Best Books for Kids 2023

27 Books Found

Filtered by 'Friendship'
  • Aniana del Mar Jumps In

    Recently diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Aniana must navigate the dual obstacles of chronic pain and the familial trauma that keeps her mother stubbornly opposed to the young athlete’s dreams of life as a professional swimmer.

    Cover of Aniana del Mar Jumps In
  • The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name

    Art by Michelle Pereira | Zimdalamashkermishkada starts at a new school and is afraid others will have trouble pronouncing his name. He tries many ways to shrink his name until his friends help him see it from a new perspective.

    Cover of The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name
  • Bunny and Tree

    Bunny is separated from its colony and turns to a shape-shifting tree for help. Through nine wordless, thoughtfully illustrated acts, they brave predators, sail across oceans and fly through the sky in search of Bunny's new home.

    Cover of Bunny and Tree
  • Curlfriends: New in Town

    Twelve-year-old military kid Charlie Harper is no stranger to being the new kid. Middle school means a fresh start, and she is convinced this is her chance to be cool. However, Charlie feels like fitting in might mean pretending to be someone she isn't.

    Cover of Curlfriends: New in Town
  • Dear Mothman

    Through letters written to the mysterious Mothman of local lore, Noah explores the grief of losing his best friend and what it means to be trans.

    Cover of Dear Mothman
  • Deephaven

    Something sinister lurks in the halls of Deephaven Academy. Amid new friendships and rivalries, young nonbinary inventor Nev quickly discovers that the school contains dark secrets that put every student in peril.

    Cover of Deephaven
  • Doodles from the Boogie Down

    In the Bronx circa 2000, it's time for eighth-grader Steph to apply to high school. Will she pick the private Catholic school chosen by her protective Dominican mother or LaGuardia, where she can pursue her own dreams of becoming an artist?

    Cover of Doodles from the Boogie Down
  • The Eyes and the Impossible

    Art by Shawn Harris | In a wildlife park ruled by a cast of quirky animals, Johannes, a charismatic free dog and the appointed Eyes of the park, narrates a story that dips into the philosophical and the humorous while exploring themes of loss, community, love, and hope.

    Cover of The Eyes and the Impossible
  • Greenwild

    Before Daisy’s mother disappeared, she instructed her daughter to seek help in Kew Gardens should something go wrong. Now that everything has fallen apart and Daisy is on her own, she must travel to a magical world to find her mother, herself, and the many meanings of family.

    Cover of Greenwild
  • Lasagna Means I Love You

    Feeling disconnected from her roots when she finds herself in the New York City foster care system, Mo begins writing letters to her late grandmother. Inspired by a stolen cookbook, Mo builds a website and connects with others to share recipes and find her relatives.

    Cover of Lasagna Means I Love You
  • The Lost Year

    During the Covid-19 pandemic, Matthew's Ukrainian American great-grandmother moves in. When Matthew discovers letters exchanged between cousins during the famine in 1930s Ukraine, his relationship with GG and understanding of her life and true identity are permanently altered.

    Cover of The Lost Year
  • The Many Masks of Andy Zhou

    Andy has a lot on his plate: middle school, changing friendships, complicated family, and his own anxiety. Through a budding passion for art, Andy finds ways to help others in his life and discovers who he wants to be in this contemporary slice-of-life story.

    Cover of The Many Masks of Andy Zhou
  • Mascot

    A broad range of emotions, opinions, and cultures are on display when seventh graders at Rye Middle School debate the implications of their school's racially charged mascot.

    Cover of Mascot
  • The Party Diaires

    Art by Aaliya Jaleel | Contemplative Priya and her extroverted best friend plan a color-themed birthday party for Priya's aunt.

    Cover of The Party Diaires
  • Remember Us

    It's summer in "The Matchbox" Bushwick, and seventh-grader Sage just wants to play basketball. But outside the game, there's a world of changing friendships, sudden deaths, and homes lost and found. A gritty but lyrical look at what "once was" in 1970s Brooklyn.

    Cover of Remember Us
  • Ruby Lost and Found

    It's the worst punishment 13-year-old Ruby could imagine: being forced to spend the summer at her grandmother's senior center. As Ruby delves deeper into her Chinese American community, she grapples with her grandfather's death and concern for Nai-Nai's fading memory.

    Cover of Ruby Lost and Found
  • The Skull

    Otilla stumbles upon a dark castle where a lonely talking skull resides. A true friendship can be found in the most unlikely of places.

    Cover of The Skull
  • That Flag

    Art by Nikkolas Smith | Keira and Bianca are best friends, but only at school. At home, Bianca's family flies a Confederate flag, and their differing perspectives on the flag's meaning cause conflict. When a tragedy occurs in their community, they must grapple with the flag's impact and racist history.

    Cover of That Flag
  • Things in the Basement

    Milo ventures into the labyrinthian depths beneath his new house and discovers a world of adventure he never anticipated.

    Cover of Things in the Basement
  • The Umbrella Maker's Son

    In a city of unending rain, Oliver Buckle is expected to follow in his father's footsteps of umbrella-making. Fate, however, has different plans that will plunge Oliver and his best friend into a wild adventure on their way to the heart of a weather conspiracy.

    Cover of The Umbrella Maker's Son
  • The Unlovable Alina Butt

    Alina is a misfit: an awkward tween from Pakistan with frizzy hair, a nose she hasn't quite grown into, and a last name that is the "butt" of every joke. As Alina navigates new friendships and stands up to bullies, her confidence and self-understanding begin to take shape.

    Cover of The Unlovable Alina Butt
  • Valiente como un león

    Leonora supera sus miedos con la ayuda de su amigo león. Pero cuando el dúo prueba una resbaldilla nueva, le toca a ella ser valiente.
     

    Cover of Valiente como un león
  • What Happened to Rachel Riley?

    Aspiring investigative journalist Anna Hunt wants to figure out her new school dynamics and why no one talks to Rachel Riley. Anna dives in and uncovers an iceberg of issues, including Rachel's ostracization, pressure to remain silent, and sexual harassment disguised as a game.

    Cover of What Happened to Rachel Riley?
  • Where the Lockwood Grows

    In this skillfully spun futuristic story, two sisters set out to uncover the sinister truth behind the vines that keep their town in never-ending darkness.

    Cover of Where the Lockwood Grows
  • Will on the Inside

    Amid the challenges of middle school, Will receives a diagnosis of Crohn's disease that may mean the end of soccer. His friendships, social standing, and identity suddenly feel a lot more complicated, and he must embrace who he is, both inside and out.

    Cover of Will on the Inside
  • Worm and Caterpillar Are Friends

    Worm and Caterpillar are best friends! They have so much in common. Can their friendship survive some big changes?

    Cover of Worm and Caterpillar Are Friends
  • You Are Here: Connecting Flights

    In this series of interwoven short stories by AAPI authors, Asian American families find themselves stranded in an airport during a storm. While they wait it out, these characters resist, resolve, and find solidarity against racism to show the world that they belong.

    Cover of You Are Here: Connecting Flights