Able to Laugh
John and Jade Reynolds. SPCK, Oct. ISBN 9780281089819
Tik-Tok famous couple John and Jade Reynolds share the realities of life, romance, marriage, and parenting as an inter-abled couple. Ages 12 and up
All Mixed Up
Raj Tawney. Paw Prints Publishing, Oct. ISBN 9781223188553
New York Times essayist Raj Tawney delivers a gripping story of a multiethnic American boy who forges a complex friendship with a Pakistani immigrant in the wake of 9/11. Ages 8-12
Cry, Heart, But Never Break
Glenn Ringtved. Chaarlotte Pardi, illustrator. Enchanted Lion Books, 2016. ISBN 9781592701872
Aware their grandma is gravely ill, four siblings make a pact to keep death from taking her. But Death arrives, as he must, yet with enough time left to share a story that helps them say goodbye. Ages 5-9
Dedushka: Memories of My Grandpa and Ukraine
Katerina Spaeth. Paw Prints Publishing, July 2025. ISBN 9781223188973
Through gouache paintings, embroidery, and vivid prose, Spaeth weaves a profound ode to her 1990s childhood, Ukrainian home, and grandfather, reminding readers of what’s beautiful in life. Ages 7-9
The Donut Prince of New York
Allen Zadoff. Holiday House, Nov. 2025. ISBN 9780823456635
Eugene’s junior year is off to a rocky start—no love life, no new theater production. He would rather spend the year playing small, but that’s hard to do when you’re the biggest kid in your class. Ages 12 and up
It Won't Ever Be the Same
Dr. Korie Leigh, Free Spirit Publishing, Sept. ISBN 9798885543842
A validating and reassuring book that speaks directly to teens experiencing grief, providing them with tools, prompts, and exercises to understand, express, and cope. Ages 12 and up
The Ghosts of Blanes Museum
Lau Moraiti. Paw Prints Publishing, July. ISBN 9781223188119
Clara, a lonely ghost living in a museum, forms a friendship with the security guard, Rodriguez, who is as lonely as she is. This is a story about the capacity for healing with a friend by your side. Ages 5-9
A Guide to Grief
Cole Imperi. Bianca Jagoe, illustrator. Kids Can Press, Oct. ISBN 9781525309656
For a new generation of grievers, this is the wise, compassionate friend tweens and young teens need when they experience grief and loss, from one of the foremost experts on death, dying, and grief. Ages 12 and up
A Kids Book About Periods
Jessica Biel. DK, May. ISBN 9780593847091
Getting your period is actually pretty cool—it’s one of the things we share as human beings! Inside, you’ll find positive information about how periods work, designed to empower the next generation. Ages 5-9
My Real Name Is Hanna
Tara Lynn Masih. Mandel Vilar Press, 2018. ISBN 9781942134510
Award-winning powerful story told by a Jewish Ukrainian teenage girl about her family's survival of the Holocaust by living in undiscovered caves in Western Ukraine for more than 500 days. Ages 12 and up
Onyx and Beyond
Amber McBride. Feiwel & Friends, Oct. ISBN 9781250908780
Award-winning author Amber McBride explores being young and Black in America in an affecting novel about a boy coping with his mother's early-onset dementia, set amid the civil rights movement. Ages 8-12
The Thing About Love
Linda Ashman. Kristina Jones, illustrator. APA / Magination Press, Aug. ISBN 9781433843594
From their first meeting, a kid and his dog become best friends. Their bond grows deeper as they play games, go on adventures, learn new tricks, comfort each other, and celebrate milestones together. Ages 3-8
What Does Grief Feel Like?
Dr. Korie Leigh. Mike Malbrough, illustrator. Free Spirit Publishing, 2023. ISBN 9781631987069
Helps young children explore the ways people experience grief when someone dies. Open-ended questions throughout the book invite children to share what they are thinking, feeling, and going through. Ages 3-8
Where Did Poppy Go?
Gail Silver. Amanda Quartey, illustrator. Parallax Press, 2022. ISBN 9781952692246
A young boy and his father navigate the loss of Poppy, discovering how love remains through the changing seasons of life even after someone passes. Ages 5-9
You-ology: A Puberty Guide for EVERY Body
Melisa Holmes, MD, FACOG; Trish Hutchison, MD, FAAP; Kathryn Lowe, MD, FAAP. American Academy of Pediatrics, 2022. ISBN 9781610025690
You-ology uses an inclusive approach to normalizing puberty for all kids. It offers fact-based, age-appropriate information and features colorful illustrations and a cast of diverse characters. Ages 8-12
