The Excellence in Children’s and Young Adult Science Fiction Notable Lists are designed to encourage good science fiction literature for children. Science fiction books use (future) science and technology rather than fantasy or magic. The purpose of the Excellence in Children’s and Young Adult Science Fiction Notable Lists is to identify Science Fiction books that have the most interest and appeal to three age groups: picture books for preschool and early readers, ages up to 6 years old (Golden Duck List); illustrated chapter books or short novels for grade school students, ages 7-11 (Eleanor Cameron List); YA books for teens, ages 12-18 (Hal Clement List).
We would like to congratulate Christine D.U. Chung, Salwa Majoka, and X. Fang whose books have been selected as 2025 Golden Duck Notable Picture Books.
Viewfinder By Christine D.U. Chung and Salwa Majoka 144 Pages | Ages 6-9 | Hardcover ISBN 9780735268753 | Tundra Books A young space traveler visits Earth on a whim and finds a planet empty of people. She happens upon a strange contraption that contains images of what the planet used to be like, and using this viewfinder, she sees Earth as it was, juxtaposed against Earth as it is: abandoned, but still full of amazing things. Her adventure takes her to a museum full of hints about the planet’s past and the strange glowing mushrooms that grow everywhere, a library that has become home to a variety of zoo animals, and a beautiful but crumbling space station from which she makes a daring escape. As she wanders, though, she sees signs that perhaps there is still someone here. A time capsule, a friendly cat and a makeshift railcar all add to the mystery . . . is she really alone? The lush and captivating art and subtle nod to stewardship in this wordless graphic novel will draw readers in and leave them with a renewed sense of wonder for the resilient and extraordinary place we call home.
We Are Definitely Human By X. Fang 48 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover ISBN 9781774882023 | Tundra Books When three mysterious visitors from “Europe” crash-land in Mr. Li’s field, he does what any good host would: he invites them back to his farmhouse and offers to help fix up their “car”. No, there’s nothing strange about these guests at all. Just like other humans, they “make business”, “play sportsball” and “wear hat”. As the townsfolk also come to the aid of the visitors and the gathering turns into a little party, interplanetary relations reach an all-time high. A sweetly funny extraterrestrial offering that explores surprising acts of kindness and acceptance, X. Fang’s second picture book is truly out of this world.
Established in 1998 by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC), the Charlotte Zolotow Award is given annually for outstanding writing in a picture book published in the United States in the preceding year with up to five honor books and up to ten highly commended titles also selected. The award is named to honor the work of Charlotte Zolotow, a distinguished children’s book editor for 38 years, and author of more than 70 picture books.
We would like to congratulate X. Fang whose picture book, We Are Definitely Human, has been selected as a 2025 Highly Commended Title.
We Are Definitely Human By X. Fang 48 Pages | Ages 4-8 | Hardcover ISBN 9781774882023 | Tundra Books When three mysterious visitors from “Europe” crash-land in Mr. Li’s field, he does what any good host would: he invites them back to his farmhouse and offers to help fix up their “car”. No, there’s nothing strange about these guests at all. Just like other humans, they “make business”, “play sportsball” and “wear hat”. As the townsfolk also come to the aid of the visitors and the gathering turns into a little party, interplanetary relations reach an all-time high. A sweetly funny extraterrestrial offering that explores surprising acts of kindness and acceptance, X. Fang’s second picture book is truly out of this world.
The OLA Best Bets committee is comprised of librarians and library technicians who are OLA members, work in public libraries, and are committed to children’s and young adult services and eager to evaluate and promote Canadian books. Members discuss and evaluate recent publications by Canadian authors and illustrators. The books evaluated are suitable for children and young adults from birth to nineteen years old. From these discussions, the Committee produces “Best Bets” lists, annual annotated lists of recommended titles. We’re thrilled to have so many books on the list and we congratulate our authors and illustrators.
Picture Books:
A Garden Called Home Written by Jessica J. Lee Illustrated by Elaine Chen 48 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover ISBN 9781774880470 | Tundra Books Mama was born in a country far away from here. I love her stories about warm rain in winter and green mountains. And now Mama’s taking me there! When a young girl and her mother go to visit her family, the girl notices a change. At home, her mother mostly stays inside. Here, her mother likes to explore and go hiking. The girl has never seen her so happy! Her mother tells her about the trees, bushes, flowers and birds. Did you know that tree roots make mountains strong? And that ài h?o (mugwort) is used to make delicious, sweet dumplings? But her mother’s smile goes away when they return home. It’s cold and she doesn’t want to go outside. She goes back to wearing her big quilted jackets and watering her houseplants. How can the girl show her mother that nature here can be wondrous too?
The Book That Almost Rhymed Written by Omar Abed Illustrated by Hatem Aly 40 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover ISBN 9780593406380 | Dial Books What do you do with an interrupting sibling? Especially when she’s stepping all over your story with wild ideas that don’t. Even. Rhyme. Knights riding rockets? Dancing pirates? Who’s ever heard of a fire-breathing armadillo?! But when this big brother realizes his sister just might be improving his yarn – and doing it with an impressive surprise of her own – it’s clear what you do with an interrupting sibling. You share the narrative! Turns out adventure is way more fun when you build it together, rhyme by daring rhyme.
Junior Fiction:
Tig By Heather Smith 160 Pages | Ages 10+ | Hardcover ISBN 9780735267497 | Tundra Books After months of living without electricity or parents, Tig and Peter are forced to move in with their Uncle Scott and his partner, Manny. The transition from down-and-out to picture-perfect isn’t easy, especially in pristine Wensleydale with the idyllic couple and their beautiful home. Tig, with Peter’s support, decides to make their new life messy, starting with daily arguments and her plans to become a competitive cheese racer. She’ll run circles around her new guardians, outrun a wheel of cheese, and leave the past buried in her dust. But things don’t always go as planned, and Tig must decide what to truly leave behind in order to move forward.
The Curse of Eelgrass Bog By Mary Averling 272 Pages | Ages 8-12 | Paperback ISBN 9780593624920 | G.P. Putnam’s Sons BFYR Nothing about Kess Pedrock’s life is normal. Not her home (she lives in her family’s Unnatural History Museum), not her interests (hunting for megafauna fossils and skeletons), and not her best friend (a talking demon’s head in a jar named Shrunken Jim). But things get even stranger than usual when Kess meets Lilou Starling, the new girl in town. Lilou comes to Kess for help breaking a mysterious curse – and the only clue she has leads straight into the center of Eelgrass Bog. Everyone knows the bog is full of witches, demons, and possibly worse, but Kess and Lilou are determined not to let that stop them. As they investigate the mystery and uncover long-buried secrets, Kess begins to realize that the curse might hit closer to home than she’d ever expected, and she’ll have to summon all her courage to find a way to break it before it’s too late.
The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents By Nicki Pau Preto 352 Pages | Ages 8-12 | Hardcover ISBN 9780593528518 | Viking BFYR Lavinia “Vin” Lucas is out of control and out of options. Stranded by parents who would rather use their average magical abilities to study dung beetles than raise her, Vin’s been on her own for years. But she’s never been able to corral her own powerful, unpredictable magic. After years of detention, suspension, and expulsion from magic schools far and wide, she’s now being sent to the Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents. If she gets expelled, it’s the end of the line. Now, Vin is determined to behave. Except no one at Last Hope seems to want her to. Her new teachers – particularly the school’s kind headmistress – push her to explore her magic, and her mischievous classmates delight in every accident. And all the while, a mysterious fire sprite, a suspicious instructor, and her overwhelming abilities might just sabotage Vin. But for the first time, she is not alone. So when a former student begins attacking the school, Vin must question just how much she knows about the headmistress and her new home. Is this place worth saving? And are her budding abilities – and every trick, trap, and deception in her friends’ delinquent arsenal – enough to protect Last Hope?
Viewfinder By Christine D.U. Chung and Salwa Majoka 144 Pages | Ages 6-9 | Hardcover ISBN 9780735268753 | Tundra Books A young space traveler visits Earth on a whim and finds a planet empty of people. She happens upon a strange contraption that contains images of what the planet used to be like, and using this viewfinder, she sees Earth as it was, juxtaposed against Earth as it is: abandoned, but still full of amazing things. Her adventure takes her to a museum full of hints about the planet’s past and the strange glowing mushrooms that grow everywhere, a library that has become home to a variety of zoo animals, and a beautiful but crumbling space station from which she makes a daring escape. As she wanders, though, she sees signs that perhaps there is still someone here. A time capsule, a friendly cat and a makeshift railcar all add to the mystery . . . is she really alone? The lush and captivating art and subtle nod to stewardship in this wordless graphic novel will draw readers in and leave them with a renewed sense of wonder for the resilient and extraordinary place we call home.
Young Adult Fiction:
Fledgling By S. K. Ali 544 Pages | Ages 14+ | Hardcover ISBN 9780593531242 | Kokila Would you trade love for peace? Raisa of Upper Earth has only lived a life of privilege and acquiescence. Ever dutiful, she accepts her father’s arrangement of her marriage to Lein, Crown Prince of the corrupt, volatile lands of Lower Earth. Though Lein is a stranger, Raisa knows the wedding will unite their vastly different worlds in a pact of peace: an infusion of Upper Earth technology will usher in the final age of enlightenment, ending war between humans forever. Or is justice more urgent? Newly released from imprisonment, Nada of Lower Earth has found her own calling: disrupting the royal wedding. Convinced her cousin Lein’s alliance with Upper Earth will launch an invasive, terrifying form of tyranny, Nada sets out undercover to light the spark of revolution. When Raisa goes missing a week before the wedding, all eyes turn to the rebels, including Nayf, Nada’s twin brother, a fugitive on the run. In Nayf and Raisa meeting, the long-simmering animosity between their worlds slowly burns away into something unexpected. But the Crown Prince wants his bride – and future – back. And he will go to the ends of the earths to reclaim them.
Lockjaw By Matteo L. Cerilli 328 Pages | Ages 14+ | Hardcover ISBN 9781774882306 | Tundra Books Chuck Warren died tragically at the old abandoned mill, but Paz Espino knows it was no accident – there’s a monster under the town, and she’s determined to kill it before anyone else gets hurt. She’ll need the help of her crew – inseparable friends, bound by a childhood pact stronger than diamonds, distance or death – to hunt it down. But she’s up against a greater force of evil than she ever could have imagined. With shifting timeframes and multiple perspectives, Lockjaw is a small-town ghost story, where monsters living and dead haunt the streets, the homes and the minds of the inhabitants. For readers of Wilder Girls and The Haunted, this trans YA horror book by an incredible debut author will grab you and never let you go.
The Geisel Award is an annual award given to the most distinguished book for beginning readers published in English. We would like to congratulate Jashar Awan whose book Towed by Toad was named an honor book in this year’s 2025 ALA Youth Media Awards! This playful, funny and refreshingly sweet picture book is a perfect read aloud and we’re thrilled to see it receive such a wonderful accolade.
Towed by Toad By Jashar Awan 48 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover ISBN 9781774883488 | Tundra Books Toad and his tow truck are always on the move to lend a hand to anyone who needs help. Whether it’s a flat tire or engine trouble, it’s Toad to the rescue! Pop does his best to try to get Toad to slow down and take care of himself, but there always seems to be someone else who needs to be towed by Toad. How can he say no? Toad is so used to being the problem solver that when his tow truck breaks down, he does everything he can to fix it himself – and can’t! What happens when the helper needs help? Towed by Toad is a peppy read-aloud full of fascinating vehicles and endearing characters.
Congratulations once more to Jashar Awan. Thank you to the 2025 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Honor Book Committee for all their hard work. For more information about the Geisel Award and this year’s honorees, please click here.
The Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People is given annually to the author of an exceptional body of work in children’s literature and the winner is selected by a three-member judging panel. We would like to congratulate Sara O’Leary who was the recipient of this year’s award!
From the jury citation: “With deep insight into the unwavering spirit of children, Sara O’Leary shows that her young characters are able to speak for themselves, to overturn assumptions and worn-out ways of seeing. O’Leary has devoted her picture books to complex and playful expressions of how fantasy suffuses our experience of this world – from a poignant account of the young Brontë siblings to loving and outlandish answers to a child’s question, ‘Where did I come from?’ Her direct address to readers is surprising and engaging, initiating a lively conversation or a personal relationship. In celebrating diversity or tracking a little girl’s intensely busy play, O’Leary explores, sometimes subtly, sometimes overtly, the possibilities imagination offers. Enhanced by her many gifted illustrators, O’Leary’s willingness to be both fanciful and serious, to take chances with tone, format, and structure, makes each new book a delightful work of spare, neatly crafted words.”
Thank you to the 2024 Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People Jury: Deirdre Baker, Andrea Curtis, and Itah Sadu!
The Little Books of the Little Brontës Written by Sara O’Leary Illustrated by Briony May Smith 40 Pages | Ages 5-9 | Hardcover ISBN 9780735263697 | Tundra Books Many years ago, the four motherless children of the Brontë family – Charlotte, Branwell, Emily and Anne – lived in a windswept house by the moors with their father. Although their lives were often filled with sadness and their world was only as large as the distance they could walk, their INNER worlds were bound only by their imaginations. Hungry for stories, these children devoured novels and poetry, history and fables. And with the gift of a group of toy soldiers, they were inspired to make their own stories, and their own tiny books . . . a passion that would last them a lifetime. A moving and atmospheric story about the power of imagination, the joy of storytelling and the love of books, The Little Books of the Little Brontës will enchant both those who love these literary sisters and those who are learning about them for the first time. Includes an author’s note, timeline of the Brontës’ lives and a fun craft with instructions on creating your own little book.
Gemma and the Giant Girl Written by Sara O’Leary Illustrated by Marie Lafrance 48 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover ISBN 9780735263673 | Tundra Books Gemma has always lived in a very nice little house, always slept in the same room and always worn the same clothes. A doll in an old forgotten dollhouse, Gemma wonders if she will ever grow up, but her parents tell her she will always be their little girl. Until, one day, the dollhouse is opened by a GIANT, and Gemma’s whole life changes. New things are introduced into the little house – and Gemma finally has an opportunity to leave what’s familiar and see the enormous world beyond. A story that evokes children’s classics, Gemma and the Giant Girl is a gorgeously illustrated and poignant tale of what it feels like to be small in a big world and how even the smallest among us can take charge of our own destinies.
This Is Ruby Written by Sara O’Leary Illustrated by Alea Marley 32 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover ISBN 9780735263611 | Tundra Books Ruby is a little girl with a sense of curiosity and enthusiasm that’s too big to contain! Ruby is always busy – she loves to make things, watch things grow and figure out how things work, with her dog Teddy by her side. And Ruby has lots of ideas about what she wants to be: maybe an animal conservationist? Or an archaeologist? She’s great at excavating (i.e. digging holes). Or maybe an inventor? She’s already invented a book with smells instead of words (so dogs can read it) and a time machine (the dinosaurs did have feathers after all, and the future is looking wild). This is Ruby, and this is her world.
Maud and Grand-Maud Written by Sara O’Leary Illustrated by Kenard Pak 40 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover ISBN 9781101918692 | Tundra Books Maud loves the weekends that she stays over at her grandma’s house. There’s always breakfast-for-supper, matching nightgown, black-and-white movies and best of all – having someone to listen to her dreams for when she grows up. But what makes the visit extra-special is what Grand-Maud has hidden in an old chest under her bed. Sometimes there are paint sets, toys, homemade cookies, handknit mittens or sweaters. But Maud finds a wonderful surprise when she finds a belonging from Grand-Maud’s childhood. When she grows up, Maud wants to be just like Grand-Maud. Maud and Grand-Maud is a sweet celebration of the unique bond between grandparents and grandchildren.
Owls Are Good at Keeping Secrets Written by Sara O’Leary Illustrated by Jacob Grant 40 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover ISBN 9781101919118 | Tundra Books Did you know that chipmunks love to stay up past their bedtime? Or that dragons cry at happy endings? I bet you’d never have guessed that iguanas sometimes get homesick at sleepovers. Sara O’Leary pulls back the curtain on the animal world and gives us absolutely charming little one-line “facts” about an animal for each letter of the alphabet. Kids will love to see their own quirks reflected in these adorably-rendered creatures, and perhaps will be comforted to know that, just like them, narwhals can be perfectly happy all on their own and quail also get tired of being told to be quiet. This is more than just an alphabet book – it is a charming, hilarious and touching look at the diversity of personalities in the world, worth many, many re-reads.
This Is Sadie Written by Sara O’Leary Illustrated by Julie Morstad 32 Pages | Ages 3-7 | Hardcover ISBN 9781770495326 | Tundra Books Sadie is a little girl with a big imagination. She has been a girl who lived under the sea and a boy raised by wolves. She has had adventures in wonderland and visited the world of fairytales. She whispers to the dresses in her closet and talks to birds in the treetops. She has wings that take her anywhere she wants to go, but that always bring her home again. She likes to make things – boats out of boxes and castles out of cushions. But more than anything Sadie likes stories, because you can make them from nothing at all. For Sadie, the world is so full of wonderful possibilities . . . This is Sadie, and this is her story.
