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Washington State Reading Lists

2024 Children's Choice Picture Book Award Nominee

Abdul's Story

Illustrated by Tiffany Rose
This edition: Hardcover, 40 pages
Publication date: March 29, 2022
Ages: 4 - 8

A 2022 New York Public Library Best Book for Kids! A little boy who loves storytelling but struggles with writing learns that it’s okay to make mis...

Growing an Artist

The Story of a Landscaper and His Son
Illustrated by John Parra
This edition: Hardcover, 40 pages
Publication date: May 10, 2022
Ages: 4 - 8

Four starred reviews! A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of the Year From award-winning artist John Parra comes a “heartwarming family story that u...

2023 Children's Choice Picture Book Award Nominee

Room for Everyone

Illustrated by Mercè López
This edition: Hardcover, 40 pages
Publication date: November 09, 2021
Ages: 4 - 8

A young boy on a crowded bus discovers that, after some wiggles and giggles, there’s room for everyone in this lighthearted rhyming picture book se...

2021 Children's Choice Picture Book Award Nominee

Love, Z

Illustrated by Jessie Sima
This edition: Hardcover, 48 pages
Publication date: December 18, 2018
Ages: 4 - 8

From the creator of Not Quite Narwhal comes the story of a young robot trying to find the meaning of “love.”When a small robot named Z discovers a ...

Cyril and Pat

Illustrated by Emily Gravett
This edition: Hardcover, 32 pages
Publication date: May 21, 2019
Ages: 4 - 8

From author-illustrator Emily Gravett comes a warm and funny picture book about friendship and loving someone different from yourself.Cyril is a sq...

A Royal Ride

Catherine the Great's Great Invention
Illustrated by Lucy Fleming
This edition: Hardcover, 40 pages
Publication date: July 16, 2019
Ages: 4 - 8

Join Catherine the Great on a fun-filled ride as she schemes to invent the roller coaster in this inventive, STEM-based nonfiction picture book!Emp...

Tiny Feet Between the Mountains

Illustrated by Hanna Cha
This edition: Hardcover, 40 pages
Publication date: November 05, 2019
Ages: 4 - 8

A young Korean girl comes up with a clever plan to help her village and a spirit tiger in this “gorgeous and moving debut” (Booklist, starred revie...

Skulls!

Illustrated by Scott Campbell
This edition: Hardcover, 40 pages
Publication date: July 23, 2019
Ages: 5 - 8

Debut picture book author Blair Thornburgh and award-winning illustrator Scott Campbell put their heads together to celebrate one of the most impor...

2023 Towner Book Award Nominee

Fourteen Monkeys

A Rain Forest Rhyme
Illustrated by Steve Jenkins
This edition: Hardcover, 32 pages
Publication date: July 06, 2021
Ages: 3 - 8

Travel to a tropical rainforest where fourteen species of monkeys live in harmony in this playful, fact-filled book from award-winning author Melis...

2022 Towner Book Award Nominee

The Only Woman in the Photo

Frances Perkins & Her New Deal for America
Illustrated by Alexandra Bye
This edition: Hardcover, 48 pages
Publication date: February 04, 2020
Ages: 4 - 8

Discover the incredible life of Frances Perkins, the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet and the mastermind behind Franklin D. Roosevelt...

2020 Towner Book Award Nominee

What Do They Do with All That Poo?

Illustrated by Allison Black
This edition: Hardcover, 40 pages
Publication date: June 19, 2018
Ages: 3 - 8

Find out what happens to all of the poo at the zoo in this funny and factual picture book!There are so many different kinds of animals at the zoo, ...

2022 Washington State Book Awards Finalist

A Complicated Love Story Set in Space

This edition: Hardcover, 464 pages
Publication date: January 19, 2021
Ages: 14 - 99

“A riveting ride through the stars.” —Kirkus Reviews Black Mirror meets What If It’s Us in this gripping, romantic, and wildly surprising novel abo...

Rock by Rock

The Fantastical Garden of Nek Chand
Illustrated by Sam Boughton
This edition: Hardcover, 48 pages
Publication date: February 23, 2021
Ages: 4 - 8

This luminous picture book tells the fascinating true story of artist Nek Chand and how his secret art project—hidden away in a jungle—became one o...

The Barking Ballad

A Bark-Along Meow-Along Book
Illustrated by Julie Paschkis
This edition: Hardcover, 32 pages
Publication date: October 05, 2021
Ages: 4 - 8

With a woof and meow and a bow-wow-wow, kids can bark along to this lively, luminously illustrated interactive picture book about a dog and the cat...

2021 Washington State Book Awards Finalist

Today Tonight Tomorrow

This edition: Hardcover, 384 pages
Publication date: July 28, 2020
Ages: 12 - 99

“A dizzying, intimate romance.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Funny, tender, and romantic.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) The Hating Game...

Whispering Pines

(Book #1 of Whispering Pines)
This edition: Hardcover, 320 pages
Publication date: September 01, 2020
Ages: 8 - 12

Stranger Things meets The X-Files in this eerie, heart-pounding middle grade adventure about a young boy and girl who must protect their small town...

2021 Washington State Book Award Finalist

A Field Guide to Getting Lost

This edition: Hardcover, 224 pages
Publication date: April 14, 2020
Ages: 8 - 99

“A cozy and enjoyable read.” —Kirkus Reviews “The likable cast and relatable premise will resonate with readers grappling with the uncertainty of c...

Girl, Unframed

This edition: Hardcover, 368 pages
Publication date: June 23, 2020
Ages: 14 - 99

A teen girl’s summer with her mother turns sinister in this gripping thriller about the insidious dangers of unwanted attention, from Printz Honor ...

2022 - 2023 Otter Award Nominee

Missed Meal Mayhem

(Book #1 of The Hunger Heroes)
Illustrated by Jarrett Lerner
This edition: Hardcover, 128 pages
Publication date: November 09, 2021
Ages: 5 - 8

A group of silly superheroes—a bean, a chip, a tomato, and a wedge of cheddar cheese—come to the rescue of a hungry kid stuck at school in this fir...

2022 - 2022 Otter Award Nominee

Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business

(Book #1 of Mindy Kim)
Illustrated by Dung Ho
This edition: Hardcover, 96 pages
Publication date: January 14, 2020
Ages: 6 - 9

Fresh Off the Boat meets Junie B. Jones in this first novel in an adorable new chapter book series about Mindy Kim, a young Asian American girl who...

2021 - 2022 Evergreen Teen Book Award

City Spies

(Book #1 of City Spies)
This edition: Hardcover, 384 pages
Publication date: March 10, 2020
Ages: 8 - 12

A New York Times bestseller! A GMA3 Summer Reading Squad Selection! “Ingeniously plotted, and a grin-inducing delight.” —People “Will keep young re...

How We Became Wicked

This edition: Hardcover, 368 pages
Publication date: July 23, 2019
Ages: 14 - 99

When an insect-borne plague begins to envelop the world, three sixteen-year-olds struggle to survive amongst the healthy “trues” and the infected “...

Maybe He Just Likes You

This edition: Hardcover, 304 pages
Publication date: October 01, 2019
Ages: 9 - 13

A 2020 ALA Notable Children’s Book A Washington Post Best Children’s Book of 2019 Barbara Dee explores the subject of #MeToo for the middle grade a...

Code Name Badass

The True Story of Virginia Hall
This edition: Hardcover, 384 pages
Publication date: September 07, 2021
Ages: 14 - 99

“Bringing together rigorous research and a vibrant writing style” (School Library Journal), Code Name Verity meets Inglourious Basterds in this rio...

2021 - 2022 Evergreen High School Book Award

SLAY

This edition: Hardcover, 336 pages
Publication date: September 24, 2019
Ages: 12 - 99

A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2019! “Gripping and timely.” —People “The YA debut we’re most excited for this year.” —Entertainment Weekly “A boo...