The Best Children’s and YA Books of August 2020
by the Brightly Editors
As we head into the dog days of summer, we’re recommending the best new books of August to keep the whole family entertained. From explorations into space to crucial talks on race and a queer love story sequel set in Iran, these exciting new titles for young readers will usher you through to cooler days ahead.
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Picture Books
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Heart on Pluto
Perfect for young space-lovers, Heart on Pluto follows the first NASA satellite to journey to the dwarf planet, where it discovered a heart-shaped nitrogen lake on the surface of Pluto and captured heartwarming images (pun intended!) to send back home to Earth.
(On Sale: 8/4/2020) -
Share Your Rainbow: 18 Artists Draw Their Hope for the Future
Available from:With families cooped up inside during the COVID-19 pandemic, children began displaying drawings of rainbows, symbolizing brighter days ahead. In Share Your Rainbow, beloved illustrators share their own hopeful artwork, with seek-and-find rainbows on each spread. An introduction from Wonder author R. J. Palacio makes this comforting read even more special.
(On Sale: 8/11/2020)Also available from: -
I Feel Happy
Available from:Part of the wonderful First Emotions? series, I Feel Happy encourages children and adults to consider and verbalize the different ways they experience and express happiness — and even how happiness works in our brains! Pair it with the equally important I Feel Sad to spark conversations about the spectrum of feelings.
(On Sale: 8/11/2020)Also available from: -
The Polio Pioneer
Available from:This picture book-biography tells the remarkable life story of Jonas Salk, who was inspired to become a doctor after seeing wounded soldiers return home from WWII. Not only did Dr. Salk help create the flu vaccine, he also went on to invent the polio vaccine. His groundbreaking work continues to inspire other doctors and scientists, who dedicate their lives to creating life-saving vaccinations.
(On Sale: 8/18/2020)Also available from: -
The Power of One
Available from:From the author of The Invisible Boy and other crucial books on bullying comes an inspiring story about the ripple effects of small acts of kindness. It all starts when one girl reaches out to an isolated classmate; her first good deed snowballs into the entire community coming together. Ludwig pairs the powerful message with actionable steps of kindness that children can emulate.
(On Sale: 8/25/2020)Also available from:
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Middle Grade
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Pacey Packer: Unicorn Tracker
Available from:In the first of a new graphic novel series, Pacey Packer fantasizes about battling foes while she babysits her little sister, Mina, who’s never without her stuffed unicorn named Slasher. Pacey rolls her eyes whenever Mina insists that Slasher is an actual unicorn — until Mina winds up in unicorn land (which isn’t all rainbows and sunshine) and Pacey must rescue her little sister, for real this time.
(On Sale: 8/4/2020)Also available from: -
Mr. Lemoncello and the Titanium Ticket
Available from:The fifth book in the action-packed Mr. Lemoncello’s Library series is a riotous ode to a certain Mr. Wonka and his candy factory. For the first time ever, infamous game maker Luigi Lemoncello is opening the doors to his Gameworks Factory in order to give four kids the chance to win a special titanium ticket. But what does the ticket bequeath the winner? Just wait and see!
(On Sale: 8/4/2020)Also available from: -
Fighting Words
Available from:The Newbery Award–winning author of The War That Saved My Life returns with a vital story about the resilience of two sisters. Ten-year-old Della and her older sister, Suki, have been dealt a traumatic hand in life: when their mother was sent to prison, they went to live with her boyfriend, whose supposed kindness turned to abuse. Now, after years of Suki’s protection and learning to stay quiet, Della is ready to speak out and protect her sister, too.
(On Sale: 8/11/2020)Also available from: -
The Talk: Conversations About Race, Love & Truth
Available from:Featuring the voices of 30 acclaimed authors and illustrators, The Talk is an essential anthology about race, privilege, and identity. Both a message of solidarity for Black and indigenous children and children of color, as well as a call for anti-racism, the work collected — from creators such as Nikki Grimes, Meg Medina, Grace Lin, and Raúl Colón — will empower, affirm, and educate.
(On Sale: 8/11/2020)Also available from: -
Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid
Available from:At just 15 years old, Mikaila Ulmer is the CEO of a multi-million dollar business, Me & the Bees Lemonade, which also exists to conserve endangered honeybees. In her part-memoir, part–business manifesto, Mikaila encourages other kids and teens to listen to their values, follow their passions, and achieve their wildest dreams. It can all start with a simple lemonade stand.
(On Sale: 8/18/2020)Also available from: -
Pippi Longstocking
Available from:If your reader hasn’t yet fallen in love with the antics of Pippi Longstocking — the strongest girl in the world, with freckles to match — introduce them with this newly released edition for middle grade readers. The dare-devilish redhead remains a reader favorite since her first appearance 75 years ago. Keep a lookout for the pending sequels: Pippi Goes on Board and Pippi in the South Seas.
(On Sale: 8/18/2020)Also available from: -
Triple Threat
In this action-packed story full of heart, 12-year-old Alex decides to join the school football team — even though she’ll be the only girl. Alex knows she has the skills to become the next quarterback, but she’s shocked when her teammates outwardly ridicule her and band together to block Alex from succeeding. Will she persevere, and will the boys learn what truly makes a team?
(On Sale: 8/25/2020)
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Young Adult
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Bookish and the Beast
Available from:Another charming addition to the delightfully nerdy Once Upon A Con series, this one takes place in a small town, where Rosie Thorne is grieving her mother’s death and generally feeling aimless. The town is shaken up when celebrity Vance Reigns shows up to hide from paparazzi, and when the two cross paths, they immediately loathe each other. But an accident involving a rare book pushes them together, and they have plenty of time to make second impressions.
(On Sale: 8/4/2020)Also available from: -
They Wish They Were Us
Available from:At an elite prep school on Long Island, Jill Newman is about to start her senior year, and she’s ready to put the darkness of her past behind her. Specifically, the events of freshman year, when her best friend, Shaila, was killed by Shaila’s boyfriend, Graham. But when rumors start circulating that Graham wasn’t responsible, Jill will have to put herself into harm’s way if she wants to find the truth.
(On Sale: 8/4/2020)Also available from: -
Darius the Great Deserves Better
Available from:We first met him in Darius the Great Is Not Okay, as he moved to Iran and tried to figure out who he was: part nerd, part athlete; part Persian, part American. Now, between his first boyfriend, his soccer team, and his internship, Darius is definitely okay — but what if there’s more than just okay? A sequel as stunning and tender as its original.
(On Sale: 8/25/2020)Also available from:
