2025-2026 Star of the North Books

Rock Your Mocs

By: Laurel Goodluck

"An introduction to the annual celebration of 'Rock Your Mocs Day,' because moccasins and Native pride shouldn't be saved just for ceremonies and powwows, but celebrated all year round"-

Touch the Sky

By: Stephanie Lucianovic

Vern dreams of soaring through the air on the playground swings. If only he could learn to pump his legs! While well-versed in other swinging activities, such as the wind-up and spin-out and belly-down, none gives Vern that feeling of flying. Other kids make it look so easy, while Vern thrashes this way and that trying for takeoff. Luckily, high-spirited Gretchen, a patient and encouraging young guide, comes to his rescue.

Book Read

Miguel Must Fight!

By: Jamie Ofelia

Miguel loves drawing, but his family prefers he develop fighting skills so he can learn to defend himself. The Garcia family is notorious for their "deadly art of sword fighting," and they want him to follow in their footsteps. They persuade and cajole; some even scold him, even the mayor! One day, a mighty dragon lands in town, and “Miguel’s family poised themselves, ready to strike.” But it’s no use—their weapons and tactics cannot defeat the ferocious dragon. However, when Miguel surprises the dragon with a flattering portrait, his creative kindness does the trick! Who said he didn’t know how to defend himself after all?

Looking for Happy

By: Ty Chapman

What if you were small as a Every day is different. Some days everything goes right--you're in the groove and feeling like yourself.

But some days, it's a lot harder to find happy because everything is just blah. Sometimes everything that should be fun just feels . . . flat. A young boy is having one of those dreary days, and nothing seems to help. But after trying his grandmother's way to shake the blues also fails, he discovers that happiness is easiest to find when you're not looking.

Ursula Upside Down

      By: Corey Tabor

Ursula is a happy catfish, swimming through a shimmering river with weeds waving above and a sky full of scrumptious bugs below. Then one question turns her world upside down. Is left right? Is right wrong? Which way even is up?

Millie Fleur's Poison Garden

By: Christy Mandin

Garden Glen is a very bland place. Every house and every garden looks exactly like the other. That is... until Millie Fleur La Fae comes to town.

Up on a scruffy hill, beside a ramschackle house, Millie Fleur plants her marvelously strange garden, filled with Sneezing Stickyweed, Fanged Fairymoss, and Grumpy Gilliflower. Millie Fleur finds it enchanting, but the townspeople of Garden Glen call it poison!

The Rock in My Throat

By: Kao Kalia Yang

In this true story, Kao Kalia Yang shares her experiences as a Hmong refugee child navigating life at home and school in America while carrying the weight of her selective mutism.

 The Last Stand

By: Antwan Eady

A little boy is excited to work alongside his Papa as they collect eggs, plums, peppers and pumpkins to sell at their stand in the farmer's market, but when Papa cannot make it to the stand, his community gathers around him, with dishes made of his own produce.

The Book that Almost Rhymed

By: Omar Abed

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.

Star Party

By: Polly Carlson-Voiles

From a little cabin on the edge of the wilderness, Grandma and Grandpa invite Nora to her first Star Party. This mysterious celebration happens after dark. Nora wonders: Can I wear pajamas? Will there be snacks?

As Grandma leads the way on the forest trail, Nora discovers the wonders of the north woods at night. There are flying squirrels, calling loons, and hooting owls. But when Nora and Grandpa step onto the dock, she finds that the most dazzling sight of all is the night sky. Billions of stars glow above and are reflected in the lake below.