Tag Archive for: reading-recommendations

Andria

Great Teen Reads for Black History Month

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Looking to read more diversly in 2026? Black History Month is right around the corner, which is a great prompt to try one of these awesome teen reads by Black authors.

See the full list here: Teen Books for Black History Month

A Few Highlights

The Leaving Room by Amber McBride is a poignant novel-in-verse that is a National Book Award Finalist and gives off Printz Award vibes.

If you’re looking for an epic fantasy series starter, Legendborn by Tracy Deonn is your jam. Mystery, magic, and secrets await…

Kings of B’more by R. Eric Thomas and You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson are more lighthearted, rom-com reads that warm the heart.

And lastly, Ace of Spades by  and The Scammer by Tiffany D. Jackson are mystery/thrillers very likely to keep you up at night, turning the pages way past your bedtime.

Be sure to browse the whole list and choose a few new favorites.

Click here to see the full Teen Books for Black History Month list
Jerissa

Our Favorite Books of 2024 for Kids and Teens

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Andria

The Library Doesn’t Own It…Now What?!?

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It has happened to many of us. You search the catalog for that ONE book that you REALLY want to read…and you come up with nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zip.  Not a single library within the MORE Library System owns it.

Don’t rage! Don’t despair! You have options.

Suggestions for Purchase

You can suggest that the library purchase the book you really want to read. Or video game you want to play. Or movie you want to watch. The librarians who purchase items for the library’s collections are happy to review any suggestion community members (you) make. It’s not a guarantee that the library will buy the item you really want, but librarians take those requests seriously. They are ultimately guided by the library’s Collection Development Policy, yet oftentimes items suggested by community members are purchased. See the end of this post for a quick “how to” on submitting a suggestion for purchase.

Interlibrary Loan

You can submit a request to get the item you want from another library. In case you didn’t know, libraries are all about sharing things. Processes are in place to request items from other library systems across the state, region, and country. To find out more about Interlibrary Loan, click here or visit one of the Reference Services desks on Level Two.

How To: Suggestion for Purchase

  • Click “Suggestion for Purchase.”

  • A separate pop-up window will appear (if it doesn’t, check to make sure your browser did not block the pop-up).
  • Be sure to fill in your name, email, library card number, item title, and select Eau Claire from the drop-down menu. Any other information you have on the item is helpful, but not required.
  • If you’d like to have the item placed “on hold” for you (if it’s purchased), be sure to select the “reserve this item” option on the bottom. Additionally, you have the choice to try and Interlibrary Loan the item if it’s not purchased.
  • That’s it! If the item is purchased for the library and you selected “reserve this item for you,” it will automatically be placed on hold for you. When it arrives, you will receive a notification however you normally do (e.g. email).

And, as always, please let us know if you have questions. We’re here to help.

 

Shannon

We Are Happy to Help!

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Do you ever find yourself overwhelmed at the sheer number of books available in the kids department? There are so many topics, a huge age range, audiobooks, graphic novels, picture books, nonfiction, and on, and on, and on! Where do you begin?! Luckily, there is a very easy answer to that overwhelming question: You begin at the Youth Services Desk.

Youth Services staff members can be found at the Youth Services desk during all open library hours, and at the Teen Desk during select afternoon/evening hours…and we can’t wait to help you find your (or your child’s) next favorite book!

If you are feeling independent, we can point you toward multiple resources—both in our room and online—which feature YS staff members’ book recommendations on a variety of topics. However, we are always very happy to help our customers with personalized recommendations, if you prefer to work with us directly.

If you are not yet at the library, and you’d like to begin your searching online, you can find a multitude of staff-built lists by visiting the Book Suggestions page on our website, or by visiting ECPubLibYouth right in our MORE catalog.

In addition to giving book recommendations, our desk staff offers various other services as well! We will happily provide room directions, give scavenger hunt clues, help you track down answers to questions—we even have diapers if you find yourself without. If you or your children need support (or a high five) while you are at the library, our friendly desk staff is always there to help. So be sure to stop by and say hello the next time you are in the library!

Julia

And the Winner Is…Young Readers!

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Golden Globes.

Grammys.

Oscars.

Youth Media Awards!

It’s award season and, on January 23, the American Library Association recognized its annual selection of the best of the best books through the Youth Media Awards. One of the most well-known awards is the Newbery Medal winner, which is presented each year to the “author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.” This year’s Newbery winner is The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers, an adventure featuring Johannes, a free dog, who loves to sprint faster than the speed of light around the urban park he calls home. After a harrowing experience, Johannes becomes determined to free the park’s bison. Yet will the appearance of mysterious rectangles, new buildings, and a strange new hoard of animals prevent him from liberating his friends?

There are a number of different awards that celebrate books for readers from birth through age 18. Check out the winners and honorees! What would you put on this list? What were your favorite books in 2023?

Plus, don’t forget to take a look at our Youth Services staff’s favorite books of 2023.

https://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newbery

 

Alisha

Looking for a NEW book?

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Who doesn’t love the smell and feel of fresh, crisp pages of a brand-new book?  Or the excitement of reading a book that just hit the shelves?  New items are added to the collection regularly (almost daily!) and are shelved separately from the rest of the collection, making it easy to browse the newest titles.  Juvenile New Items can be found near the Youth Services desk, Teen New Items are shelved near the Teen Lounge, and adult New Items are located just inside the library’s front entrance.

Browsing new additions to the library’s collection can also be done on the MORE Catalog.  New titles pop up right on the home screen of the MORE app, and can be searched on a PC by clicking New Titles on the catalogs home page.  Do you want a sneak peek before the items even hit the shelves?  Then click the Coming Soon link to see the titles that have just been ordered.

Browse the new additions to the library’s collection on your next visit to either the library or the MORE Catalog to find your NEW favorite read!

 

Jerissa

Favorite Books of 2023

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As 2023 draws to a close (Can you believe it?!), Youth Services staff has been reflecting on some of the most exciting contributions to children and teen literature this year. We have compiled our absolute favorites to share with you. We trust there will be titles on this list that will become (or maybe already are) favorites for you and your family as well! The list features a mixture of books that are funny, poignant, creative, mind-bending, and more from our various collections in Youth Services (board books and picture books as well as juvenile and teen graphic novels, fiction, and nonfiction).

➜ Without further ado, here is the list of Youth Services’ Favorite Books of 2023.

What were your favorites this year? Let us know! Want more suggestions for great books for babies, children, and teens? Check out our collection of book lists here and here, or chat with us at the Youth Services desk during your next library visit.

Here’s to another great year of reading!

Jill

Spooky Stories for the Season

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As soon as I learned to read, I discovered a love of spooky stories. To this day, my favorite scary stories are still the ones from my youth. With that in mind, I wanted to share a few of my favorites, as well as a whole list of scary stories to explore at the library.

Picture Books

The Dark by Lemony Snicket

Laszlo is afraid of the dark which lives in the same big, creaky house as him, until one night the dark pays him a visit. | Check it out!

I Don’t like Koala by Sean Ferrell

A little boy receives a new stuffed koala as a gift, but does not like his stuffed koala because of its terrible eyes, terrible face, and terrible paws. But each time he tries to get rid of it, Koala comes back. This is a fairly creepy picture book with a comforting twist at the end. | Check it out!

Early Readers

Bears in the Night by Stan Berenstain

My earliest memory of a family member reading to me was this book, and I loved how my aunt built suspense, then read super fast at the end. This one is an only “slightly scary” bedtime story winner! | Check it out!

In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories by Alvin Schwartz

I remember reading this all by myself and feeling very accomplished. Heads up that there are some quite scary stories in here, including the story “The Green Ribbon” which I still think about to this day! | Check it out!

Chapter Books

Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn (both chapter book and graphic novel)

This may be my all-time favorite ghost story, and for good reason. A new little step sister, a new house with a graveyard in the back, and a mysterious headstone all add up to a fantastic ghost story for chapter book readers! | Check it out!

Took by Mary Downing Hahn

Mary Downing Hahn is my very favorite spooky author, and well over 30 years after her first book, she still continues to write today. This is my favorite of her newer titles, and if you are in the mood for a scary story about a witch, this is the book for you. I’d recommend this for older elementary readers, and those that can handle a good scare! | Check it out!

The library is also offering scary book displays for all levels of readers now until the end of October, and we have an online booklist here for even more fun scary stories. Enjoy!!

Jerissa

Finding Good Fit Books for Your Child

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Do you need book ideas for your kids this summer? We’ve got you covered! With thousands of book options for kids, it can be challenging to find the right fit for your child, and the Youth Services Staff is here to help:

Book Lists at the Library

Youth Services maintains a “Great Reads” binder that is filled with book suggestions for popular topics like dinosaurs, princesses, humorous stories, and many more. Paper book lists are also available and offer book suggestions for toddlers, beginning readers, children reading above grade level, and many more topics and reading levels. Find both of these resources near the Youth Services Desk, or find them online.

Bibliocommons Lists

All of our book lists can be accessed directly through the MORE catalog. Neat! Find all of our lists here.

Youth Services Staff

The Youth Services team is passionate about finding good fit books for your child. Stop by the Youth Services desk whenever you need help connecting your child with great books.

Jerissa

Elephant and Piggie PARTY!

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Calling all Elephant and Piggie fans for an Elephant and Piggie PARTY!!

FUN FACT: The last Elephant and Piggie book (The Thank You Book) was published more than seven years ago. Still, the 25 titles in this series are consistently among the most popular and loved books at the library.

Join us as we celebrate these favorite characters during our Elephant and Piggie Party on Friday, July 28, from 10-11:30 a.m. in the Riverview Room on the library’s third floor. We’ll enjoy storytime at 10 a.m., followed by self-paced games, crafts, and snacks. Get your cameras ready, as Elephant and Piggie will be making an appearance live and in-person!

Have you read all the books in the series? Find them here!

Have you read them all 10 times and need something different? Check out these playful and just-as-loveable Elephant and Piggie read-alikes.

While Elephant and Piggie and Pigeon may be his most popular characters, Mo Willems has other books that your child is sure to enjoy. Check them out!

Happy reading, and see you on the 28th!