it through her training, she may be able to recover some of her memories. In a unit of new recruits all vying for top placement, Key and Aisha’s paths collide and the two must learn to work together. A rebellion is brewing among the fleet with those yearning for independence from the fleet against a government that is struggling to maintain unity. With violence brewing at every turn, Aisha and Key find themselves questioning their loyalties and putting aside their differences to keep humanity from tearing itself apart.
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Wells, Dan
Partials. 2012. Young Adult.
After a war with the Partials, humanity is all but extinguished. Partials are engineered organic beings identical to humans who have destroyed the population. When all that is left of humanity is tens of thousands of humans, with only a fraction who are immune to a deadly virus, the survivors in North America have been able to keep each other safe and isolated on Long Island. Sixteen-year-old Kira is determined to find a solution and save what is left of her race. She discovers that the key to their survival rests in her attempts to answer questions about the origins of the war against Partials and humans that no one ever thought to ask.
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Youth Art Month

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For this month’s blog, we are promoting youth creativity and the inner artist inside us all! The month of March marks the recognition and promotion of Youth Art, an annual event administered by the Council for Art Education. In this March blog we highlight creativity, imagination, and expression in art through fiction books. The month of March encourages the widespread adoption of visual arts. Read along with us as we display graphic novels, picture books, middle grade, and young adult fiction books where we will celebrate the arts!


Baer, Marianna
Wolfwood. 2023. Young Adult.
Wolfwood follows Indigo and her mother, the once famous artist Zoe Serra. Indigo’s mother suffered a mental breakdown and ever since then they have been barely scraping by in life. When a gallery offers Zoe a revival show for her blockbuster series Wolfwood, Indigo knows it is their chance to be financially stable again. However, Zoe refuses to continue painting Wolfwood, which leads to Indigo secretly taking up the paintbrush herself. Indigo then finds out the real reason why her mother never wanted to paint Wolfwood again and it was because painting Wolfwood submerges the artist into the dangerous fantasy. As the lines between reality and fantasy blur for Indigo it becomes a struggle to continue the balancing act.
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Brennan-Nelson, Denise and Brennan, Rosemarie
Illustrator: Moore, Cyd
Willow. 2008. Picture Book.
Miss Hawthorne is Willow’s art teacher and Miss Hawthorne emphasizes tidiness, structure, and reinforces coloring inside the lines. However, when Miss Hawthorne is met by an imaginative and creative child such as Willow that colors outside the lines and draws from her imagination Miss Hawthorne does not know what to do with Willow! It is not until Christmastime when Willow gifts Miss Hawthorne her beloved art book that transformation begins to occur within Miss Hawthorne. A once rigid woman begins to doodle and then to paint and then suddenly, her home is filled with art. When the students come back to the classroom after winter break, they come to find Miss Hawthorne usually prim and proper to have paint smeared jeans and smock who then invites them to help paint their classroom into a work of art. With soft toned watercolors and nature imagery the artwork culminates to a painting of a Willow tree as a tribute to Willow and Miss Hawthorne along with the rest of the students learn the intense power of imagination.
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Epstein, Gabriela
Claudia and the New Girl. 2021. Graphic Novel.
Claudia from the Babysitters Club has always been the most creative and artistic person in her class. That is until Ashley Wyeth enters the picture. Claudia thinks Ashley Wyeth is the most amazing artist she has ever known. When Ashley mentions how she thinks Claudia is a fantastic artist too and is wasting her talent by being at the Babysitters Club meetings, Claudia begins to miss BSC meetings instead of hanging out with Ashley. It then becomes clear to Claudia she will have to choose between Ashley or the Babysitters Club.
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Esperanza, C. G. (Charles George)
Illustrator: Tegen, Katherine
Boogie Boogie, Y’all. 2021. Picture Book.
Boogie Boogie, Y’all is a distinguished picture book that has received numerous accolades including ALSC Notable Children’s Book of the Year, Odyssey Award winner, Pura Belpré Honor Award winner, New York City Book Award winner, and Audie Award finalist. Boogie Boogie, Y’all is an ode to graffiti art. Three children in the Bronx stop to admire the dazzling and wondrous art around their community only to realize the art that surrounds their community is often ignored and unappreciated. The three children then find it is up to them to display to the world how beautiful art is and inspire a newfound appreciation for the urban art around us and the special opportunity of living in diverse cityscapes and communities.
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Kannan, Malavika
All the Yellow Suns. 2023. Young Adult.
Maya Krishnan is the main protagonist who is fiercely protective of her friends, immigrant community, and single mother although living in the conservative Florida suburbs does not make it easy and she tries her best to never cause rifts. Her classmate Juneau Zale, a white wealthy playboy, however, is the opposite who evades consequences. Juneau invites Maya to join the Pugilists, a secret society of artists, vandals, and mischief makers whose main drive is to fight for justice at their school. Joining the Pugilists inspires Maya to confront her own challenges in life.
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Linka, Catherine
What I Want You to See. 2020. Young Adult.
Winning a scholarship to a prestigious art school in California seems to be a fairy tale dream for Sabine Reye. After losing both her mother and her home Sabine is hoping for a fresh start and a place that will make her feel at home again, where she belongs. However, she did not anticipate how cutthroat art school could be, and it seems like the renowned faculty member Colin Krell does not agree with her talents and believes if she does not improve, she will be kicked out of her merit scholarship. What I Want You to See is an engrossing narrative that will leave you on the edge of your seat when reading a journey of deception, moral ambiguity, and attraction.
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Slade-Robinson, Nikki
Anywhere Artist. 2018. Picture Book.
“I don’t need paint or paper. I can make art anywhere. My imagination is all I need.” In this delightful picture book Slade-Robinson illustrates a young artist whose creativity propels her and emphasizes the message that anyone can be an artist with the help of their imagination. This picture book will inspire all young artists to use their imagination and creativity to bolster their artistic creations. Anywhere Artist is a useful tool in helping springboard lessons of found object art projects and how to use your imagination to create art anywhere and with anything!
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Smith, Nikkolas
The Artivist. 2023. Picture Book.
When a young boy discovers the inequalities in the world, he feels the urge to do more. He decides to combine his skills of artistry and passion for activism to be renamed as an artivist. Once he completes a mural that goes viral, he finds his purpose in one painting at a time to shed light on the injustices in the world. Nikkolas Smith presents young readers with an enthralling tale to urge young readers to acknowledge the injustices in their world and provide art and creativity as healing for the broken world we live in.
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Soontornvat, Christina
Illustrator: Davenier, Christine
Simon at the Art Museum. 2020. Picture Book.
Simon at the Art Museum is a delightful picture book that follows Simon and his first time visiting an art museum. He realizes just how much art he must look at and decides to take a break by sitting on a bench. When Simon sits on the bench and begins to observe others, he realizes the several types of people that come to visit a museum and how each person has a different reaction to viewing the art. Some people smile, some people are in groups, some people shake their heads, and others shed a tear. Simon at the Art Museum focuses on new experiences and learning about seeing things from an unfamiliar perspective.
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Yamasaki, Katie and Lendler, Ian
Everything Naomi Loved. 2020. Picture Book.
Naomi’s home is on 11th street. It is characterized by the honking cars, pizza by slice, the hair by Carmen, the corner bodega, and where her best friend Ada lives. However, the 11th street Naomi loves and recognizes begins to change, the shops begin to close, buildings are torn down, Naomi’s neighbors are being pushed out and must move. Naomi’s once beloved 11th street becomes unrecognizable which leads her to pick up a paintbrush inspired by her neighbor Mister Ray’s words that “when something we love goes away, we paint it on the wall so it’s always with us.” Naomi then creates an 11th street mural detailing all the intricacies and facets of the precious things that make 11th street special. Everything Naomi Loved is an inspiring tale of a celebration of community and friendship with threads of social justice that will remind us of all about how special home can be to each of us.
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World Braille Day

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In honor of World Braille Day on January 4th, 2024, we want to celebrate the origins of Braille and highlight fiction and non-fiction books that focus on children with visual disabilities, the origins of Braille, and guide-dogs. World Braille Day is a reminder of the importance of accessibility and independence for people who are blind or visually impaired. We would like to raise awareness on the importance of Braille as a means of communication but also strive for accessibility and rights for blind and visually impaired people.

Adler, David A.
Illustrators: Wallner, John C.; Wallner, Alexandra.
A Picture Book of Louis Braille. 1997. Picture Book.
A biographical picture book on the origins of Braille and its creator Louis Braille. This picture book delves into the life of Louis Braille, a nineteenth-century Frenchmen accidentally blinded when he was a child, and how he invented the raised dot system known as Braille for reading and writing used globally for the blind.
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Almada, Ariel Andrés
Walking Through a World of Aromas. 2012. Picture Book.
Walking Through a World of Aromas, a winner at the International Latino Book Awards, tells the story of Annie, a girl who was born blind. Annie has the gift of being able to sense other people’s deepest emotions. She can bring those emotions to life through her cooking. Annie spends her days in the kitchen with her grandmother and helps the townspeople overcome their ailments physically and emotionally with her culinary creations. That is until Annie meets someone new who awakens a boundless affection in her that will introduce her senses to a whole new world. Walking Through a World of Aromas is an enchanting story about Annie trying to mold her place in the world and finding love and acceptance along the way.
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Glaser, Edie A.
Illustrators: Burgio, Maria R.; Paraschiv, Doina.
All Children Have Different Eyes: Learn To Play and Make Friends. 2007. Picture Book.
All Children Have Different Eyes is an empowering book for children with visual impairments. The book teaches children how to respond to social issues, how to respond to bullies, how to address in confidence their condition, and how to manage mistakes being made. Activities are featured in the back of the book for teachers and parents on tools for how to develop these social competencies. When reading this book all kids will understand how to play with others and be better playmates with children that have visual disabilities.
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Hall, Becky
Illustrator: Ettlinger, Doris.
Morris and Buddy: The Story of the First Seeing Eye Dog. 2007. Picture Book.
A biographical story of Morris Frank, a man who lost his sight in 1924 when he was sixteen. Morris learned from his father there was an American dog trainer in Switzerland which later allowed him to meet Buddy who became the first seeing-eye dog. Morris eventually became the co-founder of the first guide-dog school in the United States, traveling across the US and Canada to promote the use of guide dogs for people who are blind or visually impaired.

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Keats, Ezra Jack.
Apt. 3. 1971. Picture Book.
Apt. 3 explores two brothers who hear the sweet sounds of a harmonica float through the halls of Sam and Ben’s tenement. The melodies inspire the two brothers to go in search of who is playing the music. They encounter the blind man who is the source of the beautiful music, and who “sees” with his ears. The search for the music ends with a new friendship between the brothers and the blind man.
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Lang, Glenna
Looking out for Sarah. 2003. Picture Book.
In this story we explore the lives of Sarah and her guide dog Perry. Perry helps Sarah go shopping, to the post office, and take the train from school. Sarah, who is a blind musician and teacher tells the story to her students of how she walked from Boston to New York with her guide dog to show the world how much someone can accomplish with the help of a guide dog like Perry.
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Lebeuf, Darren
Illustrator: Barron, Ashley.
My City Speaks. 2021. Picture Book.
This picture book details the life of a young girl who is visually impaired on her way to her violin recital where she senses all types of noise and rhythms from her city as she walks with her father through the streets, markets, the playground, and the community garden. In her city it “rushes and stops and waits and goes.” It “pitters and patters, and drips and drains.” Its “echoes” and “trills,” and is both “smelly” and “sweet.” With Ashley Barron as the illustrator, you can expect brightly and richly colored collage illustrations that add mesmerizing details and depth to the story. My City Speaks captures the essence of living in a concrete jungle, inspires kids to listen to their own towns and cities, all the while emphasizing a character study on adaptability.
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Liao, Jimmy
The Sound of Colors: A Journey of the Imagination. 2006. Picture Book.
An enriching tale of a young woman who is losing her sight and trying to find her place in the world. It is an English language translation originally published in Chinese. The young woman sets out to explore the world and discover one step at a time with her walking stick and dog to help guide her. The story is imaginative, courageous, full of heart, and hope as the young woman begins her emotionally healing journey.
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Rau, Dana Meachen
Illustrator: Weissman, Bari.
The Secret Code. 1998. Picture Book.
The Secret Code follows Oscar and Lucy. Oscar is blind, and during reading time in class Lucy notices that his book is different from the one she is reading. Lucy notices it has bumps all over the pages that Oscar is able to read with his fingers. By the end of the book Oscar teaches Lucy how to read Braille so they can read together. This picture book is a great introduction to Braille and displays the Braille alphabet as well for readers.
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Winkler, Henry
Everybody is Somebody. 2019. Middle Grade Braille Book.
This Braille edition of Everybody is Somebody tells the story of Hank Zipzer who, when a well-known author visits his school, is given the opportunity, along with two friends, to be her guide for the day and introduce her at the school assembly. The situation, however, forces Hank (who has dyslexia) to find imaginative ways to hide his struggles with reading. Will everyone be able to tell what is fact from fiction? This story features a common theme on being true to oneself and remaining your most authentic self.
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Yolen, Jane.

Illustrators: Charlip, Remy; Maraslis, Demetra.
The Seeing Stick. 1977. Picture Book.
The Seeing Stick, an original fairy tale story from Jane Yolen, explores the life of Hwei Min the only daughter of the emperor of China who has been blind since birth. Her father the emperor offers a reward to anyone that can cure her blindness, however to no avail. Magicians to physicians are unable to cure her. That is until one day when a mysterious old man appears carrying a stick to visit the princess. The old man tries to teach Hwei Min that there is more than one way to see the world. In this imaginative and rich story, it highlights the power of perception and the importance of human connection in our lives.
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Online Resources

Alt Text as Poetry

Alt Text as Poetry is an amazing resource for students and educators to learn about alt text and the innovative ways to incorporate it into a classroom. This project is a collaboration between Bojana Coklyat and Shannon Finnegan, both visually impaired, who created this project in order to “to put alt text on your radar (if it wasn’t already), to get you thinking about it creatively, and to explore a few of the key questions that come up when translating images into text.” The projects website contains a workbook on alt text and alt text as poetry as well as writing exercises.

National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled

The NLS is a free national library program that provides Braille and recorded materials to people who cannot see regular print or handle print materials. The online NLS site is filled with online educational resources for children.

Bookshare

Bookshare is an accessible online library for people with print disabilities. The online library helps people with dyslexia, blindness, cerebral palsy, and other reading barriers to customize their experience in order to suit their learning style. Through Bookshare they can find any book they may need for school, work, and reading for pleasure.

Paths to Technology

Paths to Technology developed by Perkins School for the Blind is a website designed to assist educators, families, and students on the latest technology for students with low vision and blindness. According to their website the site was “Created as an interactive site, Paths to Technology is a resource for defining and disseminating best practices, training, and support for teachers of students with visual impairments, braille transcribers, other education professionals, parents and students themselves.”

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All Things Austenesque

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In celebration of a beloved author’s birthday this December we are rejoicing in all things Jane Austen to commemorate her legendary oeuvre and birthday. Austen was born on December 16, 1775, and her books remain a staple in classic literature and have become a foundation for retellings galore. From Clueless to Bridget Jones’s Diary, this month we want to give a spotlight to all adaptations and retellings of Jane Austen’s work. This post will feature picture books on the life of Jane Austen, manga, middle grade novels, and young adult fiction.

Carbone, Courtney.
Darcy Swipes Left. 2016. Young Adult.
Have you ever wondered how Mr. Darcy would text? Look no further at this clever modern adaptation of Pride and Prejudice where Lizzy Bennet and Mr. Darcy have social media and smartphones and a love story arises between them. Find yourself giggling at the text messages of Mr. Bennet and prepare yourself for a novel where all the characters text each other with emojis, take selfies, and update their relationship statuses.
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Eulberg, Elizabeth.
Prom & Prejudice. 2011. Young Adult.
Eulberg’s spin on Pride and Prejudice is based on Lizzie Bennet who attended the prestigious high school of Longbourn Academy on a scholarship. When all the girls at the academy are becoming enthralled about the prospect of prom, Lizzie does not seem interested in the designer dresses or shoes. However, Lizzie’s best friend Jane is excited due to Charles Bingley being back from a semester in London. Lizzie is happy about Jane’s prospective romance with Bingley although Lizzie cannot find it in herself to like Will Darcy, a boy she finds to be a pretentious, snobby jerk. Even though she finds Darcy to be a pompous jerk, why does she seem so drawn to him?
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Frederick, Heather Vogel.
Pies & Prejudice. 2010. Young Adult.
Right before the start of her freshman year Emma unexpectedly moves to England. Emma’s life becomes a whirlwind when the mother-daughter book club is faced with a challenge. However, the resourcefulness of all the friends in the book club finds a way to continue meeting and discussing Jane Austen’s, Pride and Prejudice, a fitting parallel to Emma’s life. The novel centers around four childhood best friends Emma, Jess, Megan, and Cassidy. Told through each of the fifteen-year-old girls’ perspectives, Frederick takes you on a journey of teen romance, growing pains, responsibility, and issues that come with growing up. Each reader will come away with a character they relate to the most and through Frederick’s clever writing she blends the life of Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice beautifully and ties it all together in the mother-daughter book club.
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Going, K.L.
The Next Great Jane. 2020. Middle Grade.
Meet Jane Brennan, a girl that wants nothing more than to become a famous author like Jane Austen. All she needs to do? Figure out how to be a literary success, of course! Her chances of figuring out how increase when J.E. Fairfax visits her hometown of Whickett Harbor, Maine. However, when a hurricane rolls in Jane ends up stuck with the author’s snobby son named Devon and, worst of all, her mother Susan and her mother’s fiancé Erik have flown from Hollywood to Maine to file custody and ship Jane off to California. All she needs to do now is find her marine biologist dad a romantic partner and figure out what is the most important thing to her about Whickett Harbor to convince her mother she is meant to stay in Maine.
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Harrison, Cora
Illustrator: Hellard, Susan
I was Jane Austen’s Best Friend. 2010. Young Adult.
Timid Jenny Cooper is sent to stay with her cousin Jane Austen. Jenny does not know the world of dresses, dances, gossip, and romance that Jane seems all too familiar with. Amid her visit Jenny falls madly in love with the dashing Captain Thomas Williams and who better to help her with the heart of the man than Jane? But will that all be possible when Jenny has been keeping a desperate secret? If this secret were to leak it would bring a huge scandal to the doorstep of not only hers but the entire Austen family and what is an orphan girl meant to do in this predicament? Cora Harrison explores the fictional life of a young Jane Austen in this novel and balances between fictional and true elements on the author’s life as a teen based on biographies, critical studies, and family letters.
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King, Stacy
Artist: Po, Tse
Manga Classics: Pride & Prejudice. 2014. Graphic Novel.
In Pride & Prejudice we get a peek into the lives of the Bennet household with five daughters and no male heirs. Excitement ensues when an eligible bachelor visits the nearby estate. In this charming adaptation by Stacy King and illustrator Tse Po, the wonderful tale of Pride & Prejudice is told through manga. The illustrations are beautiful and retain all the narrative elements of the original classic with a twist. This graphic novel is a wonderful way to introduce readers to a beloved tale through sumptuous illustrations and storytelling.
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King, Stacy
Artist: Po, Tse
Manga Classics: Sense & Sensibility. 2016. Graphic Novel.
In Jane Austen’s first novel two sisters, Marianne and Elinor Dashwood, are true opposites where Marianne is impulsive and Elinor is cautious. When Marianne and Elinor’s father passes away both sisters are overcome with the grief and financial strain of their father’s passing. Both sisters move to a cottage in Devonshire where they battle love affairs with Edward Ferrars and John Willoughby. Follow the two sisters in a story filled with romance, social critique, and redemption in this modern manga adaptation.
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MacColl, Michaela
Secrets in the Snow: a Novel of Intrigue and Romance. 2016. Young Adult
Michaela MacColl brings us a historical fiction story centered around Jane Austen. Jane Austen’s family is eager to marry her off to secure her future. However, Jane has other plans including drafting her novels and finds no interest in any of the male suitors that come her way, that is until Mr. Lefroy enters the picture, and she struggles between choosing her family or true love.
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Sánchez Vegara, Ma Isabel (María Isabel)
Illustrator: Wilson, Katie
Jane Austen. 2018. Picture Book.
This picture book tells the biographical tale of Jane Austen, exploring her childhood in the English countryside, being born into a large family with seven siblings, and the heartbreak that she experienced that led to the creation and inspiration for Pride & Prejudice. Told through quirky illustrations it also features extra facts at the end, and includes a biographical timeline accompanied with historical images and an author profile. Little People, Big Dreams picture book series is perfect for babies and toddlers due to its narration being told through simple sentences that will inspire even the youngest of readers.
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Shulman, Polly
Enthusiasm. 2006. Young Adult.
Julie and Ashleigh, best friends, high school sophomores, and Jane Austen fans, both seem to have fallen for the same Mr. Darcy type boy and struggle to hide their true feelings from one another. Enthusiasm brings out themes of self-discovery, familial relationships, teenage feelings in boys, and creativity. Any Jane Austen fan will adore this sweet tale on friendship and trying to find your own Mr. Darcy.
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Smith, Rebecca
Where’s Jane? 2018. Picture Book.
In this beautiful, illustrated book readers are introduced to Jane Austen’s regency and Georgian-era world. Children can spot the main characters of the famous novels such as Pride & Prejudice, Emma, Sense & Sensibility, etc. The reader can first read the snappy synopsis of the story, explore key stages of the narrative as you meet the main characters, and next, as you peruse through the gorgeous illustrations, try searching for the main characters and elusive author through the expansive and buzzing artwork.

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Taslim, Priyanka
The Love Match. 2023. Young Adult.
The Love Match, a Jane Austen meet Bengali cinema mashup, follows teenager Zahra Kahn who’s amma (mother) believes she needs to find a good match, Jane Austen style. Which leads to her mother setting her up with handsome and wealthy eighteen-year-old Harun. However, Zahra feels a much deeper connection with her coworker Nayim. When Zahra and Harun decide to fake-date to appease their parents, trouble ensues when Zahra’s feelings begin to get mixed up.
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Watson, Kate (Katherine)
Off Script. 2020. Young Adult
Off Script is a Jane Austen retelling of Emma centered around nineteen-year-old actress Emma Crawford whose favorite job is to play matchmaker to her friends. Although, after reuniting with Liam Price and discovering the darker sides of Hollywood, she begins to question the glamorous world she has always known.
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Diwali: Festival of Lights

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Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights with variations in other Indian religions. Diwali symbolizes the spiritual triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. Diwali is celebrated across India with variations across the region. It is also celebrated and enjoyed by non-Hindu communities such as Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists. Diwali is one of the largest and most important festivals that takes place over five days. The name the Festival of Lights is given due to the celebrants illuminating their home, temple, and workspaces with candles, lanterns, or oil lamps which serves to symbolize the inner light that defends against the darkness. This year Diwali takes place on Sunday, November 12, 2023. Throughout this blog we highlight the celebration of Diwali and introduce readers to picture books that feature Diwali and Hinduism culture at the forefront. Within these picture books you will find a range of topics from recipes customary during Diwali, craft ideas, family traditions, to the quintessential child going through Diwali preparations.

Eliot, Hannah
Illustrated by: Sreenivasan, Archana
Diwali. 2018 (Picture Book)
In this colorful board book, a part of the Celebrate the World series Eliot focuses on Diwali. A perfect book for preschool and up that delves into the tradition and origins of the holiday and the festival’s importance. With colorful artwork it is sure to be a hit with introducing the holiday to all ages.
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Gilmore, Rachna
Illustrated by: Priestley, Alice
Lights for Gita. 1994 (Picture Book)
When Gita, the protagonist of this picture book, immigrates from her native home of New Delhi, India to the West, she looks forward to celebrating Diwali in her new home and enjoying the fireworks despite the gloominess of the weather in November. However, as Gita prepares for the holiday the weather has other plans through freezing rain. Her papa must postpone the fireworks, and friends cancel their visit due to the weather. Feeling dejected, Gita remembers the fond memories she has of Diwali in her native country in comparison to her celebration now in a foreign country. With the guidance of her mother and when all is going awry, Gita finds a new perspective in Diwali when, with the light from the lamps, she realizes Diwali can brighten up even the worst days.
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LaRocca, Rajani
Illustrated by: Sreenivasan, Archana
Where Three Oceans Meet. 2021 (Picture Book)
Although this picture book does not exclusively focus on Diwali it is a heartwarming story on intergenerational bonding and love. In this story three characters Sejal, Mommy, and Patil, Sejal’s grandmother, go on a trip to the southern tip of India where they share meals, bond, visit friends, and visit the markets. Each character carries a unique experience when visiting their native country. For Patil, Sejal’s grandmother, she is re-visiting sites she is familiar with, for mommy she is returning to the place she grew up, and for Sejal she is experiencing it for the first time and discovering where she comes from. As the family makes their way to Kanyakumari, where three oceans meet, the book highlights the beauty of India and the celebration of family and the enduring love we have for one another.
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MacMillan, Dianne M
Diwali: Hindu Festival of Lights. 1997 (Picture Book)
A part of the Best Holiday Book series, MacMillan explores Diwali, focusing on the history, traditions, and celebrations surrounding the holiday. Additionally, in this book it retells the stories told during the holiday about Rama’s return after the long exile and Krishna’s defeat over the evil Narakasura.
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Mathur, Sanyukta
Illustrated by: Pippin-Mathur, Courtney
Happy Diwali! 2021 (Picture Book)
In this radiant tale of Diwali this story follows a little girl from dawn to dusk as she prepares for the celebration of Diwali through drawing rangolis, welcoming guests, helping to prepare the food, dressing up in colorful clothing, participating in the Puja, and lighting the diyas (lamps) in honor of Diwali. The strength in this picture book lies in its ability to recognize the diversity and variations that families may have when observing the holiday and how Hindu families of all diverse kinds of backgrounds celebrate the festival.
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Mirchandani, Raakhee
Illustrated by: Kelkar, Supriya
My Diwali Light. 2022 (Picture Book)
In this Diwali story it follows Devi as she prepares to celebrate her favorite holiday. It is a special time where she can wear her red bindi, eat samosas, and celebrate with her loved ones. From making mithai, designing rangolis, and painting diyas, Devi and her family share their Diwali traditions through radiant illustrations. It shines a light on how Diwali is celebrated in so many ways from family to family!
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Pandya, Meenal
Here Comes Diwali: The Festival of Lights. 2001 (Picture Book)
Meenal Pandya uncovers the traditions and origins of Diwali through the eyes of a Hindu child. What separates this picture book is the stand-out crafts and food recipes it shares with the reader, along with suggestions on how to celebrate the special holiday with loved ones.
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Ruths, Mitali Banerjee
Illustrated by: Singh, Parwinder
Archie Celebrates Diwali. 2021 (Picture Book).
Archana, otherwise known as Archie, loves Diwali and her family’s annual party in celebration of the holiday. This year is different, she can invite all her friends from school and share the holiday festivities. However, as Archie prepares for the holiday through food preparations and decorations, crisis strikes as the party just begins and a thunderstorm knocks out the electricity from the house and drenches all the outside decorations. Archie begins to feel that everything is ruined, and the celebration will not be the same due to the storm. Follow Archie in a beautiful tale that touches on themes of friendship and trying to fit in during Diwali.
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Singh, Rina
Diwali: Festival of Lights. 2016 (Picture Book)
Diwali is recognized by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs where each celebrate the stories, legends, and symbolism of the holiday in which good triumphs over evil. Rina Singh explores her Indian roots through stories surrounding Diwali. Diwali: Festival of Lights shares insight into personal accounts of the Diwali traditions from stories to sharing the festive recipes known during the holiday. It takes the reader on a journey of how Diwali is celebrated throughout the world.
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Umrigar, Thrity N
Illustrated by: Chanani, Nidhi
Binny’s Diwali. 2020 (Picture Book)
Binny’s class is learning about different holiday traditions and each classmate is sharing their own holiday traditions. Follow Binny as she embarks on her day when she is going to share Diwali, the festival of lights. Although she is excited to share her favorite holiday, she is also nervous but as she finds her confidence, she begins to share the beautiful fireworks displayed throughout Diwali, the delicious pedas and jalebis, and the clay lamps, diyas, that light up and make all the children stunned by their beauty. Binny’s Diwali features a heartwarming story that encapsulates the spirit of Diwali from the dazzling illustrations by Nidhi Chanani to capturing the essence of what it means to be Hindu and celebrating a beloved holiday.
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