It’s so easy to compare yourself to others around you and to get caught up in what others are doing better than you. Nobody knows that better than Junior, King Kong’s cousin. Kong is bigger, stronger, and more well‑known than Junior, and Junior can’t help but think about the differences between the two of them. Soon though, Junior realizes that sometimes it’s the little things, like saving his cat out of a tree, that can make him feel a little bit braver and a little bit bigger on the inside, and maybe it doesn’t matter what Kong is up to. Perfect for the youngest readers who are already discovering the dangers of comparing themselves to those around them.

Meet Me Halfway is a tender, thought‑provoking, and often hilarious sibling saga that reminded me family is so much more than what we’re given; family is the people we choose. Mercedes is shocked when the new girl, Matilde, looks like she could be Mercedes’s sister. As it turns out, she is—but neither of them have ever met the father they share. Mercedes’s and Matilde’s Parent Trap‑esque antics as they search for their father will keep you on the edge of your seat and keep you reading until the sweet and delightful end. 

What the Fact? by Seema Yasmin might be the most important book you’ll ever read about media literacy. In this book, acclaimed writer, journalist, and physician Dr. Yasmin compares the spreading of rumors and misinformation to viruses and diseases. The tone is casual, despite the gravity of the topic, and gives examples of theories of conspiracies and sources of disinformation across history, up through the COVID‑19 pandemic. What the Fact? is an incredible, accessible guide to help teens and all readers think critically about the information they’re taking in online and through their peers and relatives.