February, 2026 Reader’s Choice: Youth-Recommended Reads
DB122638 Cupig: The Valentine’s Day Pig by Tattersfield, Claire
Annotation: When a storm blows Cupig’s arrows off course, the arrows strike the wrong targets and Cupig must rectify her mistake and get some classic pairs back together. For preschool-grade 2.
DBC04239 A Village Full of Valentines by Stevenson, James
Annotation: Each animal who lives in a little village celebrates Valentine’s Day in a different way. For grades K-3.
DB90192 Attack of the 50-ft Cupid by Benton, Jim
Annotation: It’s almost Valentine’s Day. Franny’s new lab assistant, Igor, a dog of many breeds, accidentally brings a picture of Cupid to life and then enlarges Cupid to gigantic proportions. Now Franny has to deal with the problem. For grades 2-4.
DB99481 Stella Endicott and the Anything-is-Possible Poem by DiCamillo, Kate
Annotation: Excited about a project for class, Stella Endicott crafts a beautiful poem about Mercy Watson, the pig who lives next door. But Horace Broom, Stella’s irritating classmate, insists that Stella’s poem is full of lies and that pigs do not live in houses. For grades 2-4.
DB88554 BR22756 JLT Kin Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel by Kinney, Jeff
Annotation: A Valentine’s Day dance at Greg’s middle school has turned his world upside down. An unexpected twist gives Greg a partner for the dance and leaves his best friend, Rowley, the odd man out. For grades 3-6.
DB101206 JBR Kan The Boney Hand: a Mystery by Kane, Karen
Annotation: When a Castle-on-the-Hudson school legend suddenly goes missing, Charlie is the prime suspect. But he and his best friend, Frog, are determined to find the real culprit. For grades 3-6.
DB118255 Isaiah Dunn Saves the Day by Baptist, Kelly J.
Annotation: Now in middle school, Isaiah Dunn participates in a mentoring program, but he has a hunch that his mentee–a troublemaking third-grader name Kobe–has a secret and Isaiah is determined to get to the bottom of it. For grades 4-7.
DB88778 How to Stage a Catastrophe by Donnelly, Rebecca
Annotation: Sidney Camazzola plans to be the director of the Juicebox children’s theater one day. For now, he and his best friend, Folly, have a great idea to keep the struggling theater open… extortion. For grades 4-7.
DB92841 The Backstagers and the Ghost Light by Mientus, Andy
Annotation: When Jory transfers to St. Genesius Prep, he joins the stage crew and discovers the magic that happens backstage. But when some cast members play with a spirit board, strange things begin to happen. For grades 5-8.
DB08913 Fanny by Almedingen, Martha E.
Annotation: When Fanny’s aristocratic Russian family lose their fortune, they must emigrate from their homeland to France. Based on diaries of the author’s aunt. For grades 6-9.
DB116387 The Do-Over by Painter, Lynn
Annotation: Sixteen-year-old Emilie, stuck in a cosmic Groundhog/Valentine’s Day nightmare where she discovers her family is splitting up and her boyfriend is cheating on her, decides to embark upon The Day of No Consequences, but when her repetitive day suddenly ends, she must face the consequences of her actions. After living through a dumpster fire of a Valentine’s Day, Emilie Hornby escapes to her grandmother’s house for some comfort. She passes out on the couch, but when she wakes up, she’s back home in her own bed– and it’s Valentine’s Day all over again. And the next day. And the next. Emilie is stuck in some sort of time loop nightmare: re-watching her boyfriend, Josh, cheat on her day after day. And she keeps running into Nick– sometimes literally– in unfortunate ways. When something good starts to come out of these terrible days, what happens when the universe stops doling out do-overs? For young adult readers.
DB118105 Her Dark Wings by Salisbury, Melinda
Annotation: The great love of Corey’s life has always been her best friend, Bree: closer than sisters, their bond is unbreakable. Or so Corey thought, until Bree betrays her in the worst way possible. When Bree’s sudden death rocks their small island community, Corey is heartbroken and furious. How can she mourn her one-time friend when she is still so angry at her? But though Bree has passed on, her spirit remains–and her and Corey’s tale isn’t finished yet. Soon, Corey finds herself called to the Underworld, where she’ll encounter creatures of legend, including the terrifying, beautiful Furies, who encourage her to embrace her rage. And then there is Hades himself: a god who is unyielding, cold and irritatingly arrogant. Her time in Hades’s realm will change her, because the more she learns about herself, the more Corey’s own power stirs. But can she resist the lure of the darkness within?”– Coping with the sudden death of her ex-best friend, eighteen-year-old Corey finds herself plunged into the Underworld, where she must contend with mythical beasts, her own burgeoning powers, and the arrogant, handsome Lord of the Dead. For young adult readers.
