CCBC Choices 2024 -- Tweens (ages 9-11)

The Cooperative Children's Book Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison compiles a yearly list of excellent books for young readers.

Showing 21 - 40 of 69  There are a total of 103 valid entries on the list.
Book cover for In the tunnel.
Notes:
Fiction for Children;10-14
Description:
Myung-gi knows war is coming: War between North and South Korea. Life in communist North Korea has become more and more unbearabl途there is no freedom of speech, movement, association, or thought́€”and his parents have been carefully planning the familý€™s escape. But when his father is abducted by the secret police, all those plans fall apart. How can Myung-gi leave North Korea without his dad? Especially...
Book cover for The in-between.
Notes:
Biography, Autobiography, and Memoir;11-up
Description:
"In the early 2000s, thirteen-year-old Katie Van Heidrich has moved more times that she can count, for as long as she can remember. There were the slow moves where you see the whole thing coming. There were the fast ones where you grab what you can in seconds. When Katie and her family come back from an out-of-town funeral, they discover their landlord has unceremoniously evicted them, forcing them to pack lightly and move quickly. They make their...
Book cover for Julia and the shark.
Notes:
Fiction for Children;9-13
Description:
Ten-year-old Julia loves the mysteries of the ocean and marine biology, just like her scientist mother. Her family is spending the summer on a remote island where her mom is searching for the elusive Greenland shark, a creature that might be older than the trees, and so rare that it’s only been seen a few times. But the ocean is reluctant to give up its secrets, and Julia tries not to worry as her mother returns disappointed at the end of each...
Book cover for Just Jerry.
Notes:
The Arts;8-12
Description:
"Jerry Pinkney, Caldecott Medal winner and illustrator of over one hundred books, tells the story of his childhood and how he developed his artistic talent." --
Book cover for The lost year.
Notes:
Fiction for Children;9-13
Description:
Thirteen-year-old Matthew is miserable. His journalist dad is stuck overseas indefinitely, and his mom has moved in his one-hundred-year-old great-grandmother to ride out the pandemic, adding to his stress and isolation. But when Matthew finds a tattered black-and-white photo in his great-grandmothers belongings, he discovers a clue to a hidden chapter of her past, one that will lead to a life-shattering family secret. Set in alternating timelines...
Book cover for Make way.
Notes:
The Arts;6-9
Description:
In the beginning, there was a boy named Robert McCloskey, growing up in Ohio, his hands always moving, always creating. Many years later, after attending art school in Boston, he would reflect on his days wandering through Boston Garden and write the classic picture book Make Way for Ducklings. In the beginning, there was also a girl named Nancy Schön. She grew up in Newton, Massachusetts, working in her father’s greenhouse, twisting wire and...
Book cover for The many assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams.
Notes:
Fiction for Children;8-11
Description:
This is the tale of an exciting journey along the Silk Road with a young orphan Monk and his newfound guardian, Samir, a larger than life character and the so-called "Seller of Dreams." The man is a scammer; his biggest skill being the ability to talk his way into getting what he wants. While that talking did save Monkey's life, it has left a lot of people furious with Samir--furious enough to hire assassins. These include a Viking berserker, a Rogue...
Book cover for Muzoon.
Notes:
Biography, Autobiography, and Memoir;10-14
Description:
"This eye-opening memoir tells the story of a young girl's life in Syria, her family's wrenching decision to leave their home, and the upheaval of life in a refugee camp. Though her life had utterly changed, one thing remained the same. She knew that education was the key to a better future--for herself, and so that she could help her country. She went from tent to tent in the camp, trying to convince other kids, especially girls, to come to school....
Book cover for My dad is a DJ.
Notes:
Picture Books;6-10
Description:
"Trevor's dad is a DJ, and he always picks the best music--But after his parents split up and Dad moves out, Trevor feels like the pitch doesn't fit between them. Trevor has his own music now--hip-hop--and Dad can't seem to let go of his old soul favorites. As the end-of-year dance approaches, Trevor and his father will have to find their new groove to get the party started."--
Book cover for My indigo world.
Author:
Notes:
The Arts;5-9
Description:
"With lavish mixed-media art including watercolor painting and hand-dyed textiles, debut author-illustrator Rosa Chang pays tribute to the science and art of growing the indigo plant and making indigo dye. Woven throughout is a poetic tribute to the colorblue, Chang's favorite since her girlhood in Korea, and an appreciation of the indigo plant as a valued source of blue dye in cultures around the world. Informative back matter tells more about the...
Book cover for Mysterious glowing mammals.
Notes:
Science, Technology, and the Natural World;8-13
Description:
You’re probably familiar with some kinds of glowing animals. Fireflies light up summer nights. Bioluminescent jellyfish and other sea creatures fill our oceans. But some animals glow only under ultraviolet light. This is called biofluorescence The author recorded theh first ever sighting of a biofluorescent mammal. Follow along with Martin and his colleagues as they delve into the mystery of the flying squirrels and discover that they aren’t...
Book cover for Not an easy win.
Notes:
Fiction for Children;9-12
Description:
Nothing’s gone right for Lawrence since he had to move from Charlotte to Larenville, North Carolina, to live with his granny. When Lawrence ends up in one too many fights at his new school, he gets expelled. The fight wasn’t his fault, but since his pop’s been gone, it feels like no one listens to what Lawrence has to say. Instead of going to school, Lawrence starts spending his days at the rec center, helping out a neighbor who runs a chess...
Book cover for On the edge of the world.
Notes:
Picture Books;7-10
Description:
"In mirroring stories set in Russia and Chile, Vera and Lucas long for a friend to share their separate, but surprisingly similar, adventures." --
Book cover for Paul Bunyan.
Notes:
Historical People, Places, and Events;10-14
Description:
"Did you know that a mainstay of American folk culture was in fact created as an advertising ploy? Few people realize that Paul Bunyan, the legendary lumberjack, and his blue ox are the product of corporate marketing by a highly industrialized commercial enterprise. Cartoonist Noah Van Sciver shows us the myth creation as real life marketing man extraordinaire W.B. Laughead spins ever more wondrous tall tales. Van Sciver's story is bracketed by...
Book cover for The puppets of Spelhorst.
Series:
Norendy tales volume 1.
Notes:
Fiction for Children;7-10
Description:
"Five puppets confront circumstances beyond their control with patience, cunning, and high spirits ... Shut up in a trunk by a taciturn old sea captain with a secret, five friends--a king, a wolf, a girl, a boy, and an owl--bicker, boast, and comfort one another in the dark. Individually, they dream of song and light, freedom and flight, purpose and glory, but they all agree they are part of a larger story, bound each to each by chance, bonded by...
Book cover for Remember us.
Notes:
Fiction for Children;9-13
Description:
"The summer before seventh grade, as the constant threat of housefires looms over her Brooklyn neighborhood, basketball-loving Sage is trying to figure out her place in her circle of friends, when a new kid named Freddy moves in"--
Book cover for Remembering.
Notes:
Seasons and Celebrations;5-10
Description:
"On Día de los Muertos, a family prepares an ofrenda for their favorite furry family member, remembering all the ways that their beloved pet brought love and comfort to their lives"--
Book cover for Rise to the sky.
Notes:
Science, Technology, and the Natural World;5-10
Description:
"What are the tallest living things on Earth? Trees! Discover what growing trees need so they can rise to the sky in this lyrical look at the tree life cycle"--
Book cover for Rock, Rosetta, rock! Roll, Rosetta, roll!.
Notes:
The Arts;7-10
Description:
"Award-winning author Tonya Bolden and acclaimed illustrator R. Gregory Christie deliver an inspiring true story about the life, career, and impact of twentieth-century blues and gospel singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who was a trailblazer for rock and roll. Before there was Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Johnny Cash, there was Sister Rosetta Tharpe. The godmother of rock and roll started as a little girl from Arkansas with music in her air,...
Book cover for Rooting for plants.
Notes:
Biography, Autobiography, and Memoir;6-9
Description:
"In 1882, Black botanist and mycologist Charles S. Parker sprouted up in the lush, green Pacific Northwest. From the beginning, Charles's passion was plants, and he trudged through forests, climbed mountains, and waded into lakes to find them. When he was drafted to fight in World War I, Charles experienced prejudice against Black soldiers and witnessed the massive ecological devastation that war caused. Those experiences made him even more determined...