Our Staff Recommends
These are booklists that are curated by our children’s staff members for our collection of books at the library. We pride ourselves in having a wide variety of topics covered in our booklists and for having booklists for all levels of readers.
Our booklists are sorted into categories and reading levels. The reading levels are listed at the end of each booklist title.
Use this key to understand our reading levels:
BB-board books (sturdy books for the youngest of readers)
E– easy fiction (picture books)
ER– easy readers (transitional books from picture books to chapter books)
BF– beginning fiction (short chapter books)
JF– juvenile fiction (chapter books)
GF-graphic fiction (graphic novels)
NF– non-fiction (books filled with facts)
DVD– movies (both fiction and non-fiction)
All Types of People
- Biographies of Women (NF, E, JF, GF)
- Black Lives Matter (BB, E, ER, NF)
- Black Lives Matter (JF, NF)
- Black Biographies (NF, E, JF, GF)
- Books on Faith (BB, E)
- Free to Be (books about gender identity and expression) (BB, E, ER, NF)
- Free to Be (books about having a LGBTQIA family) (BB, E)
- Free to Be (books featuring LGBTQA+ characters) (BF, JF, GF, NF)
- Own Voices: Asian Voices (books featuring Asian characters by Asian authors) (E, ER, BF, JF)
- Own Voices: Indigenous Voices (books featuring Indigenous characters by Indigenous authors) (BB, E, JF, NF)
- Own Voices: Latino Voices (books featuring Latino characters by Latino authors) (E, BF, JF, NF)
- Stories about Medical Conditions (E, JF)
Animals
- Animal Universe Stories (JF)
- Beginning Fiction Animal Lovers (BF)
- Cats (BF, JF, GF)
- Dinosaur Books for Toddlers (BB, E, ER, NF)
- Dinosaur Books for Preschool and up (E, ER, NF)
- Dinosaurs (BF, JF, GF, NF)
- Dogs (JF, GF)
- Dragons (JF)
- Horses (BF, JF, GF)
Around the World
- Celebrations Fall 2023 (E, NF)
- Global Folklore (JF, GF)
- International Picture Books (E)
- Own Voices: Asian Voices (books featuring Asian characters by Asian authors) (E, ER, BF, JF)
- Own Voices: Indigenous Voices (books featuring Indigenous characters by Indigenous authors) (BB, E, JF, NF)
- Own Voices: Latino Voices (books featuring Latino characters by Latino authors) (E, BF, JF, NF)
- Wanderlust (books set around the globe) (JF)
Award Winners/ The Best of
- 2023 Award Winning Picture Books (E, NF)
- 2023 Award Winning Chapter Books (JF, NF)
- Award Winning Picture Books (E, ER, NF)
- Award Winning Chapter Books (JF, NF)
- Booklist Magazine’s Best Middle Grade Novels of the 21st Century (JF, GF)
- Great Chapter Read Alouds (JF)
- Kids’ Choice Winners Through the Years (JF, GF)
Beginning Fiction and Easy Readers
- Beginning Fiction Action! Adventure! Survival! (BF)
- Beginning Fiction Animal Lovers (BF)
- Beginning Chapter Book Series (BF)
- Beginning Fiction LOL (BF)
- Beginning Fiction Magical books (BF)
- Beginning Fiction Monsters! Aliens! Run! (BF)
- Beginning Fiction Mysteries (BF)
- Beginning Fiction Realistic Fiction (BF)
- Characters that Grow with You (E, ER, BF, JF, GF)
- Easy Reader Graphic Novels (ER)
- Graphic Novels for Kindergarten-3rd Grade (ER, BF, GF)
- We Both Read (ER)
Concepts
Fantasy
- Beginning Fiction Magical books (BF)
- Dragons (JF)
- Fairies (BF, JF, NF)
- Fractured Fairy Tales (JF, GF)
- Global Folklore (JF, GF)
- Magical Books for Those Not Ready for Harry Potter (BF, JF)
- Magical Realism (JF, GF)
- Merfolk (E, ER, NF)
- Portals to New Worlds (JF)
- Princess and Anti-Princess (E, NF)
Funny!
- Beginning Fiction LOL (BF)
- Funny Fusions (hybrids between chapter books and graphic novels!) (BF, JF)
- How to (funny instruction books) (E)
- Too Funny! (E)
Growing Up
- Be Your Best Self! (books about being true to yourself and being a good friend) (E)
- Becoming a Big Kid (BB, E)
- Dealing with the Worries (books about anxiety) (E, NF)
- Emotions (E, NF)
- Learning Compassion (BB, E, NF)
- Manners (E, NF)
- New Baby! (Becoming a Sibling) (BF, E, NF)
- Saying Sorry (E)
- School (E, NF)
- Using the Potty (BB, E, DVD)
Historical Fiction
- Classic Reads (JF)
- Historical Fiction prior to 1930 (JF)
- Historical Fiction 1930-2000’s (JF)
- Historical: World War II (JF, NF)
- Historical Graphic Novels (GF)
If You Liked…
- Magical Books for Those Not Ready for Harry Potter (BF, JF)
- Read Your Book and Watch it too (books turned into movies and shows) (JF, DVD)
- What to Read if You Loved Harry Potter (JF)
- What to Read if You Loved Percy Jackson (JF, NF)
- What to Read if You Loved Wonder (JF, GF)
Life
- Anxiety (JF, GF, NF)
- Coping with Death and Loss (people and animals) (E, JF, NF)
- Covid-19 (BB, E, NF)
- Dealing with the Worries (books about anxiety) (E, NF)
- Kid Activists (JF, NF)
- New Baby! (Becoming a Sibling) (BB, E, NF)
- School (E, NF)
- Stories about Medical Conditions (E, JF)
Local Connections
- Kids’ Choice Winners Through the Years (JF, GF)
- Night Hike (BB, E, ER, JF, NF)
- StoryWalk® Books (E)
- Wisconsin Connections (BB, E, NF)
- Wisconsin Connections (JF, GF, NF)
Picture Books for Everyone
- Gardening (E)
- Habitats (a list of books and digital apps!) (E, NF)
- Interactive Picture Books (touch, press, shake!) (E)
- Just Sweet Books (E)
- Sing Along (E)
- Wonderfully Wordless (E)
- Yummy! Picture books with recipes (E)
Quick Reads for Older Readers
Realistic Fiction
- Be Your Best Self! (books about being true to yourself and being a good friend) (E)
- Beginning Fiction Realistic Fiction (BF)
- Black Lives Matter (BB, E, ER, NF)
- Black Lives Matter (JF, NF)
- Body Positivity! (JF, GF)
- Free to Be (books about gender identity and expression) (BB, E, ER, NF)
- Free to Be (books about having a LGBTQIA family) (BB, E)
- Free to Be (books featuring LGBTQA+ characters) (BF, JF, GF, NF)
- Friendship (JF, GF)
- Kid Activists (JF, NF)
- Realistic Fiction featuring Boys (BF, JF)
- Realistic Fiction featuring Girls (JF)
- Realistic Fiction Series featuring Girls (BF, JF)
- Sports Fiction (JF, GF)
- Summer Camp (BF, JF, GF)
Scary Stories and Mysteries
- Beginning Fiction Monsters! Aliens! Run! (BF)
- Beginning Fiction Mysteries (BF)
- Boo! Monsterously Good Picture Books (E)
- Mysteries (JF)
- Scary Stories (JF, GF, NF)
Apps for Kids
- Be Creative with Apps
- Habitats (a list of books and digital apps!)
- Recommended Apps for PreK-Middle School