Book Finder

Travel across the U.S. and meet some kids where they live. This carefully crafted and well-researched introduction introduces individuals who live in different places but share a great deal in common. A companion volume to the author’s This is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids from Around the World (opens in a new window).

Henry decides to share his love of dancing at the school talent show. A sweet, easier-to-read book just right for newly independent readers. Also available in Spanish: Las muestra de talentos (opens in a new window). Look for other titles in the Confetti Kids series.

A coming-of-age story, which explores race, feminism, and complicated family dynamics — a powerful story about discovering who you are in the world—and fighting for that person—by having the courage to be your own revolution. Warrior Princess. That’s what Nigeria Jones’s father calls her. He has raised her as part of the Movement, a Black separatist group based in Philadelphia. Nigeria is homeschooled and vegan and participates in traditional rituals to connect her and other kids from the group to their ancestors. But when her mother—the perfect matriarch of their Movement—disappears, Nigeria’s world is upended. She finds herself taking care of her baby brother and stepping into a role she doesn’t want. Nigeria’s mother had secrets. She wished for a different life for her children, which includes sending her daughter to a private Quaker school outside of their strict group. Despite her father’s disapproval, Nigeria attends the school with her cousin, Kamau, and Sage, who used to be a friend. ­There, she begins to flourish and expand her universe. As Nigeria searches for her mother, she starts to uncover a shocking truth. One that will lead her to question everything she thought she knew about her life and her family.

This moving story shares valuable lessons about fitting in, standing out, and the beauty of joyful acceptance. Vashti Harrison traces a child’s journey to self-love and shows the power of words to both hurt and heal. With spare text and exquisite illustrations, this emotional exploration of being big in a world that prizes small is a tender portrayal of how you can stand out and feel invisible at the same time.

Maudie, who navigates the world in her own unique divergent way, is ready to spend an amazing summer with her dad, but will she find the courage to tell him a terrible secret about life with her mom and new stepdad? As Maudie navigates unfamiliar waters, she makes friends — and her autism no longer feels like the big deal her mom makes it out to be. But her secret is still threatening to sink her. 

All children have wishes that reflect their hopes and dreams. Wishes from kids from Guatemala to Japan and places in between are presented in handsome illustrations and brief text. This book is sure to start conversations as readers see reflections of themselves in others from around the world.

Jade believes she must get out of her poor neighborhood if she’s ever going to succeed. Her mother tells her to take advantage of every opportunity that comes her way. And Jade has: every day she rides the bus away from her friends and to the private school where she feels like an outsider, but where she has plenty of opportunities. But some opportunities she doesn’t really welcome and she’s tired of being singled out as someone who needs help, someone people want to fix. Jade wants to speak, to create, to express her joys and sorrows, her pain and her hope. Maybe there are some things she could show other women about understanding the world and finding ways to be real, to make a difference.

All Amara wants for her birthday is to visit her father’s family in New York City — Harlem, to be exact. She can’t wait to finally meet her Grandpa Earl and cousins in person, and to stay in the brownstone where her father grew up. Maybe this will help her understand her family and herself in new way. But New York City is not exactly what Amara thought it would be.  As she explores, asks questions, and learns more and more about Harlem and about her father and his family history, she realizes how, in some ways more than others, she connects with him, her home, and her family.

Dan was an awkward 8th grader who generally stayed quiet and rather unnoticed until an even more awkward school presentation. The boy’s self-confidence gradually grows during a weeks-long study trip to Paris. The graphic format is effective in presenting this often-humorous memoir and his sometimes uncomfortable memories. 

The confident Black narrator of this book is proud of everything that makes him who he is. He’s got big plans, and no doubt he’ll see them through — as he’s creative, adventurous, smart, funny, and a good friend. Sometimes he falls, but he always gets back up. There are superheroes in our midst!

When Lily and her family move in with her sick grandmother, a magical tiger straight out of her halmoni’s Korean folktales arrives, prompting Lily to unravel a secret family history. Would you make a deal with a magical tiger? This coming-of-age story brings Korean folklore and magical realism to life as a girl goes on a quest to unlock the power of stories and save her grandmother.

An ode to self-confidence, respecting others, and kindness from actor and activist Grace Byers, this picture book depicts girls of diverse body shapes and skin tones. “We are all here for a purpose. We are more than enough. We just need to believe it.”

Learning to soar ‘from the people who came before’ two siblings are told both that their feelings have been experienced by others, and that “nobody can ever cuff/ your brilliant and beautiful mind,” a lesson they pass on in turn. The book reminds children that imagination is a powerful tool in any situation, and López’s warm, colorful art enhances this message. This book is a companion to The Day You Begin (opens in a new window) by the same author/illustrator team.

There are all kinds of babies in the world. They can be big, small, short, or tall. Rhythmic language and simple illustrations with clean lines and bright colors on each page ends with a mirror — a surprise baby to conclude this charming book.

A collection of stories, comics and poems that celebrate Black boyhood from critically acclaimed Black authors including Jason Reynolds, Jerry Craft and Kwame Mbalia.

When bright and spirited Norvia moves from the country to the city, she has to live by one new rule: Never let anyone know you’re Ojibwe. This tender coming-of-age story thoughtfully addresses assimilation, racism, and divorce, as well as everygirl problems like first crushes, making friends, and the joys and pains of a blended family. Often funny, often heartbreaking, the story is directly inspired by the author’s family history.

The barbershop is where the magic happens. Boys go in as lumps of clay and, with princely robes draped around their shoulders, a dab of cool shaving cream on their foreheads, and a slow, steady cut, they become royalty. This rhythmic, read-aloud title is an unbridled celebration of the self-esteem, confidence, and swagger boys feel when they leave the barber’s chair. The fresh cuts. That’s where it all begins.

Being a teen or tween is tough for anyone. And if you’re on the Autism Spectrum, life can feel like a game you’re playing without knowing the rules. This bestselling handbook is the key to unlocking those unwritten, often confusing, not-so-obvious social guidelines and bolstering confidence, all at once. The 10th Anniversary Edition reveals the essential secrets behind the baffling social codes surrounding making and keeping friends, dating, and catastrophic conversation pitfalls, with all-new content on social media and talking about neurodiversity. 

“Be who you are! Be proud of where you’re from. Be a different color. Speak your language. Wear everything you need to be you.”  “Be your own family” is illustrated with a spaceship filled with individuals of different colors, genders, and species (there is a dog included), all with alien horns. A simple message is repeated with new examples on each spread. This colorful, energetic book reminds kids that their unique traits are what make them so special and encourages readers to embrace them all. See also It’s Okay to Be Different (opens in a new window)by the same author.

Indian American middle schooler Reha navigates growth and loss in this 1980s coming-of-age novel in verse. Thirteen-year-old Reha deals with ordinary concerns; she tries to stay true to her Indian culture while growing up with in the United States, and she grapples with a crush on a classmate. When her mother suddenly gets sick with leukemia, Reha’s ordinary everyday concerns fade away and are replaced with the belief that if she is as virtuous as possible, she will save her mother’s life. 

Set in the modern-day suburbs of Las Vegas, biracial sixth-grader Ella Cartwright finds herself caught between two worlds. She is drawn to the popular new boy, Bailey — the only other black student in the school — but also loyal to her best friend, Z, a geeky boy whose social status, like hers, is bottom-rung, and with whom she has shared an incomparable friendship. A relationship with Bailey means a chance at popularity for Ella, but Z is far too weird to ever be accepted by his classmates. When push comes to shove, where will Ella turn for real friendship?

Caleb Franklin and his big brother Bobby Gene are excited to have adventures in the woods behind their house. But Caleb dreams of venturing beyond their ordinary small town. Then Caleb and Bobby Gene meet new neighbor Styx Malone. Styx is sixteen and oozes cool — and he leads the brothers on a one-thing-leads-to-another adventure in which friendships are forged and loyalties are tested.

Bear is all things to the child as she grows until Bear is put in a chest. However, Bear is not forgotten but is loved again by another child. Expressive illustrations and short text combine for a touching tale of one much treasured teddy over time even into the next generation.

A grandmother and child celebrate all the things the youngster can grow into, all the while recognizing individuality.Light-filled illustrations complement the evocative narration. Also in Spanish: ¿Qué Serás?.