Staff picks

Funny poems for K-6th graders

Fiction and nonfiction by and about people of Arab descent books. For middle and high school ages.

"Poetry is the piano of literature....if you can play the piano, then you understand how to play anything." Jason Reynolds

Books and ebooks for grades 6, 7, 8 about sustainability, climate change and resiliency, and conservation.

Poems to share with preschool and elementary ages.

Celebrate Superhero Day (April 28) with teenage Spiderman, Ms. Marvel and others discovering their powers as they also try to survive school, friendships, family and other relationships.

Not all superheroes can fly or have super strength, but they are here to save the school, the neighborhood, the world! Check out these super graphic novels for elementary ages to teens.

Explore poetry books and novels-in-verse for grades 3-5 to celebrate National Poetry Month (or to enjoy whenever!). 

A custom book list created by Multnomah County librarians. Are you a teacher that lives or works in Multnomah County? Need a custom booklist? https://multcolib.org/assignment-alert (Jackie P.)

(Updated 7/2025) Fiction and nonfiction materials about plants and seeds for grades 1-3. The library has already-prepared Buckets of Books on this topic that you can check out. The Buckets contain books similar to those on this list (though not every title is exactly the same) plus a teacher's guide. To see the list of Buckets, go to: http://web.multcolib.org/educators/school-corps/bucket-books 

A custom book list created by Multnomah County Library School Corps librarians for assignments. Are you a teacher that lives or works in Multnomah County? Need a custom booklist? https://multcolib.org/assignment-alert

This list features new and upcoming books for Spring 2026--March, April, and May. This list contains multiple genres, styles, and age ranges, though its primarily queer adult speculative fiction and horror (my favorite genres). Take a peek and see what intrigues you! 

And remember, if there are new books you want but don't see in the library catalog, you can always suggest a purchase from within your Library Dashboard. 

One Book, One Coast connects West Coast libraries through a shared read. This year's selection, They Called Us Enemy, by George Takei, is a graphic memoir about family, identity, and resilience. Here are some more titles that are similar in theme.

A selection of books from incredible women authors over the age of 50, from the Pacific Northwest.

Alice tumbles down the rabbit hole and discovers a world of music and madness in this original jazz musical. Northwest Children's Theater is a My Discovery Pass partner. 

Newspapers, magazines, and journals published by Indigenous or Tribal organizations and presses, or with substantial Indigenous content that may be of interest to the community, that are available through Multnomah County Library as well as select online Native news outlets and resources. This list was created by Multnomah County Library's Indigenous Team.

Novels and graphic novels for grades 4-6

To celebrate Black heritage and family/community gathering, the library has cooked up a list of comforting picture books to read about the joys of creating new family memories and honoring cultural traditions through cooking together.

This Black History Month, we are celebrating prominent historical moments that have taken place in the last century: movements, leaders, inventions, art, and groundbreaking events that impacted the Black community. This list is focused on showcasing 100 years worth of influential Black/African Americans. Created by the Black Cultural Library Advocates team, we invite you to see how Black leaders have impacted society across various industries!

Hip hop and sneaker culture go hand in hand. Here are some books that explore the rich histories and stories behind these two cultural phenomena.

Fiction and nonfiction by Black writers 

A collection of nonfiction materials about African-American History for students in grades 5 through 8.