Juvenile Literature

The books in this collection navigate themes and ideas appropriate for younger readers. Whether you're looking for contemporary hits like Front Desk by Kelly Yang or beloved classics like Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, you can explore this collection to find a title that will excite the young readers in your life.

Publication year 1881

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Grandparents, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Animals

Tags Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Historical Fiction, Romanticism / Romantic Period

Swiss author Johanna Spyri originally published the middle-grade fiction novel Heidi in German in two volumes in 1880. The novel quickly became a beloved classic children’s book that has since been adapted into 25 film and television versions, including a 1968 made-for-TV movie and a very popular anime series in 1974. It has sold more than 50 million copies worldwide. Spyri was born in Hirzel, a Zurich village that shares a border with the German... Read Heidi Summary


Publication year 1969

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Disability, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Self Discovery

Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Disability, Modern Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure

Hello, Universe (2017) is the third novel by Filipino-American author Erin Entrada Kelly. It is intended for children aged 8 to 12. The title won the 2018 Newbury Medal, and its author has garnered other awards for previous novels, including a Golden Kite Award and an Asian/Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature. Kelly’s other books include Blackbird Fly (2015), The Land of Forgotten Girls (2016), You Go First (2018), and Lalani of the Distant Sea... Read Hello, Universe Summary


Publication year 1952

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community

Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1950

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship

Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Sports

Published in 2010, Hero is an adventure novel for middle-grade readers about a teenage boy who develops superpowers and uses them to avenge the murder of his superhero father. In the process, he must learn to control his emotions, find a mentor he can trust, protect those he loves, and defeat powerful assailants.Author Mike Lupica is a sports columnist, TV commentator, and bestselling writer whose more than three dozen books range from sports biographies to... Read Hero Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War

Tags Children's Literature, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2018

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Children's Literature, Mental Illness, Arts / Culture

Hey, Kiddo: How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction is a 2018 graphic memoir by Jarrett J. Krosoczka. A finalist for the National Book Award, it earned praise for its compassionate and honest portrayal of a child growing up in a family marked by addiction and abuse. This guide refers to the 2018 Graphix edition.Plot SummaryThe story traces Jarrett J. Krosoczka’s childhood and his family. Beginning and ending with... Read Hey, Kiddo Summary


Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Society: Community

Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: The Past

Tags Action / Adventure, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

Louis Sachar’s 1998 children’s mystery novel, Holes, tells the story of Stanley Yelnats, a 14-year-old boy accused of stealing a pair of shoes. A judge sentences him to 18 months in a camp, where a tyrannical warden has the boys digging five-foot by five-foot holes that appear random. However, their activity hints at the town’s complicated past and an outlaw’s lost treasure. The novel was awarded the 1998 National Book Award and the 1999 Newbery... Read Holes Summary


Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Indian Literature

Homeless Bird, a novel written by Gloria Whelan and published in 2000, was a New York Times Best Seller and winner of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. Marketed to middle grade readers, the novel has elements of historical fiction in its portrayal of cultural customs in India. Homeless Bird tells the story of Koly, a 13-year-old girl whose arranged marriage leads to her untimely widowhood. Through Koly’s coming-of-age journey from helplessness to... Read Homeless Bird Summary


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Historical Fiction, Arts / Culture

Home of the Brave is a 2008 juvenile novel by Katherine Applegate that is written entirely in free verse. The story revolves around the protagonist, a young boy named Kek, who has fled from violence and upheaval in his native Sudan and traveled alone to the United States. Kek’s father and older brother were killed in an attack on their camp, and Kek was forced to leave his mother behind to save his own life... Read Home of the Brave Summary


Publication year 1981

Genre Book, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, Sports, Race / Racism, Parenting, African American Literature, American Literature, Children's Literature, Arts / Culture


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Animals

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Animals, Modern Classic Fiction

Hoot, by Carl Hiaasen, is a humorous adventure novel for middle-grade readers in which a group of children tries to save the habitat of a colony of owls from being bulldozed. Published in 2002, the book became a New York Times bestseller, won a Newbery Medal, and has been made into a motion picture. Author Hiaasen is an award-winning journalist and columnist for the Miami Herald. He has written nearly three dozen books, including six... Read Hoot Summary


Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction

Hope Was Here (2000) by Joan Bauer tells the story of Hope Yancey, a witty and optimistic 16-year-old coping with the complexities of growing up amid financial difficulty, social upheaval, and change in her family. Hope has been raised by her Aunt Addie after her mother surrendered custody of her at birth. As Hope and Addie traverse the country chasing jobs and running diners, Hope grapples with her identity and figuring out where to call... Read Hope Was Here Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Grandparents, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Magical Realism, Fantasy, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Published in 2016, Hour of the Bees is a young adult magical realism novel by Lindsay Eagar. Set in contemporary New Mexico, the story follows 12-year-old Carol as she spends the summer on her grandfather’s sheep ranch, helping her family prepare it for sale and helping care for her grandfather, who has dementia. However, her grandfather’s stories of the land’s magic and history cause her to fall in love with it. Hour of the Bees... Read Hour of the Bees Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

House Arrest is K. A. Holt’s 2015 novel in free verse. Narrated in the first-person voice of 12-year-old Timothy, the novel is comprised of fifty-two weeks of journal entries that he is required to write as part of his probation for stealing a wallet to pay for his infant brother Levi’s medication. The novel is divided by seasons.During winter, Timothy begins his journal and weekly meetings with his probation officer, James, and his court-appointed psychologist... Read House Arrest Summary


Publication year 2012

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Class, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Education, Psychology, Parenting, Children's Literature, Education, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Self Help


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community

Tags Historical Fiction, History: U.S., Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, History: World, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Arts / Culture

Published in 2013 by Tim Tingle, How I Became a Ghost is a work of middle grade fiction that follows a young boy in the Choctaw nation and his death on the Trail of Tears. The Choctaw Trail of Tears refers to The Indian Removal Act of 1830 and the forced relocation of Choctaws from their homes in the deep south to areas further west. How I Became a Ghost has received an American Indian... Read How I Became a Ghost Summary


Publication year 1986

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Language

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Love / Sexuality, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction

Howl’s Moving Castle was written by Diana Wynne Jones and published in 1986. It won the Phoenix Award for Children’s Literature 20 years after its publication. It is the first in a series of three books, followed by Castle in the Air, published in 1990; and House of Many Ways, published in 2008. Howl's Moving Castle introduces the main characters of Howl and Sophie and discusses themes of acceptance, identity, and the enemies-to-lovers trope. Howl’s... Read Howl’s Moving Castle Summary