SERVICE UPDATE: A small section of our adult non-fiction and fiction books at the John M. Harper Branch are inaccessible while we make ceiling repairs. If you have questions about the availability of items, please contact us before visiting.

Bird's-eye view of the tops of many books

Featured Reads

We’ve done the legwork to unveil upcoming gems in the publishing world, so that you can easily find your next read. Plus, many of these titles come in physical copy, eBook and audiobook formats to suit your reading preferences.

Summer 2025 Featured Reads

Whether you’re eager to explore the vibrant outdoors or unwind indoors with a good book, we have a perfect summer read waiting for you in our latest collection of fiction and non-fiction picks.

Summer 2025 Kids Picks

Summertime means more time for reading! Find your next favourite book with our selection of picturebooks, kids fiction and kids non-fiction reads.

Picturebooks

The Great Dinosaur Sleepover
Linda Bailey; illustrated by Joe Bluhm
A Book of Maps for You
Lourdes Heuer; illustrated by Maxwell Eaton III
Put Your Shoes On
Polly Dunbar
Another Word for Neighbor
Angela Pham Krans; illustrated by Thai My Phuong
The Bear Out There
Jess Hannigan
Big Family Beach Day
Nina Crews
Don't Trust Fish
Neil Sharpson; illustrated by Dan Santat
The Bigfoot Field Guide to Campers: And Other Mysterious Creatures
Jami Gigot
Wheetle: A Little Wagon with a Big Heart
Cindy Derby

Fiction

The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall
Charis Cotter
Creature Clinic
Gavin Aung Than
The Cartoonists Club
Raina Telgemeier & Scott McCloud
The Trouble with Heroes
Kate Messner
Night Light
Michael Emberley
Superpower Puppies (#1): Moose and Violet Knock Things Down
Corey Powell
Where There Be Monsters
Alby C. Williams
The Summer of the Fortune Tellers
Lisa Greenwald
Confessions of a Junior Spy
Rosaria Munda
J vs. K
Kwame Alexander & Jerry Craft

Non-Fiction

The Secret Life of a Sea Turtle
Maddalena Bearzi; illustrated by Alex Boersma
The Big Book of Fantasy Kid Crafts: 60 Easy, Low-cost Projects to Create a World of Fairies, Dragons, Unicorns and More
Jennifer Buchheit
The Traveling Taco: The Amazing and Surprising Journey of Many of Your Favorite Foods
Mia Wenjen
What Fish Are Saying: Strange Sounds in the Ocean
Kirsten Pendreigh; illustrated by Katie Melrose
The True Story of Vanilla: How Edmond Albius Made History
Ann Richards; illustrated by Arden Taylor
Smash, Crash, Topple, Roll!: The Inventive Rube Goldberg
Catherine Thimmesh
Ray: How Light Works
Emily Kate Moon
Get Dressed!: A Historical Guessing Game for Fashion Lovers
Katy Canales

Past Featured Reads

Explore our previous Featured Reads and consider them for your next book club; each title is available in multiple formats, with multiple copies.

Early Spring 2025 Featured Reads

May 5, 2025 - Waterloo Public Library

Winter 2024 Featured Reads

Jan 1, 2025 - Waterloo Public Library

Fall 2024 Featured Reads

Sep 24, 2024 - Waterloo Public Library

Summer 2024 Featured Reads

Jun 17, 2024 - Waterloo Public Library

Summer 2024 Featured Reads: Kids Picks

Jun 17, 2024 - Waterloo Public Library

Spring 2024 Featured Reads

Mar 22, 2024 - Waterloo Public Library
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