Today’s post is sponsored by Media Masters Publicity and Loon Cove Summer!
Title Loon Cove Summer
Author Donna Galanti
Intended Target Audience Middle Grade
Publication Date May 6th 2025 by Wild Trail Press
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Thirteen-year-old Sarah Richardson is determined that her life will finally get unstuck this summer. She just knows it. Her to-do list? Brave the lake again. Save the loons. Stop missing Mom. Her one bright spot: volunteering at the local wild bird rehabilitation center.
The summer looks even brighter when Sarah meets Theo, the boy staying at her family’s Maine lakeside campground who cares about protecting the loons just like she does. But when Sarah’s family may have to move, she adds a new to-do item: save their home. And when she suspects Dad is dating Theo’s aunt, the naturalist helping research environmental dangers to the loons, Sarah is caught in a new world of grief.
With the looming reality of losing her dad, her home, and the loons, Sarah must make a big statement to take control of her life. Capturing inspiration from her late mother’s Appalachian Trail hiking journal, she boldly plans a solo wild adventure. But as her challenges mount, she wonders if her courage will earn her the voice she seeks-or if she’s made a reckless choice that just might claim her life.
Whether you spend the season on the beach, by the pool, or in the comfort of your own home, the longer days of summer can offer a great opportunity to check-in with your reading goals and reflect on your progress thus far. It can also be a great time to curl up with a new book (or twenty)!
While I don’t think there’s a strict definition of what constitutes the perfect ‘beach read’ – if it interests or excites you, it’s the perfect choice! – I asked my friends and family what they prefer to read during the hotter summer months. The consensus seems to be a mixture of contemporary and realistic fiction, thrillers, historical fiction and books that feature travel. In today’s post I’ve compiled a collection of 70 middle grade novels published in 2025 that I feel fit these criteria well or that I’m personally excited to read this summer, and I sincerely hope you will be, too!
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Publication Date January 7th 2025 by Scholastic Inc.
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Nacho average foodie Wish book! Mónica Mancillas explores themes of family, food, and identity wrapped up in a sweet, commercial title.
Dulce doesn’t want to spend the summer helping at her family’s restaurant, but with the business needing all the help it can get, she doesn’t have a choice.
Julian doesn’t want to be in California. But his food vloger parents have relocated the family as part of an attempt to keep their marriage going, so he doesn’t have a choice, either.
When the two literally crash into each other, it’s so not the beginning of a beautiful friendship. But as they’re both forced to enroll in a cooking class together and slowly get to know each other, things get heated ― and not just the tacos! Julian and Dulce each have something to learn from the other about friendship, family, community, and food.
Publication Date January 7th 2025 by Holiday House
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Anxious thirteen-year-old Kaya has always been afraid of everything — but when she learns she is the descendant of a Chinese water goddess, she’ll have to master herself to master her powers!
On the surface, thirteen-year-old Kaya leads a charmed life. She lives in beautiful, beachy Lihiwai. She has ride-or-die best friends. She’s ultrasmart and killing it at school. She even works with a super-cute boy at her parents’ restaurant.
But she also has anxiety — serious anxiety, the kind that makes you scratch and pick — and she’s always had bad luck around the ocean. It’s hard to enjoy Hawaiian beaches when you’ve almost drowned more than once.
But as stranger and stranger things happen to Kaya around the sea, she realizes that — wanted or not — she has a special connection to it. Waves rise when she’s angry. Surf smooths when she’s calm. Fish come when she calls them. And when she learns the truth about her family and her divine ancestor, Mazu, she knows that she will need to connect with her most difficult emotions ASAP—or her potent powers may become dangerous to the people she loves.
Kaya Of The Ocean is an exciting, fresh, and beautiful middle-grade fantasy about embracing who you really are. This heartfelt adventure of sun, surf, and sand touches on mental health, the immigrant experience, and the complexities of growing up.
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
An ABA Indies Introduce Selection
Publication Date January 14th 2025 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
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More heartwarming and humorous adventures await in the fourth book of this graphic novel series that is the Baby-Sitters Club for pets!
Summer break is just around the corner, and the PAWS team is gearing up for a busy season full of dog-walking, travel, and fun! Gabby’s got a packed schedule with about a hundred different camps plus playing host to her mysterious cousin visiting from out of town. Meanwhile Mindy is headed to her dad’s house for a month-long stay. With so much going on, the girls are looking forward to scaling back and taking it easy this summer…with one exception.
When the opportunity to cat-sit two new fur babies arises, Hazel jumps at the chance. Their new client’s house is even wheelchair accessible! But when everyone’s hectic summer plans mean she would have to take on the job alone, Hazel knows her overprotective mother would never approve. On the other hand, managing a side business all on her own could prove that she is much more capable than her mom might think…
Hazel soon learns that juggling multiple cats and dogs along with her own physical therapy — while also keeping a big secret — is no easy task. When disaster strikes, will she have the energy to make everything right by herself, or will she be forced to reach out for help and risk getting into even more trouble?
Publication Date January 21st 2025 by Nancy Paulsen Books
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An uplifting novel in verse about an immigrant girl adjusting to life in the US through her love of nature, music, and poetry, by the award-winning author of The Bridge Home.
When Geetha and her mom move from India to Rhode Island after her parents’ divorce, they leave everything Geetha loves behind — her family, her friends, her dog, and all that’s familiar. As if that’s not hard enough, Geetha is bullied at her new school for her clothes, her food, and her English (who knew so many English words could be spelled or pronounced differently in the US — or just be altogether different!).
She finds some solace in playing her flute and writing poetry, and even more when she meets Miguel, a kid with whom she has a lot in common, and the two of them help rescue an injured harp seal stranded on the beach. But Geetha can feel her anger building over lots of things — careless people who pollute the sea and hurt animals, and her mom for making her move. She’s never been so sad and angry. She can see a lot of her fears mirrored in the injured seal when she visits it at the Marine Mammal Rehabilitation Center, and this broadens her understanding of survival skills. And when she and Miguel start a beach-clean-up venture, she’s surprised to find how many kind kids are out there.
Geetha is torn as the time comes to let the seal go, knowing she’ll miss him, but wanting the best for him. She’s learning to live with mixed feelings and accept that while there will always be rough waters, there are plenty of safe harbors too.
Publication Date January 21st 2025 by HarperCollins
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From the acclaimed author of Sincerely Sicily, Tamika Burgess, comes a timely coming-of-age story about a young boy’s fight to save his family and his dreams in the aftermath of the US military invasion of Panamá. Perfect for fans of Janae Marks, Adrianna Cuevas, and Chrystal D. Giles!
Danilo Osorio Jr.’s baseball skills were once the pride of his father and entire hometown of El Chorrillo, Panamá. But that was then, and this is now…
Following 1989’s Operation Just Cause, a US military invasion that left his neighborhood decimated, Danilo couldn’t care less about baseball or the father who abandoned him for opportunities in the States. Now Danilo’s focus is taking care of his mamá and sister and trying to save them all from needing to relocate to a refugee camp.
When Danilo unintentionally catches the eye of a baseball recruiter and is offered the opportunity to visit and train in California — the same place as his father’s last known address — he is tasked with deciding to go or stay. But if playing baseball could help him find his father and secure the extra funds his family needs, Danilo is willing to travel anywhere, even to the very country responsible for destroying his home.
Between his tough-as-nails baseball coach, ultracompetitive teammates, and overly enthusiastic host family, Danilo’s plans encounter some curveballs. And when his turn to bat finally comes, he’ll have to decide what and who he’s actually fighting for.
Publication Date February 4th 2025 by Scholastic Inc.
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With all the aspirational elements of Eloise and the heart and emotional intelligence of Ways To Make Sunshine, Cruise Life by Reese Eschmann is sure to set sail for success!
All aboard!
Caitlin had the best time with her dad and big brother on The Wandering Princess, the fanciest, most fun, family-friendly cruise ship, where her dad has a job as the ship’s doctor. And this time is sure to be even more fun! The Feline Society has booked the whole ship for a cat-tastic cruise. But when The Kennel Club shows up, everyone realizes there’s been a mistake. And now it’s raining cats and dogs!
Will Caitlin be able to help all the animals and their owners have a fun cruise?
Publication Date February 4th 2025 by HarperCollins
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From Andrea Williams, the bestselling author of We Are Family with LeBron James, comes Inside The Park, the story of a young baseball fan’s misadventures after getting locked inside a pro baseball stadium on the eve of the biggest game of the season.
In this all-new, hilarious, action-packed middle grade tale, Timothy “Pumpsie” Strickland, a baseball-loving twelve-year-old, is about to step up to the plate for the biggest swing of his life.
Pumpsie needs a win. Or to be more precise, he needs the Nashville Wildcats to win. Pumpsie’s been waiting his entire life — twelve whole years! — for his favorite team to make it to the playoffs. And this year — finally! — they’re just one win away.
But when Pumpsie accidentally gets trapped in Lookout Field the night before the last game of the season, with only a lost dog named Campy for company, he may have accidentally stumbled into the best night of his life. For a baseball fan like Pumpsie, using the pro batting cages, running the bases, playing with the public address system, eating all the concession-stand junk food he can find is a dream come true…until he realizes he’s not alone in the stadium. Foul plots are brewing beneath Lookout Field, and now it’s on Pumpsie to swallow his fears, gum up his courage, and swing for the fences if he wants to save the Wildcats’ postseason chances.
Inside The Park is a fun-filled, action-packed slice of wish fulfillment that’s perfect for fans of Mike Lupica and Tim Green or any kid who’s ever closed their eyes and imagined stepping up to the plate with the game tied and the season on the line.
Publication Date February 4th 2025 by Graphix
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Set sail for adventure! Dive in to this hilarious and moving middle grade graphic memoir about friendship, growing up, and life at sea.
Janey’s family is about to set sail for the adventure of a lifetime! The only problem? Janey must leave her school, her life, her best friend, the entire country behind for new adventures ― coral reefs, colorful markets, and new cultures. Life at sea is exhilarating, but there’s a major downside: when you’re raising anchor every few days with sights on a new harbor, it’s almost impossible to make new friends.
Finally, Janey meets the cool and aloof Astrid ― a fellow boat kid who’s equally starved for friendship. But Astrid can be a challenging friend to navigate, and beyond that, hurricane season has only just begun…
At turns laugh-out-loud hilarious and heartbreakingly poignant, this stunning middle grade graphic memoir charts both the turbulence and joys of growing up.
Publication Date February 4th 2025 by Scholastic Inc.
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With all the aspirational elements of Eloise and the heart and emotional intelligence of Ways To Make Sunshine, Cruise Life by Reese Eschmann is sure to set sail for success!
All aboard!
Caitlin and her big brother, Dylan, are still getting used to shuttling between Mom’s new little house and Dad’s fancy new condo after their divorce. But summer means a solid six weeks with her dad. Finally, one toothbrush in one place and all her outfits together! So when her dad announces that he’s gotten a new job on the fanciest, most fun, family-friendly cruise line – and he’s bringing his kids along – Caitlin has mixed feelings. For about a minute!
Then off she goes on the adventure of a lifetime on the biggest ship she’s ever seen, the Wandering Princess, which is tricked out to perfection. But soon the pressures of being a crew kid get to Caitlin. She’s already had to adjust to two new homes…will she be able to make the Wandering Princess her third?
Publication Date February 4th 2025 by Groundwood Books
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A mystery spans decades at the Rehearsal Club in this story of sisterhood, friendship and following your dreams under marquee lights.
Twelve-year-old Pal Gallagher is a newly minted New Yorker who loves to make people laugh and is hoping to find kindred spirits in her new city. Her older sister, Naomi, lives at the Rehearsal Club, a historic boarding house for aspiring actresses. Pal quickly gets swept up in the glamor and high-stakes of the theater world, and is drawn into a decades-old mystery about Posy, a boarder who was kicked out of the Club for reasons unknown.
In 1954, Olive feels like she is working harder than anyone to make it to Broadway ― along with the forty-four other young women who live at the Rehearsal Club. In comparison, her carefree friend Posy is making it look easy. Tensions rise when the two audition for the same part, kicking off a series of events that lead to Posy’s departure.
What really happened all those years ago? The truth involves a Broadway play called The Weekend House, a necklace and a secret that Olive has kept all these years ― until Pal and her new friends start digging into the past. What they learn could change the very fate of the Rehearsal Club itself.
Publication Date February 4th 2025 by Scholastic Inc.
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Sharks, shipwreck, and sunken treasure in this action packed survival series from bestselling and award-winning author Gordon Korman.
Kaz, Dante, Adriana, and Star aren’t the best divers in the world. But they’ve been chosen to spend the summer exploring the depths of the sea.
There are only a few problems. First, the sharks. Killer sharks. And then the fact that the people running the program are covering up something big… and mysterious.
These four kids are about to make the discovery of their lives — and put themselves in danger because of it.
Publication Date February 18th 2025 by North Star Editions
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If thirteen-year-old Sage had done one thing differently that day last November, everything would be fine. Only she didn’t, so she and her dad had to leave Philadelphia for a new life in middle-of-nowhere Virginia. Her dad has never actually said he blames her for what happened, but how could he not?
Sage is determined to push it all out of her mind, but then, just before summer vacation, she hears from the grandparents she’s never met. They want her to visit, and she realizes this could be her chance to mend the rift that’s kept everybody apart.
When she meets Grandmother Marion, though, Sage is sure her trip is headed for disaster. Except she wasn’t counting on making a new friend or rescuing a sweet stray dog. With them by her side, maybe she can find the courage to face what she’s been avoiding all along.
From the award-winning author of It Happened On Saturday comes a heartfelt and empowering story that explores the complexity of family relationships, the value of forgiveness, and how to find your way forward in a tough situation with resilience and hope.
Publication Date February 18th 2025 by Quill Tree Books
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Oregon Book Award–winning author Waka T. Brown hits a home run in this middle grade novel about a baseball-obsessed twelve-year-old who moves to Oregon to help his grandfather — an elusive old man with a shrouded past—but ends up learning unexpected truths about his family and how they mysteriously parallel the Japanese folktale of Urashima Taro.
Rick Kotani is looking forward to spending the entire summer playing baseball. Sure, his team never wins, but he’s been practicing a special pitch he knows is going to land him a 400-million-dollar major-league contract…someday. That all changes when his mother throws a curveball of her own: Instead of playing ball in California, Rick will be heading to Oregon to help keep an eye on Grandpa Hiroshi while they move him to a retirement home. Trading no-hitters to be a babysitter? Rick is beyond bummed.
But once there, Rick discovers Grandpa is actually pretty cool, and the two bond over a Japanese folktale about a fisherman, Urashima Taro, who trades his life on earth for the riches of an underwater kingdom. And like the fisherman, Rick soon forgets about his team back home when he joins a supercompetitive local league that only cares about being the best — at any cost.
As the team racks up the wins and Grandpa makes his final move, Rick must decide which ending he wants for his story: Will he fall in line with his ruthless teammates and their victory-obsessed coach in his own “underwater kingdom,” or will family, true friendship, and integrity lead him back to shore?
Publication Date February 18th 2025 by Charlesbridge
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When 6th grader Zella’s class prank flops, she’s given a second chance to leave a lasting impact in this middle-grade novel about redemption, friendship, and kindness.
A perfect book club pick to inspire discussion, 9–12-year-old fans of Katherine Applegate’s Wishtree will love this hopeful story about the power of connection.
It’s the end of 6th grade and Zella wants to be the one who thinks of the best class prank — a long-held tradition that administrators allow, with parameters.
In alternating chapters told by Zella, best friends Bowie and Janea, Shelby the school sleuth, and the town of Kettleby, Zella’s story reveals her quest to uphold her image as class clown and bask in the spotlight.
As a result, she loses sight of what’s going on in the lives of her two best friends and begins to cause more stress for her mom — who manages their family’s failing ice cream shop while caring for Pops. Zella doesn’t mean to cause trouble, but being 12 is hard. Everything is changing, and everyone seems so much cooler and better understood.
When her prank doesn’t go as planned, the entire class is punished, and Zella is to blame. But when Zella’s given a second chance, her small, subtle acts of thoughtfulness begin to grow. It turns out that redemption, friendship, and a remarkable chain of kindness tastes even sweeter than her family’s famous raspberry ripple ice cream.
With humor and heart, The Ripple Effect‘s themes of kindness and connection will inspire young readers to even greater compassion and generosity in their own lives.
Publication Date March 4th 2025 by
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A heartwarming story about grief and new beginnings, by Pura Belpre Award-winning author Yamile Saied Mendez.
The trouble with sunshine is it comes even if you think you don’t deserve it.
Dorani’s mom, Isa, taught her to be bold and challenge the rules if they don’t seem fair. People are more important than rules. But she never taught Dorani how to do it all without her. So, when Isa dies on the way to speak with the principal about Dori’s latest revolution, Dori loses her voice. Her grief and guilt become the loudest parts of her.
Moving from vibrant Miami to quiet, middle-of-nowhere Wyoming with her aunt feels like the punishment she deserves. She spends most of her time with their newest horse, Sunshine. Sunshine was involved in an accident that’s left her skittish and hard to care for. Tia Ivette knows her behavior comes from fear, and she is trying everything to make Sunshine brave again. But Dori knows grief can feel like fear…and grief is just love with no place to go.
Speaking up for Sunshine reminds Dori that the very best parts of her mother live on through her, and so when she starts to notice that the rules at her new school unfairly target specific students, she knows just what her mother would do…
Publication Date March 25th 2025 by Greenwillow Books
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From The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler meets Indiana Jones! A young adventurer races to break the family curse by repatriating the artifacts her famed ancestor “saved.” Perfect for fans of Rick Riordan, Kwame Mbalia, and Rena Barron.
Cincinnati Lee’s great great (great?) grandfather is famous. His adventures discovering ancient artifacts have been made into movies, and his work is widely respected by museums across the world. The thing is, in that line of work, you’re bound to get cursed. And that leaves your great great (great?) granddaughter to break the curse by returning the artifacts you “preserved.”
Cincinnati’s own adventure begins in the Cosmopolitan Museum in New York City, where her single mom works and Cincinnati has grown up. Soon she learns about the ancient Spear of Destiny—and its potential to right all the wrongs in her family’s past. Or bring about the end of the world. It all depends on whose hands it falls into. Cincinnati must beat two relic hunters to the spear, and her quest will take her to surprising locations throughout the city and even across the Atlantic Ocean. Along the way, she’ll make a new friend (which is not the easiest thing to do), make some enemies (surprisingly easy to do), and ultimately learn what makes the world worth saving.
Acclaimed author Heidi Heilig makes a dazzling middle grade debut with an irrepressible hero, a compelling cast of friends and enemies, nonstop action, and a thoughtful approach to viewing our responsibilities to each other and the world around us.
Publication Date March 25th 2025 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
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From the Newbery-Award winning author of Catherine, Called Birdy and The Midwife’s Apprentice comes the story of an orphan who decides to go west – with nothing but gumption as her guide.
Sally O’Malley is an orphan working at a mineral spring hotel in the woods of central Oregon–that is, until she’s chucked out like chewed-on chicken bones, due entirely to an unfortunate incident with a pig and some church ladies.
And so Sally decides to head west to the sea. Glorious, she’s heard. Fierce, she’s heard. Why not see for herself? Before long Sally encounters a dangerous bobcat – and that’s just the first day! Safe in the knowledge that she’s fearless, she continues on her journey with no place to belong and no one to depend on. And that’s just fine with her.
Then a lady called Major, an old donkey, a loyal dog, and an abominable brat show Sally that she’s not quite as brave as she thinks.
It turns out that counting on someone else is the scariest thing of all.
Publication Date April 1st 2025 by Sourcebooks Young Readers
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A scavenger hunt takes a sinister turn in the third novel in the Eek! series, tales to scare you silly!
The competition just got scary.
In the small town of Farlow, mysterious advertisements appear for a summer scavenger hunt. Twelve-year-old Maggie and her friends can’t wait. They have their team, and more than bragging rights, they want that huge cash prize.
On the big day, a strange man welcomes everybody to the game. The first items are ridiculously easy (“An egg? Seriously?”), but they quickly grow more difficult. Even a little scary. Okay, a lot scary. When the game moves to the cemetery, nobody wants to play anymore. Except now it’s too late to quit…
Publication Date April 1st 2025 by Clarion Books
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Look Both Ways meets Seedfolks in this masterful novel from two titans of kid lit that follows a diverse cast of young people whose lives intersect in surprising and hilarious ways over the course of a summer day.
Here’s what’s so cool about the beach. Kids are everywhere! Kids you know, kids you want to know. Wandering from one blanket to another, from one family to another. Somebody’s mom reads a fat summer novel. Somebody’s dad snores with an iPad on his chest. Babies cry. Girls laugh. Frisbee players whoop! Kites in the perfect blue sky.
Some kids bodysurf. Some don’t even like the water. They build sand cities for their friends and sand jails for the grown-ups, and when the tide comes in everything gets washed away.
There’s the other world, where all kids hear is tomorrow, next week, next year. And then there’s the beach, where everything is right now!
Why can’t every day be a day at the beach?
From two-time Newbery honoree Gary D. Schmidt and two-time PEN Award winner Ron Koertge comes a moving and often laugh-out-loud funny middle grade novel about family, friendship, and belonging, told by a group of kids spending a day at the beach. Thoughtful vignettes brilliantly weave together an irresistible tale of tween conflict and connections.
Publication Date April 1st 2025 by Freedom Fire
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A vibrant and heart-warming novel about the unforgettable joys of the Renaissance Faire, overcoming grief through cherished memories, and remaining true to yourself — even in cosplay.
For as long as she could remember, Kaya Morgan has spent her summers with her dad at the greatest place on Earth: The Renaissance Faire. Full of performers cosplaying as thieving pirates, enchanting fairies, and courageous heroes, the Ren Faire has always been a place where anyone could be anything they wanted to be. And for as long as she could remember, Kaya and her dad have dreamed of her someday being named the first Black Queen of the Faire.
Unfortunately for the last two summers, Kaya has been known as something else: the girl with the dead dad. But she’s not going to let anyone stop her from taking her place as the Queen’s apprentice (the first step on her journey towards Queen). But when the role is given to the pretty and blonde Jessie, the only spot left for Kaya is the Court Jester (who doesn’t even come with a crown).
It’s bad enough that it’s another summer at the Ren Faire without her dad, and that her family thinks her love of medieval times is weird. But with everyone around Kaya determined to put her in a role she doesn’t want to be in, Kaya must decide whether to hold onto her old dreams no matter what, or realize that it’s okay for new dreams to become reality.
Publication Date April 8th 2025 by Quill Tree Books
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For twelve-year-old Lucy Stulligross, a boring summer without her best friend turns into an unexpected coming-of-age journey of firsts. Perfect for fans of Kayla Miller and Jarad Greene.
With her best friend away at camp, tons of chores to do, and her dad always on her case for being such a tomboy, Lucy is dreading summer. That is, until Milforth’s plan to revive an old carousel for the town’s 150th anniversary brings artist Ray and her daughter, Anaïs, to town.
Anaïs is smart, funny, and easy to talk to, and Lucy — who’s used to being judged for her looks and interests — finally feels at ease in her own skin. And she thinks she may feel something for Anaïs, too.
Leading up to Milforth’s big birthday, tensions begin rising with locals, thanks to a shifty development company trying to overrun the town. Things also come to a breaking point at home, when Lucy butts heads with her dad over how she wants to express herself as a girl.
Can Lucy find the courage to be true to who she is? She’s got the whole summer to find out…
Publication Date April 8th 2025 by Delacorte Press
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You’re invited to the wildest ride of the year! An exciting novel featuring a group of kids competing in a giant safari park challenge, this book is packed with animal facts, puzzles and more making it the perfect book for readers looking for their next adventure.
Twelve-year old Lucy can’t believe her luck when she is selected for the Wildlands Safari Escape Challenge, which involves solving a series of mind-bending puzzles to unlock access to new animal habitats across the local safari park. Her team will be racing the Wildlands Ambassadors, a group of student animal experts. And if they win, wildlife-loving Lucy will get the chance to be an Ambassador herself!
But this challenge is trickier than Lucy expects — her team is in for a wild ride! Broken locks, downed electronics, and empty animal enclosures are just the start. Lucy discovers something truly terrifying: Wildlands’ beloved baby elephant is on the loose and might be in danger! The team is sure this can’t be part of the competition — and with their walkie-talkie on the fritz, they have no way to call for help.
Their fun puzzle has turned into a serious test, but Lucy and her team will surprise everyone with how they tackle the real Wildlands challenge.
Publication Date April 15th 2025 by Quill Tree Books
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Better Nate Than Ever meets Dumplin’ in this charming, poignant debut by Kyle Casey Chu, aka Panda Dulce, a founding queen of Drag Story Hour.
After making the buzzer-beating shot at the Georgia basketball state championships, Derrick Chan becomes the star of Bayard Middle School, and Derrick’s single dad could not be prouder. But there are parts of Derrick that no one knows about, like the toenail polish he wears under his basketball sneakers, his secret lip-sync performances in the bathroom mirror, and the feelings he’s developing for his best friend and teammate, JJ.
As the school year comes to a close, Derrick’s dad takes an out-of-town job and ships Derrick off to spend the summer with his estranged, eccentric grandmother, Claudia. Soon, Claudia introduces Derrick to the world of small-town southern beauty pageants, and Derrick suddenly feels he’s found where he belongs. But when the opportunity arises to compete in the town pageant, Derrick is forced to decide just how much of himself he’s ready to show the world.
Can he learn to love and accept the most unique parts of himself? And what will happen if others — like his father and JJ — can’t do the same?
Publication Date April 15th 2025 by Amulet Books
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From acclaimed author Camryn Garrett comes a middle-grade mystery with a magical twist, about a girl who goes to live with her aunt in the summer after the loss of her father — and who finds a doorway in Central Park that leads to a magically preserved historical village.
Everything is changing, and twelve-year-old Rowan Robinson hates it. She’s dreading having to spend her summer in New York City with her Aunt Monica, even though she used to love it. But things are just different after her father passed away. Without him, nothing about her world feels the same.
Things start to get a little better when Rowan brings her dad’s old camera to Central Park to take pictures. But as she’s snapping photos, she notices a strange mirror-like shape floating in the air. When she gets closer to it, she trips and falls through the portal, and after she lands, she finds herself in a different world: Seneca Village, where Black people with magical abilities seem to live in the past, in a time without phones or electricity. At first, Rowan thinks it must be a dream, but the more time she spends in the village with her new friend Lily, the more she wants it to be real.
But outsiders aren’t even supposed to be able to find Seneca. Rowan and Lily aren’t sure how Rowan was able to see the portal, but they suspect it might have something to do with the girl who normally guards the portal having gone missing. As Rowan and Lily search for clues to help find the missing girl and uncover the truth of the portal’s magic, Rowan begins to realize what secrets this village might be hiding, and how the events of the past still linger in the present day.
Filled with sparkling magic, honest explorations of grief, and moving depictions of a new friendship, The Forgotten Summer of Seneca asks us to remember a history that’s often overlooked—and imagine a future where we’re brave enough to embrace change.
Publication Date April 15th 2025 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
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Four best friends spend Family Week together at an annual gathering of LGBTQ+ families in Provincetown, MA — the largest of its kind across the world — in this middle grade coming-of-age story that celebrates identity, acceptance, and found family.
For as long as they can remember, Mac, Lina, Milo and Avery have celebrated Family Week together in “the smallest, gayest town in the world” — Provincetown, Massachusetts.
But this summer, their big rented beach house feels different. Avery’s dads are splitting up, and her life feels like it’s falling apart. Milo’s flunked seventh grade, which means everyone is moving on to bigger and better things except for him. Mac’s on his way to a progressive boarding school that lets transgender kids like him play soccer, but it means leaving his twin sister, Lina, and his moms — and the safety of home — behind.
Everything is changing, and for Lina, it feels like it’s happening with or without her. Avery, Milo, and Mac know this is going to be their last summer together. But Lina can’t accept that — and if she can make this the best summer ever, maybe she’ll convince them that there will be a Family Week next year. Good things might not last in the real world, but they do in P-town….Right?
Publication Date April 29th 2025 by Aladdin
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This second book in a sparkling middle grade series that gives a fresh take on The Baby-Sitters Club follows Gigi and her friends to New York City as they attend the art camp of their dreams.
Gigi Shin is looking forward to her best summer ever: not only did she get accepted to the prestigious Starscape Art Academy in New York City, but so did all her friends and fellow Ace Squad members! Plus, Gigi’s art idol, Christiana Moon, is going to be a guest lecturer and Gigi is determined to make a great impression.
But as soon as they land in NYC, things don’t exactly go to plan. Instead of being able to room with each other, the girls are all assigned to room with other attendees; Gigi is paired with Sohee, who doesn’t seem too excited to have Gigi as a roommate. The workload is heavy, and while the teachers are all experts in their field, they aren’t exactly the best instructors — including Gigi’s idol, Christiana, who’s dismissive when Gigi asks her for advice.
When all the attendees are given a huge opportunity to showcase their work, Gigi and her friends are determined to turn things around and make the best of camp, using the city for inspiration. With the help of some unexpected allies, can Gigi prove to everyone — and herself — that she has what it takes?
Publication Date April 29th 2025 by Bloomsbury Children’s Books
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Bestselling and award-winning author Kate Messner takes readers on a heart-filling journey as a boy finds his path to healing.
One summer.
46 mountain peaks.
A second chance to make things right.Finn Connelly is nothing like his dad, a star athlete and firefighter hero who always ran toward danger until he died two years ago. Finn is about to fail seventh grade and has never made headlines…until now.
Caught on camera vandalizing a cemetery, he’s in big trouble for knocking down some dead old lady’s headstone. Turns out that grave belongs to a legendary local mountain climber, and her daughter makes Finn an unusual offer: she’ll drop all the charges if he agrees to climb all forty-six Adirondack High Peaks in a single summer. And there’s just one more thing – he has to bring along the dead woman’s dog.
In a wild three months of misadventures, mountain mud, and unexpected mentors, Finn begins to find his way on the trails. At the top of each peak, he can see for miles and slowly begins to understand more about himself and his dad. But the mountains don’t care about any of that, and as the clock ticks down to September, they have more surprises in store. Finn’s final summit challenge may be more than even a hero can face.
Publication Date April 29th 2025 by Clarion Books
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The first book in the beloved Lemonade War series — a clever blend of humor, math wizardry, and business know-how — is now available in a full-color graphic novel.
Evan Treski is people smart. He’s good at talking to people, even grown-ups.
His younger sister, Jessie, on the other hand, is math smart—but not especially good at understanding people. She knows that feelings are her weakest subject.
With just five days left of summer vacation, Evan and Jessie launch an all-out war to see who can sell the most lemonade before school starts. As the battleground heats up, there really is no telling who will win — and, even more important, if their fight will ever end.
Publication Date May 6th 2025 by Quill Tree Books
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“I wish I didn’t know that I was marching my sisters into a boiling pot of trouble cooking in Oakland…”
Eleven-year-old Delphine is like a mother to her two younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern. She’s had to be, ever since their mother, Cecile, left them seven years ago for a radical new life in California.
But when the sisters arrive from Brooklyn to spend the summer with their mother in Oakland, Cecile is nothing like they imagined. While the girls hope to go to Disneyland and meet Tinker Bell, their mother sends them to a day camp run by the Black Panthers.
Unexpectedly, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern learn much about their family, their country, and themselves during one truly crazy summer.
This beloved Newbery Honor Book, National Book Award finalist, and Coretta Scott King Award–winning novel about the three unforgettable Gaither sisters has been adapted into a beautiful full-color graphic novel for a new generation, with vibrant art by Sharee Miller.
Publication Date May 6th 2025 by Melissa de la Cruz Studio
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National Treasure gets a Harlem Renaissance twist in this epic adventure through New York City, filled with history, humor, and heart.
Twelve-year-old Zeus Jones is just about the only person in the world who believes in his grandfather’s stories about the Harlem Renaissance. To be fair, they are a bit far-fetched. After all, what are the chances that there was a renowned magazine called Burn! whose headquarters literally burned down, destroying almost every single copy? And who would believe that a secret page was actually hidden amongst the ashes, said to be the key to unlocking a lost fortune? No one, that’s who.
But when Zeus accidentally stumbles upon the secret page on the same day that his grandfather disappears without a trace, he finally has proof that his grandfather’s stories are more than just stories — they’re real. And now he knows that the secret page is more than just a secret page — it’s a treasure map, leading to a prize beyond all imagining.
Follow the map, find the treasure, save his grandfather. Seems simple enough. But as Zeus and his friends work to solve the riddles of the map, long-buried secrets about the Harlem Renaissance, Black history, and Zeus’s own family are unraveled. And what’s more, they aren’t the only ones intent on seizing this prize…
Filled with interactive clues and puzzles, young readers will love solving this mile-a-minute mystery right alongside Zeus!
Publication Date May 6th 2025 by Storytide
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Dumplin’ meets the small-town drama of Gilmore Girls in this sparkling debut from Erin Moonyeen Haley.
Twelve-year-old Savvy’s only ambition is to be chosen as Miss Liberty in her town’s glittertastic Fourth of July parade. In her mind, being Miss Liberty is key to getting everything you want for the rest of your life. And Savvy’s anxious mind needs to know what’s going to happen for the rest of her life, just like she needs to know what the weather is going to be like every single day. Unfortunately, Savvy is only a dancer in the kick line, while her older sister, Levi, is the glamorous Miss Liberty for the third year in a row.
But this year, Levi seems committed to taking down the parade and crushing Savvy’s future dreams, for reasons that neither Savvy nor the town can understand.
Only one thing is for sure: It’s up to Savvy to bring the glitter back to her beloved parade, her town, and her sister.
Publication Date May 6th 2025 by HarperCollins
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Bestselling author Lisa Greenwald’s charming middle grade novel with summertime fun, crushes, and babysitting — and a dash of magic — is a sequel perfect for fans of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and That’s So Raven.
Is the magic really back?
When Mille, Nora, and Bea found fortune tellers popping up in unexpected places — with eerily accurate fortunes — they reunited as best friends. Now that they’re back to being besties, they’re excited to spend the summer together outside the city. Recruited into babysitting eight-year-old triplets and staying with Millie’s family, the girls are hoping this will be their own private summer camp, one where they’re in charge, away from annoying siblings and toxic frenemies.
But nothing perfect can last. When everything from homesickness and boy craziness to real estate developers threaten their summer, Millie, Nora, and Bea start stumbling upon fortune tellers in the strangest places. And once again it feels like these fortune tellers are speaking to them: Sometimes in life you just have to jump in. Speak your mind and stand up for what you believe in! You are here for a reason. If they speak up, can Millie, Nora, and Bea really save the summer — and the community — before it’s too late?
Publication Date May 6th 2025 by Kokila
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Reality proves more epic than fantasy in this family road trip story starring a reluctant young hero and his curmudgeonly grandfather.
Gonzalo Alberto Sánchez García has never considered himself the hero of his own story. He’s an observer, quietly snapshotting landscapes and drawing the creatures he imagines emerging from them. Forced to spend the summer with his estranged grandfather, Alberto William García — the very famous reclusive author — Gonzalo didn’t expect to learn that heroes and monsters are not only the stuff of fantasy.
But that’s precisely what happens when Gonzalo’s CEO mother, Veronica, sends Alberto on tour to promote the final book in his fantasy series for children and Gonzalo must tag along, even though he feels no connection to his grandfather or the books. Together, they embark on a cross-country road trip from Mendocino to Miami in a classic 1968 Oldsmobile Cutlass S Convertible named Mathilde. Over the course of ten epic days on the highway, they will slay demons, real and imagined; confront old stories to write new ones; and learn what it truly means to show up for your family.
Publication Date May 6th 2025 by Scholastic Press
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From the New York Times bestselling author of Esperanza Rising comes a riveting story that blends myth, fantasy, and reality into an entrancing adventure, perfect for fans of Kate DiCamillo and Meg Medina.
Sometimes the only way to hold onto what we love is to let go.
Kai Sosa is so passionate about swimming he is practically a fish. This summer, he’s determined to become the athlete he once was on an elite swim team.
But something invisible holds him back. His race times are off. Dreams of his sister Cali haunt him. And he hasn’t found her missing gold cuff, her last request. Mom is still talking about grief, even though it’s been two years since she disappeared. He’s fine now, isn’t he?
When Kai discovers a library book Cali had checked out multiple times ― about an underwater realm and a mysterious place called the Library of Despair and Sorrow ― details from the story begin to appear in his own life: dolphin pods, imposing rock towers, unusual sea creatures, and even Cali’s beloved bracelet. As myth and reality collide, El Niño unleashes its fury, and Kai is swept up in a storm of events that will change his understanding of love, death, grief, and how best to honor those we’ve lost.
Exquisitely packaged with breathtaking illustrations by award-winning artist Joe Cepeda and printed in blue ink.
Publication Date May 13th 2025 by Random House Studio
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From an acclaimed cartoonist comes a frenemies-to-friends graphic novel about the trials and tribulations of three preteen girls and cabinmates at sleepaway camp. Perfect for fans of Guts and Real Friends!
It’s only one week of camp and then never again…right?
Beatrice, Roxy, and Virginia have conquered sixth grade, and now they’re ready for the next big milestone: their first week at sleepaway camp.
Beatrice isn’t happy about this. After all, she prefers stuffed animals over people. Roxy doesn’t think camp is so bad. Honestly, she’s just excited to get some peace and quiet — she hasn’t had enough of that at home lately. And Virginia is the most excited for camp out of everyone since ALL the middle school soccer girls are going…but then Virginia doesn’t make the soccer team.
Further complicating things is the fact that Virginia and Bea do not get along — which makes being cabinmates tricky. But between campfires and canoe rides, can these frenemies call a truce?
A Junior Library Guild Selection
Publication Date May 13th 2025 by Tundra Books
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Set in the ’60s at a summer camp, The Mystery Of The Haunted Dance Hall is a spooky, atmospheric middle-grade story for fans of classic ghost stories, unlikely friendships and intriguing mysteries.
Bee’s mom has a job in New York City for the summer, so Bee is being sent to summer camp. She’s not excited about it. Being around other people is hard for her, plus she knows nothing about campfires, she’s not a good swimmer and she’s never even been in a canoe.
When she first arrives, things go pretty much as she expected. The other girls either make fun of her or ignore her, and the woods surrounding the camp give her the creeps: she keeps hearing elusive music coming from somewhere in the distance, and there’s something unearthly about it.
But then Zippy comes on the scene — an oddball like Bee, but with a lot more confidence and hard-won knowledge gleaned from many summers spent at this exact camp. And most importantly, Zippy has also discovered mysterious behavior going on at the camp: the older girls from the Hawks cabin are sneaking out to do…something. They’re always exhausted, and their flashlight batteries are running out at an alarming rate. But their counselors are never woken up by girls sneaking out, no one on staff doing nightly rounds ever sees them outside the cabin, and even when they start doing a bed check at night, the girls all seem to be in their bunks.
Zippy and Bee are on the case, and with the help of an unlikely ally, they try to figure out what the Hawks are up to. But they soon discover there’s more going on than just the usual summer-camp hijinks. How are the Hawks getting out at night? What is the deal with the (very cute) mysterious boy who seems to be working with the groundskeeper? Where is the distant music coming from? And what does the reclusive camp founder know about all of it?
Publication Date May 20th 2025 by Roaring Brook Press
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Perfect for fans of Wish and Because of Winn-Dixi comes award-winning author Sarah Guillory’s latest middle grade tale of found family and the unshakable bond between a girl and her beloved dog.
Twelve-year-old Gloria St. Romain, Glory to everyone who knows her, has always loved mysteries. She spends her time solving puzzles and reading Agatha Christie books, comforted by the knowledge that truth can always be found for those who look closely enough for it.
But when her mom suddenly leaves without a word, Glory is finally faced with the one mystery she can’t crack: Why did her mom leave, and where did she go?
Sent to spend the summer with her grandparents, Glory is determined to sniff out the clues to track down her mom. And when Glory comes upon Gus, a bloodhound in need of a friend, she realizes she’s been paired with the perfect partner to do just that.
With accessible text and a compulsively readable story, Gus and Glory is a perfect pick for upper elementary and middle school readers.
Publication Date May 20th 2025 by Aladdin
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A girl with a summer job at her family’s amusement park crushes on a coworker who’d rather be working anywhere else in this fun and flirty middle grade rom-com.
Fourteen-year-old Coco is Morty the Moose for the summer — the official mascot for her family’s business, Wonderland Adventure Park. Her first shift in the claustrophobic and stinky moose costume comes in the middle of a heatwave, and of course it’s when she emerges a sweaty mess that her manager introduces her to the new hire, Henry…the cutest boy Coco has ever seen.
Henry can’t believe his parents are forcing him to work at this dorky theme park. He’d much rather be hanging with his friends and working on his soccer game, but recovery from a bad injury would have kept him sidelined anyway. Being deathly afraid of heights, Henry hopes he can at least do his job without going on any of the rides.
After their first awkward meeting, Coco and Henry start to warm up to each other, and Coco confides in him about the park’s financial struggles. Soon, she thinks she like likes Henry…a lot. As the weeks go on, Henry’s dad starts asking oddly specific questions about his job, and Henry starts to suspect there’s more to his parents insisting on him working at the park than he thought. When a malfunctioning new ride leaves Henry and Coco stranded at the top, Henry’s worst nightmare comes true and secrets get revealed.
Publication Date May 27th 2025 by Peachtree
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What happens when Geo’s fortune-telling scheme exposes what seem to be some very real manifesting abilities?
Thirteen-year-old Geo Leoni desperately needs to earn some cash this summer, fast. So she launches a fortune-telling business using her best friend Lana’s rock collection for props. Does it matter that Geo doesn’t believe in psychic powers? Or that she knows nothing about rocks and crystals? Nope! She’s happy to tell phony fortunes for anyone willing to pay.
Geo’s scheme is quickly a hit, which should be great news. But things take a turn for the weird when her fake predictions start coming true. Like, all of them. Her friends are convinced she’s a psychic for real, and Geo desperately wants to prove them wrong. Because logical people don’t believe in psychic abilities, healing energies, or whatever the heck manifesting is…Do they?
Publication Date May 27th 2025 by Feiwel & Friends
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From author Caroline Huntoon comes a sparkling new middle grade novel, Going Overboard, a reverse-Parent Trap story where tweens Piper and Colton must force their parents to break up, or their lives will change forever.
Piper Shapiro has the best mom in the world: Noura, a single parent by choice who always has a plan, whether it’s for a spontaneous Saturday adventure or helping Piper navigate middle school as a nonbinary kid. They’re a package deal, and they tell each other everything. At least, they used to. But then Noura invites Piper out to dinner with her girlfriend Gwinny…and Gwinny’s son, Colton ― a boy Piper knows, and doesn’t exactly get along with. Piper panics when the realization hits: Noura and Gwinny are serious about each other. Suddenly, Piper’s life as half of a duo has an expiration date, and ze is horrified.
To put a stop to any potential wedding bells, Piper makes a plan: break up the parents and keep things the way they are ― the way they should be. When Gwinny surprises everyone with a get-to-know-each-other cruise for spring break, Piper’s game is on ― and Colton is in on it. The two of them work hard to make it clear that they are not one big happy family, even though it turns out that Colton might not be so bad after all. But when things with Project Break Up go a bit too far, Piper starts to question everything…and realize that maybe a little change isn’t a bad thing.
Publication Date May 27th 2025 by Aladdin
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Ellen Oh’s Spirit Hunters meets Katherine Arden’s Small Spaces in this middle grade supernatural mystery following a girl whose discovery of a magical clearing near her summer camp ends up putting her best friend in danger.
Pina’s first trip to summer camp is a chance to escape her overbearing parents and finally go on an adventure with her best friend, Jo. But Camp Clear Skies hides a secret: a clearing in the deep woods the older kids call “the Glade.” After falling asleep here, Pina and Jo are able to enter one another’s dreams, transforming into superheroes and knights in shining armor, fighting back their nightmares in epic adventures.
At first, the friends think they’ve discovered a secret more exciting than any video game — until Pina’s nightmares start leaking out into waking life. Worse, something seems to have followed them back from those dreams…and whatever it is, it’s taking over Jo. Jo has always been the superhero in their friendship, but Pina can’t just abandon them to their fate.
To save her friend, Pina journeys deeper into the Glade than she ever has before, facing the worst of her own fears and Jo’s. There, she must confront the consciousness trying to steal her friend’s body and learn what happened twenty years ago that shut down Camp Clear Skies and changed the Glade forever.
Publication Date June 3rd 2025 by Nancy Paulsen Books
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In this exhilarating alien sci-fi adventure perfect for fans of Jordan Peele’s Nope, Lamar Giles and Kwame Mbalia, twin brothers must stop aliens from taking over their Atlanta suburb.
There’s something weird going on in South Bank…and the Young brothers are at the center of it.
Cypress and Oakley Young are polar opposites and if it weren’t for being identical twins, no one would ever guess they were related. Cy is a budding film director and this summer, he’s filming his latest movie at the abandoned theme park with Oak and their best friend Jaz as his actors. He loves directing, because being the director means calling the shots, being in absolute control of how the story turns out. Except Oak’s wild imagination can’t be contained. Tired of hearing about his brother’s dreams and alien conspiracy theories, Cy snaps at him. But before he can patch things up, Oak vanishes into Owl Rock, this huge otherworldly granite formation at the center of the park, leaving only his skateboard behind.
When Orion Industries, the company that’s been excavating beneath Owl Rock and snapping up property all around town, start searching for Oak with a little too much interest, it’s up to Cy and Jaz to find Oak first and uncover the true secrets of Owl Rock. This heartening whirlwind adventure is ready to thrill as two brothers discover we’re not alone in the universe.
Publication Date June 3rd 2025 by Aladdin
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A girl’s awkward road trip with her dad and her mom’s new boyfriend turns into to an epic quest to rescue a dragon from poachers in this action-packed middle grade adventure perfect for fans of Fablehaven and Wilderlore.
Aspiring rockstar Zadie Drake’s world flipped upside-down the moment her mom started dating Lloyd Clutterbuck — a boring risk analyst with an aversion to all things fun. Since Lloyd moved in, he’s made it his mission to drain every drop of joy from Zadie’s life — putting strict limits on her guitar sessions, nitpicking her every move, and filling the house with his utter dullness. Naturally, when Zadie’s daredevil park ranger dad invites Zadie and her older sister to spend the summer at his cabin, Zadie can hardly contain her excitement. But Zadie’s joy is short-lived when her mom announces that Lloyd will be tagging along.
Soon after arriving at the cabin, Zadie begins to suspect that there’s more to her dad’s job than meets the eye. Her suspicions are confirmed when family secrets make an explosive entrance in the form of a fire-wielding poacher who kidnaps her dad’s best friend — an enormous, ice-breathing dragon. The revelations launch Zadie and her family into a cross-country rescue mission of epic proportions. As tensions spike, tempers flare, and the family’s differences become glaringly obvious, Zadie realizes her family’s most daunting challenge might not be rescuing the dragon but working together.
Publication Date June 3rd 2025 by Scholastic Press
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Award-winning author Wendy Wan-Long Shang dives in to the deep end of sportsmanship, prejudice, and the power of friendship in this funny, heartfelt story about two very different girls and one shared passion: swimming.
Esme Sun absolutely does not care about winning shiny trophies or finally receiving some of the praise her mother bestows so lavishly on her three older, brilliant sisters. But, actually…it would be nice to be good at something. So when Esme discovers on the first day of summer, opening day at the community pool, that her growth spurt over the winter has made her a really fast swimmer, she wonders if she just might have found that thing.
After Esme has an uncomfortable encounter at the pool with a new girl, Kaya, Esme worries she may have hurt Kaya’s feelings. Then, embarrassed by Esme’s awkwardness, her friend Tegan, the cool girl at school who seems to do everything perfectly, makes Esme promise that from now on, she’ll be chill, not act so babyish and intense about things–especially not swim team.
But when their swim competitions begin, and Esme starts winning, she finds that she actually cares a lot. In fact, she wants to break the pool’s freestyle record. That doesn’t mesh so well with her promise to Tegan. And as Esme tries to navigate swimming and her friendships, she searches for a way to apologize and make things right with Kaya.
Esme’s mom’s focus on winning confuses her, though, and she begins to wonder: Is winning really as important as she thinks, even if it means being unkind to your friends and teammates? Or is there another way to compete, to be a good sport and a good friend?
Wendy Wan-Long Shang, the award-winning author of The Great Wall of Lucy Wu and The Secret Battle of Evan Pao, dives in to the deep end of sportsmanship, prejudice, and the power of friendship in this funny, sweet, and wonderfully moving story.
Publication Date June 17th 2025 by Running Press Kids
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A vibrant, illustrated guide to the mermaids and sea creatures living in the oceans, rivers, and streams (yes, really!) around the world.
For centuries, sailors have told tales of majestic — sometimes dangerous — creatures lurking beneath the ocean waves. Over the years, however, researchers have traced these legends to the very real world of merfolk. From yemayas and morgen to sirens, frosties, and more, this illustrated compendium of mermaids takes a deeper look at the different species swimming in seas around the world and highlights their magical abilities.
Complete with interactive quizzes (e.g. “What’s Your Mermaid Personality?”) and activities/crafts (e.g. Beachcombing: Identifying Fossils; Brew Your Own Ocean Potion), this field guide will sweep you away on an underwater adventure!
Publication Date June 24th 2025 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
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A swashbuckling tale of friendship, courage, and ghost pirates! Join twelve-year-old AJ and his friends on an epic adventure to find the long lost treasure of Captain Grayshark.
When AJ and Jayden discover a gold coin washed up on the shore of Miami after a hurricane, they think it might be the answer to all of their problems.They suspect the dingy old coin may be part of the long lost treasure of Captain Grayshark, whose loot was valued in the millions. That much money could help the Torres’s sinking family business and more importantly, allow Jayden to stay in Miami with his mom, instead of moving miles away from his best friend. The boys set out on a quest, along with resident ghost expert, Andrea Wade, to unearth the pirate’s treasure on a nearby haunted island. But the pursuit of treasure might prove more perilous than they could ever imagine — with treacherous waters and a crew of angry ghost pirates waiting for them on Scream Island…
A slightly scary, laugh-out loud adventure about searching for gold, but finding much more along the way.
Publication Date July 1st 2025 by Scholastic Press
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Mega bestselling and award-winning author Tiffany D. Jackson (The Weight of Blood; White Smoke) makes her thrilling middle-grade debut with a can’t-put-it-down murder mystery set on Martha’s Vineyard. R.L. Stine, bestselling author of Goosebumps, says, “Don’t miss this one!”
This summer, beware of sharks…
Brooklyn girl Kaylani McKinnon feels like a fish out of water. She’s spending the summer with family friends in their huge house on Martha’s Vineyard, and the vibe is definitely snooty. Still, there are beautiful beaches, lots of ice cream, and a town full of fascinating Black history. Plus a few kids her age who seem friendly.
Until the shocking death of a popular teenage boy rocks the community to its core. Was it a drowning? A shark attack? Or the unthinkable – murder?
Kaylani is determined to solve the mystery. But her investigation leads her to uncover shocking secrets that could change her own life as she knows it…if she survives.
New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson makes her thrilling middle-grade debut with this heart-pounding mystery packed with twists and turns that will keep readers guessing until the end.
Publication Date July 1st 2025 by Graphix
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A companion to Miss Quinces, Kat Fajardo’s bestselling, award-winning middle-grade graphic novel!
Sue is heading to Camp Willow this summer! She’s looking forward to hiking, archery, and making comics in the fresh air. She’s especially excited about LARPing (live-action role-playing) and can’t wait for the freedom of being away from home. But she won’t be far from family because her big sister, Carmen, is a camp counselor and her little sister, Ester, is a fellow camper and won’t give her any space! All Sue wants is to make memories with her friends, but they’re assigned to only a few of the same activities. To make matters even worse, her best friend, Sam, has a best camp friend named Marisol? And Sue’s good friend Izzy has a crush on Sue?! This summer isn’t at all going as planned!
Publication Date July 1st 2025 by Walker Books US
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In this rollicking transatlantic romp set in 1910, a plucky girl named Patch accidentally stows away on a glamorous steamship, finding herself in the midst of a mystery.
Twelve-year-old Patch hasn’t found a real home yet, despite being passed like a package from one distant relative to the next. When she runs up the gangway of the massive steamship RMS Glorious, she isn’t planning to hang around. But it’s too late — the ship is setting sail! Patch has become an accidental stowaway. Luckily, she’s fearless and resourceful and finds friends on board in both high and low places. But hiding from the stowaway-hunting chief steward becomes harder and harder. And to make matters worse, Patch’s new friends urgently need her help: it turns out that some passengers are not what they seem, and there’s a mystery that needs solving before they reach New York.
Can Patch protect her friends and stop some dastardly criminals? And will she find a home at last, or will the excitement of life on the move keep calling her name? The elegant allure of Titanic-era steamships meets madcap escapades as our intrepid heroine finds adventure on every deck.
Publication Date July 1st 2025 by Candlewick
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Part mystery, part fantasy-adventure, part riveting real-life disaster, this deft tale-within-a-tale blends the history of the 1980 Lake Peigneur drilling accident with a fateful quest for pirate treasure.
When thirteen-year-old Junius Leak — expert on waterbodies and creator of the encyclopedic Amazing Waterbodies of the World — steps foot on Uncle Spot’s rickety dock on Lake Peigneur, the truth assails him: he may love waterbodies, but that doesn’t mean they love him back. The latest in a long line of Junius Leaks, he’s the first to be doomed to ten days of awkwardness and boredom on a houseboat with a relative he doesn’t know while his parents “work on” their marriage. Delcambre, Louisiana, where Junius was born, is awash with unwelcome surprises. He determines to learn why his mom left town when he was a baby — and to conquer his fear of water at the same time. But the lake has other plans for him, plans tied to a hundred-year-old family feud and a swashbuckling mystery. When disaster strikes, Junius must dive deep within to emerge an unlikely hero.
Alternating viewpoints spin the perceptions of a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) — and the wry voice of a lake with a long memory — into an inventive tale of sunken treasure and buried secrets anchored by a dramatic true event.
Publication Date July 29th 2025 by Holiday House
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When English thirteen-year-old Rosemary is evacuated to her grandmother in America at the start of World War II, she uncovers the family secret — they are Anishinaabe and passing as white.
Life in England is all Rosemary has ever known…but as WWII changes the world, no one’s life is left unscathed. Suddenly, she’s sent away to escape the devastation of London. Her grandmother’s house on Lake Superior is safe, but unfamiliar, especially as she discovers her parents have kept a tremendous secret.
Rosemary and her family are Anishinaabe — and no one is supposed to know.
Far from home but newly connected to a once-hidden part of her family, Rosemary develops a warm, close relationship with her grandmother…and a local boy whose love of gardening helps her to see the beauty in her unexpected circumstances. As Rosemary grows into her new life like a flower in bloom, she realizes that maybe she’s not as far from home as she thought.
Tender, sophisticated, and sweet, this is a beautiful story about memory, family, and identity. Rising Ojibwe author Anna Rose Johnson addresses the trauma of World War II and the legacies of hidden indigeneity alongside coming-of-age milestones like first crushes, new schools, and beginning to imagine the life you want. Hand The Blossoming Summer to fans of Christine Day, L.M. Montgomery, and Kimberly Brubaker Bradley!
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Publication Date July 29th 2025 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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For fans of Beth Lincoln’s The Swifts and Margaret Peterson Haddix’s Greystone Secrets series comes an exciting mystery filled with cryptic clues and wonderful word puzzles as two cousins search for their grandmother’s missing portrait.
Twelve-year-old Bea from Passaic, New Jersey, is visiting her family in Paris for the summer when her grandmother’s most precious heirloom — a drawing by Henri Matisse — goes missing. After a cryptic clue arrives on Bea’s doorstep suggesting its whereabouts, Bea is determined to pursue the lead.
Without the French skills to navigate her way around the landmarks of Paris, she teams up with her cousin, Céline, whose clear-eyed French directness makes her a perfect partner for curious, problem-solving Bea. The girls embark on a city-wide search, deciphering riddles, solving puzzles, and cracking codes as they try to locate the Matisse, find a thief, and identify their mysterious benefactor.
Publication Date August 5th 2025 by Aladdin
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Molly and Bear go on a family camping trip in this second book in the Molly and The Bear middle grade graphic novel series based on the beloved comic strip “Bear with Me” by Bob Scott.
Molly and her family are excited about their annual summer camping trip. Well, except Molly’s dad, who didn’t want Bear to come. Molly would have thought her 800-pound bestie would be right at home in the woods, but the scaredy bear is terrified of campfires, rafting, spooky sounds that come from the woods at night, and most of all, other bears.
Still, Molly, is determined to make sure this trip brings her dad and Bear closer together. She hatches a series of plans to make her dad see how wonderful Bear truly is. But when Bear accidentally attracts other (wild) bears to the family’s cabin, that may be a bigger disaster than even Molly can fix.
Publication Date August 5th 2025 by Delacorte Press
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A sleepover at an amusement park turns into a night of terror in this scary middle school read from the New York Times bestselling author of Mine and Camp Scare.
Tonight is Brie’s chance to finally be accepted by the Ems — the most popular girls at school. If she can just keep one potentially reputation-ending secret under wraps, she’ll have the best night of her life, screaming on scary rides and running the Wildwoods amusement park with her new friends.
But when the Ems take a game of truth or dare too far, Brie ends up alone in a creepy abandoned section of the park. There, she meets a group of cool older teens that invite her to join them. They seem friendly enough.
Little does Brie know she’s about to come face to face with a reawakened evil that wants to take her on the ride of her life…make that her death.
Publication Date August 5th 2025 by Sourcebooks Young Readers
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From the author of Time Villains comes a new fantastical adventure about family, tradition, and seeing things for what they truly are.
Nico wants to be a famous film director. He’s pretty sure if he can make the right movie, and soon, his life will completely change. The catch? His parents are sending him to Puerto Rico for the summer to stay with his iconic, but old-school, Abuela Luciana, and his awesome, but unpredictable cousins. Still, the show must go on.
Until Nico and his cousins awaken a monster. A monster that looks an awful lot like the infamous Chupacabra. And it turns out this isn’t a chance encounter. The creature begins stalking them all over Puerto Rico, turning up on every dark corner, sandy beach, and moonlit night. To make matters worse, a shadowy cult enters the chase, intent on capturing them before the Chupacabra can.
Soon they are thrown into an adventure that brings them face-to-face with the ancient Taino people, even more ancient Taino gods, and the mysterious Chupacabra, who is somehow linked to everything. Nico keeps his camera rolling, hoping the epic documentary will catapult him to stardom. But in the end, it’s the island’s fate that hangs in the balance, as they face down the very gods that created Puerto Rico.
Publication Date August 12th 2025 by Penguin Workshop
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The Haunted Library meets Casper The Friendly Ghost in this faboolous second book of a highly illustrated chapter book series about friendship and belonging — perfect for early, emerging, and reluctant readers.
It’s summertime in Smithville, and camping in the great outdoors with his BFF Tate is Ghostie’s idea of a dream come true. But when their summer camp counselor gathers everyone around the campfire for scary ghost stories, he makes everybody — including Tate — afraid of GHOSTS! To make matters worse, Ghostie’s parents get called on to run the camp after the counselor catches the flu.
Ghostie’s dream come true has suddenly become a nightmare. Is his friendship with Tate over? And how will two ghosts run a camp full of kids who are terrified of them?
With charming full-color art throughout, this second book in the Only Ghost chapter book series highlights that the only way to find true belonging is to accept ourselves and celebrate the differences that we see in each other.
Publication Date August 19th 2025 by Graphix
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Lace up your boots and join Brooke on the trail for this irresistible story about best friends, blended families, and big goals. Perfect for fans of PAWS and Katie The Catsitter!
Brooke’s always out on the trail, living a life full of adventure and documenting her wilderness findings in her nature diary. But Brooke is in for the biggest adventure of her life: her BFF, Jayla, is now her new stepsister! Brooke finally has someone to join her on the trail, and, together, they just might spot the one thing Brooke’s been aching to see most — a moose! Brooke and her blended family are settling into their new life nicely, but when Jayla announces that she and her dad spotted a moose on the trail while Brooke was back at camp, life in the family RV suddenly starts to feel crowded.
Publication Date August 26th 2025 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
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The highly anticipated follow up to Wish, which has spent six years on the New York Times bestseller list and is beloved by over two million readers. Dream follows a small town girl with big aspirations who discovers that anything is possible with your best friends and an adorable pup by your side!
The sky is the limit.
Idalee Lovett is content with her life in small-town Colby, North Carolina, living in her family’s huge house with rooms for rent. But she has big dreams, just like her mama. While Mama is on tour for the summer with her cover band, Lovey Lovett and the Junkyard Dogs, Idalee decides to hone her craft as a songwriter ― since her truest wish is to hear her country songs on the radio one day.
When the local radio station announces a songwriting contest with the winning song being recorded by an up-and-coming singer, Idalee is determined to win. It would definitely be possible if only she could buy the shiny blue guitar in Asheville’s music shop. Idalee doesn’t have much money, but she knows exactly how to get it ― the long-lost treasure her late granddaddy hid somewhere in their house. With the help of her friends Odell, Howard, Charlie, and an adorable little dog named Wishbone, Idalee is going to search in every nook and cranny until she finds it. But little does she know, the biggest treasure of all is only discovered when you believe in yourself with your whole heart.
In this standalone companion to the #1 New York Times bestseller Wish, nothing is impossible as Idalee learns the power of chasing her dreams one guitar strum at a time.
Publication Date August 26th 2025 by Tundra Books
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Twelve-year-old Mizzy wants to prove to the world that she can solve mysteries just like Sherlock Holmes, despite a reputation for tall tales. A charming new mystery series for middle-grade readers, starring a girl with Down syndrome.
Twelve-year-old Mizzy dreams of being a detective and she won’t let anything stand in her way — not her reputation for tall tales, or her embarrassing fear of escalators, and definitely not her Down syndrome. Dumped for the summer with cousins who’ve outgrown her, Mizzy feels even more sidelined than usual. But when she discovers Great Aunt Jane’s diaries in a locked wardrobe in their spare room, and realizes her aunt didn’t just die in her sleep but under suspicious circumstances, everything changes. What’s more…someone in the family appears to have been involved.
Under the guise of a family tree project for school, and armed with a brand-new set of Pip-Squeaks markers, Mizzy grabs the chance to prove herself to her cousins — and the world.
Publication Date August 26th 2025 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
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From the creator of The Sleepover comes a horror graphic novel for kids about two brothers and their friends who set out to uncover what terrors may be lurking in their nearby creek. Perfect for fans of Goosebumps!
There’s nothing that Wade and his younger brother, Andrew, love more than fishing together. As summer draws to a close, they’re excited for one last hoorah before classes begin and they end up at different schools for the first time. But a typical fishing trip with their best friends, Camilla and Tommy, quickly takes a darker turn. As heavy fog creeps over the creek, Andrew hooks something big — too big. In a moment of chaos, the brothers end up overboard. There, in the murky depths, they get a glimpse of what waits at the end of the line. And it seems far more monster than fish.
Wade and the others wonder if the recent hurricane that hit the area may have stirred up more than just water, unleashing something horrible from below. Their parents don’t believe they saw anything at all. But if there really is something out there, the kids know someone needs to stop it. So, they decide to do what they do best and go fishing for their biggest catch yet: evidence of a real-life river monster. Will these four friends be able to prove everyone wrong and save the creek, or are they about to discover they’re in way over their heads…and in deep trouble?
