Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls by Judith Rossell – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls by Judith Rossell 

Publisher: Dial Books

Publication Date: May 27, 2025

Reviewed from library copy

ISBN: 9798217002405

When Maggie is sent to the Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls, she knows just the sort of place she is entering. She expects severe discipline, not much learning and pure dreariness. But the Institute is not like that at all. Behind that respectable front lies a school that trains girls in how to be spies, fight bad guys and solve mysteries. Soon Maggie and her class of new students are finding themselves learning to hide, speak German, fence and dance. When their class figures out a letter from a missing woman is actually a cry for help, they are placed on the case. They must figure out who is behind the disappearance and who a jewel thief discovered in their investigation is. 

Set in a marvelous world of floating blimps combined with turn of the century attitudes and technologies, this book brings an entire city to life for the reader. All of the characters are fascinating, including the adults who are far more roundly crafted than many other children’s books. The various ways out of the Institute and into the city add to the wonder and whimsy of the book. 

Full of action and lots of disobedient and clever girls, this story is smashing. Appropriate for ages 8-12.

Silverborn by Jessica Townsend – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

Silverborn by Jessica Townsend 

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: June 24, 2025

Reviewed from library copy

ISBN: 9780316348393

The fourth book in the Nevermoor series has Morrigan discovering that her mother is actually from Nevermoor and was part of a very wealthy family. Morrigan is invited to meet her mother’s family, the Darlings, but things don’t go perfectly at their first meeting. Still, she continues to be in touch with them as her relationship with her mentor falls apart due to both of them having kept large secrets from one another. At a Darling wedding, Morrigan finds herself in the midst of a murder investigation where she and her friends may just be the only ones still searching for the true murderer. She must also find time to continue her studies to be a Wundersmith, one of the big secrets she is keeping from everyone.

After many delays in its publication, there is such joy in returning to the world of Nevermoor and the magic delights that dwell there. In this novel, there is plenty of darkness woven throughout. Readers will be able to figure out some of the mysteries and lies ahead of Morrigan while other reveals will surprise. With a monster, a murder and Morrigan, this book has plenty to keep fans happy.

If you haven’t tried this children’s fantasy series yet, this fourth book just adds to the reasons to read it soon. Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Publishers Weekly Best Young Adult Books of 2025

| Tasha

Publishers Weekly has announced their list of best books for 2025. Here are the selected books in YA:

And the River Drags Her Down by Jihyun Yun

Angelica and the Bear Prince by Trung Le Nguyen

A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe by Mahogany L. Browne

The Corruption of Hollis Brown by K. Ancrum

Death in the Jungle: Murder, Betrayal, and the Lost Dream of Jonestown by Candace Fleming

The Leaving Room by Amber McBride

One of the Boys by Victoria Zeller

Reasons to Hate Me by Susan Metallo

Reasons We Break by Jesmeen Kaur Deo

Run Away with Me by Brian Selznick

Skipshock by Caroline O’Donoghue

Song of a Blackbird by Maria van Lieshout

This Place Kills Me by Mariko Tamaki, illustrated by Nicole Goux

The Tournament by Rebecca Barrow

Truth Is by Hannah V. Sawyerr

Wake Your Friday Brain Cells – November 14 Edition

| Tasha

From the amazing new library where I am Assistant Director.

And I’ll brag a little bit more:

Appleton Public Library wins 2025 Wisconsin Library of the Year award for distinguished service – Post Crescent

Appleton Public Library Wins AIA Chicago People’s Choice Award – SOM

Inside SOM’s Forward-Thinking Appleton Public Library Design – GB&D

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

‘Strega Nona’ is still reaching audiences at 50 years old – NPR

Travel Can Make Classic Children’s Books Come Alive – New York Times

LIBRARIES

How the Library Made Me an Author – SLJ

Ohio Republicans are messing with libraries, but voters just sent a clear warning shot – Cleveland.com

Some Tennessee Libraries Shut Down For “Emergency Closure” Over Transgender Books – Erin in the Morning

YA LIT

Chloe Gong: The Books That Sparked My Dystopia Era – Paste

Publishers Weekly Best Middle Grade Books of 2025

| Tasha

Publishers Weekly has announced their best books lists for 2025. Here are their picks for best Middle Grade books:

Candle Island by Lauren Wolk

Graciela in the Abyss by Meg Medina, illus. by Anna and Elena Balbusso

How to Say Goodbye in Cuban by Daniel Miyares

The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze by Derrick Barnes

Malcolm Lives! by Ibram X. Kendi

My Presentation Today Is About the Anaconda by Bibi Dumon Tak, trans. from the Dutch by Nancy Forest-Flier, illus. by Annemarie van Haeringen

Night Chef by Mika Song

The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli by Karina Yan Glaser

Oasis by Guojing

Pocket Bear by Katherine Applegate, illus. by Charles Santoso

A Sea of Lemon Trees by María Dolores Águila

The Summer of the Bone Horses by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, illus. by Steph Littlebird

The Trouble with Heroes by Kate Messner

The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman

A World Worth Saving by Kyle Lukoff

2 Breezy New Picture book Biographies of Beloved Authors

| Tasha

Jim!: Six True Stories about One Great Artist: James Marshall by Jerrold Connors

Publisher: Dial Books

Publication Date: May 20, 2025

Reviewed from library copy

ISBN: 9780593859346

James Marshall is one of the best-known children’s picture book creators and this picture book biography of him captures exactly why. Through six short stories, Marshall’s approach to his work, his collaborative nature, and his personal life are shown with a suitable style. The stories begin with how Miss Nelson Is Missing started. They move on to his dislike of the words “cute” and “zany”, share how he met his partner Billy, show him alongside other children’s picture book creators that readers will know, The book ends with Miss Nelson Is Missing in just the right way. 

Funny and heartfelt, this picture book biography approaches a biography of Marshall by using his own illustration style and his signature small blurbs of text. The result is a merry and lovely book that captures Marshall’s life and his impact on children’s literature while always keeping the audience of young children at the forefront. 

You just know that Marshall himself would have loved this. Appropriate for ages 5-8.

Outside In and the Inside Out: A Story about Arnold Lobel by Emmy Kastner

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: September 23, 2025

Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley

ISBN: 9780593692509

This picture book biography of the beloved book creator Arnold Lobel captures the spirit of his work. It begins with wet socks, offers a myriad of potential silly reasons for wet socks, and then moves on to Lobel as a child who loved stories though his classmates didn’t appreciate them. It’s the story of a boy who loved the absurd and became a man with a gorilla suit in his closet and a plastic goose on his wall. Lobel tried to do corporate work but soon started listening to the stories in his head. He became an illustrator of other people’s work first and then began to write his own. Some of them were illustrated by his wife while others like Frog and Toad he did himself. Soon his inside was being shared outside with everyone. 

Kastner has done such a marvelous job of capturing the spirit of Lobel on the page. She offers a nod at his new love later in his life while not lingering there but rather on the stories that he created for us all to love. Her art style echoes his, offering us glimpses of beloved characters. 

A true homage to a master storyteller. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Publishers Weekly Best Picture Books of 2025

| Tasha

Publishers Weekly has announced their picks for the best books of 2025. The juvenile picks are broken into three categories. Here are the picture book selections:

PICTURE BOOKS

Alberto Salas Plays Paka Paka con la Papa: Join the Quest with Peru’s Famed Scientist and Potato Expert by Sara Andrea Fajardo, illus. by Juana Martinez-Neal

Cranky, Crabby Crow by Corey R. Tabor

Don’t Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson, illus. by Dan Santat

Downpour: Splish! Splash! Ker-Splash! by Yuko Ohnari and Koshiro Hata, trans. from the Japanese by Emily Balistrieri

Every Monday Mabel by Jashar Awan

Fireworks by Matthew Burgess, illus. by Cátia Chien

For a Girl Becoming by Joy Harjo, illus. by Adriana M. Garcia

Island Storm by Brian Floca, illus. by Sydney Smith

The Keeper of Stories by Caroline Kusin Pritchard, illus. by Selina Alko

Lena the Chicken (but Really a Dinosaur) by Linda Bailey, illus. by K-Fai Steele

Let’s Be Bees by Shawn Harris

On Our Way with Mr. Jay by Chelsea Lin Wallace, illus. by Thyra Heder

Our Lake by Angie Kang

Papilio by Ben Clanton, Corey R. Tabor, and Andy Chou Musser

A Place for Us by James E. Ransome

Popo the Xolo by Paloma Angelina Lopez, illus. by Abraham Matias

So Many Years bookcover

So Many Years: A Juneteenth Story by Anne Wynter, illus. by Jerome Pumphrey

Stalactite & Stalagmite: A Big Tale from a Little Cave by Drew Beckmeyer

The World Entire: A True Story of an Extraordinary World War II Rescue by Elizabeth Brown, illus. by Melissa Castrillón

Your Forest by Jon Klassen

To Activate Space Portal Lift Here by Antoinette Portis – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

To Activate Space Portal Lift Here by Antoinette Portis

Publisher: Neal Porter Books

Publication Date: October 7, 2025

Reviewed from copy provided by publisher

ISBN: 9780823459858

Turning the pages of this book activates a space portal that lets readers be the first to interact with alien creatures! As the portal opens, the readers can see an orange and a yellow alien, who are just as surprised to see the reader and just as shocked that aliens are real. The aliens worry that the reader might eat them, but relax after the reader shares how small their teeth are. They have the reader make all kinds of faces which then scare some other aliens who respond much better to a big friendly smile. As the portal closes, there is an invitation to return.

This book begs to be shared aloud and with a group of children as long as you enjoy a bit of nonsense and noise resulting. I read this both in physical form and digitally and there is something about the physical page turns that make this book really engaging. The gloriously loud and simple illustrations of the aliens add to the chaotic fun of the book. 

A portal worth visiting. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

2 New Outstanding Outdoor Picture Books

| Tasha

The Newest Gnome by Lauren Soloy 

Publisher: Tundra Books

Publication Date: October 7, 2025

Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley

ISBN: 9781774887202

Return to the world first shared in The Hidden World of Gnomes with this second book set in The Pocket. When a new mushroom circle is discovered, the gnomes know that a new gnome is about to arrive. It is Grolly Maru, a fuzzy brown gnome with stand up ears. The gnomes fall asleep under the stars, preparing to share their love of the world with Grolly Maru the next day. And my, do they share! They try various hats, scramble with squirrels, look at leaves, follow ants, make animal sounds, learn songs, bake a treat, and count all sorts of things. By the end of the day, the gnomes aren’t sure what sort of gnome Grolly Maru will be, until Grolly Maru demonstrates.

This entire book is wonderfully organic and infused with small natural wonders. The pages are warmly tan and show quiet moments of plant growth, bird song, spiders spinning, and fall weather. The stories and information shared by the gnomes will have children wanting to explore their own yards to find small things happening there or greet the worms at the start of the day themselves. The book reminds us to look around, learn about nature and find our own bits of magic. 

Merry, quiet and abundant, this picture book is a celebration of nature in small and large ways. Appropriate for ages 3-6.

The Night of the Hedgehog by Tanya Rosie, illustrated by Chuck Groenink 

Publisher: Candlewick

Publication Date: November 11, 2025

Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley

ISBN: 9781536245066

When the hedgehog came to their yard at night, the little girl’s father woke her up. This had happened before. They tiptoed out barefoot in the garden to watch. Silent and still, the two watched as the hedgehog came out of the bushes. Then they quietly went inside to fill a pan with water. Back to waiting silently in the dark and then they saw an entire hedgehog family come out for a drink. After drinking, the baby hedgehogs followed their mother to the “hog hole” which would lead them to the next yard. Then it was back to bed full of sighs and smiles for the special night.

This quintessentially English rhyming picture book offers American readers a glimpse into the joy of having wild hedgehogs in your neighborhood. Readers will love the coziness of the story, the wonder of going outside in the dark and then the joy of not only seeing hedgehogs but providing for them in different ways. The illustrations add to the joy of the special yet quiet night with their warm golden light and cool blue night. 

Just right for bedtime or an adventure to spy your own wild night creatures. Appropriate for ages 3-6.