The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill (2016)

Literary fantasy and winner of the 2017 Newbery Medal.

Recommended grade level: 5 and up

Pages:  388 (for ISBN 9781616205676)

Genre(s) and keywords: fantasy, fairy tale, award winner

Tone/Style: lyrical, mysterious, melancholy

Pace: leisurely

Topics: witches, magic, lost family, amnesia, hidden potential

Themes: family, sacrifice, sorrow, loyalty, loss

Summary: An epic fantasy about a young girl raised by a witch, a swamp monster, and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon who must unlock the powerful magic buried deep inside her.

Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the forest, Xan, is kind and gentle. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster named Glerk and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon, Fyrian. Xan rescues the abandoned children and deliver them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey.

Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan (2013)

This sad and thoughtful book has enjoyed great popularity in the last few years.

Recommended grade level: 4-7

Pages: 380 (for ISBN 9780803738553)

Genre(s) and keywords: realistic fiction, diverse, African-American protagonist

Tone/Style: precise, melancholy

Pace: leisurely

Topics: orphans, gifted students, surrogate families

Themes: grief and loss, being different, finding family, moving on

Summary: Counting By 7s is the story of Willow Chance, a twelve-year old girl who has been identified at an early age as ‘gifted’. Willow lives in Bakersfield, California and comes home from school one day to the news that her parents have been killed in a traffic accident.

The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Chris Riddell (2014)

This creepy, atmospheric fairy tale with an intriguing heroine is an original story that draws on the dark roots of fairy tales.

Recommended grade level: 7 and up

Pages: 69 (for ISBN 9781408859643)

Genre(s) and keywords: fairy tale, fantasy, novella, illustrated

Tone/Style: magical, melancholy, mysterious

Pace: moderate

Topics: quests, curses, sleep

Themes: choices, the passage of time

Summary: A thrillingly reimagined fairy tale from the truly magical combination of author Neil Gaiman and illustrator Chris Riddell – weaving together a sort-of Snow White and an almost Sleeping Beauty with a thread of dark magic, which will hold readers spellbound from start to finish.

Lost in the Sun by Lisa Graff (2015)

A melancholy tale of a boy who acts out because of guilt, loneliness, and low self-esteem after causing the accidental death of a peer.

Recommended grade level: 5-8

Pages: 304 (for ISBN 9780399164064)

Genre(s) and keywords: realistic

Tone/Style: melancholy

Pace: leisurely

Topics: causing an accidental death, emotional problems, divorced parents, lost friendships, new friendships, brothers

Themes: reasons for misbehavior, coping with guilt, managing anger and other emotions, opening oneself to be helped by others, coping with feelings of inadequacy, earning trust

Summary: Seven months ago, a freak accident on Cedar Lake left one kid dead, and Trent Zimmerman with a brain full of thoughts he can’t shake.

The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin (2015)

This National Book Award finalist about a girl coping with grief is a thematically challenging read, but full of insight.

Recommended grade level: 4-7

Pages: 352 (for ISBN 9780316380867)

Genre(s) and keywords: realistic fiction, award winner