Best Books for Kids 2022

19 Books Found

Filtered by 'Feelings', 'Realistic'
  • A veces, yo soy todo lo que necesito

    ¡Este libro es como un cálido abrazo a ti mismo! Es estupendo disfrutar de la compañía de los demás, pero a veces tú eres todo lo que necesitas.

    Cover of A veces, yo soy todo lo que necesito
  • Abdul's Story

    Illustrated by Tiffany Rose | Abdul is faced with the challenge of expressing himself through writing. The use of primary colors in this picture book speaks to the experience of being self-conscious at school and the warmth of finding a teacher who understands.

    Cover of Abdul's Story
  • April & Mae and the Tea Party

    Illustrated by Briana Dengoue | It's teatime for April and Mae, but uh-oh! As April tries to show off a new skill, one of Mae's favorite cups is accidentally broken. Can these two best friends work through their very first disagreement?

    Cover of April & Mae and the Tea Party
  • Black: The Many Wonders of My World

    Illustrated by Constance Moore | The second installment in a series of books celebrating the spectrums of color and race (the first being Brown: The Many Shades of Love), illustrated in crisp and colorful collage. A joyous ode that deliberately tackles anti-Black language in a rhyming, poetic style.

    Cover of Black: The Many Wonders of My World
  • A Blue Kind of Day

    Illustrated by Tori-Jay Mordey | Coen is having the worst of days, and his family wants nothing more than to help cheer him up. In the end, they learn that what he really needs is for them to listen. An empathetic look at depression told with sparse yet powerful text and soft, realistic illustrations.

    Cover of A Blue Kind of Day
  • The Civil War of Amos Abernathy

    Amos volunteers at a historical site with his best friend, Chloe, and his new friend (and crush!) Ben. The trio's idea for a new exhibition on local queer history upsets Ben's family and others in the community. Who gets to decide which stories are told at the Living History Park?

    Cover of The Civil War of Amos Abernathy
  • A Duet for Home

    After the unexpected death of her father, June's family is evicted and lands in Huey House shelter. June is befriended by Tyrell and the other residents and begins to find herself again. When the shelter is threatened, June and her friends must find a way to save it.

    Cover of A Duet for Home
  • Frizzy

    Illustrated by Rose Bousamra | Marlene hates it when her mom drags her to the salon to blow out her frizzy hair. But with the help of her cool tía, Marlene learns how to embrace her curls and, ultimately, how generations of cultural judgment have influenced Mami's heady opinions of natural hair.

    Cover of Frizzy
  • Gibberish

    Dat struggles to adjust on his first day of school in a new country. Imaginative illustrations empathetically portray the experience of learning a new language and feeling out of place in unfamiliar surroundings.

    Cover of Gibberish
  • Gigi and Ojiji

    Gigi is thrilled that her grandfather is coming to live with her! But when Ojiji arrives from Japan, Gigi discovers that change can be both exciting and difficult.

    Cover of Gigi and Ojiji
  • In the Beautiful Country

    In this lyrical novel in verse, Taiwanese-born Ai Shi becomes Anna when she immigrates to "the beautiful country." California brings unexpected difficulties: bullying, money problems, and vandalization of her family's restaurant. Can they overcome their troubles and find home?

    Cover of In the Beautiful Country
  • In the Key of Us

    Everyone expects the only Black girls at Harmony Music Camp to be friends, but Andi and Zora couldn't be more different. When forced to spend time together, they confide in each other about performance pressure, family issues, and a self-harm secret. They discover a spark of friendship—and maybe something more.

    Cover of In the Key of Us
  • Last Week

    Illustrated by Emilie Leduc | This gentle novella explores a child's experience of grief, uncertainty, and questioning as they spend one last week with their beloved grandmother before her medically assisted death.

    Cover of Last Week
  • Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle

    Illustrated by Kaylani Juanita | Missing someone can be hard. In this sweet, sentimental story, a little girl experiences mixed emotions while Mommy is away on a business trip. A significant representation of inclusive and diverse families, relationships, and love.

    Cover of Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle
  • The Real Riley Mayes

    Starting a new school year is hard, but it's even harder when your best friend moves away! Budding comic book artist Riley tries to navigate the school year and new friendships while also guarding a secret—she might like girls.

    Cover of The Real Riley Mayes
  • The Second Chance of Benjamin Waterfalls

    Benjamin finally gets caught stealing... a teddy bear. As punishment, he’s court-ordered to “Native boot camp” with his estranged dad on an Ojibwe reservation in Minnesota. But this boot camp is run by a kid his age, the Chief's mysterious masked daughter, Niimi Waatese.

    Cover of The Second Chance of Benjamin Waterfalls
  • Shot Clock

    When basketball star Dante is murdered by the police, Tony vows to carry on his friend's legacy. But Coach offers Tony only a position off-court: team statistician. Can Tony help lead the team to victory and move forward from the tragedy that has devastated his community?

    Cover of Shot Clock
  • Viva's Voice

    Illustrated by Carlos Vélez | Viva, a zealous young Latina girl, admires her dad and his job as a bus driver in Los Angeles. When the transit workers go on strike, Viva accompanies her dad to a protest. Energetic illustrations depict a vivacious young voice in an important and empowering role.

    Cover of Viva's Voice
  • Wednesday and Woof #1: Catastrophe

    Illustrated by Gladys Jose | Wednesday and her support dog, Woof, run a detective agency in their backyard. When Wednesday’s operatic neighbor’s cat disappears, the detectives are on the case, sleuthing around their lakeside neighborhood to collect evidence and test theories.

    Cover of Wednesday and Woof #1: Catastrophe