CHPL Staff Picks: Best Books of 2025 - Older KidsLike this list

30 items

• Pocket Bear

  Applegate, Katherine,

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  A stuffed bear named Pocket helps another stuffed toy find joy, in this unforgettable tale of bravery, loyalty, and kindness. Pocket reminds us all that love comes in many forms (sometimes filled with fluff), and that second chances are always…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Library of Unruly Treasures

  Birdsall, Jeanne,

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  During a summer in Boston, Gwen discovers she’s the one chosen to help the secret, winged Lahdukan find a safe home in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. This story is brimming with library love, magical creatures, and the thrill of hidden worlds.

• Return to Sender

  Brosgol, Vera,

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  Oliver never wanted to attend a fancy private school, but his mom’s new job means he can go for free. When he discovers a hidden mailbox that grants wishes, things start to change -- for better or worse. A cozy, slightly eerie story about…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Strongest Heart

  Faruqi, Saadia,

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  Thirteen-year-old Mo is used to living under the shadow of his dad's severe mental illness. With his mom out of the country for work, he and his dad move in with Mo's aunt and cousin. For the first time, Mo receives the support he's been craving,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Secret of Honeycake

  Fusco, Kimberly Newton,

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  In 1930, eleven-year-old Hurricane struggles to adapt to life in the city after her mother's death and her sister's illness, but a series of unexpected new friends, including a mangy cat, help her find her voice in a whole new way and she learns to…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest

  Hartman, Aubrey,

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  Clare, the undead fox of Deadwood Forest, lives a solitary life guiding souls to their final resting place. But his quiet and predictable days are met with upheaval when a badger soul named Gingersnipes arrives, and is unable to leave Deadwood…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Trouble With Heroes

  Messner, Kate,

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  To get out of trouble for vandalizing a cemetery, Finn Connelly strikes an unusual deal that has him climbing all forty-six Adirondack High Peaks before summer's end. A deeply moving novel-in-verse about a boy, a dog, and the healing power of nature.

• The Teacher of Nomad Land

  a World War II Story

  Nayeri, Daniel,

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  As World War II rages, recently orphaned siblings Babak and Sana's home country Iran is occupied by British and Soviet forces. To avoid being separated, they take up their late father's work as a teacher of nomadic peoples. What follows is a journey…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Extraordinary Orbit of Alex Ramirez

  Paulino, Jasminne,

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  Alex, a neurodiverse seventh grader who dreams of traveling to the stars one day, works to convince his teachers and parents that he is ready to leave his self-contained classroom and join his grade's mainstream science class.

• The Island of Forgotten Gods

  Piñeiro, Victor,

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  Twelve-year-old Nico and his cousins' seemly boring summer in Puerto Rico takes a horrific turn when they encounter the legendary chupacabra, a cult, and the gods who created the island.

• Octopus Moon

  Pyron, Bobbie,

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  Aspiring marine biologist Pearl loves watching the majestic loggerhead turtles and octopuses glide through the water at the aquarium, but struggles with self-care and self-love amidst a sea of changes. In this tender novel-in-verse, North Carolina…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Coach

  Reynolds, Jason,

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  In this "prequel" to Jason Reynolds's award-winning and New York Times bestselling Track series, we meet Coach as a young boy striving to come into his own as a track star while facing upheaval at home.

• The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls

  Rossell, Judith

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  Maggie, an orphan, is sent to the dreary Midwatch Institute, which is actually a secret training ground for young girls learning skills to fight crime. She and her new friends learn useful lessons, uncover a city mystery, and work together to solve…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Tyger

  Said, S. F.,

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  In a version of London where the British Empire still exists, Adam finds a mysterious, mythical, magical animal. And the tyger is in danger. Adam and his new friend Zadie join forces to save the animal's life and, ultimately, their own world from…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Scarlet Morning

  Stevenson, ND,

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  A breathtaking illustrated novel, the start of a duology, following two orphans who leave the only home they've ever known to sail with an eccentric crew of pirates. Wickedly funny, deeply emotional, and sharply incisive, this is a tale of love,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• All the Blues in the Sky

  Watson, Renée,

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  When thirteen-year-old Sage's best friend dies, Sage struggles with grief and feels that she's at fault. And even as Sage grieves, new, good things enter her life, and she just may find a way to know that she can feel it all.

• Junius Leak and the Spiraling Vortex of Doom

  Wolf, Allan,

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  Part mystery, part fantasy-adventure, part riveting real-life disaster, this deft tale-within-a-tale blends the history of the 1980 Lake Peigneur drilling accident with a fateful quest for pirate treasure.

• Candle Island

  Wolk, Lauren, 1956-

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  Lucretia and her mother have come to tiny Candle Island, Maine to escape. But Candle Island has secrets of its own, and just like the strong tides that surround the shores, they will catch Lucretia in their wake. With an unforgettable New England…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Bad Badger

  a Love Story

  Wood, Maryrose,

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  Septimus isn’t your typical badger. He prefers the quiet comforts of his cozy seaside cabin, dreams of gondolas in Venice, and adores opera. When a seagull comes into his life, Septimus seizes the chance to make his first real friend. But when Gully…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Tuck Everlasting

  the Graphic Novel

  Woodman-Maynard, K.,

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  What if you could live forever? In this timeless story about immortality, friendship, and growing up, young Winnie Foster learns of a hidden spring in a nearby wood and meets the Tuck family, whose members reveal their astonishing discovery of the…Read moreRead more of this annotation