Thanks, Gratitude, and Kindness

What would Thanksgiving weekend would be without a post-feast turkey sandwich (or two)? It’s tradition. Why not re-feast on the seasonal togetherness vibes, too?

Now serving: a platter of #CYBILS2024 books that focus on

family, lost and found;
connections and relationships;
cultural and seasonal traditions; and
thankfulness, kindness, and gratitude.

For more stories that feature family, food, community, and tradition, be sure to check out our Feast & Family: A Comfort Food Book List over at Bookshop.org.

A book included in this list doesn’t imply anything about its eligibility for a CYBILS Award, nor is it an endorsement.

This post contains buy links which earn the CYBILS Awards advertising fees through Bookshop.org and Amazon Associates.

Book covers link to Goodreads. Blurbs extracted from Goodreads.

Ariel Crashes a Train

Ariel is afraid of her own mind. She already feels like she is too big, too queer, too rough to live up to her parents' exacting expectations, or to fit into what the world expects of a “good girl.” Then a summer job brings new friends into Ariel’s fractured world, and she finds herself questioning her desire to keep everyone out—of her head and her heart. With help and support, Ariel discovers a future where she can be at home in her mind and body.
Poetry Novel in Verse nominee, 2024

Being Home

Today is a day of excitement—it’s time to move! As a young Cherokee girl says goodbye to the swing, the house, and the city she's called home her whole life, she readies herself for an upcoming road trip. While her mother drives, she draws in her sketchbook the changing landscape outside her window. She looks forward to the end of their journey, where she'll eat the feast her extended family prepared, play in the creek with her cousins, and settle into the new rhythm of home.
Fiction Picture Book nominee, 2024

Call Me Iggy

Ignacio "Iggy" Garcia is an Ohio-born Colombian American teen living his best life. After bumping into Marisol (and her coffee) at school, Iggy's world is spun around. But Marisol as too much going on to be bothered with the likes of Iggy. She has school, work, family, and the uphill battle of getting her legal papers. As Iggy stresses over how to get Marisol to like him, his grandfather comes to the rescue. The thing is, not only is his abuelito dead, but he also gives terrible love advice. The worst. And so, with his ghost abuelito's meddling, Iggy's life begins to unravel as he sets off on a journey of self-discovery.
Young Adult Graphic Novel nominee, 2024

Canto Contigo

In a twenty-four-hour span, Rafael Alvarez led North Amistad High School’s Mariachi Alma de la Frontera to their eleventh consecutive first-place win in the Mariachi Extravaganza de Nacional; and met, made out with, and almost hooked up with one of the cutest guys he’s ever met. Fast-forward eight months. Rafie's family moving to San Antonio before his senior year while dealing with the loss of the most important person in his life—his beloved abuelo. Canto Contigo is a love letter to Mexican culture, family and legacy, the people who shape us, and allowing ourselves to forge our own path. At its heart, this is one of the most glorious rivals-to-lovers romance about finding the one who challenges you in the most extraordinary ways.
Young Adult Fiction nominee, 2024

Coming Home: A Hopi Resistance Story

9781646144570 Mavasta would often wonder what his kwa’a was like when he too was a boy. And one day, he heard the How his grandfather, like many Native American children across the country, was forced to leave their Hopi reservation as a child and go to a residential boarding school far away. There, he was made to cut his hair, was punished for speaking his native language, and given a new name. But Mavasta's grandfather never forgot who he was, or where he came from; he tried to escape again and again. Eventually, he made it back home to their reservation where he passed their traditions down to future generations.
Elementary Nonfiction nominee, 2024

The Everybody Club

The Everybody Club is a feel-good rhyming read-aloud to share with younger children. It's abook with plenty of heart and a powerful message: We belong. Every one of us. Join in the fun and see what the Everybody Club is up to in this catchy, joyful romp!
Fiction Picture Book submission, 2024

Deer Run Home

Effie and her older sister, Deja, have recently moved into their father's trailer after an incident at their mom's house. Daddy communicates with Effie by pointing, stomping on the floor, and making thoughtless jokes. Even if they could understand each other, could Effie tell the terrible secret she carries when telling feels impossible-and dangerous? Tender, spare, and emotionally charged, Deer Run Home explores what it feels like to be a stranger in your own family and to awaken-through friendship, poetry, and kinship with the natural world-to a new understanding of yourself.
Poetry Novel in Verse nominee, 2024

Ferris

It’s the summer before fifth grade, and for Ferris Wilkey, it is a summer of sheer pandemonium: Her little sister, Pinky, has vowed to become an outlaw. Uncle Ted has left Aunt Shirley and, to Ferris’s mother’s chagrin, is holed up in the Wilkey basement to paint a history of the world. And Charisse, Ferris’s grandmother, has started seeing a ghost at the threshold of her room, which seems like an alarming omen given that she is also feeling unwell. But the ghost is not there to usher Charisse to the Great Beyond. Rather, she has other plans—wild, impractical, illuminating plans. How can Ferris satisfy a specter with Pinky terrorizing the town, Uncle Ted sending Ferris to spy on her aunt, and her father battling an invasion of raccoons?
EMG Speculative Fiction nominee, 2024

The Flicker

One year ago, a solar flare scorched the Earth and destroyed life as we know it.

With their parents gone and supplies running dangerously low, step-sisters Millie and Rose only have one chance at survival: leave home with their infant half-brother and loyal dog Corncob in search of Millie’s grandma, a Seminole elder. As they navigate the burning land with a group of fellow survivors, dodging The Hive, a villainous group that has spent the last year hoarding supplies and living in luxury, the siblings have to learn to rely on each other more than ever, and discover how to build a new life from the ashes.
EMG Speculative Fiction nominee, 2024

Go Home

9781773069104 They want nothing more than to make a home and family together. It won't be easy. When Samir Paudel moves into the house across the street, Olive's and Gabe's lives are disrupted. The Paudel house is overfull with family and friends, and they play loud music at all hours. While Olive is drawn to the family, Samir's very presence seems to awaken in Gabe an intense anger toward immigrants. When Olive realizes that Gabe and his family are the source of escalating aggressions toward the Paudels, she no longer sees the boy she fell in love with.
Young Adult Fiction nominee, 2024

Grace Notes: Poems about Families

With themes of family, love, kindness, empathy, grief, growing up, and resilience, these one hundred never-before-published poems by the beloved poet, speaker, and teacher Naomi Shihab Nye will resonate with a wide audience.
Poetry Collections nominee, 2024

The Home We Make

9781620149577 Maham Khwaja tells the story of a family forced to flee their home due to violence. Emotive illustrations by Daby Zainab Faidhi balance the family's love for one another and hope for the future with the harrowing journey to escape on foot, travel by boat, and then finally resettle in a safe place. Through it all, the young girl tries to hold on to all the pieces of her life before and find a way to rebuild a sense of home.
Fiction Picture Book submission, 2024

The Light of Home: A story of family, creativity, and b…

9781338890617 Nur has always loved her home by the sea, where water glimmers along a straight horizon. But when Nur and her family are forced to leave, they begin a long journey to an unfamiliar place. Here the horizon curves and twists, and the moonlight no longer glitters across the water. For Nur, nothing in this new place feels like home. When Nur's mother brings her a new set of paintbrushes, Nur's brushstrokes help her connect the place she's lost to this new horizon, and she finds home again through her own creativity and heart.
Fiction Picture Book submission, 2024

Lunar New Year Love Story

Valentina Tran was named after Valentine's Day, which used to be her favorite holiday. But when Val learns the truth behind what happened with her parents and why she's being raised by a single father, she realizes true love is a lie. Meanwhile, lion dancing is the only thing that has given Jae peace after his dad passed away. It's also what keeps him connected to his father's side of the family. Both Jae and his cousin Leslie notice Val at the Lunar New Year festival, and for some inexplicable reason, Jae hands Val a paper heart. Both Val and Jae struggle with the spirits who haunt them as they are inextricably brought together in a love story that is satisfying, sweet, and moving.
Young Adult Graphic Novel nominee, 2024

The Midnight Mitzvah

Hanina Chipmunk's favorite thing to do is gather nuts and share them with her hungry friends. But not everyone is thankful for her good deed. When Hanina realizes Mathilda Squirrel is embarrassed to admit she needs help, she hatches a plan to deliver nuts in secret under the midnight hour. As a daytime animal venturing out at night, Hanina will need all the wits and bravery she has to complete her mitzvah.
Fiction Picture Book submission, 2024

Next Stop

Pia is a soft-spoken middle schooler whose life is turned upside down after the loss of her younger brother, followed by her parents’ decision to move to a new town. In an effort to get her mind off of the troubles at home, Pia goes on a bus tour with a family friend, stopping at weird and wacky roadside attractions. The final a mysterious underground lake. The locals say it has magical powers; Pia won’t admit she believes in it, but she’s holding on to hope that the waters may hold the answer to mending her broken family.
Elementary/Middle-Grade Graphic Novel nominee, 2024

On All Other Nights: A Passover Celebration in 14 Stori…

Welcome to Passover, a Jewish holiday that has been celebrated for thousands of years. The heart of Passover is the seder—a meal full of rituals, special foods, and songs—where we gather together to retell the story of the Exodus, when the Jewish people achieved freedom from Egypt.
Elementary/Middle-Grade Fiction submission, 2024

Popi’s All Souls Song

Every year on All Souls Day, Mara and her grandparents visit homes in their neighborhood to bring comfort and a song to those mourning the death of a loved one. But this year, Mara and Nene have lost Popi. As Nene leads Mara through their yearly ritual, Mara compares her own grief to that of each neighbor they visit. Then she catches sight of the frozen tears on Nene's face. Setting aside the bitterness icing her heart to help her beloved grandmother, Mara rekindles Popi's song and brings her community together to honor him.
Fiction Picture Book nominee, 2024

Rainbow! Vol. 1 (Rainbow!, #1)

Teenager Boo Meadows has pink hair and a very vivid imagination -- she has trouble separating from the real world. In her daydreams, she dances beautifully at balls or fights monsters as a magical girl. In reality, she has a complicated home life, work stress, school stress, and a wicked crush on the girl of her dreams. When a new student, Mimi, arrives at school, Boo starts exploring a side of herself that she never considered before. As she grows closer with Mimi, it may finally be time for Boo to face reality . . . Who is the real Mimi? The one in her dreams? Or the one in real life?
Young Adult Graphic Novel nominee, 2024

The Ramadan Drummer

One night during Ramadan, young Adam is startled awake by a series of resounding BANGs! BANG! BANG! It's the Ramadan Drummer, a cherished figure who roams the streets, rousing everyone from their slumber to partake in the pre-dawn meal before the day's fast begins. As Adam and the drummer navigate navigate the dark streets at night, Adam discovers the profound lesson that every act of kindness is rewarded tenfold during Ramadan.
Fiction Picture Book submission, 2024

Road Home

When Rex was outed the summer after he graduated high school, his father gave him a choice: he could stay at home, find a girlfriend, and attend church twice a week, or he could be gay―and leave. Rex left, driving toward the only other gay man he knew and a toxic relationship that would ultimately leave him homeless and desperate. Here, Rex tells the story of his coming out and his father’s rejection of his identity, navigating abuse and survival on the streets. Road Home is a devastating and incandescent reflection on Rex’s hunger―for food, for love, and for a place to call home.

Rosh Hashanah: New Year, Gather Near (An Our Neighborho…

Introduce little ones to Rosh Hashanah with this beautiful, colorful board book. Children can see a Jewish family come together and celebrate the holiday with sweet apples and honey, a noisy shofar, and more. Perfect for the holiday, but precious no matter the season, this is a great addition to any child's library.
Fiction Picture Book submission, 2024

Rumi–Poet of Joy and Love

Even the greatest poet was once a child. And so it was with Rumi. When he was young he was enchanted by birds and books. He later became a scholar, but it was the loss of his best friend, Shams, that inspired Rumi to his most important Love is in us and everywhere.
Elementary Nonfiction submission, 2024

The Sun Never Hurries

Charlie’s grandfather, Papa Jo, uses an hourglass to remind himself that every moment is precious. When Charlie asks Papa Jo what his hourglass is for, she doesn’t really understand his answer. To teach Charlie the importance of taking her time and savoring her day, the pair spend their day at a leisurely pace, transforming every ordinary day into a wonderful time.
Fiction Picture Book submission, 2024

Three Cow Eggs

a curious wren stumbles upon an astonishing sight: three cow eggs. Initially bewildered by these unfamiliar objects, the wren soon realizes that each egg has its own distinct personality and path ahead. As she cares for the eggs alongside their mother, she discovers the uniqueness of every creature and the boundless strength of a mother's love.
Fiction Picture Book submission, 2024

The Wrong Way Home

Fern’s lived at the Ranch, an off-the-grid, sustainable community in upstate New York, since she was six. The work is hard, but Fern admires the Ranch's leader, Dr. Ben. So when Fern’s mother sneaks them away in the middle of the night and says Dr. Ben is dangerous, Fern doesn't believe it. She wants desperately to go back, but her mom just keeps driving. Suddenly Fern is thrust into the treacherous, toxic, outside world. Now Fern will have to decide. How much is she willing to give up to return to the Ranch? Should she trust Dr. Ben’s vision for her life? Or listen to the growing feeling that she can live by her own rules?
Elementary/Middle-Grade Fiction nominee, 2024

Thanks, Gratitude, and Kindness

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