Tired of reading the same old fairytale at bedtime? If your little one can quote Llama Red Pajama and The Leaf Thief at the drop of a hat, it may be time to find a new book for storytime. Or maybe your child has read every single Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Captain Underpants book available in the series? Fairfax County Public Library is the best place to start your search for something new.
With more than 312,000 unique titles available in our physical and digital collections, we know selecting the right book can feel a little daunting. The good news is… we have multiple tools that you can use to narrow down your options!
Personalized Selections from Library Staff
Get tailored recommendations from an FCPL staff member with My Perfect Read. Our readers’ advisory service allows cardholders to consult directly with a team of librarians who can suggest titles available in our collection, based off the cardholder’s submitted preferences. Simply submit a request via our website form. Specify the audience, format, genre and what you like (and dislike) in the books you read. From there, one of our advisors will take your request and reach out with options via email. You can even select a particular advisor to work with on the form! Check out their bios and see if you vibe with anyone. Not sure who to pick? Don’t worry, our advisors are experts at choosing books for all readers.
Want a personalized recommendation while visiting a branch? Most of our staff are specially trained in helping visitors find the right read. Just stop by the information desk at any of our branches, and they can not only help you come up with options available at that very moment, but they can also help you find them on the shelves!
Guides for Young Readers
If you are open to more generalized suggestions available at the click of a mouse, we have you covered! Our research guide website contains lists surrounding particular themes, those that have won awards or were recently published, and books similar to popular series we call “read-alikes.”
Early Literacy Recommendations (Birth-Preschool)
Our Early Literacy guide has plenty of recommendations for parents to browse. Under the Early Literacy Publications tab are printable information sheets to help little ones practice their literacy skills, as well as quarterly printouts with the newest picture books, broken down by age group. This guide also has recommendations based on themes. With options like art, classics, dinosaurs, farms, heroes, school and more, parents can easily select the right book for every child and every milestone. Finally, there is also a list of picture books that have won awards, such as the Caldecott Medal, for best picture book; the Coretta Scott King Book Award, for outstanding Black authors and illustrators of books for children and young readers; among others.
School-Age and Teen Recommendations
On the Kids Events and Resources guide, you can find suggestions for school-age children, usually around a particular theme. There are lists for chapter books, graphic novels and picture books which are updated monthly. Our Teen events and Resources guide also features reading recommendations, updated monthly, as well as links to other book recommendation websites, popular web comics and various young adult book awards. Teens can read reviews by other local teens about the books they have recently enjoyed! The Teen Readers Review program, run by our Kings Park Library branch, offers teens the opportunity to earn volunteer hours by writing a 500-word book review, written specifically for other teen readers. Learn more and sign up for the program here.
In the Find Your Next Book guide, you can access a list with read-alikes for popular series for kids and teens. A read-alike is just as it sounds, a book that is similar in style and theme to another popular book. For example, there are read-alike suggestions for the Chronicles of Narnia series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Percy Jackson series and more. Perfect for families who understand the power of a hyper fixation.
Other Resources for Book Recommendations
FCPL also offers access to several other book recommendation resources. The cherry on top? These resources are available free through your library!
Wowbrary is the perfect for the passive searcher who prefers book recommendations to come to their inbox. This service sends a weekly email with the latest titles added to FCPL’s catalog, featuring new books, audiobooks, magazines and even DVDs. Subscribers can personalize their email to focus on certain categories, including books for children and teens. Sign up today to start receiving recommendations via email.
Another resource you can access through FCPL is Novelist Plus. If you are looking for read-alikes, this is the site for you! With reading lists for fans of just about everything, including tv shows, video games and board games, this is a great resource if you know what you like but you aren’t quite sure what you exactly want. The website also offers curated lists around themes, audience and release dates, as well as a search feature to narrow down by audience, mood, writing style, illustration style and more.
Finally, and particularly noteworthy for families with young children, FCPL offers TumbleBooks. This web-based platform provides access to hundreds of eBooks, eAudiobooks and video read-alongs for kids, and offers curated lists by age group, school subject, theme and more.
Still Looking for a Recommendation?
These are just a few of the resources FCPL provides readers with to help them find their next book. For a complete list of resources, visit our Find Your Next Book guide for more information.