Kids' Stuff · 2026
Bookstores
Bookstores get nominated for their staff as much as their shelves, and the finalists here were put forward by DMV families. Voting ran daily through July. Look at the depth of the picture book and middle grade sections, whether story times or author events run regularly, how staff handle a reluctant reader, and which shops carry books in other languages.
Related Reading
From lyrical picture books and a Magic Tree House adventure in Yosemite to a graphic novel history of the National Park Service, these reads will have kids ready to explore before National Public Lands Day
Six night sky books for kids of every age, from picture books about falling stars to a meteor shower graphic novel for teens, timed to the August Perseids.
