Staff Picks - LibGuides at Boulder Public Library

Carrie recommends Search for a Giant Squid by Amy Seto Forrester and Andy Chou Musser

05/20/2025

Boulder Library

children's, science, juvenile nonfiction, multicultural, .Carrie's reviews

Kids get to pilot a thrilling undersea STEM expedition in this choose-your-own-adventure-style nonfiction for young readers. Innovative, inclusive, and brimming with fascinating facts about squid and the various scientists that study them, this is a terrific pick for elementary school science lovers as well as kids who struggle to connect with traditional reading.

Publisher's description:

An exciting ocean-themed choose-your-path STEM adventure for emerging readers! Take a journey to the ocean's twilight zone in Search for a Giant Squid ! An exciting mixture of action and non action, this choose-your-own-adventure-style story allows readers to take on the mantle of a teuthologist looking for a giant squid in its natural habitat. Once readers pick their submersible, pilot, and dive site, the adventure begins!

Get Search for a Giant Squid in our online catalog.

Carrie recommends My Head Has a Bellyache: More Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-Ups

04/07/2025

Carrie Wolfson

children's, humor, poetry, juvenile nonfiction, .Carrie's reviews

Celebrate National Poetry Month with this illustrated collection of silly verse kids will be delighted to read on their own or out loud together. If your family enjoys Shel Silverstein or Jack Prelutsky this is a must-read!

Publisher description:

"A witty, illustrated collection of humorous (and sometimes even heartwarming) poems and nonsense inspired by the absurdities of everyday life"

Find My Head Has a Bellyache in our online catalog

Krissy recommends Nina: a Story of Nina Simone by Traci N. Todd and Christian Robinson

02/10/2025

Boulder Library

biography, children's, juvenile nonfiction, .Krissy's reviews, Black, multicultural

"Recounts Nina Simone's early years as a brilliant musician through her painful racist rejection by The Curtis Institute and her defiant return to music. "Done being polite," Nina evolved into a powerful performer, calling out injustice and empowering Black America. A triumphant book."

Publisher's description:

Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in small town North Carolina, Nina Simone was a musical child. She sang before she talked and learned to play piano at a very young age. With the support of her family and community, she received music lessons that introduced her to classical composers like Bach who remained with her and influenced her music throughout her life. She loved the way his music began softly and then tumbled to thunder, like her mother's preaching, and in much the same way as her career. During her first performances under the name of Nina Simone her voice was rich and sweet but as the Civil Rights Movement gained steam, Nina's voice soon became a thunderous roar as she raised her voice in powerful protest in the fight against racial inequality and discrimination.

Find Nina: a Story of Nina Simone in our online catalog

Rachel recommends Killer Underwear Invasion! by Elise Gravel

12/16/2024

Boulder Library

children's, graphic novels, .Rachel's reviews, juvenile nonfiction

This was recommended to me by a friend who is in second grade, and it's a great first guide for kids (and some adults!) about how to spot fake news, and what questions to ask yourself to make sure you are able to figure out what is true and what's false. Also a fun silly read with great pictures!

Publisher's description:
In this hilarious, yet fact-filled book, Elise Gravel uses her kid-friendly wit and quirky illustration style to break down what fake news is, why people spread it, and how to tell what is real and what isn't. And that's the truth!

Find Killer Underwear Invasion! in our online catalog

Krissy recommends Mysterious, Marvelous Octopus by Paige Towler

12/09/2024

Boulder Library

children's, animals, juvenile nonfiction, .Krissy's reviews

Gorgeous photos and compelling rhyme take you on a deep-sea adventure in this nonfiction picture book. Informational boxes provide facts about hunting techniques, defenses, and even octopus personalities! Preschoolers and other young scientists will love diving into this entertaining book.

Publisher's description:
This playful picture book introduces young readers to the fascinating world of octopuses big and small, ink-squirting and shape-shifting, all around the planet. With their super smarts and awe-inspiring abilities, octopuses have captivated human imaginations. This book is a celebration of all things weird and wonderful about these beloved creatures--with their eight arms, nine brains, and one-of-a-kind personalities. Inside, find lyrical poetry paired with informational sidebars--perfect for a charming bedtime read or for pouring over for in-depth octopus info. Gorgeous photos of real octopuses give kids an up-close and personal glimpse of the sensational cephalopods--from the utterly adorable Dumbo octopus to the stunning blue-ringed octopus-and their incredible habitats and body parts.

Find Mysterious, Marvelous Octopus in our online catalog

Louise recommends A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas

12/22/2022

Boulder Library

poetry, .Louise's reviews, family life, juvenile nonfiction, juvenile fiction, holidays

This beautiful classic is a lovely read aloud to share over the holidays. My favorite edition is illustrated by Edward Ardizzone. You can also find the original recording read by the author online.

Publisher's description: The Welsh poet Dylan Thomas recalls the celebration of Christmas with his family and the feelings it evoked in him as a child.

Find A Child's Christmas in Wales in our catalog.

Nicole recommends Bake Infinite Pie with X + Y by Eugenia Cheng

11/24/2022

Boulder Library

children's, picture books, juvenile nonfiction, Asian, .Nicole B.'s reviews

In this charming picture book, two children named X and Y are introduced to several kinds of infinity while baking pies with their Aunt Z. With so much pie, it's lucky that they have infinite friends to share it with!

Publisher's description:

X and Y are desperate to bake infinite pie! With the help of quirky and uber-smart Aunt Z, X and Y will use math concepts to bake their way to success!

Find Bake Infinite Pie with X + Y in our online catalog.

Krissy recommends ¡Mambo Mucho Mambo! by Dean Robbins

11/14/2022

Boulder Library

music, children's, sociology, picture books, juvenile nonfiction, .Krissy's reviews, BIPOC, Black, Latinx, multicultural, multiracial

Music and dance defy segregation in this gorgeous picture book. Spirited images of musicians and dancers illustrate the story of a mixed-race mambo team in 1948. You'll want to cue up some Latin Jazz (ideally Machito and His Afro-Cubans; otherwise, maybe some Tito Puente) after this inspiring read!

Publisher's description:

Millie danced to jazz in her Italian neighborhood. Pedro danced to Latin songs in his Puerto Rican neighborhood. It was the 1940s in New York City, and they were forbidden to dance together . . . until first a band and then a ballroom broke the rules. Machito and His Afro-Cubans hit the scene with a brand-new sound, blending jazz trumpets and saxophones with Latin maracas and congas creating Latin jazz, music for the head, the heart, and the hips. Then the Palladium Ballroom issued a bold challenge to segregation and threw open its doors to all. Illustrated with verve and told through real-life characters who feature in an afterword, ¡Mambo Mucho Mambo! portrays the power of music and dance to transcend racial, religious, and ethnic boundaries.

Find ¡Mambo Mucho Mambo! The Dance That Crossed Color Lines in our online catalog.

Jessica recommends Welcome to Your Period! by Yumi Stynes and Dr. Melissa Kang

08/15/2022

Boulder Library

children's, health, juvenile nonfiction, bisexual, body diverse, intersex, lesbian, LGBTQIA+, nonbinary, queer, transgender, .Jessica A.'s reviews

Many menstruating people my age have a memory of our mothers handing us the American Girl Doll puberty guide, The Care and Keeping of You: The Body Book for Younger Girls by Valorie Schaefer, when we turned 12 to help us deal with puberty. That book was very important to me and many others growing up, and I'm so grateful that there are newer, way more informative and inclusive books these days that provide a more up-to-date knowledge framework. This book has a great tone--not too dry, not too flippant--that makes the reader feel as if a close friend is telling them this valuable information about menstruation. I found the various illustrations throughout to also be fun and helpful visuals. Overall, this is a wonderful resource for menstruating tweens.

Publisher's description:

A frank, funny, age-appropriate guide for pre-teens about getting your period, from Dr. Melissa Kang and Yumi Stynes. Getting your period for the first time can be mortifying, weird and messy--and asking questions about it can be even worse. Packed with honest advice on managing Aunt Flo like a boss, this book will induct pre-teens into the secret society of menstruation: from demystifying what cramps feel like, to whether you can feel it coming out, to what you should do if your pad leaks onto your dress. With Yumi's sisterly wisdom and Dr. Kang's medical advice, case studies, first-person accounts and questions from real teens, this book for pre-teens (9-12 years) is guaranteed to make you feel special about getting your period.

Find Welcome to Your Period! in our catalog.

Terzah recommends F in Exams: The Very Best Totally Wrong Test Answers by Richard Benson

06/02/2022

Boulder Library

children's, humor, .Terzah's reviews, education, juvenile nonfiction, staff family pick

This book is just funny. Here are two examples:

"Q: Express the term 'stereotype.'

A: It is the kind of CD player you own."

"Q: Give the names of two gases that might contribute to global warming.

A: 1. Bottom gas 2. Cow burps"

Publishe'rs description: Features humorous but incorrect answers to challenging test questions in biology, physics, chemistry, psychology, English, history, business, geography, and technology.

Find F in Exams in our online catalog.