SJPL Staff Picks
Monthly Staff Picks
SJPL Picks: Armchair Exploration
Explore the world from the comfort of your couch with these books, this list includes fiction and non-fiction.
SJPL Picks: Back to School!
Ready or not, it's time for school. Some favorites for your young ones or your older ones. There is a school story for everyone.
SJPL Picks: Self Help
You have the power to change your life...learn how! Curated by SJPL Librarians.
SJPL Picks: Back to School with YA Fiction
Follow teens and young adults as they experience adventures, challenges, drama, romance, and new beginnings at school.
SJPL Picks: Armchair Exploration
Explore the world from the comfort of your couch with these books, this list includes fiction and non-fiction.
SJPL Picks: Back to School!
Ready or not, it's time for school. Some favorites for your young ones or your older ones. There is a school story for everyone.
SJPL Picks: Self Help
You have the power to change your life...learn how! Curated by SJPL Librarians.
SJPL Picks: Back to School with YA Fiction
Follow teens and young adults as they experience adventures, challenges, drama, romance, and new beginnings at school.
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: Test Prep & Study Guides for High School
Here’s a list of test prep and study guides to help you crush your exams and school assignments.
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: YA Lit with Disability Representation
For these reads, characters with physical, intellectual, or developmental disabilities take center stage.
SJPL Picks: YA Books with Male Protagonists
Only 22% of YA titles feature a male protagonist. If you've been craving a book with a male lead, this list is for you.
SJPL Picks: Test Prep & Study Guides for High School
Here’s a list of test prep and study guides to help you crush your exams and school assignments.
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: YA Lit with Disability Representation
For these reads, characters with physical, intellectual, or developmental disabilities take center stage.
SJPL Picks: YA Books with Male Protagonists
Only 22% of YA titles feature a male protagonist. If you've been craving a book with a male lead, this list is for you.
SJPL Picks: Romantasy
Looking for fantasy with a heavy dose of spice? Selected and curated by SJPL Librarians.
SJPL Picks: Mysteries
Gather 'round book sleuths and let me clue you in to the latest mysteries for adults.
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: Self Help
You have the power to change your life...learn how! Curated by SJPL Librarians.
SJPL Picks: Romantasy
Looking for fantasy with a heavy dose of spice? Selected and curated by SJPL Librarians.
SJPL Picks: Mysteries
Gather 'round book sleuths and let me clue you in to the latest mysteries for adults.
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: Self Help
You have the power to change your life...learn how! Curated by SJPL Librarians.
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