South Pole and the North Pole: Two Books in One, TheLi Rongbin, illustrated by Juliana MotzkoThe South Pole and the North Pole is a fascinating and interactive picture book that takes young readers on an exciting journey to explore the similarities and differences between the Earth's two polar regions.Librarian Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book detailsCBC Favorites Awards 2026
Annual favorites chosen by children, teachers, and librarians from books submitted by publishers.
2026 CBC Favorites AwardsSee the original list
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Librarian Favorites — 3rd–5th Grade
5 of 40 selections on this pageContinued from page 8
South Pole and the North Pole: Two Books in One, TheLi Rongbin, illustrated by Juliana MotzkoThe South Pole and the North Pole is a fascinating and interactive picture book that takes young readers on an exciting journey to explore the similarities and differences between the Earth's two polar regions.Librarian Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Stuck! The Story of La Brea Tar PitsJoyce Uglow, illustrated by Valerya MilovanovaThe science and history of the La Brea Tar Pits reveal how asphalt trapped ancient animals and preserved clues to Ice Age Los Angeles.Librarian Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Stuff That Stuff Is Made Of: The Things We Make With Plants, TheJonathan Drori, illustrated by Raxenne Maniquiz and Jiatong LiuChildren's Book Council’s 2026 Librarian Favorite Jonathan Drori brings life to the science of 30 plants, revealing how their worlds are entwined with our own in this beautiful one-of-a-kind family book.Did you know that there's seaweed in ice cream, cork in spacecraft and dandelion in truck tires?Librarian Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Three Blue HeartsLynne KellyBut for the next few months, Max and his mom are going away to a quiet Texas beach town where Max can be someone else. Someone who doesn’t make dumb mistakes that embarrass his father—someone who knows how to be strong.He stumbles on his fresh start right away, when he finds an injured octopus washed up onshore after…Librarian Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Very Asian Guide to Taiwanese Food, ANancy Jeng, illustrated by Felicia LiangA Very Asian Guide to Taiwanese Food introduces little readers to classic and modern Taiwanese dishes and provides fun facts about the foods and culture of Taiwan.About the Series: The Very Asian Guide series invites kids to explore different foods and cultures from all over Asia.Librarian Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book detailsLibrarian Favorites — 6th–8th Grade
40 selections
Rank 1J vs KKwame Alexander, Jerry CraftA New York Times and IndieBound bestseller!Created by real-life rivals and #1 New York Times bestselling authors Kwame Alexander and Jerry Craft this hilarious…Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeATOS 4.8AR interest Middle Grades (MG 4-8)View book details
Rank 2ChickenpoxRemy LaiChickenpox is a contemporary middle-grade graphic novel about eldest sister Abby, who is quarantined at home with her four younger siblings and must reconsider her feelings about family while everyone recovers.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeATOS 3.0AR interest MG 4–8View book details
Rank 3HickSarah MillerThis young adult biography follows Lorena Hickok from a difficult childhood into a groundbreaking journalism career and her intimate relationship with Eleanor Roosevelt.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Rank 4Trouble With Heroes, TheKate MessnerThe Trouble with Heroes is a novel in verse about Finn, who must hike all forty-six Adirondack High Peaks after damaging a tombstone and gradually confronts grief and trauma connected to his father’s death.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeATOS 5.1AR interest MG 4–8View book details
Rank 5One Crazy Summer: The Graphic NovelRita Williams-Garcia“I wish I didn’t know that I was marching my sisters into a boiling pot of trouble cooking in Oakland...”Eleven-year-old Delphine is like a…Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Rank 6Old SchoolGordon KormanFrom the New York Times bestselling author of The Unteachables comes a hilarious story about a boy who is homeschooled in his grandmother’s retirement…Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Rank 7War GamesAlan GratzEvie Harris can't believe her luck: She's competing in the Olympics,along with fellow American athletes like Jesse Owens. True, there'ssomething creepy about Germany's leader, Adolf Hitler, whowatches over the games with his Nazi henchmen.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Rank 8White House Secrets: Medical Lies and Cover-UpsGail JarrowFinalist, 2026 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young AdultsA School Library Journal Best BookChicago Public Library Best of the Best List 2025CCBC…Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Rank 9Mallory in Full ColorElisa Stone LeahyA funny, poignant coming-of-age middle grade novel about a tween who navigates questions of identity and friendship when her anonymous web comic goes viral, from the acclaimed author of Tethered to Other Stars.Mallory Marsh is an expert at molding into whatever other people want her to be.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Rank 10Leyendas/Legends: 60 Latine People Who Changed the WorldMónica Mancillas, illustrated by Isadora ZeferinoThis collective biography introduces 60 Latine artists, engineers, activists, athletes, and other figures whose work changed their communities and fields.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Rank 11Allyship as Action: 7 Ways to Advocate for OthersTanya Boteju, illustrated by Bithi SutradharSeven practical approaches and realistic scenarios help young readers understand privilege, avoid performative allyship, learn from mistakes, and act in support of others.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeLexile 970LView book details
Rank 12Chinese Mythology: Legendary Tales of Heaven, Earth, Humanity, and BeyondAaron Hwang, illustrated by Adela LiStep into the magical and rich world of Chinese mythology with tales of gods, goddesses, the Monkey King, the White Snake, and more in this gorgeous, fully illustrated collection of myths and fairy tales.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Rank 13Isle of EverJen CalonitaBenny has just two weeks to find it.Everly "Benny" Benedict and her mom have always managed to get by, though they're broke most of the time. Benny's just learned she's the sole heir to the vast fortune of Evelyn Terry, a mysterious ancestor from the 1800s!There's a catch, though.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Rank 14Winter of the Dollhouse, TheLaura Amy SchlitzEleven-year-old Tiphany, an elderly woman, and a captive antique doll named Gretel become entangled through the secrets of a long-neglected dollhouse.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Rank 15Dream Warriors 1: A New WorldJesse Byrd, illustrated by Berto SantiagoNow a Children's Book Council LIBRARIAN FAVORITES 2026An exciting launch to a new graphic novel franchise that combines action, adventure, multi-cultural dream mythology, and of course humor. For readers, this is what dreams are made of!Dream Warriors are magical beings who battle "nap to night" to keep sleeping people safe from bad dreams.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Adi of Boutanga: A Story from CameroonAlain Serge DzotapThirteen-year-old Adi lives among the Mbororo people in western Cameroon and wants to keep learning, but a powerful uncle declares that she is old enough to marry. Her family seeks a way for her to live and study without fear.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Athlete is AgenderKatherine Locke and Nicole MellebyProfiles and first-person accounts explore LGBTQ+ athletes across sports and levels, including Adam Rippon, CeCé Telfer, Megan Rapinoe, Billie Jean King, and coauthor em dickson. The collection examines identity, participation, and barriers in sport.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Billions to BurnTaylor BanksZeus discovers that his grandfather’s stories about Harlem Renaissance magazine Burn! and a hidden fortune are true. When his grandfather disappears, Zeus and his friends solve map riddles while uncovering Black history and family secrets.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Bree Boyd is a LegendLeah JohnsonRule-loving seventh grader Bree Boyd is a spelling champion who thrives on predictability and high expectations. After lightning gives her telekinesis, she must adapt to a life she can no longer control.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Canine Connection: How Dogs and Humans Evolved TogetherChristopher GudgeonDogs understand humans better than any other animal does, even chimpanzees, our closest relatives.Dogs are experts in human body language and expressions, and over time the muscles around their eyes have even adapted so they can communicate more easily with humans.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeLexile 1030LView book details
Catching Cryptids: The Scientific Search for Mysterious CreaturesKim Long, illustrated by Nicole MilesLearn how to find Kraken, Mothman, Microbats, and more in this fun, fact-filled, STEM-based cryptozoology book for fans of The Book of Mythical Beasts and Magical Creatures. For years the kraken was considered a mythical beast.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Cosmo ParkMadeleine Finlay, illustrated by Tom DearieThis rollercoaster ride through the galaxy is a bright and thrilling comic, following a narrative that is packed full of fascinating science facts and concepts about cosmology within a exciting and funny adventure story.The Universal Nature Park is a place of wonder and scientific adventure, but watch out – there are mysterious and nefarious plots afoot, and it’s…Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
CovenSoman Chainani, illustrated by Joel GennariNeed your magical crime solved?Call the Witch Coven.Hester, Anadil, and Dot are legendary across the Endless Woods as vigilante detectives and protectors of the peace. The famed trio are not only talented witches but also ride-or-die friends who’ve never left a case unsolved.That is, until the Coven answers a call for help from a mysterious new world—Red Isle…Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Day at the Beach, AGary D. Schmidt, Ron KoertgeLook Both Ways meets Seedfolks in this masterful novel from two titans of kid lit that follows a diverse cast of young people whose…Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
El NiñoPam Muñoz RyanSwimmer Kai Sosa is still grieving his missing sister when a strange library book begins echoing through his life, drawing him into a storm where myth, memory, and reality collide.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeLexile 740LATOS 5.3View book details
Extra LargeTyler PageTyler Page returns with a touching middle grade memoir about a boy dealing with Button Pusher weight gain, bullying, and gendered expectations all while starting a new school year.It’s the start of a new school year for Tyler, and with it comes brand-new problems.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Game Changers: Stories of Hijabi Athletes from around the WorldCharlene SmithProfiles of thirteen hijabi athletes from around the world show how they compete at high levels while challenging cultural assumptions and institutional barriers.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeLexile 1100LView book details
Hamburgers Don't Grow on Trees: Raising Beef on a Family Farm with KindnessLiza F. Carter, illustrated by Liza F. CarterHamburgers Don't Grow on Trees: Raising Beef on a Family Farm with Kindness offers a thoughtful and compassionate exploration of where our food comes from. Through the story of Lima Bean, a calf raised on a family farm committed toanimal welfare and sustainable practices, readers experience the full circle of life—from birth and playful youth to the difficult…Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Into the RapidsAnn BradenAfter a superstorm isolates her mountain town and reawakens her mother's grief, self-reliant Addy works with a classmate to help their neighbors and learns to ask for help.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Jella Lepman and Her Library of Dreams: The Woman Who Rescued a Generation of Children and Founded the World’s Largest Children’s LibraryKatherine PatersonThe true story of how one visionary woman used children’s books to help heal a generation of Germany’s children after WWII and went on to set up the International Youth Library and International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY).Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Limelight: Curtain Up on Poetry Comics!Renee LaTulippe, illustrated by Chuck GonzalesA clever kids' graphic book featuring theater-inspired poems, told in 3 acts chronicling a musical, from auditions to opening night! Young thespian fans of Theater Camp and Better Nate Than Ever will cherish this love letter to theater and theater production.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Lost Women of Science, TheMelina Gerosa Bellows and Katie Hafner, illustrated by Karyn LeeDrawn from the Lost Women of Science podcast, this collection profiles ten women scientists whose lives and contributions were overlooked or omitted from conventional histories.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Refugee: The Graphic NovelAlan Gratz, illustrated by Syd FiniThis graphic novel interweaves the journeys of Josef, fleeing Nazi Germany in the 1930s; Isabel, leaving Cuba by raft in 1994; and Mahmoud, escaping Syria in 2015. Although separated by time and place, their searches for safety become connected.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Ride or DieDelilah S. DawsonA sleepover at an amusement park takes a chilling turn in this pulse-pounding horror from the New York Times bestselling author of Mine and Camp Scare. Turning fun into fear. . . .Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Rodeo Hawkins and the Daughters of MayhemJohn Claude Bemis, illustrated by Nicole MilesFoster kid Sidney Poblocki is thrilled to learn his destiny is to save the multiverse—until he discovers it’s actually his destiny to destroy it—in this fantasy adventure graphic novel!Get ready for Mayhem!When Sidney Poblocki runs away from his troubled home life, he winds up in a whole new world of trouble.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Scientists Like Me: Stories, Advice, and Inspiration from 25 Trailblazers with Experiments to Try at HomeJaNay Brown-Wood and Kamin Science Center, illustrated by Kristen UrodaPerfect for science loving kids, this book offers engaging profiles of twenty-five diverse scientists in fields ranging from physics to medicine to programming, paired with hands-on activities that let young readers jump right into the work.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Six -- Young Readers Edition: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts, TheLoren GrushThis young readers edition follows the first six American women astronauts as they train, fly missions, and challenge barriers at NASA.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Totally Awesome World of Caitlin Clark: Learn All There Is to Know about Your Favorite All-Star, TheSara WeissLearn everything there is to know about the WNBA’s brightest star in The Totally Awesome World of Caitlin Clark!Are you a basketball superfan? Do you want to dive into the life of one of the greatest players?Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Unexplained: UFOs, TheAdam Allsuch Boardman, illustrated by Adam Allsuch BoardmanExplore the mysteries of UFOs in this graphic guide for middle grade readers and decide for yourself – are we alone in the universe?Whether it’s eerie lights in the sky, impossibly fast aircraft or the secrets surrounding Area 51, UFOs have fascinated people for decades.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Village Beyond the Mist, TheSachiko Kashiwaba; translated by Avery Fischer Udagawa, illustrated by Miho Satake"Kashiwaba's novel is indeed transporting. . . . She could be at her grandma’s house in Nagano now, instead of trudging through a forest in search of a town that might not even exist.Librarian Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book detailsLibrarian Favorites — 9th–12th Grade
15 of 40 selections on this pageContinues on page 10
Rank 1Banned Together: Our Fight for Readers' RightsAshley Hope PérezFifteen authors and illustrators contribute fiction, memoir, poetry, comics, and essays about book bans and the freedom to read. The anthology also includes guidance and resource lists for teenagers responding to censorship.Librarian Favorites — 9th–12th GradeView book details
Rank 2Art of Drag, TheJake Hall, illustrated by Sofie Birkin, Helen Li, and Jasjyot Singh HansThis illustrated cultural history traces drag through theater, fashion, sexuality, and politics, from ancient performance and Kabuki to Shakespeare, Stonewall, ballroom culture, and contemporary artists.Librarian Favorites — 9th–12th GradeView book details
Rank 3Secret AstronomersJessica Walker, illustrated by Jessica WalkerBarnes & Noble's Best Young Adult Book of the Year!Two strangers. Thus begins a sweeping tale of unlikely friendship and long-buried secrets between two secret pen pals at a rural West Virginia high school.Copernicus is adrift and searching for answers after the sudden death of her mother, and leaving her cosmopolitan life in San Francisco behind.Librarian Favorites — 9th–12th GradeView book details
Rank 4All Better NowNeal ShustermanA deadly and unprecedented virus is spreading. But those who survive it experience long-term effects no one has ever seen before: utter contentment.Librarian Favorites — 9th–12th GradeView book details
Rank 5Dear MannyNic StoneHis platform is solid—built on increased equity and inclusion in all sectors of campus life—and he’s got a good chance of beating the deeply conservative business major he’s running against.But when a transfer student enters the race, she calls Jared out for his big-talk/little-action way of moving.Librarian Favorites — 9th–12th GradeView book details
Rank 6Fake SkatingLynn PainterFunny, kind of nerdy, and a little soft, Alec was always down to hang with Dani when they were little. From play dates to sneaking into movie theaters, Dani and Alec were inseparable.Librarian Favorites — 9th–12th GradeView book details
Rank 7Shampoo UnicornSawyer LovettShampoo Unicorn is the most powerful debut of the year. Lovett’s book is heartfelt, genuine, and raw.Librarian Favorites — 9th–12th GradeView book details
Rank 8Up In SmokeNick Brooks"A dynamic and heart-pounding thriller . . . Up In Smoke has the highest of stakes and a tender love story at its core." ―bestselling author Jessica GoodmanA girl determined to clear her brother's name.Librarian Favorites — 9th–12th GradeView book details
Rank 9Sunrise on the Reaping (A Hunger Games Novel)Suzanne CollinsAnd it's great." The New York TimesWhen you've been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem.Librarian Favorites — 9th–12th GradeView book details
Rank 10(S)KinIbi ZoboiEvery new moon, she sheds her skin like the many women before her, shifting into a fireball witch who must fly into the night and slowly sip from the lives of others to sustain her own.Librarian Favorites — 9th–12th GradeView book details
Rank 11Under the Same StarsLibba BrayLockhart, author of We Were Liars and Genuine Fraud "Stirring and absolutely unforgettable" ―Samira Ahmed, New York Times-bestselling author of Internment and Hollow Fires…Librarian Favorites — 9th–12th GradeView book details
Rank 12After We BurnedMarieke NijkampAfter a fire destroys Fenix’s high school and kills Eden, five teenagers each hold part of the truth about what happened. Their attempts to protect their own secrets drive this suspense novel.Librarian Favorites — 9th–12th GradeView book details
Rank 13Latina Superheroes (Volume 1): Jalisco & SantaKayden PhoenixMeet Jalisco and Santa: Jalisco is looking for her beloved mother, who disappeared mysteriously. Santa is faced with taking down the corrupt politicians in her hometown.Librarian Favorites — 9th–12th GradeView book details
Rank 14Sometimes the GirlJennifer Mason-BlackTo earn enough money for a rebalancing trip with Maya, Holi gets a short-term job: organizing the attic of acclaimed author Elsie McAllister. It's an unglamorous gig with a difficult boss.Librarian Favorites — 9th–12th GradeView book details
Rank 15First Time for Everything, AK. L. WaltherFrom the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer of Broken Rules comes a fun new coming-of-age romance full of dating disasters, powerful firsts, and the importance of family.Madeline has always been extremely close to her family, so she is shocked when her older brother gets engaged without including them (or even giving them a heads up!).Librarian Favorites — 9th–12th GradeView book details