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Seattle Staff Faves 2025: Kids Chapter Books, Graphic Novels & Nonfiction

Every year we ask our staff across the library system for their favorite books published in a given year. Enjoy this list of some of our favorite chapter books, graphic novels and nonfiction books for kids! Annotations are by staff or adapted from review sources as noted. (Created November 2025)

User from The Seattle Public Library

39 items

  • PICTURE BOOK NONFICTION. This fun and fascinating story traces the lengthy path from “nothing” to a functioning zero. [Kirkus]
    Book, 2025Watertown, MA : Charlesbridge, [2025] — J513.5 AL139Z 2025
  • To Walk the Sky

    How Iroquois Steelworkers Helped Build Towering Cities

    Buckley, Patricia Morris
    PICTURE BOOK NONFICTION. Buckley (Kahnawá:ke Mohawk) and Lewis (Lenni-Lenape) pay tribute to the courage and perseverance of Iroquois steelworkers. [Kirkus]
    Book, 2025New York, NY : Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, [2025] — J690.092 B8568T 2025
  • GRAPHIC NOVEL. Cabin Head and Tree Head are best friends who live in a world where everyone sports something on their head. A wildly original tale with the buddy-based charm of Frog and Toad but imbued with a wacky energy all its own. [Kirkus]
    Graphic Novel, 2025Toronto : Tundra, [2025] — J-GN CAMPBELL
  • PICTURE BOOK NONFICTION. Caldecott Medalist Chin braids together three stories: how hurricanes form, how scientists track their potential impact, and how the people of Cape Hatteras, a barrier island off the North Carolina coast, prepare for…
    Book, 2025New York : Neal Porter Book, Holiday House, [2025] — J551.55209 C4411H 2025
  • CHAPTER BOOK. Chinese American Derrick explores his queer identity by competing in a small-town beauty pageant where he shares his new love of drag with his family and friends. [NoveList Plus]
    Book, 2025New York, NY : Quill Tree Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, [2025] — J CHU
  • The Black Mambas

    the World's First All-woman Anti-poaching Unit

    Crull, Kelly
    NONFICTION: On patrol with an all-women unit of rangers who work to protect the rhinos, pangolins, and other rare wildlife of South Africa’s Olifants West Nature Reserve from poachers. [Kirkus]
    Book, 2025Minneapolis : Millbrook Press, [2025] — J639.90968 C8884B 2025
  • CHAPTER BOOK. Pineda, a Cuban American boy, must join forces with his friends to help reunite an alien girl with her parents while their Texas town is swarming with military officers, in a story based on true events from 1950s America. [NoveList…
    Book, 2025New York : Farrar Straus Giroux, 2025. — J CUEVAS
  • NONFICTION. Hilarity ensues when...a variety of animals highlight other species in a version of class presentations. [Kirkus]
    Book, 2025Montclair, New Jersey : Levine Querido, 2025. — J590 D896M 2025
  • CHAPTER BOOK. A 13-year-old boy struggles with the pain, anger, and sadness of living with his father, who struggles with mental illness. [Kirkus]
    Book, 2025New York, NY : Quill Tree Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, [2025] — J FARUQI
  • GRAPHIC NOVEL. If there’s one thing that can bridge the human/undead divide, it’s donuts. A friendly, funny vampire story with a little bit of bite. [Kirkus] 
    Graphic Novel, 2025Portland, OR : Oni Press, 2025. — J-GN GONSAR
  • GRAPHIC NOVEL. Best friends Luis (the large furry one) and Pablo (the small furry one) decide to venture from their cozy home into the Big City – and even though it’s not what they’d hoped, they still have their home and each other! [publisher…
    Graphic Novel, 2025New York : HarperAlley, 2025. — J-GN GORDON
  • GRAPHIC NOVEL. Siblings await their mother in a lonely, sandy expanse. A thought-provoking, affecting allegory that reflects difficult realities yet is filled with love. [Kirkus]
    Graphic Novel, 2025New York : Godwin Books/Henry Holt and Company, 2025. — J-GN GUOJING
  • CHAPTER BOOK. Fleeing bigotry in Chandigarh, India, a girl faces a perilous immigration journey to the United States. A riveting story of love, hope, and survival. [Kirkus]
    Book, 2025New York, NY : Scholastic Press, 2025. — J GUPTA
  • Rachel Carson's Wonder-filled World

    How the Scientist, Writer, and Nature Lover Changed the Environmental Movement

    Hannigan, Kate
    PICTURE BOOK NONFICTION. A soaring tribute to the perceptive naturalist and writer who jump-started the modern environmental movement. [Kirkus]
    Book, 2025New York : Calkins Creek, an imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers, [2025] — JB C2395H 2025
  • The Escape Artist

    a True Story of Octopus Adventure

    Hanson, Thor
    PICTURE BOOK NONFICTION. In this tale based on real-life events, a Māori octopus in a New Zealand aquarium makes a break back to the sea. [Kirkus]
    Book, 2025New York : Greenwillow Books, an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2025. — J594.56 H1989E 2025
  • CHAPTER BOOK. Lonely Clare, a silver-tailed fox, lives in Deadwood Forest, ushering animals’ souls into the Afterlife. When a mysterious badger spirit appears, Clare’s world is turned upside down. [Lauren] Heartbreaking, marvelously funny, and…
    Book, 2025New York : Little, Brown and Company, 2025. — J HARTMAN
  • Casey's Cases

    the Mysterious New Girl

    Healy, Kay
    GRAPHIC NOVEL. Hapless-but-spirited tween detective Casey tackles cases big and small, from a new girl at school to a lost cat. [NoveList Plus]
    Graphic Novel, 2025New York : Neal Porter Books / Holiday House, 2025. — J-GN HEALY
  • GRAPHIC NOVEL. Two friends follow an old journal to find one girl’s missing grandmother. A charming story of relationships and fantastical discoveries. [Kirkus]
    Graphic Novel, 2025New York, NY : Quill Tree Books, Harper Alley, imprints of HarperCollinsPublishers, [2025] — J-GN HSIEH
  • The Land Knows Me

    a Nature Walk Exploring Indigenous Wisdom

    Joseph, Leigh
    NONFICTION. Through the Squamish language and cultural traditions, learn about Indigenous plant relationships and how we are all connected to nature through plant-based foods, medicines, and materials. (publisher description)
    Book, 2025New York, NY : becker&mayer! kids, 2025. — J581.63 J7746L 2025
  • GRAPHIC NOVEL. Defender of the cosmos! Vanquisher of evil! Failure at frisbee?? Corgi shenanigans, epic space battles, and intergalactic heroes abound in this uplifting, action-packed adventure about the powerful connection between humans and their…
    Graphic Novel, 2025Portland, OR : Oni Press, 2025. — J-GN KAHN