Illinois State Reading Lists

Being Frog

From award-winning author and photographer April Pulley Sayre comes a stunning photographic look at the fascinating lives of frogs.A frog is a bein...

My Life in the Fish Tank

From acclaimed author of Maybe He Just Likes You and Halfway Normal comes a powerful and moving story of learning how to grow, change, and survive....

Frankie & Bug

“Joyful, occasionally heartbreaking, deeply moving.” —R. J. Palacio, bestselling author of Wonder In the debut middle grade novel from #1 New York ...

Alone

Perfect for fans of Hatchet and the I Survived series, this harrowing middle grade debut novel-in-verse from a Pushcart Prize–nominated poet tells ...

Genesis Begins Again

A Newbery Honor Book Winner of the Correta Scott King - John Steptoe for New Talent Author Award A Morris Award Finalist An NPR Favorite Book of 2...

The Okay Witch

A School Library Journal Best Graphic Novel of 2019 A YALSA 2020 Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers A YALSA 2020 Great Graphic Novel for ...

Maybe He Just Likes You

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...

Long Way Down

Longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature Parents’ Choice Gold Award Winner An ode to Put the Damn Guns Down, this is Na...

The Only Road

PURA BELPRÉ HONOR BOOK ALA NOTABLE BOOK “Powerful and timely.” —Booklist (starred review) “An important, must-have addition to the growing body of ...

Love from A to Z

A Today Show Read with Jenna Book Club Pick A School Library Journal Best Young Adult Book of 2019 A YALSA 2020 Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adul...

Dry

When the California drought escalates to catastrophic proportions, one teen is forced to make life and death decisions for her family in this harro...

Today Tonight Tomorrow

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

Would You Come Too?

This whimsical and poignant picture book celebrates playing outside and invites readers to grab some friends, gear up their imaginations, and immer...

Would You Come Too?

This whimsical and poignant picture book celebrates playing outside and invites readers to grab some friends, gear up their imaginations, and immer...

Stella Keeps the Sun Up

In this incandescently fun, hijinks-filled picture book, a young girl schemes to keep the sun up in the sky so she never has to go to bed.If Stella...

Secret, Secret Agent Guy

Send little spies to sleep with this hilarious, tongue-in-cheek lullaby set to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.Dear Fellow Agents: Your mi...

Would You Come Too?

This whimsical and poignant picture book celebrates playing outside and invites readers to grab some friends, gear up their imaginations, and immer...

All That I Can Fix

“A superbly entertaining read.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Will win over teens.” —School Library Journal (starred review) A teen boy’s world...

The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street

A girl unravels a centuries-old mystery after moving into a haunted house in this deliciously suspenseful mystery.Tessa Woodward isn’t exactly thri...

The Great Stink

How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London's Poop Pollution Problem

A Robert F. Sibert Honor Book! Discover the true story about the determined engineer who fixed London’s pollution problem in this funny, accessible...

New from Here

An instant #1 New York Times bestseller! This “timely and compelling” (Kirkus Reviews) middle grade novel about courage, hope, and resilience follo...

The Only Woman in the Photo

Frances Perkins & Her New Deal for America

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

Long Distance

From the creator of Fake Blood comes another exceptionally charming middle grade graphic novel about friendships both near and far, far away.Vega’s...

Blended

Eleven-year-old Isabella’s blended family is more divided than ever in this thoughtful story about divorce and racial identity from the award-winni...

Framed!

Get to know the only kid on the FBI Director’s speed dial and several international criminals’ most wanted lists all because of his Theory of All S...

Roll with It

A Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Book of 2019 “A big-hearted story that’s as sweet as it is awesome.” —R.J. Palacio, author of Wonder In the trad...

Lifeboat 12

“This page-turning true-life adventure is filled with rich and riveting details and a timeless understanding of the things that matter most.”—Dashk...

Power Forward

From the critically acclaimed author of Amina’s Voice comes the first book in an exciting new middle grade series about a fourth-grader with big dr...

Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao

A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of 2019 Meet the funny, fierce, and fearless Amy Wu, who is determined to make a perfect bao bun today. Can she ...

Sulwe

A New York Times bestseller! Featured in its own episode in the Netflix original show Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices! Recipient of a Coretta S...

Mia Mayhem Is a Superhero!

Meet Mia Macarooney, an ordinary eight-year-old who finds out she has an extraordinary super-secret in this first chapter book in the brand-new Mia...

Bilal Cooks Daal

A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of 2019 An Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Honor Book 2019 Six-year-old Bilal introduces his friends...

Sorcery of Thorns

A New York Times bestseller! “A bewitching gem...I absolutely loved every moment of this story.” —Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling a...

Obsessed

A Memoir of My Life with OCD

A brave teen recounts her debilitating struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder—and brings readers through every painful step as she finds her w...

A Heart in a Body in the World

“This is one for the ages.” —Gayle Forman, author of the #1 bestseller If I Stay “A book everyone should read right now.” —The New York Times Book ...

Price of Duty

From award-winning author Todd Strasser comes a gripping new novel that explores the struggles of war, the price paid by those who fight in them, a...

Lawless Spaces

Perfect for fans of Deb Caletti, this “powerful, absorbing, and beautiful” (Booklist) coming-of-age novel in verse follows a teen girl who connects...

Love Radio

“Readers won’t be able to get enough of these dope-ass characters.” —Elizabeth Acevedo, author of Clap When You Land Hitch meets The Sun Is Also a ...

Cultivando a un artista (Growing an Artist)

La historia de un jardinero paisajista y su hijo

El galardonado artista John Parra nos trae un conmovedor y engañosamente simple cuento infantil ilustrado inspirado por su propia niñez, sobre el l...

Growing an Artist

The Story of a Landscaper and His Son

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...

Holding On

A young girl in the Philippines uses music to connect with her grandmother as her memory fades in this warm and moving picture book perfect for fan...

Impossible Moon

A young girl undertakes an impossible trip to the moon, makes friends with the stars, and brings back something priceless in this gentle and lyrica...

The Talk

A Coretta Scott King Author Honor winner! As a little boy grows into a bigger boy, ready to take on the world, he first must have that very difficu...

Can Blue Hide?

Ready-to-Read Pre-Level 1

In this second book in the funny Pre-Level 1 Ready-to-Read Shark Chums series, Shark plays hide-and-seek with an octopus!Shark and an octopus named...

Blood Like Magic

“High stakes, big heart, and lots of Black Girl Magic…unputdownable.” —Aiden Thomas, New York Timesbestselling author of Cemetery Boys A rich, dark...

The Great Stink

How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London's Poop Pollution Problem

A Robert F. Sibert Honor Book! Discover the true story about the determined engineer who fixed London’s pollution problem in this funny, accessible...

How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe

“Breathlessly atmospheric…A gorgeous, hopeful book.” —Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of Today Tonight Tomorrow The Hating Game meets I Am Not Your Per...

Jump at the Sun

The True Life Tale of Unstoppable Storycatcher Zora Neale Hurston

From the Newbery Honor–winning author of Genesis Begins Again comes a shimmering picture book that shines the light on Zora Neale Hurston, the extr...

Nothing Fits a Dinosaur

Ready-to-Read Level 1

Nothing Fits a Dinosaur is a Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Honor Book! From award-winning author and illustrator Jonathan Fenske comes a funny, rhymin...

The Other Talk

Reckoning with Our White Privilege

A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Brendan Kiely starts a conversation with white k...

A Sled for Gabo

The Snowy Day meets Last Stop on Market Street in this heartwarming classic in the making about a young boy who is in a new town and doesn’t have m...

Un trineo para Gabo (A Sled for Gabo)

The Spanish language edition of this heartwarming classic in the making about a young boy who is in a new town and doesn’t have much, but with the ...

Yolk

“Sneaks up on you with its insight and poignancy.” —Entertainment Weekly From New York Times bestselling author Mary H.K. Choi comes a funny and em...

Maybe He Just Likes You

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...