Looking for a gift for that hard-to-shop-for young someone? We might be biased but we think books are the perfect gift for anyone! Here are some suggestions from us--of course, you can also just check them out from the library if you want to read any of these yourself. You can also fill out a Giftmatch form to get customized suggestions from our staff.
These books are all recommended gifts for young readers (ages 0-18). Our 2020 adult gift guide is here!
Books for Pre-Schoolers through Elementary Schoolers
For those who love a sweet family story: Told in two voices, as a father and son share a nostalgic day, the father reminds his son he has all that it takes to explore and succeed in the world. |
Convinced that pizza is the best food, Pipo will eat nothing else until her fed-up parents send her on a quest to prove that no dishes in their multicultural neighborhood are better. |
Brains On! Presents It's Alive : From Neurons and Narwhals to the Fungus Among Us by Molly Bloom For young scientists: The creators of the award-winning science podcast present a humorous, fact-filled guide to the world of biology that shares STEM-based explanations for everything from microbes and meat-eating plants to brain tricks and stinky bacteria. |
All thirteen : the incredible cave rescue of the Thai boys' soccer team by Christina Soontornvat For young readers looking for a real-life survival story: Combines firsthand interviews with scientific and cultural insights in a middle grade account of the 2018 Thai cave rescue of the Wild Boars soccer team and the critical, sophisticated engineering operation that saved the lives of 13 young people. |
Books for Tweens & Teens
Flamer
by Mike Curato For the tween trying to figure themselves out: In the summer between middle school and high school, Aiden Navarro navigates friendships, deals with bullies, and finds himself drawn to Elias, a boy he can't stop thinking about. |
Class act
by Jerry Craft For the New Kids and all looking to belong somewhere: Eighth grader Drew Ellis recognizes that he is't afforded the same opportunities, no matter how hard he works, that his privileged classmates at the Riverdale Academy Day School take for granted, and to make matters worse, Drew begins to feel as if his good friend Liam might be one of those privileged kids and is finding it hard not to withdraw, even as their mutual friend Jordan tries to keep their group of friends together |
Glitch : To Save the Future, They Have to Protect the Past by Laura Martin For future past historians: Training to become time travelers who prevent others from altering important historical events, rival Glitchers Regan and Elliot are forced to set aside their animosity when a dire prediction from the future requires them to work together and break every rule they have ever been taught. |
Even If We Break
by Marieke Nijkamp For Dungeon Masters and Player Characters: A group of friends, bound together by years of history, embark on a visit to a cabin before dangerous secrets and unknown threats reveal a sinister plot that compromises their safety. By the best-selling author of This Is Where It Ends. |
A song below water
by Bethany C. Morrow For those who believe in the magic of the everyday: A metaphorical tale follows the experiences of a Black teen siren and her haunted best friend, who find themselves targeted by violence when they are unable to hide their supernatural identities in an alternate world that discriminates against magic. |
The voting booth
by Brandy Colbert For the teen who can't wait to be eligible to vote: Preparing to vote for the first time, Marva is indignant when she observes a fellow teen turned away from the voting booth and teams up with him to fight a corrupt system and search for a missing cat. By the award-winning author of Finding Yvonne. |
I hope you're listening
by Tom Ryan For the Nancy Drew-wannabes: Seventeen-year-old Dee secretly hosts a popular true-crime podcast but when a missing child seems linked to the disappearance of her best friend ten years ago, she considers revealing her identity to uncover the truth. |
Running by Natalia Sylvester For the young adult who wants their voice to be heard: Seeing her father with new eyes when he launches a presidential campaign, a sheltered Cuban-American teen is exposed to unwanted media attention, scandals and devastating truths before finding the courage to speak out. By the award-winning author of Everyone Knows You Go Home. |
Check, Please! : sticks & scones
by Ngozi Ukazu For baking fans and hockey bros: A conclusion to the graphic-novel story that began with Check, Please! finds figure skater-turned-college hockey player Bitty navigating tough athletic training and his new relationship with Jack while the latter is on a major-league road trip. |
A song of wraiths and ruin by Roseanne A. Brown For fans of epic fantasy who aren't quite ready for A Song of Ice and Fire: A first entry in a planned duology inspired by West African folklore finds a grieving crown princess and a desperate refugee on a collision course to destroy each other despite their growing attraction. |