Oak Park’s Best of 2024 is back!
See our kids and picture books staff favorites on this page or browse more using the links below.
Adult fiction: General | Adult fiction: Romance, lives & relationships |
Adult fiction: Thriller, graphic novel, sci-fi & fantasy | Adult nonfiction |
Teen fiction & nonfiction | Kids books | Picture books | Movies & TV shows | Music
Kids books
Daggers of Ire by J.C. Cervantes
Why you should try it: "This enthralling story is inspired by the Latine myths the author grew up with, incorporating elements of magic, Latine culture, and strong family bonds to create an immersive world and realistic cast of characters." —Maddie, Materials Handling Library Clerk
Description: Esmerelda Santos is a rare bruja, born with Chaos magic in her veins. But since the death of her mother, Esme is more concerned about healing their father's spiraling grief. When Esme finds a heart spell in a forbidden grimorio, she thinks it could be the answer to making her dad whole again. But before she can try, she and her best friend, Tiago, discover that their families and all the town's witches have vanished, along with their magic, which keeps San Bosco alive. The only way to save them and the town is to find an original witch, impossible, since no one has actually ever seen one.
Deer Run Home by Ann Claire Lezotte
Why you should try it: "A touching story about a young Deaf girl who overcomes the struggle of being linguistically isolated in her home with the help of her in-school ASL interpreter and a new friend." —Maddie, Materials Handling Library Clerk
Description: With a family who refuses to learn sign language, 12-year-old Effie is mostly cut off from human communication at home, unable to speak of her abusive stepfather or violent father—only her interpreter understands, and Miss Kathy is willing to take Effie's case to court to provide her with a safe home.
Detective Beans & the Case of the Missing Hat by Li Chen
Why you should try it: "Detective Beans had funny one-liners, and adorable drawings." —Andrea, Collection Management Librarian
Description: After a night of mystery movies with his best friend, Biscuit, Detective Beans wakes up to find his detective hat is missing. There's only one thing to do: hit the streets of Cat Town and find that missing hat! Cat Town is full of suspects, from the neighborhood bird to a magician in the park, and each twist and turn in this journey leads to an interesting new encounter—and to solving a much bigger case than Beans could have imagined.
Little Shrew by Akiko Miyakoshi
Why you should try it: "Beautiful drawings and a great reminder that it's nice to enjoy your day-to-day life." —Andrea, Collection Management Librarian
Description: This collection of three interconnected stories follows the life of Little Shrew as he goes about his everyday activities of commuting to work to reflecting on his hopes and dreams to welcoming his friends for a visit.
Mid-Air by Alicia Williams
Why you should try it: "A beautiful novel-in-verse, both heartbreaking and healing." —Jenna, Collection Management Librarian
Description: Thirteen-year-old Isaiah grapples with the loss of his best friend as he strives to fit into a world that expects him to toughen up, which leads him on a exploration of identity and vulnerability.
My Antarctica: True Adventures in the Land of Mummified Seals, Space Robots & So Much More by Greg Neri
Why you should try it: "Super cool nonfiction about the author's trip to Antarctica!" —Jenna, Collection Management Librarian
Description: Antarctica is a land of extremes—the coldest, windiest, highest, and driest place on the planet. It's a world where the sun stays hidden half of the year and where visitors must undergo a week of special training before it's safe to go outside (watch out for lava bombs!). It's also a place of stark beauty, history, and endless scientific research. Join author G. Neri on his long-dreamed-of voyage to the ice, where he taps into his inner child and encounters sea angels, mummified seals, space robots, inquisitive penguins, and so much more.
The New Girl by Cassandra Calin
Why you should try it: "The illustrations and attention to detail in this book are so good!" —Andrea, Collection Management Librarian
Description: Lia and her family are waiting to board a flight across the Atlantic, leaving behind family, friends, and Romania—the only home Lia has ever known. But Lia's heartache is overshadowed by the discomfort of her first period. As if things weren't difficult enough! Now Lia is thrust into a world where everything is different: her home, her language, and even her body. With so many changes happening at once, Lia struggles with schoolwork, has trouble communicating with classmates, and has no idea how to manage her unpleasant periods. Will she ever feel like herself again?
Not Quite a Ghost by Anne Ursu
Why you should try it: "This is one of the best depictions of an invisible chronic illness I've ever read. It brought back all of my memories of my autoimmune flares and illnesses. Somehow she created a great blend of horror, ghost, and disability story, and rocked each bit separately and as a whole." —Shelley, Children's Services Librarian
Description: For Violet Hart—whose family is about to move into the house on Katydid Street—very little felt like it fit anymore. Everything seemed to be changing at once. But sometimes, Violet tells herself, change is okay. That is until Violet sees her new room. The attic bedroom in their new house is shadowy, creaky, and wrapped in old yellow wallpaper covered with a faded tangle of twisting vines and sickly flowers. And then, after moving in, Violet falls ill—and does not get better. As days turn into weeks without any improvement, her family growing more confused and her friends wondering if she's really sick at all, she finds herself spending more time alone in the room with the yellow wallpaper, the shadows moving in the corners, wrapping themselves around her at night. And soon, Violet starts to suspect that she might not be alone in the room at all.
Not the Worst Friend in the World by Anne Rellihan
Why you should try it: "I loved the main character, Lou! An interesting mystery and incredible friendship story." —Jenna, Collection Management Librarian
Description: Eleven-year-old Lou wishes she could turn back time to mend her friendship with Francie after a terrible fight. When Lou befriends Cece, she is eager to prove herself. However, as she uncovers the truth about Cece's family, she grapples with what being a good friend means.
Spooky Lakes: 25 Strange & Mysterious Lakes That Dot Our Planet by Geo Rutherford
Why you should try it: "Spooky Lake Month on TikTok is a highlight of October, and watching the original illustrations for this book come together over the last year has been captivating." —Dontaná, Collection Management Librarian
Description: Some of Earth's strangest—and creepiest—wonders lie deep below the surface. There's Lake Natron, a Tanzanian lake so briny that its waters can mummify any creature that touches its surface; Lake Maracaibo, a Venezuelan tidal bay where a constantly brewing storm sends an average of 28 lightning bolts per second into the water; and at the bottom of Lake Superior, the crew of the USS Kamloops—which mysteriously disappeared in 1921—remains somehow almost perfectly preserved to this day.
Stella & Marigold by Annie Barrows
Why you should try it: "Funny, endearing early chapter book featuring inseparable sisters with beautiful imaginations. Great for independent readers, but also makes a great read aloud." —Eileen, Children's Services Digital Learning Librarian
Description: Two sisters, Stella and Marigold, do all the regular things, like go to school, but they also share adventures (both real and imagined) and secret sister things.
Taxi Ghost by Sophie Escabasse
Why you should try it: "This was SO DELIGHTFUL. I adored Adèle, her sister, their feisty grandmother, and the clever world-building. I really hope this becomes a series." —Shelley, Children's Services Librarian
Description: Adèle just wants to spend her winter break at the library, but she learns she comes from a long line of mediums and that not only can she interact with ghosts, but apparently they have been using her sister's car to get around the city for years.
Picture books
Between My Hands by Mitali Perkins
Why you should try it: "'What’s between your hands when you namaste the world?' Maya's hands may be smaller than her friends and neighbors, and even small hands can carry so much love. A story about connectedness and community." —Jenny, Children's Services Youth & Family Outreach Specialist
Description: Maya is only three days into summer vacation and already bored. Outside her window, the street is full of neighbors. Coming and going. Earning and spending. Fixing and mending. Everyone has something to do—everyone's hands are busy. Except Maya's. When she opens her palms, they are empty. They are small. What in the world can her hands do?
The Boldest White: The Story of Hijab & Community by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Why you should try it: "'Bravery grows in your mind. But its roots are in your heart. Water the roots for the right reasons, and bravery will grow bold.' I adore this series, The Kindest Red is one of my all time favorites. The third installment is just as thoughtful and just as special as the previous two books." —Jenny, Children's Services Youth & Family Outreach Specialist
Description: Faizah finds comfort in being part of the crowd, but with help from her mother and sister, as well as some practice and patience, she learns to stand out and lead.
Bookie & Cookie by Blanca Gómez
Why you should try it: "A story that highlights friendship and how sometimes even the best of friends can have tough moments. Collaboration, compromise, and thoughtfulness shine in this sweet story." —Jenny, Children's Services Youth & Family Outreach Specialist
Description: When their usual routine is disrupted, Bookie and Cookie, best friends who live on opposite pages, learn to bridge their differences and explore new experiences together.
The Cat Who Couldn't Be Bothered by Jack Kurland
Why you should try it: "A touching and fun story about a cat named Greg that shares empathy, togetherness, and how important it is to check in with others when feelings feel so very big." —Jenny, Children's Services Youth & Family Outreach Specialist
Description: There is a cat. A cat that couldn't be bothered to do anything... anything at all. His friends ask him if he wants to play, but he doesn't feel like it. They invite him on adventures to far-off places, but he would rather stay at home. Until one day, a friend asks how he is doing, and the true reason why he'd rather do nothing is revealed. He is feeling sad.
Courage, Every Day by Wai Mei Wong
Why you should try it: "Lovely! Shows how courage can feel very big, very small, and everywhere in between." —Jenny, Children's Services Youth & Family Outreach Specialist
Description: A young girl's father highlights everyday acts that demonstrate courage, love, and kindness towards oneself and others.
The Dictionary Story by Oliver Jeffers
Why you should try it: "This book is filled with humorous and playful little details, especially in the dictionary pages themselves. The colorful characters and illustrations are delightful!" —Eileen, Children's Services Digital Learning Librarian
Description: When Dictionary wishes she could tell a story like other books and decides to bring her words to life, comical chaos ensues, and her friend Alphabet must come to the rescue, singing a song that brings calm and order to her pages once again.
A Face Is a Poem by Julie Morstad
Why you should try it: "What's in a name or in a face? When reading this book, I was faced with many philosophical questions and thoughts about my experience as a young child and even now as an adult." —Zaria, Children's Services Library Assistant
Description: A face is a poem with all the parts put together, adding up to a someone you love. Have you ever stopped and looked, really looked, at a face? Do faces stay the same forever, or do they change? Where do our faces come from?
Home in a Lunchbox by Cherry Mo
Why you should try it: "I absolutely adore the illustrations in this!" —Jenna, Collection Management Librarian
Description: After moving to America from Hong Kong, Jun feels isolated at her new school but discovers a sense of home in the familiar foods and flavors she finds in her lunchbox.
I Am La Chiva! The Colorful Bus of the Andes by Karol Hernández
Why you should try it: "Beautiful illustrations! To take in the wonderful art or continue the story with its rhyming pace? This book really encompasses the marvel that these buses bring throughout Central and South America." —Cindy, Patron Services Supervisor
Description: A joyful and rhyming picture book showcases a colorful South American bus, the collective spirit of its people, and the vibrant power of community when trouble comes.
I Know How To Draw an Owl by Hilary Horder Hippely
Why you should try it: "A child's first experience of the world is told through a classroom activity that connects deeply with the idea of storytelling, pain, and changes. I really liked reading it and felt my heart ache for the author." —Zaria, Children's Services Library Assistant
Description: A homeless girl, who lives in a car with her mother, draws a lifelike portrait of an owl based on firsthand experience.
I'm From by Gary Gray
Why you should try it: "For all the brown children who wonder where they're from, I hope they find connection in this story. Finding out who you are is an endless journey." —Zaria, Children's Services Library Assistant
Description: Early morning wakeups and homemade pancakes, raucous bus rides and schoolyard games, family games and bedtime rituals… These are the small moments that shape a child's day. I'm From is an invitation into the vivid world of one small boy, a poetic account of all the people and places and things that shape who he is and define where he is from.
The Little Green Swing by Brenda Maier
Why you should try it: "The third installment in the Little Ruby's Big Ideas series! A 'stupendous' story!" —Jenny, Children's Services Youth & Family Outreach Specialist
Description: Ruby invites her brothers to help her plan and build something, but the boys do not want to plan. The wind soon blows their creations to pieces, but Ruby is working on something that will work with the wind.
The Littlest Grito by Nicholas Solis
Why you should try it: "A sweet story about finding your voice!" —Nora, Latine Language & Culture Librarian
Description: Gloria's father always yells the grito to start Diez y Seis de Septiembre, but when he becomes ill, Gloria volunteers and must step up and find her voice to start the annual Mexican Independence Day fiesta.
The Man Who Didn't Like Animals by Deborah Underwood
Why you should try it: "Great lap book to read with kids, and wonderful illustrations." —Andrea, Collection Management Librarian
Description: There once was a man who loved his tidy home and who didn't like animals. Then one day, a cat appeared. The man and the cat both liked napping and watching the rain and eating dinner precisely at six. Well, maybe this one animal could stay. Next came a dog...
Rainbowsaurus by Steve Antony
Why you should try it: "This book is just magic! A family travels a rainbow in search of the elusive Rainbowsaurus." —Jenny, Children's Services Youth & Family Outreach Specialist
Description: While on an adventure to find the Rainbowsaurus, two dads and their children are joined by a menagerie of rainbow-colored animals who want to find the Rainbowsaurus too.
A Terrible Place for a Nest by Sarah Levine
Why you should try it: "This book nearly brought tears to my eyes. The storytelling, artwork, and realistic experience(s) speak volumes to the need for a struggling child (or adult) to adjust to the new 'nest' that is in your life. Highly recommend!" —Zaria, Children's Services Library Assistant
Description: Juno slowly adjusts to his new home by helping a family of mourning doves, who have chosen a most inconvenient spot for their nest.
There Was a Shadow by Bruce Handy
Why you should try it: "This book comforted me on days that my 'shadow' seemed to be hard to grasp, understand or experience." —Zaria, Children's Services Library Assistant
Description: Invites careful observation of light and shadow in the natural world, as well as in our own emotional landscape.
Wiggles, Stomps & Squeezes: Calming My Jitters at School by Lindsey Rowe Parker
Why you should try it: "One of the rare instances where a sequel is even better than the already excellent original! This is not only validating and supportive of kids with high sensory needs, but it also works as a great how-to manual for caregivers to think about, co-regulate, and help support sensory needs, as well. A++." —Shelley, Children's Services Librarian
Description: Join the young protagonist with sensory differences as they embark on a day at school, navigating through new environments with the help of various activities that allow them to regulate their sensory needs.
