​Osha Lynette Smith-Davis
Whether exploring the joys of reading, family, and storytelling; discovering the wonders of animals and the natural world; expressing creativity through music and imagination; or valuing cherished friendships, each book encourages readers to engage thoughtfully with the world around them. Together, these titles highlight the importance of learning, compassion, and wonder while inspiring children to develop a lifelong love of knowledge, meaningful relationships, and the stories that shape our understanding of ourselves and others.

Beatrix and Her Friends: Celebrating the Life of Beatrix Potter. Anne Lambelet. (2026). Margaret Quinlin Books.
Lambelet's beautifully illustrated biography captures Beatrix Potter's lifelong love of animals and the natural world. From childhood, Beatrix surrounded herself with real and imagined animal companions, filling her nursery with pets, sketches, and paintings. Taught at home by governesses, she treasured countryside vacations where she could observe nature. Readers are introduced to Peter Rabbit, based on her pet rabbit, Peter Piper, and the many beloved animal characters inspired by her own experiences. The book highlights Beatrix's determination to share her stories, including her decision to self-publish The Tale of Peter Rabbit when others doubted its potential. Her passion for conservation is also celebrated as she worked to protect farmland and wildlife habitats in England's Lake District. An author's note and creative timeline enrich this engaging tribute to a beloved author whose animal friends continue to delight generations of readers. (PreK–Gr 3) 

Blues Boy: The B. B. King Story. Alice Faye Duncan. Illus. by Carl Joe Williams. (2026). Greenwillow Books.
Duncan opens this biography with the lines, "The blues is a moan. The blues is a shout. The blues is a boy named Riley B. King...” setting the stage for the story of B. B. King, the "King of the Blues." Growing up in the segregated South, Riley faced poverty, discrimination, and the loss of his mother at age nine. Yet her parting words about kindness and doing good guided him. Music became a refuge and hope, helping him cope with grief and teasing from classmates. After purchasing his first guitar at age twelve, Riley taught himself to play and dreamed of a better future. Choosing music over cotton fields, he journeyed to Memphis's Beale Street, where his talent flourished. With his beloved guitar, Lucille, B. B. King found worldwide fame while sharing joy through his music. Richly illustrated, this biography features back matter, including a timeline and more about King's life and legacy. (PreK–Gr 3)

Charley's Honky-Tonk Mission: The Story of America's First Black Country Music Superstar. Beatrice Winifred Iker. Illus. by Miguelina Milien. (2026). Kokila.
Charley Pride's remarkable journey from the baseball diamond to the Grand Ole Opry is beautifully captured in this engaging picture-book biography. Before becoming a country music legend and the first Black performer inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Charley played baseball in the Negro Leagues while nurturing a lifelong love of music. Growing up in Mississippi, he sang and played guitar for family and friends, performing anywhere he could—from rodeos and state fairs to local sandlots. Aware of the divisions caused by race and religion, Charley believed music could bring people together and set out to "change the world one ditty at a time." The lyrical text and vibrant illustrations highlight his determination, talent, and kindness. After a baseball injury ended his athletic career, Charley, supported by his wife, Rozene, fully embraced music and achieved extraordinary success. Informative back matter explores his "Honky-Tonk Mission" and offers insight into his experiences living with bipolar disorder. (PreK–Gr 3) 

Cowboys at the Ballet: The Story of Choreographer Agnes de Mille. Claire Wrenn Bobrow. Illus. by Ilaria Urbinati. (2026). Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
The vivid, image-rich language invites readers into the imaginative world of Agnes de Mille, while lively illustrations dance across the pages, capturing her creativity and determination. From an early age, Agnes dreamed of becoming a dancer. Despite family opposition, she began dance lessons at fourteen and soon entertained family and friends with her original performances. Although she struggled to conform to traditional ballet techniques, she refused to abandon her dream. Her journey took her to New York and later London, where she studied choreography and various dance forms while searching for her artistic voice. Inspiration finally struck during a visit to a Colorado rodeo, where the movements of cowboys sparked a fresh vision. Agnes ultimately transformed American dance through groundbreaking works such as Rodeo, Oklahoma!, and Carousel. Extensive back matter offers additional insights into her remarkable life and legacy. (PreK–Gr 3) 

Otherwise Known as Judy the Great: A Poetic Ode to Judy Blume. Selina Alko. (2026). Little, Brown and Company.
This moving verse biography offers readers a glimpse into Judy Blume's childhood, revealing her deep love of reading, family, and storytelling. Through poignant poems, readers follow Judy from childhood to adolescence as she navigates worries about war, airplane crashes, illness, and loss—feelings she often keeps hidden. Growing up Jewish in Elizabeth, New Jersey, during and after World War II, Judy is not encouraged to share her fears, so she invents stories to make sense of the world. Books become her refuge and inspire her dream of writing stories that help young people understand their emotions and realize they are not alone. Expressive illustrations enrich the narrative and invite deeper reflection. Extensive back matter, including a timeline, photographs, an author's note, and source notes, enhances authenticity. This beautifully crafted book will inspire young readers, writers, educators, and families alike. (Gr K–4)

Piece by Piece: How Stephen Sondheim Made Musical Puzzles Come Alive. Erin Frankel. Illus. by Stacy Innerst. (2026). Calkins Creek.
The puzzle metaphor woven throughout both the text and illustrations makes this picture-book biography of Stephen Sondheim especially engaging. Frankel portrays Sondheim's love of learning, music, and storytelling as interconnected pieces that gradually come together to shape his extraordinary career. Readers gain insight into the creative process as Stephen carefully matches words to melodies, asking questions about character, emotion, and meaning. A life-changing friendship with Oscar Hammerstein II, the father of his friend Jamie, teaches him the value of practice, perseverance, and craftsmanship. Stephen goes on to write lyrics for West Side Story and create groundbreaking shows such as Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods. Ultimately, this is an inspiring story about curiosity and following one's passion. Rich back matter, including photographs, an author's note, a detailed timeline, and a bibliography, provides additional context for understanding the life and legacy of one of musical theater's greatest innovators. (Gr 2–5)

Pope Leo XIV: First American Pope. Liz Sonneborn. (2026). Lerner Publications.
This informative biography introduces readers to Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, who was elected the first American pope on May 8, 2025. Raised on the South Side of Chicago in a devout Catholic family with French, Italian, and Creole roots, Prevost developed a strong faith through active participation in church life. Readers follow his journey from altar boy to St. Augustine Seminary High School, decades of missionary service in Peru as a priest and bishop, and ultimately to the papacy. As a member of the Order of Saint Augustine, he values community and service to others. The book provides a clear overview of the Catholic Church and the responsibilities and challenges of leading it, along with his views on issues such as artificial intelligence and climate change. Photographs, a timeline, source notes, and a bibliography enrich this engaging and accessible account of Pope Leo XIV's life and legacy. (Gr 3–8) 

Singing Justice, Singing Peace: The Story of Joan Baez. Monica Brown. Illus. by Molly Mendoza. (2026). Beach Lane Books.
This inspiring picture-book biography traces the early life of Joan Baez, whose passion for justice was shaped by family experiences and a desire to help others. The daughter of immigrants from Mexico and Scotland, she learned compassion and advocacy from her parents. Influenced by her father's concern for people facing poverty, as well as a childhood move to Iraq where she saw children going hungry, Joan dreamed of making the world a better place from a young age. Music became both a comfort and a calling, especially after she received a ukulele and later a guitar. Guided by the messages of Pete Seeger and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., she used her voice to promote peace, love, and equality. Vibrant illustrations capture her journey and connections to civil rights leaders. An informative author's note provides additional context, making this an excellent resource for readers, educators, and families. (PreK–Gr 3) 

Seven Million Steps: The True Story of Dick Gregory's Run for the Hungry. Derrick Barnes & Christian Gregory. Illus. by Frank Morrison. (2026). Amistad Books for Young Readers.
This compassionate picture-book biography chronicles Dick Gregory's cross-country run in 1976 to raise awareness about hunger and food insecurity in America. Through powerful text and richly detailed illustrations, readers witness Gregory's determination as he ran 3,200 miles across 12 states—covering 50 miles a day and more than seven million steps. Along the way, he paused to rest, refuel, and speak with people about how many Americans struggled with hunger, unemployment, and homelessness. Gregory challenged communities to consider how they could become part of the solution. His journey culminated in New York City on July 4 with a three-day seminar on these issues. Written by Christian Gregory, Dick and Lillian Gregory's eighth child, the book offers a personal perspective on his father's commitment to ensuring no child goes hungry. Extensive back matter includes historical photographs, an author's note, and more about Gregory's run and the ongoing challenge of food insecurity. (PreK–Gr 3) 

Talking Books: Audiobook Inventor Dr. Robert B. Irwin and a New Way to Read. Jenny Lacika. Illus. by Ashanti Fortson. (2026). Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
In this inspiring biography, Jenny Lacika introduces readers to Robert B. Irwin, a visionary whose determination transformed access to reading for people who are blind or visually impaired. After losing his sight at age five due to illness, Robert refused to let blindness limit his curiosity or love of learning. When local schools lacked the resources to teach him, he attended a boarding school where he learned Braille—a slow and challenging process that sparked his dream of creating a better way to enjoy books. Through perseverance, he became a teacher, advocate, and leader with the American Foundation for the Blind, helping establish services that expanded access to reading nationwide. His pioneering work eventually led to the development of talking books, paving the way for today's thriving audiobook industry. An author's note by Lacika, who relied on audiobooks because of her own visual impairment, adds a meaningful and personal connection to Robert's enduring legacy. (PreK–Gr 3) 

Teaching for Change: How Septima Clark Led the Civil Rights Movement to Voting Justice. Yvonne Clark-Rhines & Monica Clark-Robinson. Illus. by Abigail Albano-Payton. (2026). Quill Tree Books.
Written in a beautiful poetic voice by Septima Clark's granddaughter, this inspiring biography celebrates the life and legacy of a remarkable educator and civil rights leader. Accompanied by vibrant, expressive illustrations, the story traces Septima's journey from her childhood in South Carolina, where her father had been born into slavery and her mother was a free woman from Haiti. Determined that her daughter receive an education, her mother sacrificed greatly to make schooling possible. Septima carried forward the lessons of peace from her father and strength from her mother as she became a teacher at just eighteen years old. Committed to educational opportunity and racial justice, she taught children and adults alike, believing that "Literacy means liberation." Her work in citizenship schools empowered hundreds of thousands of Black Americans to become registered voters. Powerful text, striking artwork, authors' notes, and an extensive timeline make this a compelling tribute to a transformative leader. (PreK–Gr 3) 

What Emma Wrote: The Woman Behind the Words on the Statue of Liberty. Ann D. Koffsky. Illus. by N. Tarcan. (2026). Apples & Honey Press.
This engaging biography introduces readers to Emma Lazarus, a young girl whose love of writing began long before she became the author of one of America's most famous poems. While her sisters played, Emma filled her time with stories, poems, and essays that so impressed her family that they compiled her work into a book. As she grew older, Emma wanted to write about real people and real problems. Hearing negative comments about newly arrived immigrants in New York, she sought out their stories and discovered connections to her own family's immigrant past. Inspired to help, Emma advocated for immigrants, assisted with relief efforts, and supported educational opportunities. Through both her actions and her writing, she helped change public perceptions of newcomers. The bold illustrations and compelling narrative bring her story to life, while informative back matter includes photographs and fascinating details about Emma and the Statue of Liberty, where her enduring poem continues to welcome generations of immigrants. (PreK–Gr 2) 

​Osha Lynette Smith-Davis is a member of the Contributing Faculty for Walden University’s Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership.

Sue Corbin
This year's International Day of Peace will be on September 21, 2026. The day was created by the United Nations, and it is a global observance that promotes nonviolence around the world. The Jane Addams Peace Association Book Awards celebrate children's books that exemplify what peace can look like through fiction and nonfiction books. Related awards that teachers can also pull on for resources are the Coretta Scott King Book Awards (https://www.ala.org/cskbart/coretta-scott-king-book-awards-all-recipients-1970-present) and the Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People (https://www.socialstudies.org/social-education/90/3/notable-social-studies-trade-books-young-people). Teachers can use resources found at National Today (nationaltoday.com/international-day-of-peace/) and the Lion and Lamb Peace Arts Center at Bluffton University (bluffton.edu/about/lionlamb/index.aspx) for more information and book lists.

This column will focus on children's books that earned honors from the Jane Addams Peace Association in 2025 and 2026. Each one shows the strength and resilience of human beings in the face of war, prejudice, and enslavement and offers testimony of what can be done by adults and children alike to achieve peace when we put our minds to it.

​The History of We. Nikkolas Smith. (2025). Penguin Random House. Jane Addams Peace Association Picture Book Winner 2026.
Peace involves understanding ourselves and other people, recognizing and honoring differences, and learning how to use our strengths to increase cooperation. In The History of We, Nikkolas Smith weaves an exquisitely illustrated story that traces the origins of all human beings from the continent of Africa. In poetic language, he explains how words were first crafted, how skin colors changed, how we expressed ourselves and told our stories through art, how cultures developed, how we figured out new and better ways to interact with our environments and adjust to them to survive, and how music brought us all together no matter what our color, beliefs, or places of birth. Descriptions of each of the illustrations and an author's note at the end of the book allow readers to go into more depth about this true story of the history of "we." (Gr PreK–6)

How the Word Is Passed (Adapted for Young Readers): Remembering Slavery and How It Shaped America. Clint Smith. Adapted by Sonja Cherry-Paul. (2025). Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Jane Addams Peace Association Chapter Book Honor Book 2026.
Sonja Cherry-Paul has adapted Clint Smith's adult New York Times bestselling book, How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America, to make the important landmarks of our country mean something more than mere statues and plaques for a new generation. "The word," in this case, is anything that signifies an honest accounting of truths of America's past. Readers take a journey to places as disparate as New Orleans, Galveston, and New York City to trace the history of slavery as it has been portrayed by artists, sculptors, and writers. We see how words—and images—can be distorted to mean many different things to different people and that connotation and context must be considered when we visit any historical site. (Gr 3–8)

The House Before Falling into the Sea. Ann Suk Wang. Illus. by Hanna Cha. (2024). Dial Books for Young Readers. Jane Addams Peace Association Picture Book Finalist 2025.
Cha's mixed-media illustrations are the perfect backdrops for this story of human kindness and resilience in which one family harbors people who have left North Korea to find safe haven in the South. The story is based on Wang's mother's family during the Korean War when their house was the last one on a long journey, the one that kept people from "falling into the sea." Korean words are embedded and then defined in a glossary at the end of the book, adding even more authenticity to the strong and beautiful language in this story. Little-known aspects of Korean culture are revealed, which add interest and situational context. (Gr PreK–3)

Mani Samilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice. Anna Lapera. (2024). Levine Querido. Jane Addams Peace Association Chapter Book Finalist 2025.
Mani is a typical tween who is maturing into womanhood but hanging on to childhood with one hand as well. She is a combination of Filipino, Chinese, American, and Guatemalan heritage, which is confusing enough, but now her mother wants to take her to Guatemala on her thirteenth birthday, and she is dreading it. She has heard about the dangers there, but she knows little about the reality of it until she finds letters between her mother and aunt that reveal the femicide that has been happening in the world that she knew nothing of. This middle grade novel has gravely solemn subject matter, but it is told from the perspective of a girl who exhibits humor, teenage angst, and strength of purpose. (Gr 5–8)

A Map for Falasteen: A Palestinian Child's Search for Home. Maysa Odeh. Illus. by Aliaa Betawi. (2024). Henry Holt. Jane Addams Peace Association Picture Book Honor Book 2025.
Everyone else in Falasteen's class can locate the place from which their ancestors came, but Palestine is not on the classroom map, and her teacher is not very helpful in explaining why this is so. When Falasteen asks her family, they tell her of a beautiful land where people used to live in peace with their neighbors. Her mother tells her that Palestine lives in the hearts of its people and that you don't need a map to find it. An author's note provides more detail about the history of Middle Eastern modern conflicts in language that children and young people will be able to understand. (Gr PreK–3)

Not Nothing. Gayle Forman. (2025). Aladdin. Jane Addams Peace Association Chapter Book Winner 2025.
Not Nothing is a testament to the power of stories, of listening, and of forgiveness. An older man waiting to die and a 12-year-old trying to figure out how to live create a bond that unites them for all time and gives them strength to face the present. Twelve-year-old Alex has been sent to a retirement home to volunteer over the summer and to think about the lines he has crossed with other people. Jozef, who is 107, has a past full of twists and turns. As he tells his stories to Alex, much is revealed and healed. Readers will find themselves in both characters, who are capable of terrible and noble things, and come to realize something about themselves that they never thought possible. (Gr 5–8)

A Place for Us. James E. Ransome. (2025). Nancy Paulsen Books. Jane Addams Peace Association Picture Book Honor Book 2026.
Ransome tells a story about a mother and son who live on the streets of a city in this richly illustrated wordless book. It depicts the love between the two and the dedication the mother has to ensure her son gets a good education and stays healthy, despite their circumstances. While their life is precarious, they each find a way to make their place in the world by causing no harm and doing their best to both survive and thrive. The love between the two is palpable in Ransome's capable hands. (Gr PreK–4)

Safiyyah's War. Hiba Noor Khan. (2023). HarperCollins. Jane Addams Peace Association Chapter Book Honor Book 2025.
Based on a true story, Safiyyah's War tells a fictionalized tale of how Muslims who lived in the Grand Mosque in Paris saved Jews who were targets of the Nazis in World War II. Safiyyah is introduced to the complicated underground resistance movement when she tries to find out why her father is acting so strangely. She learns that Jewish people are in hiding in the mosque and escaping with the help of her own people. As Khan states in the historical note at the end of the book, both Jews and Muslims believe that saving one human life is like saving everyone in the world. These shared beliefs, coupled with the kindness and love of which humans are capable, are inspiring to readers who want to know what they can do to make the world a better place. The story reads like a gripping spy novel that young adolescents won't want to put down. (Gr 5–8)

A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez. María Dolores Águila. (2024). Roaring Brook Press. Jane Addams Peace Association Chapter Book Winner 2026.
Told in poetry form, this fictionalized biography of Roberto Alvarez is set in the time of the Mexican Repatriation of the 1930s in the United States. Many Mexican Americans, scores of whom were legitimate citizens of America, were deported to Mexico unfairly. Roberto Alvarez was a student in a desegregated school in Lemon Grove, California, when anti-Mexican feelings climbed to dangerous heights and all the Mexican students, citizen and non-citizen alike, were forced to attend a separate school for them that was in a former barn. The families of Lemon Grove protested this and finally won back the rights of their children to attend a school with everyone else. It is an important case that Águila brings to life, weaving English and Spanish to create a narrative poem that sings with hope and the power of perseverance. (Gr 5–8)

Small Shoes, Great Strides: How Three Brave Girls Opened Doors to School Equality. Vaunda Micheaux Nelson. Illus. by Alex Bostic. (2023). Carolrhoda Books. Jane Addams Peace Association Picture Book Honor Book 2025.
The strength and determination of Leona Tate, Tessie Prevost, and Gail Etienne shine in this picture book biography of three remarkable young girls who lived with prejudice and danger throughout much of their lives in school to prove that White and Black children could learn together in peace. Motivated and inspired by their parents and other caring adults, including teachers, they were able to overcome the hatred of others in ways that might intimidate anyone else. At the end of the book, there is a great deal of information about the girls as they lived in the 1960s and where they are today. A history of school desegregation in New Orleans and the U.S. Marshals Service in the mid-20th century, a glossary of terms, lists of websites and other resources, and an author's note all help to flesh out the story of the McDonough Three, so named for their school in New Orleans. This book is perfect to read along with books about Ruby Bridges, who is perhaps a more well-known name in history. (Gr 1–4)

​They Call Me Teach: Lessons in Freedom. Lesa Cline-Ransome. Illus. by James E. Ransome. (2024). Candlewick Press. Jane Addams Peace Association Picture Book Winner 2025.
This story is reminiscent of Gary Paulsen's Nightjohn (1993, Delacorte Press), in which one man makes a difference in the lives of many by passing along his literacy skills to other enslaved people in secret meetings and church services. An author's note explains why slave owners would not want their workers to learn to read and write. Frederick Douglass’s statement —"Once you learn to read, you will be forever free"—teaches young readers that to be literate is to have power. (Gr K–3)

​Words Matter: The Story of Hans and Sophie Scholl, and the White Rose Resistance. Anita Fitch Pazner. Illus. by Sophie Casson. (2025). Groundwood Books. Jane Addams Peace Association Chapter Book Finalist 2026.
The simple, poetic style and almost whimsical illustrations in this book belie the serious nature of the content that elucidates the battle between good and evil, freedom and autocracy. It is a timely story, in spite of the World War II setting, that will give middle school readers food for thought about why and how words do matter and how even young people can make crucial differences in their world. Hans and Sophie Scholl were martyred by the Nazis, but their lives and the White Rose Resistance will forever be remembered in this poignant, affecting biography. (Gr 5–8)

A World Worth Saving. Kyle Lukoff. (2025). Penguin Random House. Jane Addams Peace Association Chapter Book Finalist 2026.
Award-winning author Kyle Lukoff has written a book that will pull readers in as they take a virtual tour of a world run by demons who are out to destroy any good thing they can find. For A, a transgender boy who is grappling with his identity in a family that clearly wants him to turn himself around, life as a trans kid is made more difficult by a group called SOSAD. When A's friend goes missing, he must find a way to combat the demons that are taking away the beauty and life-affirming parts of the world that make it livable for everyone. He must find a "world worth saving," and, with the help of a golem (a Jewish mystical character) and his own will not to be alone, A wins. In the end, A and his friends are free to live as they are—human beings in a world based on truth and love instead of evil. (Gr 5–8)

​Sue Corbin is retired from full-time teaching but enjoys teaching adjunct courses at places like the University of North Georgia and the National Teachers College in Cleveland, OH. She chairs the Children’s Rights to Read Committee for ILA, serving and supporting educators in their work to keep high-quality books in the hands of children across the globe. Sue lives in Charlotte, NC, and works with volunteer teachers at Gaston County Literacy Council, training them to use authentic assessments and provide research-based instruction with adults who are struggling to read.

Sandip Wilson

Books on historical topics in fiction and nonfiction provide insight into human experience while they offer readers details on lives, events, and places of the past. The books reviewed here share stories about events that may be new for readers, stories they do not find in textbooks, and offer new perspectives and details on events that might be familiar. 

Armaveni. Nadine Takvorian. (2026). Levine Querido.
In 2000, high-school student Nadine wants to understand the story of her Turkish Armenian family. Her Armenian great-grandmother, Armaveni, who married Baron Hagop, the town miller, was safe and built a family during the Turkish pogrom of 1915–1917. Other members of Hagop’s family and their children lived safely with them, but Nadine’s other  relatives did not. She deals with racism among her high school peers, but prospects of a summer trip to Armenia and Turkey give her hope to learn more about her family heritage and history. Alternating narratives in this autobiographical graphic novel chronicle Armaveni’s and Nadine’s lives. During the summer trip, she visits ancient Armenia and sees remnants of its centuries-old culture and visits Bolis, now part of Turkey, learning that her family migrated to Istanbul to be safe. As Nadine learns her family’s story, she becomes stronger, challenging her peers’ racism and the fallacies of her history teacher, who served in the Peace Corps in Turkey and argues the genocide never happened. Gr 9 Up

​Baseball’s Shining Season: America’s Pastime the Brink of War. Martin W. Sandler and Craig Sandler. (2026). Bloomsbury.
Germany occupied France in 1940 as clouds of war spread across Europe and Asia, but in the US, the baseball season engaged radio and sell-out ballpark audiences. This nonfiction collaboration chronicles the baseball season in the context of the escalation of war in Europe, introducing players (Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Pee Wee Reese, and Phil Rizzuto, among the greatest players of the game) and describing the play-by-play events that lead to memorable games and records, with details of the momentous World Series between the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees. The archival photographs, their captions, and inserted sections provide details of the historical and social context of the year. Back matter includes a section of further reading, sources, acknowledgments, and photo credits. Gr 5 Up

​Basketball: The Story of the All-American Game. Kadir Nelson. (2026). Little Brown.
With a table of contents structured in the quarters of a game, Kadir Nelson chronicles the history of the game through biographies of notable players. The book features history of the game and ends with a post-game section, advances that include women's basketball, birth of the NBA, and achievements of more recent years, which show its evolution from a gymnasium and playground activity to professional ball. Stunning full-page illustrations rendered in rich oil paint show each athlete in dramatic action. The fast-paced text on the facing page includes significant points about their lives with vocabulary that uses the language of basketball. Double-page spreads depict advances in dress, moves on the court, and the game’s future. Back matter includes an author’s note, timeline, glossary, endnotes, sources, and index. Gr 2 Up

Diamond Fever: A True Crime Story in the Wild West. Steve Sheinkin. (2026). Illus. Jon Chad. Roaring Brook.
In 1870, a year after the transcontinental railroad was completed, cousins Philip Arnold and John Slack showed a pouch of rough diamonds and rubies to George Roberts, an investor who was eager for a new project. This meeting set off two years of a scam that involved two countries, investors, geologists for the federal government, miners, jewelers, shysters, and bankers. The trio spends months getting investors in the project, more months finding the diamond field, and readers learn how Arnold and Slack set up the believable ruse, aided by the advent of train travel that cut the time of continental and ocean travel to England to weeks rather than months. Organized in six parts, Steve Sheinkin puts each event of the unfolding scam of the false gems in the historical context of other events of the period. This nonfiction book includes a table of contents, two-page cast of characters, an epilogue, author’s note, source notes, and bibliography. Gr 6 Up

​Eureka. Victoria Chang. (2026). Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.
In San Francisco of 1884, two years after the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act, in-debt parents of twelve-year old Mei Mei send their daughter two hundred miles north to a better life with her aunt and uncle in the bustling coastal city of Eureka to save her from servitude or a worse fate. When she arrives, she finds Chinese families living in ramshackle houses along muddy streets, set in the low-lying parts of the city. Although she believes she will go to school, her aunt and uncle have found her a job in the kitchen of a family of a lumber baron, Mr. Bobbitt. This novel in verse recounts her story of despair and hope as she finds allies in the cook and servant of the household, Miss Yu and Tom, and learns English from the Bobbitt daughter, at a time of rising tension between the white citizens and the Chinese community that leads to their exclusion. Back matter includes an author’s note with definition of terms, acknowledgments, and author bio. Gr 5–8

​The Fight of Our Lives: AIDS in America. David Levithan and Gabriel Duckels. (2026). Knopf.
This comprehensive nonfiction book is a “mix of narrative nonfiction, interviews, reprinted works from the 1980s and 1990s and a few creative approaches” to chronicle the history of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States (p. 5). Sections mark periods from the 1970s, when HIV/AIDS killed people but no one knew yet that the virus was the cause, through the 1980s and 1990s, when celebrities’ disclosures about being HIV+ and their deaths finally changed attitudes of political leaders and the public, causing them to take action. Levithan and Duckels explain how HIV affects the human body and provide narratives and poetry about specific individuals, detailing their lives and their work to help sufferers, and source material revealing beliefs that public health is a national concern for everyone. Back matter includes notes on sources, bibliography, suggested reading on the global AIDS crisis, and acknowledgments. Gr 9 Up

​The Heiress of Nowhere. Stacey Lee. (2026). Simon & Schuster/Sarah Barley Books.
Set in the Orcas Island north of Seattle in 1918, eighteen-year old Lucy serves Mr. Sanders, a ship-building entrepreneur, and his household on his vast estate, Nowhere, so named for its seclusion. The daughter of Mr. Sanders’ best friend, Henry Wang, mysteriously murdered at the time of her birth, Lucy has lived on the estate all her life. When Mr. Sanders mysteriously dies, she is surprised to inherit the business and the estate, much to the chagrin of his business associates and son. The mystery of who murdered both Mr. Sanders and Henry Wang leads Lucy into discoveries about her mother, competing businesses on the island, racist attitudes that subjugated Indigenous, Chinese, and Hawaiian people who lived and worked among the white settlers, and interracial relationships between the white settlers and Indigenous people. The rumors that she is a witch who can communicate with the orcas, whales the local people call sea wolves, endanger her safety. The back matter includes an author’s note with historical context and information separating fact from fiction, acknowledgments, and a note on the Salish representation. Gr 9 Up

The Lion’s Run. Sara Pennypacker. (2026). Balzer & Bray.
In 1944 eleven-year old orphan Lucas Dubois discounts the rumors of an Allied invasion of France and is weary of being bullied by students at school. Tired of feeling weak, lonely, and inept, he saves a litter of kittens from drowning at the hands of the bullies and hides them in an abandoned barn, where he meets Alice and her horse, Bia. She aims to secretly get Bia out of France to America. Lucas lives in the Abbey, and, as a delivery boy for the grocery store that sells fresh produce, he learns of the Lebensborn, a house where young pregnant women live for months in anticipation of giving birth. Their babies will be future Nazi soldiers adopted by Nazi families. He meets Claire, but befriending her makes him sad that she will lose her child to a Nazi family. As Alice teaches him to ride Bia in the Lion’s Run, a racing track, he concocts a plan to save the baby, finds the strength and courage to overcome his fears, and does what he never thought he would. Back matter includes information distinguishing fact from fiction in the novel. Gr 3–5

Shoes! A Footwear Fashion Frolic. Anna Davies. (2026). Illus. Daisy Wynter. Cicada Books.
Three chapters depict the shoe’s history and design in this whimsical nonfiction book. A chart presents the anatomy of a leather shoe and descriptions of types of shoes through history from different parts of the world, including China, India, and Egypt, with a brief historical context of their use. The chapter “Shoes by the Decade” presents designs, mainly for women in the US and Europe, showing the influence of lifestyle, clothing, and function on shoe design with illustrations of clothes relevant to the period, heavy skirts of the 1800s and the filmy flappers of the 1920s. Spotlight sections of the chapters feature longer descriptions of particular popular shoe brands and styles. The chapter on the history of the sneaker in its many forms, including contemporary styles, predicts its future. The book includes a table of contents and an index. Gr 2 Up

A Time to Hide: Based on a True Story of Survival During the Holocaust. Marion Seidemann Fredman. (2026). Illus. Elisa Kleven, Diana Dove, and Juliana Fredman. The Collective Book Studio.
Julius and Grete, parents of Marion Seidemann, born in Holland in 1945, had lived hidden in an attic in the home of two sisters in Apeldoorn, Holland, for three years, having fled Germany as conditions for Jewish people worsened and they lost their citizenship status. This memoir provides historical context for the lives of Marion’s parents, who lost their business and home when they fled Germany, leaving their own parents who refused to leave and joining remaining family in America. The album-style narrative includes archival photographs, illustrations rendered in paint and pen and ink, and text in blocks that resemble archival paper. The back matter includes an author’s note with additional archival photographs and captions, endnotes, acknowledgments, and an author’s bio. Gr 3 Up

We Are Pan. Andre R. Frattino. (2026). Illus. Yasmine Flores-Montañez and Fabi Marquez. IDW/Top Shelf Productions.
This graphic novel recounts the story of four Cuban young people from families of different backgrounds and Cuban cities, teenagers Wilfredo, Eugenio, Antonia, and Rosa, leaving their families and fleeing to America. Based on the collaborative project Operation Pedro Pan, which ran between 1960 and 1961, involving Cuban educators, the Catholic Welfare Bureau in Florida, and the US government, Frattino provides historical context of the events in Cuba and cultural context of the complex family relationships. During the last days of the Batista regime, bitter controversy in Cuba made clear that not everyone advocated for the change that Castro and his army promised after the revolution, but families were caught in the middle of the upheaval that challenged family life. Alternating chapters depict the children’s lives before, during, and after their relocation to the US and the progression of events of the Revolution. Back matter includes an author’s note and author and illustrator biographies. Gr 5 Up

​A Year Without Home. V. T. Bidania. (2026). Nancy Paulsen Books.
In 1975, eleven-year old Gao Sheng is happy in her family’s Laos hilltop home with grandparents, aunts and uncles, their dog, gardens, and fruit trees, but since her father worked for the Laotian government, upon the Americans leaving Vietnam, he is threatened with prison in the new regime. Undertaking a dangerous and uncertain journey as refugees, the entire family flees to Thailand. This novel in verse, based on the author’s experience, depicts their months living in refugee camps. Hopeful about returning to their home, Gao Sheng’s family remains in the camp and watches newer families, who have applied for a sponsor, emigrate, until they, too, finally apply. The back matter includes acknowledgments and an author’s note, with archival photographs, explaining that she was the youngest in the family but is portrayed as the older daughter and narrator. Gr 3–5

​Sandip Wilson, past President of the CLR SIG, serves as professor in the School of Education and English Department of Husson University, Bangor, Maine.