The New Books of Summer Kids Will Love

Summer may not be officially over, but for many families, a new school year is already underway. Whether your child is squeezing in a few more carefree reading days or settling into a fresh classroom routine, this transitional season is the perfect time to discover new books that keep kids excited about reading. From laugh-out-loud graphic novels to magical adventures and page-turning mysteries, these new releases offer something for every age and interest.

This season's new releases are packed with laugh‑out‑loud moments, imaginative adventures, and page‑turning series that make it easy for kids to stay engaged all summer long. From playful picture books to exciting graphic novels and immersive middle-grade adventures, there’s something new for every kind of reader.

Silly, Sweet, and Perfect for Summer Read‑Alouds

Before they became everyone's favorite comfort-food duo, Mac and Cheese were searching for something much more important: a friend. Filled with wordplay, humor, and heart, this new picture book tells the delightfully cheesy origin story of two unlikely pals whose friendship proves they're better together. Mac and Cheese: The Origin Story is perfect for read-aloud time and fans of funny stories with a sweet message.

For families looking for a thoughtful book to help ease those first-day-of-school jitters, Just for Today is a gentle (and beautiful) picture book about friendship, worries, and learning to navigate life’s uncertainties. When Elba’s worries begin taking over, her friend Norris helps her see that the stories we tell ourselves can shape how we experience the world. Warm, hopeful, and emotionally resonant, it’s a wonderful story for kids and adults and a great way to encourage conversations about feelings.

Stories to Inspire New Perspectives

Summer is also a perfect time for kids to discover stories that expand their world and encourage them to explore new or current interests.

Fútbol Is Life! / Fútbol es vida! is a heartfelt bilingual picture book inspired by Ted Lasso actor Cristo Fernández’s own childhood. When an injury sidelines young Cristobalito from the sport he loves, he discovers new passions, family traditions, and unexpected ways to grow. Featuring both English and Spanish text throughout, this joyful story celebrates resilience, culture, and the idea that there’s more than one way to score in life. 

Series Kids Will Want to Read Nonstop

There’s a reason so many kids gravitate toward series in the summer: once they connect with characters they love, reading becomes effortless. These latest installments deliver plenty of humor, adventure, and suspense while giving kids familiar worlds they'll be excited to revisit.

Super‑Villains in Training #2: A Wickedly Evil Pet continues the mischievous, action‑packed adventures of Vicky von Evil from book #1, blending humor and high‑energy as she cotinues to plot to become the baddest, most-evil villian of all time. Part of the Scholastic Branches line for newly independent readers, this is an exciting series for growing readers looking for something fast‑paced.

The Terrible Trio #3: The Mystery of the Lost Cape delivers another round of clever antics and mystery from Zeb the zebra, Marg the penguin, and Barry the lemur, keeping kids hooked with humor, friendship, and just the right amount of suspense as the characters use their unconventional superpowers.

For Graphic Novel fans, Dav Pilkey's hilarious Super Diaper Baby is back this a hilarious, action-packed adventure. When the villainous Dr. Dilbert Dinkle unleashes chaos on the city's toilets, Super Diaper Baby and Diaper Dog must spring into action to save the day. This all new, full-color edition adds fun extras like "how 2 draws", fun facts, laughs, and plenty of over-the-top heroics that reluctant and avid readers alike will love.

Suspenseful New Stories

The bestselling Dragon Girls series continues with Dragon Girls: Charlotte the Rose Dragon as Charlotte and her friends are called back to the Magic Forest when danger strikes once again. Armed with special dragon powers, the Flower Dragons must work together to defeat the Fury Queen and protect their magical world. Enchanting and exciting, readers will be fully emmersed in this series. 

What would you do with extra hours every day? In Gordon Korman's intriguing new middle-grade novel Sleepless, five kids suddenly discover they no longer need sleep. As they secretly take advantage of their newfound time, they realize their mysterious condition may connect them in ways they never expected. Equal parts suspenseful, thought-provoking, and entertaining, it's sure to keep readers turning pages late into the night.

Reading can be something kids genuinely look forward to each day. By offering a mix of humor, imagination, and exciting new books in favorite series, these new releases make it easy to keep kids engaged, curious, and confident as readers.

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