Great Reads
New Releases
Book Lists by Age or Format
For Early Learners and Early Readers (concepts from colors and numbers to alliteration, believing in yourself, and more)
Picture Book Storytime Favorites
Great Books for Beginning and Transitional Readers (2021 PD Week)
Picture Books and Readers: eBooks and Read Alongs on OverDrive/Libby
New Kids eBooks and eAudiobooks on OverDrive/Libby
Reading Beyond: For Grades 1-2 Reading at a Third Grade Level
Reading Beyond: For Grades 2-3 Reading at a Fifth Grade Level
Reading Beyond: For Grades 4-5 Reading at a Seventh Grade Level
Great Books & Graphic Novels for Grades 4-8 (2021 PD Week)
New Teen eBooks and eAudiobooks on OverDrive/Libby
Family Listening (audiobooks for the whole family to enjoy)
Book Lists by Topic
Heroes & Heroines: Adventure Books for Kids
Mysteries for Kids
Graphic Novels - History and More for Kids
Graphic Novels - Friendship Stories for Kids
Horror Books for Middle School
Black Stories Matter for Teens
College Stories for Teens
Friends to Lovers for Teens
Murder Mystery for Teens
Realistic Fiction for Teens
Survival Stories for Teens
LGBTQIA+ Teen Reads on OverDrive/Libby
Race, Power, & Activism in America: Resources for Teens on OverDrive/Libby
Teen Screams eBooks and eAudio on OverDrive/Libby
CALA and ALSC Social Justice Reading List (July 2020)
Embracing Gender Identities (July 2020)
Award Lists
2021 USBBY Outstanding International Books List
Illinois Reader's Choice Awards:
- 2023 Monarch Nominees (Kindergarten - Grade 3) PDF
- 2023 Bluestem Nominees (Grades 3-5) PDF
- 2023 Rebecca Caudill Nominees (Grades 4-8) PDF
- 2023 Lincoln Nominees (Grades 9-12) PDF
2021 El día de los niños / Children's Book Day:
Each Story Matters, Every Story Counts (Birth - Prek) (Kindergarten - Grade 2) (Grades 3-5) (Grades 6-8)
Read Alikes
If you love Diary of a Wimpy Kid
If you love the Percy Jackson Series
If you love Raina Telgemeier's Books (Smile, Sisters, Drama)
Favorite Resources
Novelist K-8 Plus
All the info about books, authors, and series you could want! Includes book descriptions and suggests similar books and authors to read, plus you can search for different topics or Lexile.
You can also find Novelist series listings and suggestions for similar books, authors and series in the online catalog. When you click on a title, look for the sidebar on the right.
Juvenile Series and Sequels
Can’t figure out which book to read next in a series? Visit Mid-Continent Public Library’s database to search by author, title, or series.
Lexile: Find a Book
Use this site to search for books with a specific Lexile range, then check Messenger’s online catalog to see if the titles are available.
Online Resources
