Baby Books & Picture Books Up to Age 5
Black is Brown is Tan
By Arnold Adoff
Children who are of all races, growing up happy in a house full of love. This is the way it is for them; this is the way they are, but the joy they feel extends to every reader of this book.
Spot Goes to the Farm
By Eric Hill
Join Spot, the dog, as he visits his dad, working on the farm, and help Spot look for baby animals. Animal sounds and lift-the-flaps reveal who is underneath.
Moo!
By David LaRochelle
A cow makes off with a farmer’s car and hits the road. The mood changes from moment to moment, as fun and fearsome events arise.
Books for Ages 5-8
Ruby Lu, Brave and True
By Lenore Look
From the perspective of 2nd grader, Chinese-American Ruby Lu takes us through her family adventures and ups and downs she experiences in school and at home.
Tales from Deckawoo Drive (Series)
By Kate DiCamillo
A spin-off of DiCamillo’s Mercy Watson series, this book series features numerous books with favorite characters and their own adventures. In Leroy Ninker Saddles Up, Leroy, a wanna-be cowboy without a horse, meets his horse and it is love at first sight. Many books in the series to follow up on different characters and fun.
The Hundred Dresses
By Eleanor Estes
Wanda is ridiculed by her classmates for wearing the same dress day in and day out. A gentle tale about bullies, bystanders, and having the courage to speak up.
Books for Ages 8-12
Beyond the Bright Sea
By Lauren Wolk
This is the story of a girl trying to discover who she is and who she wants to be, but it is also a fast-paced thriller with kidnapping and buried treasure, a murderous escaped convict, and a shipwreck.
The Stars Beneath Our Feet
By David Barclay Moore
Twelve-year-old Wallace “Lolly” lives in Harlem and is dealing with the sudden death of his brother. This story is about grief, anger and coping with the tough breaks in life with the help of family, friends, and activities.
The Science of Breakable Things
By Tae Keller
Natalie is a 12-year-old girl whose mother, a botanist, suffers from depression. Natalie enters a science project in hopes of helping her mother find hope and strength from a flower that can survive against impossible odds. A story about the science of hope, love, and miracles.
Books for Middle-Schoolers & Tweens
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky
By Kwabe Mbalia
An action-adventure book series rooted in African American lore, mythology, fantasy, and action. Follow Tristan Strong’s tales through time with black American folk heroes. A series presented by fantasy author Rick Riordan.
Dress Coded
By Carrie Firestone
Molly Frost learns that she can stand up and use her voice when things seem unfair, like when she is noticing that girls in her school are constantly dress coded for their outfits. Molly speaks out and starts a podcast that snowballs into a full-on movement.
Books for Older Teens & High Schoolers
Hearts Unbroken
By Cynthia Leitich Smith
A thoughtful story of a Native teen navigating the complicated, confusing waters of high school - and first love.
Fall of a Kingdom (Series)
By Hilari Bell
A fantasy series for teens and young adults featuring adventures including rescue, bargaining, and loyalty.
Books for Adults
The Infinite Game
By Simon Sinek
A great guide for opening your mind to leading with an infinite mindset. Infinite games, like business or politics or life itself, have players who come and go. The rules of an infinite game are changeable, and they have no defined endpoint. So, how do we succeed in the game we’re in? Read on for a framework of leading with an infinite mindset.