The books in this collection navigate themes and ideas appropriate for younger readers. Whether you're looking for contemporary hits like Front Desk by Kelly Yang or beloved classics like Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, you can explore this collection to find a title that will excite the young readers in your life.
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Class, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Indian Literature, Children's Literature, Poverty, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Class, Religion / Spirituality, Disability, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1961
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Christian literature, History: World, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Elizabeth George Speare’s The Bronze Bow was originally published in 1961 and won the Newberry Medal for excellence in children’s literature in 1962. Told in the third-person limited perspective of the young Jewish protagonist, Daniel, this work of historical fiction takes place in Galilee during the time of Jesus. The Jews search earnestly for a leader to liberate Israel from Roman occupation, and Daniel dedicates his life to avenge his father’s murder at the hands... Read The Bronze Bow Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams, Identity: Disability, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: War, Society: Nation, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Sports, Realistic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2002
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Sports, Urban Development, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Music
Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Mythology, Action / Adventure, LGBTQ
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Animals, History: World, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 1986
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Children's Literature, History: World, Education, Education, Jewish Literature, WWII / World War II, Military / War, Biography
The Cage is the 1986 memoir of Ruth Minsky Sender, nee Riva Minska, detailing her family’s struggle to survive the Holocaust. Born in Lodz, Poland, Riva inhabits a close-knit community that integrates both Jews and non-Jews through shared traditions and intergenerational spaces. When Hitler’s Nazis invade Poland, thirteen-year-old Riva watches this peace crumble, as non-Jewish friends accept her family’s persecution and as Jews themselves adopt positions of power that hurt others in the community.After Riva’s... Read The Cage Summary
Publication year 1903
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Action / Adventure, American Literature, Animals, Naturalism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
Originally serialized in 1903, Jack London’s The Call of the Wild is an adventure story about Buck, a dog from the Santa Clara Valley who finds himself living the life of a sled dog in the Arctic wilderness. Through Buck’s adventure, the novel addresses what it takes to survive in the natural world, contemplates the connection between life and death, and demonstrates the power of respect and love. The Call of the Wild was immediately... Read The Call of the Wild Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Food, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
Wendy Mass’s novel The Candymakers is a work of middle-grade fiction that follows four children competing in a national candy making competition. As the children learn more about each other and the Life is Sweet candy factory, they give up their personal ambitions for the common good: to save the factory from a businessman who desires to steal the factory’s secret chocolate ingredient. Brown Books for Young Readers published the novel in 2010.Plot SummaryThe Candymakers... Read The Candymakers Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Children's Literature
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Self Discovery
Tags Survival Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Animals, Grief / Death, Mental Illness, Parenting, Natural Disaster, Science / Nature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature
Publication year 2018
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, LGBTQ, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction
Publication year 1985
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1969
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: War, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Action / Adventure, Historical Fiction, Survival Fiction, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Classic Fiction
The Cay is a 1969 middle grade novel by American author Theodore Taylor. The story follows an 11-year-old boy named Phillip who must survive on a small Caribbean island with an older Black man named Timothy. The novel is a survival story, but it is also about unlearning racism; Taylor dedicated the book to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Cay received several literary awards, including the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award in 1970, which... Read The Cay Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature
Publication year 1952
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Humor, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Children's Literature, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Bullying, Education, Education, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1997
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Immigration, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Education, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Historical Fiction, Poverty, Immigration / Refugee, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Community
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
The City of Ember (2003) is the first novel in Jeanne DuPrau’s highly-esteemed middle grade science fiction series of the same name. Readers meet the 12-year-old protagonists Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow, newly assigned members of the city of Ember’s working class. In their new jobs as messenger and Pipeworks laborer, Lina and Doon begin to grasp the disturbing truth about their doomed city—and discover the chance to leave it for good. The novel examines... Read The City of Ember Summary
Publication year 1991
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Historical Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Military / War, History: World
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Arts / Culture, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction
Published in 2001 by HarperCollins, The Color of My Words is a children’s novel written by lawyer and author, Lynn Joseph. The novel follows an adolescent protagonist, Ana Rosa, as she observes the world around her and eventually discovers the power of her own voice through writing. The Color of My Words received significant critical recognition, and the International Reading Association and the American Library Association named it a notable book. This study guide refers... Read The Color of My Words Summary