
Jennifer LaGarde’s Favorite Books of the Year for 2022 and 2023!
Please enjoy a special discount of 20% off the titles of your choice using the code JENNIFERLAGARDE.
Here are Jennifer’s top picks!
Picture Books 2023
Remember
by Joy Harjo
Big
by Vashti Harrison
Nell Plants a Tree
by Anne Wynter
Evergreen
by Matthew Cordell
Friends Beyond Measure
by Lalena Fisher
My Powerful Hair
by Carole Lindstrom
Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams
by Daniel Nayeri
American Story
by Kwame Alexander
My Baba's Garden
by Jordan Scott
Greenlight
by Breanna Carzoo
All the Beating Hearts
by Julie Fogliano
Awake, Asleep
by Kyle Lukoff
When You Can Swim
by Jack Wong
In the Night Garden
by Carin Berger
Stickler Loves the World
by Lane Smith
Dim Sum, Here We Come!
by Maple Lam
Picture Day (The Brinkley Yearbooks)
by Sarah Sax
Make Way: The Story of Robert McCloskey, Nancy Schön, and Some Very Famous Ducklings
by Angela Burke Kunkel
This Is a Story
by John Schu
My Dog Just Speaks Spanish
by Andrea Cáceres
Beneath
by Cori Doerrfeld
Never Forget Eleanor
by Jason June
Very Good Hats
by Emma Straub
ABC and You and Me
by Corinna Luyken

Remember by Joy Harjo

Big by Vashti Harrison

Nell Plants a Tree by Anne Wynter

Evergreen by Matthew Cordell

Friends Beyond Measure by Lalena Fisher

My Powerful Hair by Carole Lindstrom

Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri

American Story by Kwame Alexander

My Baba's Garden by Jordan Scott

Greenlight by Breanna Carzoo

All the Beating Hearts by Julie Fogliano

Awake, Asleep by Kyle Lukoff

When You Can Swim by Jack Wong

In the Night Garden by Carin Berger

Stickler Loves the World by Lane Smith

Dim Sum, Here We Come! by Maple Lam

Picture Day (The Brinkley Yearbooks) by Sarah Sax

Make Way: The Story of Robert McCloskey, Nancy Schön, and Some Very Famous Ducklings by Angela Burke Kunkel

This Is a Story by John Schu

My Dog Just Speaks Spanish by Andrea Cáceres

Beneath by Cori Doerrfeld

Never Forget Eleanor by Jason June

Very Good Hats by Emma Straub

ABC and You and Me by Corinna Luyken
Picture Books 2022
If You Find a Leaf
by Aimee Sicuro
John's Turn
by Mac Barnett
Gibberish
by Young Vo
This Is a School
by John Schu
Lizzy and the Cloud
by Terry Fan
World Belonged to Us
by Jacqueline Woodson
Witch Hazel
by Molly Idle
Boy Who Loved Maps
by Kari Allen
Farmhouse
by Sophie Blackall
Berry Song
by Michaela Goade
Depth of the Lake and the Height of the Sky
by Jihyun Kim
Hundred Years of Happiness
by Thanhhà Lai
How to Eat a Book
by Mrs & Mr MacLeod
Powwow Day
by Traci Sorell
Out of a Jar
by Deborah Marcero
Patchwork
by Matt de la Peña
Somewhere in the Bayou
by Jerome Pumphrey
One Boy Watching
by Grant Snider
Night Lunch
by Eric Fan
Still This Love Goes on
by Buffy Sainte-Marie
Line in the Sand
by Thao Lam
Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle
by Nina Lacour
Moonlight
by Stephen Savage
Dadaji's Paintbrush
by Rashmi Sirdeshpande
With Lots of Love
by Jenny Torres Sanchez
Also
by E B Goodale
Bathe the Cat
by Alice B McGinty
My Pet Feet
by Josh Funk
Christmas Book Flood
by Emily Kilgore

If You Find a Leaf by Aimee Sicuro

John's Turn by Mac Barnett

Gibberish by Young Vo

This Is a School by John Schu

Lizzy and the Cloud by Terry Fan

World Belonged to Us by Jacqueline Woodson

Witch Hazel by Molly Idle

Boy Who Loved Maps by Kari Allen

Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall

Berry Song by Michaela Goade

Depth of the Lake and the Height of the Sky by Jihyun Kim

Hundred Years of Happiness by Thanhhà Lai

How to Eat a Book by Mrs & Mr MacLeod

Powwow Day by Traci Sorell

Out of a Jar by Deborah Marcero

Patchwork by Matt de la Peña

Somewhere in the Bayou by Jerome Pumphrey

One Boy Watching by Grant Snider

Night Lunch by Eric Fan

Still This Love Goes on by Buffy Sainte-Marie

Line in the Sand by Thao Lam

Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle by Nina Lacour

Moonlight by Stephen Savage

Dadaji's Paintbrush by Rashmi Sirdeshpande

With Lots of Love by Jenny Torres Sanchez

Also by E B Goodale

Bathe the Cat by Alice B McGinty

My Pet Feet by Josh Funk

Christmas Book Flood by Emily Kilgore
Middle Grade Fiction 2023
You Are Here: Connecting Flights
by Ellen Oh
Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale
by Jon Klassen
Not an Easy Win
by Chrystal D Giles
Aniana del Mar Jumps In
by Jasminne Mendez
Eb & Flow
by Kelly J Baptist
Ellie Engle Saves Herself (Ellie Engle #1)
by Leah Johnson
Link + Hud: Heroes by a Hair
by Jarrett Pumphrey
Hidden Truths
by Elly Swartz
Work in Progress
by Jarrett Lerner
Opinions and Opossums
by Ann Braden
When Clouds Touch Us
by Thanhhà Lai
Hands
by Torrey Maldonado

You Are Here: Connecting Flights by Ellen Oh

Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale by Jon Klassen

Not an Easy Win by Chrystal D Giles

Aniana del Mar Jumps In by Jasminne Mendez

Eb & Flow by Kelly J Baptist

Ellie Engle Saves Herself (Ellie Engle #1) by Leah Johnson

Link + Hud: Heroes by a Hair by Jarrett Pumphrey

Hidden Truths by Elly Swartz

Work in Progress by Jarrett Lerner

Opinions and Opossums by Ann Braden

When Clouds Touch Us by Thanhhà Lai

Hands by Torrey Maldonado
Middle Grade Fiction 2022
Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone
by Tae Keller
Answers in the Pages
by David Levithan
Rover's Story
by Jasmine Warga
Visitors
by Greg Howard
Wayward Creatures
by Dayna Lorentz
Lucky Ones
by Linda Williams Jackson
Maizy Chen's Last Chance
by Lisa Yee
Those Kids from Fawn Creek
by Erin Entrada Kelly
Ogress and the Orphans
by Kelly Barnhill
Dear Student
by Elly Swartz
Last Mapmaker
by Christina Soontornvat
Midnight Children
by Dan Gemeinhart
Hummingbird
by Natalie Lloyd
Worser
by Jennifer Ziegler
Attack of the Black Rectangles
by A S King
Tumble
by Celia C Pérez
Secret Battle of Evan Pao
by Wendy Wan-Long Shang
Thirst
by Varsha Bajaj
Seed in the Sun
by Aida Salazar
Dear Student
by Elly Swartz
Aviva vs. the Dybbuk
by Mari Lowe
Lolo's Light
by Liz Garton Scanlon
Black Bird, Blue Road
by Sofiya Pasternack

Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone by Tae Keller

Answers in the Pages by David Levithan

Rover's Story by Jasmine Warga

Visitors by Greg Howard

Wayward Creatures by Dayna Lorentz

Lucky Ones by Linda Williams Jackson

Maizy Chen's Last Chance by Lisa Yee

Those Kids from Fawn Creek by Erin Entrada Kelly

Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill

Dear Student by Elly Swartz

Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat

Midnight Children by Dan Gemeinhart

Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd

Worser by Jennifer Ziegler

Attack of the Black Rectangles by A S King

Tumble by Celia C Pérez

Secret Battle of Evan Pao by Wendy Wan-Long Shang

Thirst by Varsha Bajaj

Seed in the Sun by Aida Salazar

Dear Student by Elly Swartz

Aviva vs. the Dybbuk by Mari Lowe

Lolo's Light by Liz Garton Scanlon

Black Bird, Blue Road by Sofiya Pasternack
Nonfiction — Elementary, Middle Grade and Up 2023
How Do You Spell Unfair?: Macnolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee
by Carole Boston Weatherford
Indestructible Tom Crean: Heroic Explorer of the Antarctic
by Jennifer Thermes
Love Is Loud: How Diane Nash Led the Civil Rights Movement
by Sandra Neil Wallace
We Are Starlings: Inside the Mesmerizing Magic of a Murmuration
by Robert Furrow
Secret Life of the Yeti
by Benjamin Harper
Whale Fall: Exploring an Ocean-Floor Ecosystem
by Melissa Stewart
Woven of the World
by Katey Howes
Total Garbage: A Messy Dive Into Trash, Waste, and Our World
by Rebecca Donnelly

How Do You Spell Unfair?: Macnolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee by Carole Boston Weatherford

Indestructible Tom Crean: Heroic Explorer of the Antarctic by Jennifer Thermes

Love Is Loud: How Diane Nash Led the Civil Rights Movement by Sandra Neil Wallace

We Are Starlings: Inside the Mesmerizing Magic of a Murmuration by Robert Furrow

Secret Life of the Yeti by Benjamin Harper

Whale Fall: Exploring an Ocean-Floor Ecosystem by Melissa Stewart

Woven of the World by Katey Howes

Total Garbage: A Messy Dive Into Trash, Waste, and Our World by Rebecca Donnelly
Nonfiction — Elementary, Middle Grade and Up 2022
One Million Trees: A True Story
by Kristen Balouch
Universe in You: A Microscopic Journey
by Jason Chin
Unequal: A Story of America
by Michael Eric Dyson
Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas
by Jeanne Walker Harvey
Dressing Up the Stars: The Story of Movie Costume Designer Edith Head
by Jeanne Walker Harvey
Forest Fighter: The Story of Chico Mendes
by Anita Ganeri
American Murderer: The Parasite That Haunted the South
by Gail Jarrow
H Is for Harlem
by Dinah Johnson
Over and Under the Waves (Over and Under)
by Kate Messner
Keepunumuk: Weeâchumun's Thanksgiving Story
by Danielle Greendeer
Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky
by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond
If You're a Kid Like Gavin
by Gavin Grimm
Anglerfish: The Seadevil of the Deep
by Elaine M Alexander

One Million Trees: A True Story by Kristen Balouch

Universe in You: A Microscopic Journey by Jason Chin

Unequal: A Story of America by Michael Eric Dyson

Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas by Jeanne Walker Harvey

Dressing Up the Stars: The Story of Movie Costume Designer Edith Head by Jeanne Walker Harvey

Forest Fighter: The Story of Chico Mendes by Anita Ganeri

American Murderer: The Parasite That Haunted the South by Gail Jarrow

H Is for Harlem by Dinah Johnson

Over and Under the Waves (Over and Under) by Kate Messner

Keepunumuk: Weeâchumun's Thanksgiving Story by Danielle Greendeer

Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond

If You're a Kid Like Gavin by Gavin Grimm

Anglerfish: The Seadevil of the Deep by Elaine M Alexander
Graphic Novels 2023
School Trip (RAD #3)
by Jerry Craft
First Time for Everything
by Dan Santat
Parachute Kids: A Graphic Novel
by Betty C Tang
Four Eyes: A Graphic Novel (Four Eyes #1)
by Rex Ogle
Things in the Basement
by Ben Hatke
Paul Bunyan: The Invention of an American Legend
by Noah Van Sciver

School Trip (RAD #3) by Jerry Craft

First Time for Everything by Dan Santat

Parachute Kids: A Graphic Novel by Betty C Tang

Four Eyes: A Graphic Novel (Four Eyes #1) by Rex Ogle

Things in the Basement by Ben Hatke

Paul Bunyan: The Invention of an American Legend by Noah Van Sciver
Graphic Novels 2022
Swim Team
by Johnnie Christmas
Red Scare
by Liam Francis Walsh
Muhammad Najem, War Reporter: How One Boy Put the Spotlight on Syria
by Muhammad Najem
Frizzy
by Claribel A Ortega
Invisible (English With Some Spanish)
by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
New Masters
by Shobo Coker
Isla to Island
by Alexis Castellanos
First Cat in Space Ate Pizza (First Cat in Space #1)
by Mac Barnett
Little Monarchs
by Jonathan Case
Tryout
by Christina Soontornvat
Growing Pangs
by Kathryn Ormsbee
Tales of a Seventh-Grade Lizard Boy
by Jonathan Hill
Play Like a Girl
by Misty Wilson
Ride on
by Faith Erin Hicks
Freestyle: A Graphic Novel
by Gale Galligan
Button Pusher
by Tyler Page
Flamingo
by Guojing

Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas

Red Scare by Liam Francis Walsh

Muhammad Najem, War Reporter: How One Boy Put the Spotlight on Syria by Muhammad Najem

Frizzy by Claribel A Ortega

Invisible (English With Some Spanish) by Christina Diaz Gonzalez

New Masters by Shobo Coker

Isla to Island by Alexis Castellanos

First Cat in Space Ate Pizza (First Cat in Space #1) by Mac Barnett

Little Monarchs by Jonathan Case

Tryout by Christina Soontornvat

Growing Pangs by Kathryn Ormsbee

Tales of a Seventh-Grade Lizard Boy by Jonathan Hill

Play Like a Girl by Misty Wilson

Ride on by Faith Erin Hicks

Freestyle: A Graphic Novel by Gale Galligan

Button Pusher by Tyler Page

Flamingo by Guojing
Jennifer LaGarde is a lifelong teacher and learner with over 20 years in public education. Her educational passions include leveraging technology to help students develop authentic reading lives, meeting the unique needs of students living in poverty and helping learners (of all ages) discern fact from fiction in the information they consume. A huge fan of YA Literature, Jennifer currently lives, works, reads and drinks lots of coffee in Olympia, Washington. Follow her adventures at www.librarygirl.net or on Twitter @jenniferlagarde.