CCBC Week
ly Book Reviews
CCBC Starred Reviews highlight exceptional titles on a weekly basis throughout the publishing year. These titles, plus other noteworthy and recommended books, are included in CCBC’s annual best-of-the-year list, CCBC Choices.
The Lions’ Run
In Nazi-occupied Lamorlay, France, in 1944, gentle, sensitive Lucas works as a delivery boy and lives at the abbey where he was raised. When a group of his peers cruelly tries to drown a mother cat and her kittens, Lucas (white) fails to intervene but manages to rescue several of the kittens from the water afterward. Sheltering them in an abandoned stable, Lucas is surprised to encounter Alice, a bold, brave British girl who is using the stable to hide her beloved mare, Bia, from the Germans.
May 4, 2026
102
In this magical and masterfully illustrated fever dream of a story, George (white) is at home at 102 Greenbriar Drive on October 2 with a 102-degree fever. Tucked into bed by his doting mom, George is awakened at 1:02 a.m. by a chirping cricket who beckons to him.
April 27, 2026
Talking Books: Audiobook Inventor Dr. Robert B. Irwin and a New Way to Read
Nowadays, readers might take the existence of audiobooks for granted, given the ever-increasing number of listening devices and availability of titles. Thanks to the ingenuity and persistence of Dr. Robert B. Irwin, the concept of “talking books” is an accessible and popular way of enjoying books.
April 20, 2026
Winter White: A Modern Retelling of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale
Pia and Max (white) live with their controlling father on a remote Maine farm, isolated from the outside world. Their father sells eggs and wool in town, but when he falls and breaks his leg, the deliveries fall to Pia. Pia relishes the opportunity to get off the farm, even if she’s confused by the wads of cash her father’s customers hand over in exchange for the modest wares.
April 13, 2026
When Tomorrow Burns
The bonds of Nomi, Vi, and Arthur’s childhood friendship have begun to fray. Nomi (white) is mystified by Vi’s preoccupation with her cell phone, while Arthur (white) has pulled away from both girls due to his sudden, intense crush on Nomi.
April 6, 2026
Houdini’s Library: How Books Created the World’s Greatest Magician
Harry Houdini’s astonishing magic tricks and escape acts enchanted and thrilled audiences the world over. Houdini himself, though, found magic in something more commonplace: books.
March 30, 2026
Is It Spring?
Anyone who has experienced a long, cold winter is familiar with the hopeful titular plea, “Is it spring?” “Yes” is the answer provided by the flowers, budding branches, and birds in the blue, blue sky. “Yes, it is spring.”
March 23, 2026
The Moon Without Stars
Seventh grader Luna (Chinese American/white) is comfortable with a quiet, observant life on the edges, as long as she’s with her best friend Scott (white). He gets her, and she gets him. After inheriting a box of books from a neighbor, Luna decides to share the books with classmates who might benefit from their messages. Soon, she and Scott are running a book dispensary during lunchtime.
March 16, 2026
Poems for Every Season: A Year of Haiku, Sonnets, and More
A handsome volume translated from the Dutch offers poems in many forms for every season as well as ample inspiration for classroom use. A petal-filled haiku on a two-page spread bursting with lush greenery awakens readers to spring; on the following page, a knobby-kneed lamb and a rondel about new life signal March’s arrival.
March 9, 2026
CCBC Choices 2026
CCBC Choices 2026, the annual best-of-the-year list of the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC), is now available. The list, created by the CCBC professional staff, recommends 231 books published for children and teens from birth through high school age in 2025.
March 2, 2026
The Winter of the Dollhouse
Eleven-year-old Tiph is pushing her little brother Phillip in his stroller when she sees an old lady gripping a fence as if close to collapsing. Tiph collects the woman’s dog and helps her to a seat at the nearby dollhouse store, where Gretel, a small doll, has been put on display in hopes of a Christmas sale. Although Gretel is vintage and valuable, collectors pass her by year after year. Gretel doesn’t want a collector—she wants a child.
February 23, 2026
Loudmouth: Emma Goldman vs. America (A Love Story)
This luminous biography of Jewish activist and anarchist Emma Goldman spotlights her turn-of-the-century activism while highlighting contemporary issues.
February 16, 2026
Best of All Worlds
When Xavier Oak (white), his father, and his pregnant stepmother, Nia (Haitian Canadian), wake up one morning, everything at their family lake cottage is as expected—except that it’s now in a completely unfamiliar location. Frightened and dumbfounded, the Oaks explore their now-rural surroundings and find that they are trapped within an invisible dome several miles in diameter.
February 9, 2026
Our Lake
A visit to a special place is both a challenge and a comfort for two grieving brothers. The younger of the two, the narrator, follows his older sibling as they hike up a rocky path that ends on a bluff overlooking a serene, blue lake.
February 2, 2026
Pocket Bear
Rescued from a dumpster by alley cat (and narrator) Zephyrina, an old teddy bear finds himself delivered to Second Chances Home for the Tossed and Treasured. This unofficial toy repair and restoration effort is run by Dasha, a Ukrainian refugee, from the home where she lives with her mom.
January 26, 2026- More Books of the Week