Recommended Reads

"Storytelling at its most brilliant--and whimsical." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Everything is on the line for crabby, cranky Crow. But why, exactly, is Crow so moody? The reason will delight readers in three-time Geisel Medal and Caldecott Honor winner Corey R. Tabor's funny and surprising twist on friendship, science, and saving the world.

Cranky, crabby Crow does not want to play with Squirrel or do loop-de-loops with Hummingbird. He doesn't have time for Rat or Bat. From high atop a telephone pole, Cat warns Crow that he will soon be all alone if he turns his friends away with his very cranky "kaw!" one more time. But, unbeknownst to all, Crow has bigger, world-saving fish to fry--he must protect planet Earth from an asteroid headed our way!

With playful illustrations and a classic "Tabor twist," Cranky, Crabby Crow is an excellent choice for readers who love Mo Willems and Jon Klassen. Kirkus Reviews calls Corey R. Tabor "a master of the early reader" with good reason, and here he once again proves himself an innovative and unforgettable storyteller. Cranky, Crabby Crow explores perennial, age-appropriate social and emotional themes through Corey R. Tabor's signature subtlety and silliness. Includes a secret code.

A hilarious story about how far one little roll of toilet paper can go, framed by a fun animal cast and an adorable father-son duo.

One sunny morning, something interesting is left behind in the woods. Is it a headband? A kite? A toy? No! It's a roll of toilet paper. But the possibilities for play are endless.

That is, until the rain comes and destroys the evidence. Oh no! Whatever will they do?

Ready, Set, Roll! is a laugh-out-loud picture book that shows how even ordinary items can inspire extraordinary imagination and play. Perfect for fans of The Squirrels Who Squabbled and The Leaf Thief.

An excellent choice for Father's Day gifting! From literary powerhouse and Coretta Scott King Honor- and Boston Globe / Horn Book Honor-winning author of The Parker Inheritance Varian Johnson and New York Times bestselling illustrator Reggie Brown comes a heartwarming father-son story about the importance of stepping up...and finding time to play.

Elijah can't wait to take his brand-new kite for its first flight! But with a new baby in the family, Daddy has to work this weekend. Elijah finds a clever way to help out and pitch in with his family while also reminding his dad how to still have a little fun.

Beloved children's book author, Varian Johnson's debut picture book highlights the fun journey of a young child building his confidence as he steps up into the big kid role, specifically as the little big man of the house.

The perfect gift or Father's Day!

Every friendship faces challenges. Orris and Timble are back in a poignant and evocatively illustrated tale of trust from a two-time Newbery Medalist.

Orris the rat and Timble the owl are unlikely friends. Each night, Timble visits Orris in the barn and listens to his stories. But Timble is growing up, and one evening when the owl doesn't appear as usual Orris wonders if Timble has forgotten him. Is their friendship over? Or could it be that Timble has a tale of his own to share? Illustrated with wistful tenderness, the second title in a projected trilogy to feature this charmingly offbeat pair masterfully explores the stories we tell ourselves, the stories we tell each other, and the binding magic of friendship.

Reality proves more epic than fantasy in this family road trip story starring a reluctant young hero and his curmudgeonly grandfather.

Gonzalo Alberto Sánchez García has never considered himself the hero of his own story. He’s an observer, quietly snapshotting landscapes and drawing the creatures he imagines emerging from them. Forced to spend the summer with his estranged grandfather, Alberto William García—the very famous reclusive author—Gonzalo didn’t expect to learn that heroes and monsters are not only the stuff of fantasy.

But that’s precisely what happens when Gonzalo’s CEO mother, Veronica, sends Alberto on tour to promote the final book in his fantasy series for children and Gonzalo must tag along, even though he feels no connection to his grandfather or the books. Together, they embark on a cross-country road trip from Mendocino to Miami in a classic 1968 Oldsmobile Cutlass S Convertible named Mathilde. Over the course of ten epic days on the highway, they will slay demons, real and imagined; confront old stories to write new ones; and learn what it truly means to show up for your family.

A new reign is coming...Romance, magic, adventure, and horror collide in the start to this lush, epic, Ancient Egyptian inspired trilogy perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Sarah J. Maas.

Princess. Priestess. Rebel. Thief.

Tensions run as hot as the Khamsin winds in the great kingdom of Khetara. Rumors of the pharaoh's mysterious illness abound, and with them, murmurs of rebellion grow. Meanwhile, in the quiet desert, a forgotten oracle begins to unfold, setting a dark prophecy into action and drawing together four strangers...

Princess SITA lives in the abundance of the palace, and in a moment of passion, she unmasks a betrayal that will put her life--and the entire royal court--in grave danger.

A priestess-in-training, NEFF strives to understand her intense visions from the gods, except theirs is not the only magic at play in the grand temple.

As a farmer's daughter, RAE knows how much the pharaoh's men have taken from her land, her people. Still, who will step forward to confront the king?

KARIM was raised among the pyramids of the Red Lands and survives on the wealth of the dead as a tomb robber. But amid the spoils, an ancient evil awakens...

Bloodshed is coming. Only together do these four have the potential to save the kingdom from destruction. But when the dust has settled, who will sit on the throne of Khetara?

"What happens when the world's biggest cat video star gets accused of a crime she didn't commit? She becomes a cat on the run, that's what. But how do you avoid capture and prove your innocence when you are the most famous feline on the planet? Well, it ain't easy. Follow Princess Beautiful--for that is her name--as she goes from meme megastar #1 to public enemy #1 and cheer her on as she fights to clear her name. Is she a super villain? An internet-famous buffoon? Or a butt-kicking gal who's just been seriously underestimated? YOU be the judge..."--

The groundbreaking Korean phenomenon that Entertainment Weekly called "The Hunger Games meets Squid Game" continues with even more dark secrets and shocking surprises. The temperature is rising and the truth at the center of Chobahm’s frozen world will be revealed in the final installment of this epic dystopian saga.

Chobahm's perfect life in Snowglobe came crashing down when she discovered the truth about Haeri. The girl she watched faithfully on television was far from perfect. And the TV family revered by millions was nothing more than an illusion created by the sinister Director Cha. But revealing the lies was only the first crack in the domed utopia. 

Director Cha may be behind bars, but the Yibonn Media corporation, the corrupt entity that runs Snowglobe, is still in power. They’ll do anything to hide their own secret—the dark truth behind the domed city’s signature warmth—and when footage emerges of Chobahm committing a murder, she knows they’re not finished with her yet.

The only person who can help to clear her name is none other than the disgraced Yibonn heir, Bonwhe—who knows better than anyone that enemies exist everywhere. Sometimes you can’t even trust yourself. 

The heat is rising—and with the soaring temperatures come new secrets. And new lies.

Dumplin' meets the small-town drama of Gilmore Girls in this sparkling debut from Erin Moonyeen Haley.

Twelve-year-old Savvy's only ambition is to be chosen as Miss Liberty in her town's glittertastic Fourth of July parade. In her mind, being Miss Liberty is key to getting everything you want for the rest of your life. And Savvy's anxious mind needs to know what's going to happen for the rest of her life, just like she needs to know what the weather is going to be like every single day. Unfortunately, Savvy is only a dancer in the kick line, while her older sister, Levi, is the glamorous Miss Liberty for the third year in a row.

But this year, Levi seems committed to taking down the parade and crushing Savvy's future dreams, for reasons that neither Savvy nor the town can understand.

Only one thing is for sure: It's up to Savvy to bring the glitter back to her beloved parade, her town, and her sister.

"Grammer's tender portrait of his sister as a sensitive, intelligent soul goes a long way toward correcting the record, and his vacillation between rawness and composure on the page is enormously affecting." - Publishers Weekly

One of Oprah Daily's Most Anticipated Books of 2025

On July 1, 1975, Kelsey Grammer's younger sister, eighteen-year-old Karen Grammer, was raped and murdered. In Karen, Kelsey reveals their past, celebrates their youth together, mourns her loss, and unearths his struggle for faith and healing in the decades since her death.

Karen by Kelsey Grammer delves into the tragic story of the author's sister, Karen, who was brutally murdered at the age of eighteen. Kelsey was just twenty years old when his younger sister, a recent high school graduate, moved to Colorado Springs, where she was kidnapped by several men who had intended to rob the Red Lobster where she worked. They instead kidnapped Karen, raped her, and ultimately stabbed her to death.

Through this memoir, Grammer poignantly recounts the memories of his sister and the impact her loss had on his life and family. With raw honesty, Grammer explores the profound grief and devastation that followed Karen's death, as well as the long and arduous journey toward healing. He bravely confronts the pain of losing a loved one to senseless violence, offering readers a glimpse into the complexities of coping with such a profound loss.

Karen also serves as a testament to Grammer's lifelong journey with grief and his struggle to defeat the sting of death with the memory of a life filled with joy--irreplaceable joy. In sharing his story, Grammer aims to help others who have experienced similar loss, offering solace and encouragement to cherish the love they knew, however brief, on their own path toward healing.

This book is a moving tribute to Karen and the brother's love that survives her.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Two women haunted by their sisters’ unsolved disappearances band together in this captivating mystery from the author of All Good People Here and host of the #1 true crime podcast Crime Junkie.

“Sharp, slick, and chilling, with a whiplash ending you’ll never see coming.”—Jeneva Rose, author of Home Is Where the Bodies Are

Nicole “Nic” Monroe is in a rut. At twenty-four, she lives alone in a dinky apartment in her hometown of Mishawaka, Indiana, she’s just gotten a DWI, and she works the same dead-end job she’s been working since high school, a job she only has because her boss is a family friend and feels sorry for her. Everyone has felt sorry for her for the last seven years—since the day her older sister, Kasey, vanished without a trace.

On the night Kasey went missing, her car was found over a hundred miles from home. The driver’s door was open and her purse was untouched in the seat next to it. The only real clue in her disappearance was Jules Connor, another young woman from the same area who disappeared in the same way, two weeks earlier. But with so little for the police to go on, both cases eventually went cold.

Nic wants nothing more than to move on from her sister’s disappearance and the state it’s left her in. But then one day, Jules’s sister, Jenna Connor, walks into Nic’s life and offers her something she hasn’t felt in a long time: hope. What follows is a gripping tale of two sisters who will do anything to find their missing halves, even if it means destroying everything they’ve ever known.

A deeply reported, perceptive, and celebratory biography of beloved actor James Gandolfini from a prominent critic and film historian.

Named one of the most anticipated books of the year by the AV Club

Based on extensive research and original reporting, including interviews with friends and collaborators, Gandolfini is a detailed and nuanced appraisal of an enduring artist.

More than a decade after his sudden passing, James Gandolfini still exerts a powerful pull on television and film enthusiasts around the world. His charismatic portrayal of complex, flawed, but always human men illuminated the contradictions in all of us, as well as our potential for grace, and the power of love and family.

In Gandolfini, critic and historian Jason Bailey traces the twinned stories of the man and the unforgettable roles he played. Gandolfini's roots were working class, raised in northern New Jersey as the son of Italian immigrants, and acting was something he loved for a long time before he could see it as a career. It wasn't until he was well into his bohemian twenties that he dedicated himself to a life on the stage and screen.

Bailey traces his rise, from bit parts to character roles he enlivened with menace and vulnerability, to Tony Soprano, the breakout role that would make him a legend, and onto a post-Sopranos career in which he continued to challenge himself and his audience.

Nothing would please her family more than her securing an admirable match, but true love and loyalty are harder to come by than she imagined. 

At twenty-two, Elena Bradford has never met a man who made her consider marriage. But when her father dies and leaves the family deeply in debt, Elena becomes their only hope. Her mother uses their last funds to take Elena and her younger sister to Graham Springs, Kentucky, where people find healing by drinking the mineral spring water and healthy recreation through the many daily activities--including dances almost every evening. 

As her mother schemes to find Elena a wealthy husband, Elena finds herself drawn to two men her mother would never consider. Charming artist Kirby Frazier spends his days drawing and painting the guests, but his real mission is to find a wealthy bride to finance his dream to go west. Melancholy Andrew Harper has come to Graham Springs in need of healing after a broken heart. 

When a beautiful young lady shows up at the Springs with no chaperone and a story that seems suspicious, nearly everyone is charmed and intrigued. But when an unexpected tragedy occurs, Elena, Kirby, and Andrew will all be faced with decisions of life, love, and loyalty.

With a Southern flair and a spark of intrigue, this stand-alone clean historical romance will charm readers with masterful artists, colorful dances, a love triangle, and endearing family relationships.

"This is book club fiction at its finest!" --Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author

From New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe comes her highly anticipated Where the Rivers Merge, the first of two epic and triumphant novels celebrating one intrepid woman's life across multiple generations in the American South.

1908: The Lowcountry of South Carolina is at the cusp of change. Mayfield, the grand estate held for generations by the Rivers family, is the treasured home of young Eliza. A free spirit, she refuses to be confined by societal norms and spends her days exploring the vast property, observing wildlife, and riding horses. But the Great War, coastal storms, and family turmoil bring unexpected challenges to Eliza, putting her on a collision course with the patriarchal traditions of a bygone era.

1988: At 88, Eliza is the scion of the Rivers/DeLancey family. She's fought a lifetime to save her beloved Mayfield and is too independent and committed to quietly retire and leave the fate of the estate to her greedy son. She must make decisions that will assure the future of the land and her family--or watch them both be split apart.

Set against the evocative landscape of the twentieth-century Lowcountry, Where the Rivers Merge is a dramatic and sweeping multigenerational family story of unyielding love, lessons learned, profound sacrifices, and the indomitable spirit of a woman determined to persevere in the face of change in order to protect her family legacy and the land she loves.

DON'T SCREAM! There's something scary out in the forest, but you're in good hands in this story by Jess Hannigan, author of the wryly silly Spider in the Well. Just make sure you keep a cool head, and watch out for any intruders...

The signs are clear--there's a BEAR OUT THERE!

You're lucky to be safe in this cabin in the woods, with a host who is levelheaded, trustworthy, and smart about bear safety.

There's certainly no need to worry about any dark shadows or sneaky schemes in this book...RIGHT?

Jess Hannigan is back with another bold and brazen tale that's not too silly, not too scary, but just right.

A love letter to books, showing how many elements and people contribute to making something beautiful, from Caldecott honoree Elisha Cooper



In this poetic and beautifully illustrated ode to creativity and the process of making books, Caldecott honoree Elisha Cooper takes readers on a journey showing how words and art move from one person to another.



From writer to reader, and everyone who contributes in between: Here is a book, made with love.



An artist's studio overflows with sketches, drafts, a wastebasket, and wonder.

A publisher's office hums with computers, layouts, coffee, and teamwork.

A printer makes a layout into a book using presses, ink, paper, and time.

And that book travels to a school, to a library, to a student, to a home.

WALL-E meets THE RABBIT LISTENED in this tender picture book about a little wagon who learns to set his own boundaries, by Caldecott Honor-winning creator Cindy Derby.

Wheetle just wants to help. He's a wagon after all, and that's what he's meant to do. So when his friends ask him to carry slimy things, fragile things, heavy things, even squiggly-wiggly things, he always says yes.

But one morning he wakes up with a wobbly wheel. Oh no! he thinks, but decides he can still help his friends. When he hears a loud POP, he suddenly finds he is the one who needs help. Will his friends come through for him, this time?

Cindy Derby introduces us to a lovable character, Wheetle, in this new evergreen classic by the Caldecott Honor-winning creator of Outside In.

Bestselling and award-winning author Kate Messner takes readers on a heart-filling journey as a boy finds his path to healing.

One summer.
46 mountain peaks.
A second chance to make things right.

Finn Connelly is nothing like his dad, a star athlete and firefighter hero who always ran toward danger until he died two years ago. Finn is about to fail seventh grade and has never made headlines . . . until now.

Caught on camera vandalizing a cemetery, he's in big trouble for knocking down some dead old lady's headstone. Turns out that grave belongs to a legendary local mountain climber, and her daughter makes Finn an unusual offer: she'll drop all the charges if he agrees to climb all forty-six Adirondack High Peaks in a single summer. And there's just one more thing--he has to bring along the dead woman's dog.

In a wild three months of misadventures, mountain mud, and unexpected mentors, Finn begins to find his way on the trails. At the top of each peak, he can see for miles and slowly begins to understand more about himself and his dad. But the mountains don't care about any of that, and as the clock ticks down to September, they have more surprises in store. Finn's final summit challenge may be more than even a hero can face.

The New York Times bestselling master of suspense returns to his beloved series, adapted for TV (CBS's Tracker, starring Justin Hartley) as reward seeker Colter Shaw races against the clock to save a flooding town from a full-fledged disaster, where the culprit lurks in the plain sight.

When a levee collapses in Hinowah, a small town in Northern California, Colter Shaw is brought on by his sister, Dorion, a disaster response specialist, to help locate a family swept away by the raging water, with mere hours to survive. 

But after a surprise attack along the river obstructs Colter's urgent search, the siblings are forced to consider a new reality: Is the levee at risk of failing from natural causes, or is someone sabotaging it? Colter and Dorion must race against a ticking clock to uncover the truth and save the citizens before the village washes out completely, destroying everything and everyone in its path.

A new, jaw-dropping thriller from the instant #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Boyfriend and The Housemaid!

There's no place like home...

Blake Porter is riding high, until he's not. Fired abruptly from his job as a VP of marketing and unable to make the mortgage payments on the new brownstone he shares with his fiancée, he's desperate to make ends meet.

Enter Whitney. Beautiful, charming, down-to-earth, and looking for a room to rent. She's exactly what Blake's looking for. Or is she?

Because something isn't quite right. The neighbors start treating Blake differently. The smell of decay permeates his home, no matter how hard he scrubs. Strange noises jar him awake in the middle of the night. And soon Blake fears someone knows his darkest secrets...

Danger lives right at home, and by the time Blake realizes it, it'll be far too late. The trap is already set.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden knocks at your door with a gripping story of revenge, privilege, and secrets turned sour...