Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been fascinated with the natural world and our relationship with it since I was young. In my first career, as an environmental attorney, I worked to protect oceans and endangered species. Now, as a children’s author, I enjoy exploring environmental themes, as well as the unique bonds people have with animals, in my stories. The books I am recommending are recently published middle-grade novels that capture the magical connection between humans and animals, or animals with each other, whether in contemporary or fantasy settings. I grew up in Caracas, Venezuela, and live in Virginia with my family and our adorable hypoallergenic cat.


I wrote

Book cover of Manatee's Best Friend

What is my book about?

Becca is living the life. Sure, she has problems. She's so shy she can't bear to speak at school, and…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Wolf's Curse

Sylvia Liu Why did I love this book?

I love this magical story with fairy tale vibes. A young boy, Gauge, is shunned by his village for being a Voyant, able to see the dreaded Wolf known to steal people's souls. Told from the omniscient perspective of the Wolf, who is misunderstood by the superstitious folk, this story is a beautiful tale of love, friendship, grief, and community. When Gauge's beloved grandfather dies, he is left to navigate his grief and mourning on his own, but soon makes friends with a village girl, Roux. The two help each other while uncovering the true secret of Wolf's role in the villagers' lives and deaths. A unique relationship between a boy and a supernatural animal. 

By Jessica Vitalis,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Wolf's Curse as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 9, 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

Twelve-year-old Gauge's life has been cursed since the day he witnessed an invisible Great White Wolf steal his grandpapá's soul, preventing it from reaching the Sea-in-the-Sky and sailing into eternity. When the superstitious residents of Bouge-by-the-Sea accuse the boy of crying wolf, he joins forces with another orphan to prove his innocence. They navigate their shared grief in a journey that ultimately reveals life-changing truths about the wolf--and death. Narrated in a voice reminiscent of The Book Thief, this fast-paced adventure is perfect for fans of fantasy such as The Girl Who Drank the Moon and A Wish in the…


Book cover of Coo

Sylvia Liu Why did I love this book?

A flock of pigeons rescues an abandoned baby girl and raises her. How can you not love a story that begins like this? Coo is the abandoned girl who grows up with no human contact in an abandoned rooftop rookery with her pigeon family, learning to speak Pigeon. It’s not an easy life but she’s surrounded by love. When she's discovered and brought back to civilization, she learns about human warmth and friendship for the first time, but also a dangerous plot against the pigeons in the city. Coo must marshal her resources to save her beloved pigeons while navigating new human relationships.

By Kaela Noel,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Coo as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

“An unforgettable story of friendship, love, and finding your flock.” —Erin Entrada Kelly, Newbery Medal-winning author of Hello, Universe

In this exceptional debut, one young girl’s determination to save the flock she calls family creates a lasting impact on her community and in her heart. Gorgeous and literary, this is an unforgettable animal story about friendship, family, home, and belonging. For readers who love books by Kate DiCamillo and Katherine Applegate.

Ten years ago, an impossible thing happened: a flock of pigeons picked up a human baby who had been abandoned in an empty lot and carried her, bundled in…


Book cover of Elvis and the World as It Stands

Sylvia Liu Why did I love this book?

In this sweet and poignant story, Elvis is a shelter kitten adopted into a home with a girl whose parents recently separated, an eager hamster, a watchdog goldfish, and an older, ornery shelter cat. Elvis just wants to reunite with his sister Etta who was left behind at the shelter, and he must also adapt to his new home and friends. Even though Elvis can’t communicate with humans, he never stops trying. The story explores memory, family, and rebuilding things that are broken, and includes a light discussion of Sept. 11.

By Lisa Frankel Riddiough, Olivia Chin Mueller (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Elvis and the World as It Stands as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A poignant middle-grade story about loss and finding family from the point of view of a newly adopted kitten

Most shelter animals dream of going home with a forever family. But for Elvis, being chosen by Mrs. Pemberton is a nightmare. He's been separated from his sister, Etta, and is determined to get back to the shelter to find her. In spite of himself, Elvis becomes curious about ten-year-old Georgina Pemberton, who builds LEGO skyscrapers in her bedroom while navigating her parents' separation. The longer he's in his new home, the more he starts recognizing new feelings: admiration for Georgina's…


Book cover of The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez

Sylvia Liu Why did I love this book?

What a delight of a book! Nestor Lopez is sick of moving every few years, but this time, when his dad is deployed overseas and he and his mom go to live with his grandmother, things feel different. He begins to make friends—other than the animals he can talk to and understand—but things are not what they seem. A mysterious creature that can transform itself into different animals is preying on the small town's animals and his grandmother becomes the prime suspect. Between dealing with the school bully and trying to win the trivia bowl, Nestor must gather his friends, both human and animal, to figure out how to defeat this tule vieja, a shape-shifting witch.

By Adrianna Cuevas,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

All twelve-year-old Nestor Lopez wants is to live in one place for more than a few months and have dinner with his dad, an Army sergeant deployed in Afghanistan. When he and his mother move to a new town to live with his grandmother, Nestor plans to lay low, and he certainly has no intention of letting anyone find out his deepest secret-that he can talk to animals. But when the animals in town start disappearing, and Nestor's grandmother is spotted in the woods where they were last seen, suspicion mounts against her. Nestor learns that they are being taken…


Book cover of Meow or Never: Wish Novel

Sylvia Liu Why did I love this book?

This is a heartwarming story about Avery, an anxious 12-year-old prone to panic attacks, with a secret crush on one of the popular girls in her school. In part to impress her, she auditions for the school musical, and to her horror, lands the lead role. She finds solace in a stray cat, Phantom, who hangs around the school theater, and slowly opens up to two new human friendships, including her crush. Avery learns how to become comfortable with asking for and receiving help while dealing with her anxiety, as well as figuring out how to face her stage fright.

By Jazz Taylor,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Meow or Never as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

A heartwarming story of secret pets and secret crushes... and learning to take center stage!

Avery Williams can sing, but that doesn't mean she can sing in front of people. She likes to stay backstage at her new school, which is where, to her surprise, she finds a cat tucked away into a nook. Avery names the stray Phantom and visits any time she's feeling stressed (which is a lot these days).

As she sings to Phantom one day, her crush, Nic, overhears her and ropes Avery into auditioning for the school's musical. Despite her nerves, Avery lands the lead…


Explore my book 😀

Book cover of Manatee's Best Friend

What is my book about?

Becca is living the life. Sure, she has problems. She's so shy she can't bear to speak at school, and she's not doing so hot on the human friend front. But when she's home she gets to hang out with her friend Missy, the manatee who lives in the river in her backyard. One day Missy has a baby with her! But new developers upriver bring inconsiderate boaters to the river, putting Missy and her baby in danger. And the new girl next door is so loud that she might scare Missy away. When Becca captures a video of a dolphin diverting a boat away from Missy, the video goes viral!

Can Becca find a way to use her voice to stand up for her manatee friends?

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Girl of Light

By Elana Gomel,

Book cover of Girl of Light

Elana Gomel Author Of Nine Levels

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Elana's 3 favorite reads in 2024

What is my book about?

A girl of Light in a world of darkness.

In Svetlana's country, it’s a felony to break a mirror. Mirrors are conduits of the Voice, the deity worshiped by all who follow Light. The Voice protects humans of MotherLand from the dangers that beset them on all sides: an invading army of wolf-headed men on their borders and the infectious, ever-evolving, zombie-like Enemy that plagues them at home. When Svetlana meets Andrei, a traumatized and amnesiac soldier from another war, she embarks on a harrowing journey of adventure and self-discovery that leads her to question everything she was taught to…

Girl of Light

By Elana Gomel,

What is this book about?

A voice through Svetlana's mirror guides her beloved MotherLand from behind its' electric tower. The war with Wulfstan is not going as well as Sveta and her parents hope, but Sveta trusts the Voice. When her best friend Tattie goes missing, and Sveta saves Andrei, a soldier in summer uniform in the dead of winter, it takes Sveta through a crucible of Light, doubt, and back to the altar of true belief. Girl of Light unravels Sveta's beloved MotherLand in a war-torn adventure through monsters, missing eyes and broken mirrors.

Girl of Light is a dark fantasy with a Slavic…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in kitten, wolves, and cats?

Kitten 13 books
Wolves 118 books
Cats 205 books