Worcester Public Library Children’s Librarians are on a quest to talk about all of our favorite books of 2025! Let’s look at all of the nonfiction books we loved this year. Book of Questions: Selections by Pablo Neruda; translated by Sara Lissa Paulson This is a striking poem of thought-provoking questions presented with both Neruda’s original Spanish and Paulson’s translation accompanied by beautiful illustration by Paloma Valdivia. Frida Kahlo: She Painted Her World in Self-Portraits by Amy Guglielmo This illustrated biography includes both vibrant imagery and illustrations that grab your attention. The text is inspirational, describing how Frida Kahlo celebrated her heritage and honored and persevered through her disabilities. This book includes artistic prompts, direct quotes from Frida Kahlo, and a selection of her works at the end. Follow Chester: A College Football Team Fights Racism and Makes History  by Gloria Repress-Churchwell This book follows Chester Pierce, the firs...

Worcester Public Library's Children's Librarians are excited to share our favorite books of 2025! Here is a list of great graphic novels that we read this year. Hilo by Judd Winick What happens when a boy falls out of the sky and has to learn everything about Earth? This funny series features friendship and adventure. Dav Pilkey, the author of Dog Man , says that Hilo is "fast paced, furiously funny, and will have kids waiting on the edge of their seats." Tegan and Sara: Junior High by Tegan Quin and Sara Quin This graphic novel is a fictionalized memoir of twin musicians, Tegan and Sara, as they start middle school for the first time. The story and art beautifully convey the emotions of such an important time in young adolescents' lives. Buzzing by Samuel Sattin This graphic novel follows Isaac, a middle schooler who was recently diagnosed with OCD, as he starts playing a Dungeons-and-Dragons-like role playing game while juggling his home and school life with ...

Worcester Public Library Children’s Librarians are on a quest to talk about all of our favorite books of 2025! Let’s look at all of the chapter books we loved this year. Medusa by Katherine Marsh After a terrible day at school, Ava and her brother, Jax, are sent to Venice to attend a boarding school, Accademia del Forte. There, Ava discovers that she and all of her classmates are descendants of the monsters from Greek Mythology. This is a brilliant, feminist twist to the classic myth of Medusa, and it is perfect for fans of Percy Jackson. Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar Set in 1960s New York City, Ruthie is stuck in bed in a full body cast after a car accident. While she knows she is lucky to be alive, she is also lonely; Ruthie begins collecting stories from her Jewish grandparents, from her friends, and from her Mexican neighbor, who teaches her about Frida Kahlo. This poetic and insightful novel is engaging despite mainly occurring within the confines of Ruthie’s bedroom. Tagging ...

It’s December already! That means 2025 is coming to a close, and librarians here at Worcester Public Library have been reflecting on our favorite books that we read this year. Here are some of our favorite picture books that we read in 2025. Make sure to check back soon for lists of our favorite chapter books, graphic novels, and non-fiction books. The Bakery Dragon by Devin Elle Ember isn’t like other dragons: he is not scary enough to steal gold. After meeting a baker in the village, Ember learns that baking gold is much better than stealing it. Both this book and its sequel, The Bakery Dragon and the Fairy Cake , are adorable with beautiful messages. Snow Kid by Jessie Sima As always, Jessie Sima knocked it out of the park on their most recent release! Snow Kid follows Twig as they grow and change and become. This is a beautiful story, both in its pictures and in its message. Make sure to check out Jessie Sima’s backlist as well for amazing tales like Not Quite Narwhal a...