10 book ideas for budding bookworms

In fifth grade, I once got grounded for reading after midnight. If you have a young reader in your life who just can’t put their books down, we have some new 2024 titles to consider. NPR staffers and critics recommended these (and many, many more) for Books We Love, NPR’s year end book guide.

Call Me Roberto! Roberto Clemente Goes to Bat for Latinos by Nathalie Alonso, illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez

The highs and lows of one of the greatest baseball players of all time is told here with a special focus on how Roberto Clemente fought racism throughout his career. The author makes sure not to skimp on fun baseball details, but she also expertly addresses what Clemente had to go through as a professional ballplayer from Puerto Rico, with African roots, living through Jim Crow times. It’s a deft duality. Great writing, beautiful art and worthy of Clemente himself, who said, as captured in the book, “I represent the common people of America. So I am going to be treated like a human being.” (For ages 7 to 10) — Betsy Bird, collection development manager, Evanston Public Library

Dear Dad: Growing Up with a Parent in Prison – and How We Stayed Connected by Jay Jay Patton and Antoine Patton with Kiara Valdez, illustrated by Markia Jenai

Forging a relationship with a parent who is incarcerated is a daunting task, but 9-year-old Jay Jay Patton doesn’t have another choice. Jay Jay’s father is in prison and she’s only been able to visit him twice. Hampered by slow mail, expensive collect calls and extreme distance, Jay Jay and her father decide something has to be done. This graphic novel tells the moving story of one family’s determination to connect, no matter what. Dear Dad not only shines a light on an overlooked problem, but also serves as an inspiration to families everywhere. (For ages 8 to 12) — Juanita Giles, director, Virginia Children’s Book Festival

Deer Run Home by Ann Clare LeZotte

I was unprepared for the power and grace of this remarkable novel in verse. Effie, who is deaf, has no one in her family who uses sign language. When her devastating secret threatens to destroy those closest to her, despair and hope ping-pong back and forth as she endeavors to be heard. This important book, based on a true story, is a testament to friendship, found family and courage. Ann Clare LeZotte’s Deer Run Home stayed with me long after I finished the final sentence. (For ages 10 to 14) — Lisa Yee, author of The Misfits #1 – A Royal Conundrum

Faker by Gordon Korman

For Trey, working with his dad doesn’t mean changing the oil or raking leaves; it means running cons and scamming people out of money. Trey, his sister and his father have bounced around from scam to scam for as long as Trey can remember, but he’s tired of running. Finally, Trey is at a new school and feels like a part of things, but his new life comes with questions: Is what his dad is doing really OK? If it’s not, what does that make Trey? Gordon Korman offers another middle grade page-turner that will draw in even the most reluctant reader. (For ages 8 to 12) — Juanita Giles, director, Virginia Children’s Book Festival

Flying Through Water by Mamle Wolo

Living in rural Ghana, Sena knows his future depends on his schooling and grades. But when a chance to make money for his family arises, he jumps at it – leading to a situation where he’s essentially enslaved and must escape and find a way back home. An adept adventure tale with nail-biting sequences, this book offers an eye-opening view of Ghana’s beauty and ills. By the time the story becomes a survival tale worthy of Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet, you’ll never be able to forget the book’s writing or the environmental message at its heart. (For ages 8 to 12) — Betsy Bird, collection development manager, Evanston Public Library

Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All by Chanel Miller

Chanel Miller is well known for her New York Times bestselling memoir, Know My Name, which recounts a life-altering sexual assault and its aftermath, including the trial of Brock Turner. Here, Miller finds joy in moving on to a different and far lighter realm of writing. In this debut children’s book, Magnolia Wu is determined to show her new friend, Iris, the great things about living in NYC, and she has the perfect way to do it: an investigation into finding the owners of every missing sock she has collected at her parents’ laundromat. Along the way, Magnolia herself gets an eye-opening peek into her parents’ lives outside their workplace. A thoroughly original take on seeing your immigrant parents anew through the lens of others. (For ages 7 to 11) — Betsy Bird, collection development manager, Evanston Public Library

Mid-Air by Alicia D. Williams, illustrated by Danica Novgorodoff

Reviewers and critics typically overuse the term “lyrical” when discussing great books, but there are few better appellatives to apply to this canny verse novel. With multilayered aplomb, the story focuses on Isaiah and his friends Drew and Darius. These three love biking, skating and trying to break all kinds of world records, but when an accident claims the life of Darius, Isaiah feels responsible and hopelessly lost. This deft narrative is capable of delving into serious topics, like what happens when grief is compounded by violence, without dragging the book down or ever feeling too heavy. A tale where your redemption is inextricable from forgiving yourself. (For ages 10 and up) — Betsy Bird, collection development manager, Evanston Public Library

My Antarctica: True Adventures in the Land of Mummified Seals, Space Robots, and So Much More by G. Neri, illustrated by Corban Wilkin

Take a trip to the coldest, windiest, highest and driest continent in the world. Here, young readers will find answers to every question they’ve ever had about Antarctica – not to mention ones they hadn’t even thought to ask. Who is there now? Why? What do you eat when you’re there? G. Neri’s easygoing narrative reads like a journal, full of cartoons, photos and the occasional mummified seal. Plus, he profiles the many different scientists at work at McMurdo Station with humor, candor and wonder. Just be ready for one inevitable question after reading this book: “Can we go?” (For ages 7 to 10) — Betsy Bird, collection development manager, Evanston Public Library

Olivetti by Allie Millington

I had a young visitor point to my old typewriter and ask, “What’s that?” In Olivetti, Ernest’s mother goes missing and – are you ready? – he and his mom’s beloved typewriter conspire to find her. So much is at stake in this unique and wholly captivating mystery. Memories are lost, then found, and new ones made along the way in this tender novel. The next time a kid asks me about my typewriter, I will offer them Allie Millington’s book and say, “Here, I’ll let the typewriter tell you all about what it is.” (For ages 8 to 12) — Lisa Yee, author of The Misfits #1 – A Royal Conundrum

Uprooted: A Memoir About What Happens When Your Family Moves Back by Ruth Chan

Thirteen-year-old Ruth Chan isn’t just moving — she’s “moving across the world.” This heartbreaking, funny and insightful memoir captures the angst and apprehension of forging a new life in a new country. With Ruth leaving her beloved Toronto behind and landing in Hong Kong, uncertainties and anxiety threaten to crush her. Uprooted’s expressive art perfectly captures her emotions and wit. This irrepressible graphic novel will have you rooting for Ruth as she eventually embraces her new life, while still cherishing her old one. (For ages 8 to 12) — Lisa Yee, author of The Misfits #1 – A Royal Conundrum

This is just a fraction of the 350+ titles we included in Books We Love this year. Click here to check out this year’s titles, or browse nearly 4,000 books from the last 12 years.

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