Party like it’s 1999
Erin Entrada Kelly’s second Newbery win has her and her fans (old and new) jumping for joy!
MADreads for Kids
Book reviews for children by library staff and guest contributors
Stacks of deliciousness
Gracey Zhang
Long before the days of cellphones and food delivery apps, demae (cycling deliverymen) used bicycles and amazing acrobatic balancing skills to deliver trays of steaming soba (buckwheat) noodles to hungry residents of Tokyo. The neighborhood kids all wonder, how do they manage those tottering towers of tasty food and stacks of breakable dishes while steering through the crowded streets with one hand on the handlebars? What would happen if the kids tried that too?
In the deep ocean, everything is connected
Jason Chin
This gorgeously illustrated nonfiction picture book shows the unique ecosystem of a whale fall. A massive blue whale dies, and her decomposing body nourishes various marine life, from scavengers to microorganisms, on the ocean floor over more than a century. Jason Chin’s watercolors beautifully depict the process in all its phases.
Singing in celebration
Susan Gal
There's a new baby at Zachary's house and he is thrilled to be a big brother. Best of all, it's his sister's very first Shabbat, and today she will be welcomed into her Jewish faith community when her name is announced publicly for the first time. On the walk to the synagogue, Zachary, Mama and Mommy encounter many neighbors eager to meet the newest member of the family. "Want to come with us to her naming ceremony?" Zachary invites. Of course they all do, and of course we readers want to come, too!
Little siblings can get away with anything
Rebecca Lee Kunz
Chooch is the baby. Well, he's not really a baby anymore, but anytime Chooch makes a mess, everyone says, "He's just usdi. Let him help." To Sissy, it feels like Chooch can get away with anything. He helps Elisi paint a mural, Etsi sew moccasins, and Edutsi make grape dumplings. Anyone who has ever let a toddler "help" with something can imagine how this goes, and when he helps Sissy make a clay pot she finally loses patience.
2025 ALA Youth Media Awards Announced
The American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books, video and audio books for children and young adults, including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards at LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience in Phoenix today.
A list of 2025 award winners follows:
Colette is missing
Neurodiverse thirteen-year-old Frankie has more than her share of challenges. She is learning to cope with multiple issues and manage her impulses. Meanwhile, Frankie’s twin sister, Tess, is handling the challenges of having a neurodiverse sibling.
Word adventures
The six realistic stories in this slim collection follow 10-year-old twins Ash and Mel and their younger brother Calvin. With carefully chosen and decodable words, this is a great option for both beginning readers and emerging readers looking to hone their skills. A list of content words (words that enhance the story but may not yet be decodable by all readers) is included at the beginning, and rich vocabulary words are bolded and defined in the text. And did I mention that the stories are fun and relatable?
Do we have a preposition for you
Oh, those pesky prepositions….In, Out, Up, Down, In Front, Behind….there are only so many ways to illustrate these concepts, right? Well, if including adorable, chonky knitted kittens is one of those ways, then we agree. Anna Hrachovec is a long time designer of tiny creatures known as “Mochi Mochi”, knitted (rather than crocheted) Japanese inspired toys known as Amigurumi. She has written several books of adorable patterns which can be found at Madison Public Library.
This books will give you jiggles (joy and giggles)
What do you get when you combine a snuggle and a tickle? That’s a snickle! And what do you get when you read Give Me a Snickle! by Alisha Sevigny? Just about the best feeling ever and the cutest board book around! This beautiful book pairs colorful photographs of babies and toddlers being cuddled by their loved ones with silly, rhyming, made-up words that describe different kinds of snuggles. Give Me A Snickle! is gorgeous and fun and captures the joy of snuggling. It is sure to delight little ones, ages 0-3, and their caregivers.
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