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 1979
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Classic Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Children's Literature
The Neverending Story (originally titled Die unendliche Geschichte) is a 1979 Young Adult fantasy novel by German author Michael Ende. The book describes the adventures of a boy named Bastian who initially reads about and then physically enters the world of Fantastica, which is threatened by a sinister, amorphous of destruction called “the Nothing.” Like Ende’s other novels, Momo (1973) and The Night of Wishes: Or the Satanarchaeolidealcohellish Notion Potion (1989), the novel is a... Read The Neverending Story Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fame
Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Bullying, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, History: World, Indian Literature
The Night Diary, Veera Hiranandani’s 2018 work of historical fiction for middle-grade and young adult readers, consists of 60 diary entries spanning approximately four months. In it, the author chronicles the events of India’s post-World War II independence from Britain and subsequent partition through the voice of a 12-year-old Indian girl, Nisha. The fictional family in the novel is loosely based on the childhood experiences of Hiranandani’s father, whose family, like Nisha’s, made the journey... Read The Night Diary Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1888
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Allegory / Fable / Parable, Fantasy, Romance, Irish Literature, Children's Literature, History: World, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Classic Fiction
“The Nightingale and the Rose” is a children’s story by Irish writer Oscar Wilde, included in his 1888 fairy tale collection, The Happy Prince and Other Tales. Like many of the other stories in the collection, “The Nightingale and the Rose” is a fable examining the nature of love and self-sacrifice. “The Nightingale and the Rose” conforms to the simplistic story structure of traditional fairy tales while subverting many of the genre’s norms.This guide refers... Read The Nightingale and the Rose Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Tags History: U.S., American Revolution, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World, Biography
The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism and Treachery, written by Steven Sheinkin and published in 2010, is a biography for young readers about one of America's notable war heroes who was also her most famous traitor—Benedict Arnold. How this startling reversal came about is traced in the book, which is rigorously researched yet presented in the manner of an adventure novel. Sheinkin confronts the moral ambiguities that lie at the heart... Read The Notorious Benedict Arnold Summary
Publication year 1998
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Psychology, Parenting, Science / Nature, Sociology, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Social Science, Psychology
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Family, Society: Education, Society: Immigration, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Crime / Legal, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction
Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer is a 2010 middle-grade novel written by John Grisham, and it is the first installment in the Theodore Boone series. Grisham is an experienced layer and writer of over 30 novels, with most of his writing in the legal thriller genre. Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer is Grisham’s first foray into writing for a younger audience, which the author called a challenge in shifting the way he thought about his writing approach... Read Theodore Boone Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Family
Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Fairy Tale / Folklore
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Grief / Death, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Animals, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Animals
Tags Animals, Fantasy, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Animals, Fantasy
The One and Only Ivan (2012) is a children’s novel by Katherine Applegate, author of many popular children's, middle grade, and young adult books, including Crenshaw (2015), Willodeen (2021), and the Animorphs series. Winner of the John Newbery Medal, the highest honor for US children’s literature, The One and Only Ivan received starred reviews in Kirkus and the School Library Journal and was a New York Times bestseller.The novel is based on the true story... Read The One And Only Ivan Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Animals
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Arts / Culture
The Only Road (2016) is Alexandra Diaz’s second novel. Diaz is the daughter of Cuban immigrants, and this book focuses on the experience of migration. The novel, written primarily for young adults, follows cousins Jaime and Ángela, who are forced to flee their small Guatemalan village after the local gang kills Ángela’s brother. Faced with either joining the gang responsible for his death or taking the uncertain 4,000-kilometer journey north, Jaime and Ángela reluctantly leave... Read The Only Road Summary
Publication year 1997
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Immigration
Tags Children's Literature, Italian Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Historical Fiction, African Literature, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction
The Other Side of Truth is a young adult novel by South African writer Beverley Naidoo that was published in 2000. The work is set in both Nigeria and in London, and it takes place after the 1995 Nigerian execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa, a writer and activist who spoke out against Nigeria’s military government’s corruption. Sade is the novel’s protagonist. The story is written in the third person, and it follows the journey of Sade... Read The Other Side of Truth Summary
Publication year 1967
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
The Outsiders (1967) is S. E. Hinton’s first novel, which she wrote when she was a high school student. The novel addresses themes of violence, masculinity, and belonging, all of which Hinton witnessed first-hand with her childhood friends. In interviews, Hinton has explained that she saw a need for realistic books for teenage readers and decided to solve the problem herself. This coming-of-age story was inspired by her experiences growing up in Oklahoma and witnessing... Read The Outsiders Summary
Publication year 1871
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage, Natural World: Animals
Tags Children's Literature
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction
Originally published in 2018, The Parker Inheritance is a fast-paced mystery novel with messages about identity and society. Varian Johnson presents a dynamic young protagonist, Candice, who teams up with her new friend Brandon to uncover the truth behind a mysterious letter that reveals the hidden history of Lambert, South Carolina.The Parker Inheritance is the recipient of a number of awards: it was named a 2019 Coretta Scott King Honor Book, a Publishers Weekly Best... Read The Parker Inheritance Summary