Kids Staff Picks (August 2026)Like this list

12 items

• Breakout

  Wyman, Christina

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  If you’ve ever had the experience of racing to the bathroom first thing in the morning to check on the status of a pimple you felt popping up last night, you will know exactly how Ellis Star feels. 13-year-old Ellis has been navigating “the Acne…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Cactus Home

  Madan, Vikram

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  One cactus grows and grows and over time it becomes a fun home for songbirds, owls, and squirrels. That’s when a cluster of spiders arrives! The new neighbors are a little...odd. But they are welcome. And when a storm strikes and damages the cactus,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Chismosas Only Book Club

  Kemp, Laekan Zea,

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  Step over the threshold of Milagro’s Books and the right book is bound to wind up in your hands – almost like magic. The tiny bookshop has welcomed generations of readers in Nueva Rosita, New Mexico. It’s also the preferred hangout for 14-year-old…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Diamond Fever!

  a True Crime Story in the Wild West

  Sheinkin, Steve

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  Eureka! Maybe you’ve heard stories about the California Gold Rush? In 1842, after gold was discovered in a creek in California, nearly 300,000 people traveled from around the world and across the United States hoping to strike it rich. Well, have…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Fluffy Futon

  Kasano, Yūichi, 1956-

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  On a warm, sunny day, Grandma brings a futon onto the front porch to air. Along comes a kitty-cat and – yawn - what a good place for a nap! When Grandma sees that – yawn – she ploffs down, right next to the cat. What do you think will happen when a…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Fourteen Ways of Looking at Jellyfish

  Weatherford, Carole Boston, 1956-

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  Did you know that a Nomura’s jellyfish can weigh up to 450 pounds? Or that jellyfish kill more humans than sharks do? From the height of a dock to the depths of the ocean, the pages of a scientific notebook to folklore – award-winning author Carole…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Hot Dog!

  the History of America's Favorite Sausage /

  Van Zandt, Christine,

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  Did you know that people in the United States eat about twenty billion hot dogs a year? Or that if you placed twenty billion hot dogs end to end, you could circle Earth about seventy-five times? That’s a lot of hot dogs! And those facts are just the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Kindergarten Gets Ready

  Danis, Naomi,

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  Are you getting ready to start kindergarten? So is your teacher! Meet Mr. Bee and his pet guinea pig Yoshi. It is the week before school starts and they have important work to do. There are books, blocks, and dress-up clothes to unpack. Markers,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Mystery of the Missing World Cup Trophy

  Cervantes, Angela

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  His dad wishes he’d focus on soccer, but Diez’s true passion is reading detective stories and solving mysteries. And when the World Cup Trophy goes missing from the hotel where his Dad works, the game is afoot! As luck would have it, a storm has the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Naked Streak

  Howard, Kim,

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  “On Monday it was decided that there would be no more hats. On Tuesday it was decided that there would be no more coats.” For each day that passes, a strong-willed toddler rejects one more article of clothing. By Saturday he is naked. Naked on a…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Story Rug

  Blackall, Sophie,

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  Class 203 is in a braiding craze! During free time, Ms. Morena’s students are busy braiding everything in sight: each other’s hair, the tails of the toy ponies, even their shoelaces. But Noah can’t find a thing to braid! His hair is short and his…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Tiny Garden

  Underwood, Deborah,

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  Andrew loves plants. But a big, showy garden is too large for a small boy. So, Andrew picks up a small shovel, digs a small rectangle, and plants one packet of seeds. “This is far too small for a garden,” his neighbor warns. But Andrew keeps…Read moreRead more of this annotation