Best books of 2023: CADL experts weigh in on YA, middle grade, picture books

Best-of lists are always hard to narrow, especially when it comes to books. Reading specialists at the Capital Area District Library culled their extensive lists to 10 each in five categories. Here are their best bets for young adult, middle grade and picture books for 2023. Coming next week: CADL's best bets for adult fiction and nonfiction.

Young Adult

Buffalo Flats by Martine Leavitt

A young woman finds her grit while living in the 1890s Northwest Territories of Canada after she decides to buy a piece of land overlooking the mountains. This teen novel beautifully explores the social mores of a Church of Latter-Day Saints homesteading settlement by conveying a series of vignettes set in the Rocky Mountains.

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

NYT bestselling author Hazelwood makes her YA debut with a relatable and swoon-worthy romance set against the backdrop of the world of competitive chess.

The Davenports by Krystal Marquis

Based on the little-known history of C.R. Patterson, a wealthy Black carriage maker, this story set in 1910 explores the expectations of four Black women as they seek fun and romance while building a life for themselves in a changing America. An engaging celebration of Black entrepreneurship.

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

Rival journalists compete to write about the horrors of World War I in this historical young adult fiction novel featuring a touch of magic, Greek mythology and romance.

Gather by Kenneth M. Cadow

Kenneth M. Cadow writes a deeply moving story about rural poverty, community loyalty and pure grit against all odds. Ian Gray is a teen boy desperate to inherit his rural Vermont home and land while helping his mother recover from addiction disorder. After being forced to live off the land with his trusty dog, Gather, Ian’s resourceful nature shines brightly. An outstanding debut.

Hungry Ghost by Victoria Ying

Author/artist Victoria Ying has created a hard-hitting graphic novel focused on disordered eating and family trauma. Valerie Chu has grown up with a mother who constantly urges her to “don't eat, just taste” her food, resulting in years of binge-purge cycles to stay thin.

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz

With her late father’s blessing, Lady Camembert reinvents herself as Count Camembert to inherit the family’s title, but instead of keeping a low profile she seeks the attention of the beautiful Princess Brie in a romantic comedy about secrets and grilled cheese.

Sunshine: How One Camp Taught Me About Life, Death, and Hope by Jarrett Krosoczka

Award-winner Krosoczka’s latest graphic novel is a memoir of his experience as a teenage camp counselor at a summer camp for terminally ill children.  A palette of warm yellows and oranges depict the joy of being at camp, yet grief and loss are sensitively addressed.

Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline BoulleyBoulley’s sophomore effort goes back to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for another solid YA thriller as snarky teen Perry stumbles into a web of stolen artifacts and ancestral remains—and the urgent crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women.

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez

Described as “The Mummy meets Death on the Nile,” this series starter follows the magical journey of a nineteenth century South American heiress set on investigating the death of her globetrotting parents in Egypt.

Middle grades

Finally Seen by Kelly Yang

This work of fiction features a young Chinese girl left behind with her grandmother after her parents and sister immigrate to the United States. After reuniting with her family, she learns to reconnect with her sister and parents, adapts to a new culture and language, and courageously expresses herself at school.  This is a realistic and heartfelt portrayal of an immigrant child’s experience.

A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat

National Book Award Winner for Young People’s Literature 2023. Better known for his picture books, Santat makes a big jump into middle grade graphic memoirs. With his characteristic style and wit, Santat recounts the story of his school trip to Europe and the massive impact that had on the rest of his life.

Good Different by Meg Eden KuyattA beautifully written novel-in-verse telling the story of a neurodivergent girl who miserably struggles to follow her self-determined rules for “normal” until she learns more about herself and that different doesn’t mean damaged.

Tegan and Sara: Junior High by Tegan Quin and Sara Quin

From Indie musicians Tegan and Sara, this graphic memoir tells the story of the Quin twins and their navigation of middle school. They address such issues as: first crushes, sibling relationships, queerness, and just surviving middle school.

Parachute Kids by Betty C. Tang

Three Taiwanese children are left to live on their own in California to secure a better future in America, “the land of opportunity.” Full of humor, this middle grade book smartly lays out common immigrant experiences of isolation, language hardships and food dynamics in a memorable graphic novel.

The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamilloMaster author DiCamillo weaves a tale of five puppets with a shared destiny that doesn’t disappoint. The witty and meaningful tale of belonging, enhanced by beautiful line drawings, is perfect for family read-aloud time.

Remember Us by Jacqueline Woodson

Award winning author Jaqueline Woodson shines by writing about an African American tween finding her identity and passion in basketball. When a series of fires threaten Sage’s neighborhood, she is wary at the thought of moving away from her Brooklyn community. A masterful depiction of 1970s New York appealing to both middle grade and adult readers.

School Trip by Jerry Craft

A companion to the award-winning graphic novel New Kid follows friends Jordan, Drew and Liam on the trip of a lifetime to Paris. The bonds of friendship are tested as each of the friends responds differently to traveling abroad. It's full of humor and features relatable characters and emotions.

The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale by Jon Klassen

This retelling of a traditional Tyrolean folktale introduces the reader to brave Otilla and follows her as she finds herself lost in the dark forest. Taken in by her host, the skull, we find that both have their own fears and come to rely on each other to confront those fears. Illustrations are done in Klassen’s signature style and the storytelling has his dark sense of humor.

The Umbrella House by Colleen Nelson

There is no stopping two 12-year-old friends who utilize their You-Tube channel to fight against gentrification in their New York city neighborhood. Based on a real building, the Umbrella House was renovated in the 1980s by squatters looking for a place to call home.

Picture books

An American Story by Kwame Alexander

In spare yet powerful verse, award-winning author Alexander presents America’s history of slavery as a difficult conversation between a teacher and elementary students.  Dare Coulter beautifully conveys a range of human emotions with clay figures and mixed media illustration. The combination is a stunning work that sensitively introduces a difficult topic to elementary readers.

Big by Vashti HarrisonThis relatable story follows a young girl’s journey of pride in being a “big girl,” to experiencing bias and anxiety related to her size, to finally accepting herself with joy and confidence. The simplicity of presentation and lens of childhood experience adds to its impact.

A Crown for Corina by Laekan Zea KempCorina and her abuela build a birthday crown using flowers representing people or things in her life. It’s full of family love, tradition, and connection, with gorgeous illustrations by CADL favorite Elisa Chavarri.

A Day With No Words by Tiffany Hammond

Bright and bold illustrations portray a young non-verbal autistic boy and his family participating in activities like going to the park and getting a treat. The author shows how strangers who meet the child either make him feel ‘other’ or accepted. This story celebrates family connections and all the ways that people communicate.

How to Write a Poem by Kwame AlexanderThis playful and colorful book invites us to pay attention to the world around us and discover the poems just waiting to be written.

A Letter for Bob by Kim Rogers

An Indigenous child reminisces about the family car named Bob, which has transported the family reliably and safely for memorable events such as bringing home a new baby.  The illustrations are done in warm colors and capture the affection the family has for their trustworthy vehicle.

My Powerful Hair by Carole Lindstrom

From the author of We Are Water Protectors comes a new book on the importance of hair in Indigenous cultures. With pictures from debut illustrator Steph Littlebird, Lindstrom’s text highlights the cultural weight of hair in her protagonist’s life story – from a grandmother whose long hair was taken from her to the protagonist’s own decision to cut her hair in an emotional moment.

Remember by Jo Harjo

Based on a poem of the same name written by U.S. Poet Laureate Jo Harjo, this book celebrates the wonders of the natural world and interconnectedness of humans to each other and their ancestors.  Caldecott-winning illustrator Michaela Goade brings the words to life with vivid and luminescent imagery.

A Walk in the Woods by Nikki Grimes, Jerry Pinkney and Brian Pinkney

Art imitates life with great poignancy in this picture book about grief, the healing powers of nature and art, and the timelessness of parental love.

The Yellow Áo Dài by Hanh Bui

In this debut picture book, illustrated by Minnie Phan, Naliah learns the history of her grandmother’s lovely yellow áo dài (the color of happiness and forsythias!), when she accidentally rips it. With her mother’s help, Naliah adds her own touch to the áo dài and her own piece to her family’s legacy.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: CADL experts weigh in on young adult, middle grade, picture books