Kids Staff Picks (October 2025)Like this list

12 items

• The Black Mambas

  the World's First All-woman Anti-poaching Unit

  Crull, Kelly,

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  “We are the Black Mambas! We are the first women park rangers in South Africa and the first women-led anti-poaching unit in the world. Although we come from different tribes and speak different languages, we are united by a common goal. We want to…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Blood in the Water

  Jackson, Tiffany D.,

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  Summer vacation is murder for Kaylani McKinnon. Only several months prior to the beginning of summer break, Kaylani’s father, an accountant, was arrested on charges of embezzling funds from a client. Kaylani knows he’s telling the truth, and she…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Blue Velvet Chair

  Cortez, Rio,

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  How do we measure time? A little girl measures the passage of time personally (her own growth from baby to kid) and collectively (the passage of a day, the changing of the seasons) from the comfort of the view from her very favorite blue velvet…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Graciela in the Abyss

  Medina, Meg,

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  Once upon a time, in the village of Pesca Grotta, there lived a fisherman’s daughter named Graciela who loved the ocean. But, on her 13th birthday, as Graciela explored the steep seaside cliffs, a sudden gust of wind swept her right to the bottom…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Pocket Bear

  Applegate, Katherine,

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  “OUR CAT IS A BURGLAR. PLEASE ACCEPT OUT APOLOGIES,” reads the sign outside of Zephyrina’s lair. Zephyrina (Kleptocat to her neighbors) once ruled the streets. But fresh food and a cat door have tempted her into semi-residence at Second Chances Home…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Popo the Xolo

  Lopez, Paloma Angelina,

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  Nana loves her family, her novelas, and her best apapachador (cuddler), Popo, a xoloitzcuintle. Xoloitzcuintles, xolos for short, are one of the oldest dog breeds in the world. Small and often hairless, they are the national dog of Mexico. For many…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Rise Up!

  Powerful Protests in American History

  Katz, Rachel C.,

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  “Throughout our long history, when something’s unfair, when rights need expanding, or wrongs need repair, Americans argue. We march despite fear. We write songs and speeches. We go volunteer. We campaign and vote. We challenge tradition. Protest is…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• This Year, a Witch!

  Abbott, Zoey,

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  “Last year I was a bunny. The year before that I was a mouse. Every single year since I was a baby I’ve been utterly adorable. Ugh. Blech. Sickening! Yuck.” A young girl explores self expression when she selects the first Halloween costume of her…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Unlikely Aventuras of Ramón and El Cucuy

  An Illustrated Chapter Book

  Higuera, Donna Barba,

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  “Go to sleep, Ramón, or el cucuy will come eat you,” says Abuelita before turning out the lights. In Spanish and Portuguese-speaking regions, in the olden days, there once lived a kind of monster who loved nothing more than to eat naughty children.…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• We Go Slow

  Tallie, Mariahadessa Ekere, 1973-

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  Time is a blur, as most members of a family race out the door and into their busy days. But time slows down as the youngest daughter and her grandfather enjoy their slower-paced morning routine. For them, “Mornings are soft laughter, fresh bread,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Will's Race for Home

  a Western

  Rhodes, Jewell Parker,

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  On April 22, 1889, thousands of settlers raced to lay claim to millions of acres of “free” land in Oklahoma. In actuality, this land had previously been home to members of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek), and Seminole tribes and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The World Entire

  a True Story of An Extraordinary World War II Rescue

  Brown, Elizabeth, 1964-

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  In 1939, as war spread across Europe, a Portuguese diplomat named Aristides de Sousa Mendes defied government orders to save countless lives. Aided by friends and family, de Sousa Mendes turned his office into a visa-approving factory, stamping…Read moreRead more of this annotation