The Golden Duck Notable Picture Books List
ARTificial Intelligence by David Biedrzycki, Illustrated by David Biedryzcki. Charlesbridge
What happens when a robot isn’t just like all the other robots? In a blue-gray world, Robot dreams in full color and wants to share his beautiful dreams. This delightful book imagines what could happen if a robot was truly creative.
Cookie Time by Jessie Sima, Illustrated by Jessie Sima. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Kat and Ari can’t wait for Grandpa’s cookies to be done cooking. They build a time machine out of a cardboard box so they can jump ahead to cookie time. But getting to the right point in time proves to be more difficult than they imagined.
Dinosaurs in Space by Todd Sturgell, Illustrated by Todd Sturgell. Sourcebooks Explore
In a science lesson gone wrong, dinosaurs learn science theories and let their imaginations run wild. If there could be fossils on the moon, that means there must be space dinosaurs!
First Week of School by Drew Beckmeyer, Illustrated by Drew Beckmeyer. Atheneum Books for Young Readers
It’s the first week of school, and there is a mysterious new student in class. The Artist, The Inventor, the Sport Kings, the Teacher, and Pat the bearded dragon have an interesting week, but Nobody remembers it.
Greetings, Floof! By C.J. Hong, Illustrated by A.J. Smith. Kids Can Press
Under Dr. Greta Goodnotes’ guidance the reader introduces Floof, a fluffy alien explorer, to some Earth animals, helps it dry out after getting wet, gives it a kiss after it bumps its head, and gives their rocket ship a boost. After saying goodbye to Earth, Floof returns to Ploof to share what it’s learned.
The Last Zookeeper by Aaron Becker. Candlewick Press
With humans long gone, a robot has taken charge of a full zoo. With sea levels rising,the zoo inhabitants need to relocate, so the robot builds a neo Noah’s Ark to get the animals to safety.
Rover and Speck – It’s a Gas! By Jonathan Roth, Illustrated by Jonathan Roth. Kids Can Press
Rover and Speck are excited to find life on a gas giant, until they are attacked by spark sharks. With the dependable Rover knocked out, Speck must work with his new friend, Jelli, to get back to the spaceship to reboot him. The story mixes real life science with a fun adventure.
Spaceman by Randy Cecil, Illustrated by Randy Cecil. Candlewick
While on earth, a little alien takes a break from collecting soil to admire a flower, only to realize their spaceship has been stolen by a bird! As the little alien searches for his spaceship, they discover more of earth, make a friend, and decide that life on earth is worth a little more exploration.
Viewfinder by Christine D.U. Chung and Salwa Majoka. Tundra Books
A young space traveler visits an abandoned Earth and discovers a viewfinder that reveals stunning glimpses of the planet’s vibrant past, juxtaposed with its haunting present. Her journey exposes mysterious clues—a time capsule, a friendly cat, and a makeshift railcar—suggesting she might not be as alone as she thought.
We are Definitely Human by X. Fang, Illustrated by X. Fang. Tundra Books
When three oddly shaped strangers with blue skin and giant eyes crash land in Mr. Li’s field he knows just what to do – help them! Mr. and Mrs. Li, and other kind humans, gather for a work party to fix the strangers’ car, one that looks suspiciously like a spaceship!
The Eleanor Cameron Notable Middle Grade Books List
The Adventures of Invisible Boy, by Doogie Horner. GP Putnam’s Sons for Young Children
Sooper silliness ensues when a science fair project goes sideways in this goofy graphic novel. Stanley thought he wanted to be invisible. Eugene wants to take over the world. What could go wrong when Super-Duper Supervillain Unseen Gene meets sort-of superhero Invisible Boy?
Boy 2.0 by Tracey Baptiste. Hachette
Win ‘Coal’ Keegan is a lifer in the foster system. After an emergency, he’s dumped with an actual family, but trust comes hard. When a scare makes him invisible, his oldest friend and the kids in his new family join together to help Coal find answers. The questions lead to a shiny biotech company with suspicious connections, as well as bittersweet truths.
Eyes on the Sky by K. Jasper Kramer. Atheneum
Having lost her parents and now in the care of her older brother, Dorothy finds solace in launching rockets and weather balloons in the New Mexico desert. But when an explosion follows the launch of one of her balloons one night in 1947, Dorothy finds herself in trouble with the government and in jeopardy of losing her brother. As she investigates the truth about what happened, she begins to suspect that aliens just might be real.
Fall of the Robots by Lee Bacon. Amulet Books
Until a few months ago the robots thought humans had been eliminated from the world, but now XR_935 and Emma “the last human” have become friends. They live in a world where robots and humans live harmoniously side by side. The new peace is suddenly ruined when a rebel faction of humans, unforgiving of the past, try to deactivate all robots. XR and his friends must try to stop the rebels.
First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly. Greenwillow Books
Twelve-year-old Michael’s life is defined by the looming Y2K crisis and a crush on his babysitter, Gabby. But everything changes when he meets Ridge, a mysterious boy from the future. Michael and Gabby are thrown into a mission to help Ridge fit into 1999 while also repairing his time travel device so he can return home. As they work together, Michael becomes increasingly fixated on a secret book Ridge carries, one that reveals events from the next twenty years.
The Flicker by H.E. Edgmon. Feiwel & Friends
In the aftermath of a deadly solar flare, two orphaned step-sisters, Millie and Rose, try to care for their baby brother and find their way across Appalachia to Millie’s Seminole grandmother. Along the way, they encounter a group of survivors from a summer camp who join them on their quest and dodge a deadly militia that is intent on taking control of the region.
Lunar Boy by Jes and Cin Wibowo. Harper Alley
A young being from the moon is brought to New Earth and experiences the complexities of identity, family, love, and self-determination. When the Moon makes an offer to take him back, he must choose between a life that’s messy, with joy and sorrow, or a life of serenity and peace.
No Brainer’s Guide to Decomposition by Adrianna Cuevas. Harper Collins
Frani Gonzalez isn’t squeamish—guts, bugs, and the bodies at the Central Texas Forensic Anthropology Research Facility are just part of life. But being the kid with bodies buried in her backyard doesn’t exactly win her popularity points at school, and her overactive imagination, fueled by a voice she calls Arañita, only makes things harder. After a zombie grabs her ankle and others start emerging, Frani must uncover the body farm’s secrets, lean on new friendships, and embrace her unique mind before the undead take over.
Paige Not Found by Jen Wilde. HarperCollins Children’s Books
12-year old Paige learns that she and other autistic kids have been implanted with a brain chip that controls their emotions, without their consent. Now the company that controls the chip is about to merge with a big social media company and sell their personal data. Paige and her new friends try to stop this from happening and get their chips removed so they can regain control over their lives.
Quantum Interstellar Sports League by J. Scott Savage and Brandon Dorman. Penguin Random House
Nine human kids and five young aliens living on Earth take on football loving aliens in the Quantum Interstellar Sports League. As the Planet Earth Defenders, they have to come together as a team, learn how to play football (with new features like exploding goalposts and flame shooters), and win. If they lose, Earth will become the property of an evil alien overlord.
The Hal Clement Notable Young Adult Books List
Art Thieves by Andrea L. Rogers. Levine Querido
Stevie Henry, a member of the Cherokee nations, works in a museum to save money to go to college. While working there, she meets a visiting artist from South America, who claims to be from the future, there to save a great work of art. Stevie must decide what, and who, she believes, for the sake of her family, her heart, and maybe even her life.
The Brightness Between Us by Eliot Schrefer. HarperCollins
In this sequel to The Darkness Outside of Us, Ambrose and Kodiak live on Minerva with their children, Owl and Yarrow. Owl longs to explore, despite her parents’ fears. On her first mission, Owl uncovers signs of life and a threat to the entire planet. The family also learns of a mysterious beacon from Earth that could hold the key to saving Minerva and revealing the truth behind their existence.
Hearts Still Beating by Brooke Archer. Putnam
17-year-old Mara, once infected with the virus that devastated humanity, wakes up “cured” and joins an experimental program to reintegrate former Ticks into society. Her recovery becomes even more complicated when she’s sent to live with Rory, her former best friend and the girl she once kissed before the world fell apart. As tensions rise and soldiers target anyone connected to Ticks, Mara and Rory must confront their shared past and newfound challenges to protect each other and the fragile peace of their community.
Last Dragon on Mars by Scott Reintgen. Aladdin
Lunar Jones is left struggling to survive on a hostile and abandoned Mars. On a scavenging run, Lunar stumbles into a secret military base and an even more secret dragon. Bonding with the dragon is not simple, but leading the team is nearly impossible. Forced to learn to work together to save the planet, Lunar and his crew discover truths and what is most important.
Moonstorm by Yoon Ha Lee. Delacorte
Hwa Young is an orphan from a rebel moon who dreams of becoming a Lancer pilot for the New Joseon Imperial military. She gets a chance to prove herself when her boarding school is attacked, but the Empire’s conflicts are more complex than she realizes.
Out of Body by Nia Davenport. Balzer + Bray
After a night of partying, Megan wakes up in another girl’s body. She quickly finds out her new friend LC has taken her original body. Megan learns too late that LC has dangerous secrets. Alone and on the run, Megan must unravel a conspiracy and track down LC in order to get her own life back.
Pangu’s Shadow by Karen Bao. Lerner Books
Outgoing Aryl and introverted Ver are biology lab apprentices in the Pangu star system. When they find their lab director dead, they must overcome their mutual mistrust to clear their names and find the real killer.
Snowglobe by Soyoung Park. Delacorte
Chobahm can hardly believe her luck when she’s chosen to replace Haeri in Snowglobe, a world of fame, luxury, and safety. Leaving behind the brutal, frozen wasteland and a life of hard labor, she steps into the role of an actress in the last warm place on Earth. But as soon as she arrives, Chobahm discovers that the glamorous reality show is far from what it seemed on TV. In Snowglobe, nothing is as it appears, and the deeper she digs for the truth, the more tangled the lies become.
Storm: Dawn of a Goddess by Tiffany D. Jackson. Penguin Random House
Growing up as an orphan on the streets of Cairo has made Ororo Munroe tough, smart, and fiercely loyal to her found family. Everything she knows is suddenly threatened when she manifests powers she can’t control and is chased by the Shadow Lord. Fleeing Cairo, she travels across Africa seeking answers about her power and her heritage.
Virch by Laura Resau. Owl Hollow Press
In order to save her younger sister, Liv becomes a research intern on an isolated tropical island owned by the world’s most powerful man. She plans on finding and stealing the cure her sister needs. On her arrival, she discovers that he is perpetuating an even bigger scheme. With help from one of his sons, Live must save the world as they know it.