SJPL Staff Picks
Summer Learning: Summer Camp Fun!
Summer camp can be a time to try new things and make new friends! Check out these exciting (and sometimes scary) camping tales.
Summer Learning: Armchair Exploration for the Family
This collection of books and novels are set in locations around and outside of the United States, with selections for all ages.
Summer Learning: Sweet Summer Tales
Beat the heat with these sweet summer tales about ice cream and non-fiction delights. Selected by SJPL staff.
Summer Learning: Intergenerational Book Club
Pick a book the whole family can read and enjoy together! This collection of books will entertain children, while delighting grown-ups.
Summer Learning: Summer Camp Fun!
Summer camp can be a time to try new things and make new friends! Check out these exciting (and sometimes scary) camping tales.
Summer Learning: Armchair Exploration for the Family
This collection of books and novels are set in locations around and outside of the United States, with selections for all ages.
Summer Learning: Sweet Summer Tales
Beat the heat with these sweet summer tales about ice cream and non-fiction delights. Selected by SJPL staff.
Summer Learning: Intergenerational Book Club
Pick a book the whole family can read and enjoy together! This collection of books will entertain children, while delighting grown-ups.
Monthly Staff Picks
SJPL Picks: Immigration Stories in Picture Books
Picture books for children on immigration and the immigrant experience, selected and curated by SJPL Librarians.
LGBTQ+ Children's Picture Books
Diverse books for children showcasing LGBTQ families. Help children find their family's faces in these children's books.
SJPL Picks: LGBTQIA+ Voices in YA Fiction
Revel in these latest stories featuring characters and told by authors identifying as part of the LGBTQIA+ community.
SJPL Picks: Summer is Here!
Read about the food, activities, weather and everything thing else that comes with SUMMERTIME! Books were selected by SJPL Librarian.
SJPL Picks: Immigration Stories in Picture Books
Picture books for children on immigration and the immigrant experience, selected and curated by SJPL Librarians.
LGBTQ+ Children's Picture Books
Diverse books for children showcasing LGBTQ families. Help children find their family's faces in these children's books.
SJPL Picks: LGBTQIA+ Voices in YA Fiction
Revel in these latest stories featuring characters and told by authors identifying as part of the LGBTQIA+ community.
SJPL Picks: Summer is Here!
Read about the food, activities, weather and everything thing else that comes with SUMMERTIME! Books were selected by SJPL Librarian.
Personalized Staff Picks
Looking for your next good read? Fill out our 5forU form, and our experts will email you within 5-10 days with a list of five books, selected just for you!
Picture Books
SJPL Picks: Green Reads (Pre-K to Early Elementary)
Explore nature and learn how to take care of our beloved planet Earth with these Green Reads for young readers.
SJPL Picks: Stories, books, and Libraries
Picture books about the wonderful world of stories, literary creation, and libraries.
SJPL Picks: New Sibling
What to do when you have a new baby brother or sister. Stories to appeal to young ones and to help ease the changes.
SJPL Picks: Tough Topics - Loss and Grief
Books can be a wonderful tool to approach tough topics with young children who have experienced loss or trauma.
SJPL Picks: Green Reads (Pre-K to Early Elementary)
Explore nature and learn how to take care of our beloved planet Earth with these Green Reads for young readers.
SJPL Picks: Stories, books, and Libraries
Picture books about the wonderful world of stories, literary creation, and libraries.
SJPL Picks: New Sibling
What to do when you have a new baby brother or sister. Stories to appeal to young ones and to help ease the changes.
SJPL Picks: Tough Topics - Loss and Grief
Books can be a wonderful tool to approach tough topics with young children who have experienced loss or trauma.
SJPL Picks: Books for the very beginning reader
A list of books for our very earliest readers. Small sentences and pictures will keep your newest reader engaged!
SJPL Picks: Green Reads (~Grades 3-7)
From climate change to evil corporations to animals on the brink of extinction, these characters are taking action!
SJPL Picks: Novels in Verse (~Grades 3-7)
If your regular reads have you in a reading rut, why not try some poetry instead?
SJPL Picks: Illustrated Chapter Books for Middle Graders
These books (while not exactly graphic novels) have many illustrations that provide a dynamic and vocabulary-enriching reading experience.
SJPL Picks: Books for the very beginning reader
A list of books for our very earliest readers. Small sentences and pictures will keep your newest reader engaged!
SJPL Picks: Green Reads (~Grades 3-7)
From climate change to evil corporations to animals on the brink of extinction, these characters are taking action!
SJPL Picks: Novels in Verse (~Grades 3-7)
If your regular reads have you in a reading rut, why not try some poetry instead?
SJPL Picks: Illustrated Chapter Books for Middle Graders
These books (while not exactly graphic novels) have many illustrations that provide a dynamic and vocabulary-enriching reading experience.
SJPL Picks: LGBTQIA+ YA Graphic Novels
Celebrating identities under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella in these beautiful, heartwarming, complex, flawed, fantastical graphic novels.
SJPL Picks: LGBTQIA+ Non-fiction for Teens
Find inspiration, inclusion, and identity confirmation in these non-fiction teen books, featuring LGBTQIA+ authors, topics, and stories.
SJPL Picks: YA Books About Prom
Dreaming of prom-posals, themes & tulle? Dive into these YA reads full of glitter, nerves & prom drama—picked by SJPL Librarians!
SJPL Picks: Short But Sweet: Books Under 200 Pages
Check out these Short but Sweet books that are 200 or less pages. Include Fiction, Nonfiction, In-Verse, and Poetry.
SJPL Picks: LGBTQIA+ YA Graphic Novels
Celebrating identities under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella in these beautiful, heartwarming, complex, flawed, fantastical graphic novels.
SJPL Picks: LGBTQIA+ Non-fiction for Teens
Find inspiration, inclusion, and identity confirmation in these non-fiction teen books, featuring LGBTQIA+ authors, topics, and stories.
SJPL Picks: YA Books About Prom
Dreaming of prom-posals, themes & tulle? Dive into these YA reads full of glitter, nerves & prom drama—picked by SJPL Librarians!
SJPL Picks: Short But Sweet: Books Under 200 Pages
Check out these Short but Sweet books that are 200 or less pages. Include Fiction, Nonfiction, In-Verse, and Poetry.
SJPL Picks: Romantasy
Looking for fantasy with a heavy dose of spice? Selected and curated by SJPL Librarians.
SJPL Picks: Historical Fiction
What better way to spark a passion for history than through stories? Historical Fiction gives voices to those lost to the passage of time.
SJPL Picks: Athletes' Stories (Sports Nonfiction)
Sports history, life stories, memoirs, biographies, and autobiographies from or about notable athletes, selected by SJPL Librarians.
SJPL Picks: Memoir
Fascinating stories about fascinating people - told in their own words.
SJPL Picks: Romantasy
Looking for fantasy with a heavy dose of spice? Selected and curated by SJPL Librarians.
SJPL Picks: Historical Fiction
What better way to spark a passion for history than through stories? Historical Fiction gives voices to those lost to the passage of time.
SJPL Picks: Athletes' Stories (Sports Nonfiction)
Sports history, life stories, memoirs, biographies, and autobiographies from or about notable athletes, selected by SJPL Librarians.
SJPL Picks: Memoir
Fascinating stories about fascinating people - told in their own words.
More Reading Recommendations
Want more ways to discover your next favorite read? Check out these recommendation tools.
Grade Level Lists
- SJPL Picks: Books for Toddlers
- SJPL Picks: Books for Preschoolers
- SJPL Picks: Nonfiction for Toddlers and Preschoolers, opens a new window
- SJPL Picks: Kindergarten
- SJPL Picks: First Grade
- SJPL Picks: Second Grade
- SJPL Picks: Third Grade
- SJPL Picks: Fourth Grade
- SJPL Picks: Fifth Grade
- SJPL Picks: Sixth Grade
- SJPL Picks: Seventh Grade
- SJPL Picks: Advanced Young Reader Selections
Graphic Novels
- SJPL Picks: Graphic Novels for Adults
- SJPL Picks: YA Multicultural Graphic Novels
- SJPL Picks: Multicultural Graphic Novels for Kids
- SJPL Picks: YA Graphic Novel Adaptations
- SJPL Picks: LGBTQIA+ YA Graphic Novels
- Find Yourself: Diverse Comics for Readers
- Find Yourself: Diverse Comics for Pre-Teens
- Find Yourself: Diverse Comics for Teens
- Find Yourself: Diverse Comics for Older Teens & Adults
- Exploring Gender Identity
- Magical Education in Graphic Novels
- Sweet Enough to Make You Swoon
- Moody Mysteries
- Epic Adventures!
- SJPL Picks: Manga for Teens
Español
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) Picture Books for Kids / Libros bilingües e ilustrados para niños
- Libros en español para niños: del kínder y primer grado
- Libros en español para niños: del segundo y tercer grados
- Libros en español para niños: del cuarto y quinto grados
- Libros en español para niños: del sexto y séptimo grados
- Libros ganadores del Premio Newbery traducidos al español
- Libros ganadores del Premio Caldecott traducidos al español
- Libros sobre la inclusión
- Libros ilustrados antirracistas para niños
- Libros antirracistas para personas de diferentes edades
- Literatura Española e Hispanoamericana
- Bilingual Books :Libros sobre la inmigración para niños . Immigration for kids
- Comidas sabrosas para los dias de fiesta
SJPL Recommends
- SJPL Recommends: Racial Equity & Social Justice
- SJPL Recommends: #BlackLivesMatter An Antiracist Reading List
- SJPL Recommends: Facing Racism Through Fiction
- SJPL Recommends: Antiracist Nonfiction for Grades 9-12
- SJPL Recommends: Antiracist Fiction for Grades 9-12
- SJPL Recommends: Antiracist Books for Grades 3-5
- SJPL Recommends: Antiracist Books for Grades 6-8
- SJPL Recommends: Antiracist Books for Grades K-2
- SJPL Recommends: Antiracist Books for Young Children
- SJPL Recommends: Resources for Helping Children in Grades 4-8 Process Community Violence or Personal Tragedy
- SJPL Recommends: Resources for Healing After Traumatic Events
- SJPL Recommends: Resources for Helping Children After Traumatic Events
- SJPL Recommends: Books and Resources for Gender Expansive Kids and their Parents
- SJPL Recommends: Stories to Help Teens Process Gun Violence in their Communities