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 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction

Published by Scholastic in 2008, Rick Riordan’s The Maze of Bones is the first novel in an interactive middle grade mystery-adventure series called The 39 Clues that follows the hidden exploits and conflicts of the Cahills, the most influential family in history. Riordan is a former teacher and prolific author best known for publishing the Percy Jackson series. The 39 Clues franchise proved to be another success, with books from the series landing on the... Read The Maze of Bones Summary


Publication year 1883

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Classic Fiction, Poverty, Social Justice, Class, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Renaissance, Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood is a much-beloved adventure novel by Howard Pyle (1853-1911), published in 1883. Pyle, an American illustrator and children’s author, wove together several of the early ballads about the famed medieval outlaw Robin Hood and his companions, the Merry Men, in an episodic and entertaining plot aimed at young readers of the late nineteenth century. Written in a pseudo-archaic English actually modeled on Elizabethan-era English, the book reflects a colorful... Read The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood Summary


Publication year 1968

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

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


Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages

The Midwife’s Apprentice was written by Karen Cushman and published in 1991 by Houghton Mifflin. A young adult historical fiction novel set in medieval England, the story follows a young unhoused girl with no ambitions or sense of belonging as she experiences kindness and learns to have confidence in herself and find her place in the world through midwifery. The book won the John Newbery Medal in 1996, an honor also given to Cushman’s 1995... Read The Midwife's Apprentice Summary


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Historical Fiction, Poverty, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, History: World


Publication year 1997

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

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


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Animals, Fantasy, Action / Adventure

Kate DiCamillo’s The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, published in 2006, is a novel about the life of Edward Tulane, a three-foot tall china rabbit. While the book functions like a fairy tale, having magical content and a clear moral, both young and adult audiences can relate to the themes of love and loss that Edward endures. Although the chapters are short, and the language is geared towards children, the themes serve as a larger... Read The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Disability, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Self Discovery, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Humor, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Satire, Bullying, Diversity, LGBTQ, Education, Modernism, American Literature, Children's Literature, Education, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

The Misfits is a young adult novel by bestselling American author James Howe. The first of four in The Misfits series, the novel chronicles a group of unpopular seventh graders’ participation in a contentious student council election. The series inspired No-Name Calling Week, a bullying-prevention initiative that has been held by schools across the country.Plot SummaryThe Misfits is told from the perspective of Bobby Godspeed, a seventh grader living in Paintbrush Falls, New York. Bobby... Read The Misfits Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Fame

Tags Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Arts / Culture


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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

Rodman Philbrick’s The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg (2009) is a historical fiction novel for middle-grade readers. It won the Newbery Honor award for its story about a young boy’s travels across Civil War America in search of his lost brother. The 2011 e-book edition is the basis for this study guide. Plot SummaryHomer Figg, 12 years old in 1863, lives on a farm in Maine with his older brother, Harold. They’re in... Read The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg Summary


Publication year 1965

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship

Tags Fantasy, Animals, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1996

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Animals

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


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Children's Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure

The Mysterious Benedict Society (2007) by Trenton Lee Stewart is a New York Times best-selling children’s novel, the first in a mystery series that includes two sequels and a prequel. The book was included on reading lists published by notable several organizations, including the Association for Library Service to Children, Books for Youth, and the Texas Library Association.Plot SummaryFour children, Reynie Muldoon, Sticky Washington, Kate Wetherall, and Constance Contraire, respond to a newspaper advertisement for... Read The Mysterious Benedict Society Summary


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction


Publication year -12024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery

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


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Survival Fiction, Holocaust, WWII / World War II, Military / War, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, History: World


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Humor

The Name of This Book Is Secret (2007) is the first book in the middle grade fantasy series The Secret Series by Pseudonymous Bosch, the pen name of writer Raphael Simon. The book is told by an intrusive narrator, the author, Pseudonymous Bosch. The narrator frequently breaks the fourth wall to address the reader directly and interrupts the story to warn the reader of the dangerous nature of the story he is telling, sometimes considering... Read The Name of This Book Is Secret Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Book, Nonfiction

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

The Nazi Hunters, by Neal Bascomb, published in 2013, is the story of the manhunt and capture of Adolf Eichmann, the "World's Most Notorious Nazi" in Argentina, 1961. The story centers on the agents of the Mossad and Shin Bet—Israeli intelligence and investigatory agencies—painstakingly detailing their plans, and execution, along with the capture’s aftermath. In addition to these, the recollections of Auschwitz survivor and witness Zeev Sapir feature prominently. Looming over the entire narrative is... Read The Nazi Hunters Summary