The Best Children’s and YA Books of July 2020
by the Brightly Editors
Summer reading is in full swing, and we’ve rounded up the best reads for all ages to keep your household unplugged and entertained. Featuring picture books counting down to the new school year, middle grade reads both magical and myth-busting, and YA novels too thrilling to pause, the best new books of July will tide over you and yours until we meet again.
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Picture Books
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Danbi Leads the School Parade
Available from:Danbi, whose family just moved to America from South Korea, is initially overwhelmed by the language and cultural differences in her new classroom. But come lunchtime, she finds a way to connect with her new classmates. This heartening story is perfect for readers entering a new environment, and for sparking conversations about welcoming others.
(On Sale: 7/7/2020)Also available from: -
First Day Critter Jitters
Available from:Everyone gets first-day-of-school jitters — even critters! In this endearing picture book from the notoriously funny Jory John, each new student has their own anxiety (sloth, for starters, realizes he should have left for the bus stop yesterday). Like all the best classmates, these generous critters figure out how to support each other through their insecurities.
(On Sale: 7/7/2020)Also available from: -
Finding François
Available from:Though she loves living with her grandmother, Alice longs for a companion her own age, so she starts a message-in-a-bottle correspondence with François, a little dog who lives across the sea. It’s her friendship with François that buoys Alice through the storm when she’s confronted with a difficult loss.
(On Sale: 7/7/2020)Also available from: -
Freedom, We Sing
Available from:Molly Mendoza’s vibrant illustrations accompany a stunning poem that muses on the concept of freedom from singer-songwriter Amyra León. Told through a conversation between a mother and her young daughter, Freedom, We Sing encompasses humanity and compassion on a global level.
(On Sale: 7/7/2020)Also available from: -
If You Want a Friend in Washington
Take a peek into the history of the White House through the cute, quirky, and occasionally ferocious presidential pets who have once called 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue home. From Theodore Roosevelt’s rooster to Calvin Coolidge’s pygmy hippo — and a long roster of presidential pooches — this pawesome roll call is sure to entertain.
(On Sale: 7/7/2020) -
It Happened on Sweet Street
Available from:As the only baker in town, Monsieur Oliphant has a monopoly on sweets — until Mademoiselle Fée moves in with her scrumptious cookies, and Madame Clotilde arrives with her delectable pies. Rising tensions lead to an epic food fight, until one intrepid young girl helps everyone learn to get along.
(On Sale: 7/7/2020)Also available from: -
Antiracist Baby
Available from:A handbook for raising antiracist children, Ibram X. Kendi’s new picture book is both timely and essential. Rhyming text breaks down the concept of antiracism in a thoughtfully simple way while bright and bold illustrations showcase a delightfully diverse cast of characters. A great starting point for building a more equitable world.
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Choo-Choo School
Available from:There’s much to learn on the first day of train school! The conductor recites the classroom rules, the students get their wheels turning, and everyone learns the alphabet. Train enthusiasts chugging toward their first day of school will appreciate this cheerful take.
(On Sale: 7/14/2020)Also available from: -
Gustavo, the Shy Ghost
Available from:Gustavo the ghost is working up the courage to make new friends, but his shyness sometimes precludes him from being himself (rather than, say, posing as a balloon). With Día de los Muertos coming up, Gustavo concocts the perfect plan to introduce himself. Vivid artwork from Mexican artist Flavia Z. Drago makes this spooky-sweet story a year-round favorite.
(On Sale: 7/14/2020)Also available from:
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Chapter Books & Middle Grade
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The Secret Explorers and the Comet Collision
Available from:In this installment in the new Secret Explorers series, space expert Roshni and rainforest expert Ollie travel to outer space to fix the space probe orbiting Jupiter... before the planet is hit by a comet! This informative and fun action-packed book is perfect for new chapter book readers. If you're looking for more Secret Explorers missions, be sure to read The Secret Explorers and the Lost Whales.
(On Sale: 7/7/2020)Also available from: -
Kerry and the Knight of the Forest
In this graphic novel bursting with magic and hard-won bravery, Kerry is on a quest to make it through the forest and get home to his parents, who are sick. But of all the characters Kerry meets along the way (including a spirit who points him to a so-called shortcut), Kerry will have to decide who to trust — and how to trust himself.
(On Sale: 7/7/2020) -
History Smashers: The Mayflower
Available from:The newest addition to the hit History Smashers series takes on the myths we’ve all been taught about the historic Mayflower and its arrival at Plymouth Rock. With humor and accuracy, Kate Messner not only debunks false narratives but examines why those narratives might have been created, and why they persist.
(On Sale: 7/7/2020)Also available from: -
Dress Coded
Molly Frost has noticed an unjust pattern when it comes to her middle school’s dress code: girls are penalized far more often than boys, and some girls far more frequently than others. She decides to start a podcast on the issue and invites girls to tell their stories — a small act that leads to a revolution.
(On Sale: 7/7/2020) -
After the Worst Thing Happens
Available from:Twelve-year-old Army is struggling with guilt and grief after she plays a role in her beloved dog’s death. She’s surprised when her reaction to those feelings is to reach out to someone who could use her help: the new little girl who just moved in next door, and who’s navigating growing up with nonverbal autism.
(On Sale: 7/7/2020)Also available from: -
Danny Constantino’s First (and Maybe Last) Date
Danny Constantino’s childhood friend Natalie is Hollywood royalty these days, so he’s shocked when she accepts his invitation to the school dance. Between his moment in the limelight, the entire school debating his love life, and his mom’s stressful mayoral race (now starring the return of hometown hero Natalie), Danny isn’t convinced he’ll survive this date, let alone get to a second one.
(On Sale: 7/14/2020) -
The Unadoptables
Available from:Twelve years ago, in 19th-century Amsterdam, five infants — Lotta, Egg, Fenna, Sem, and Milou — were unceremoniously dropped off at the Little Tulip Orphanage. Though the matron refers to the cohort as “unadoptable,” readers will instantly perceive just how unique and lovable they are. The arrival of a sinister character sends the quintet off on a whirlwind adventure, in this fast-paced fairy tale and ode to chosen family.
(On Sale: 7/21/2020)Also available from:
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Young Adult
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Burn Our Bodies Down
“I think I’d give anything to know what happened to leave her like this,” writes 17-year-old Margot of her mother, Josephine, “As long as it’s not waiting to happen to me.” Having grown up with no other family members and no past to speak of, Margot is desperate for roots — so when an old photograph reveals her mother’s hometown of Phalene, there’s only one place to go. This eerie thriller builds to a shocking twist.
(On Sale: 7/7/2020) -
Escape Room
Available from:Escape rooms are all fun and games — unless there’s no way out. For Alissa, Sky, Miles, and Mint, what’s meant to be 60 minutes of entertainment turns into a profound nightmare. Who is the Game Master, and how can they beat him at his own game?
(On Sale: 7/7/2020)Also available from: -
Unravel the Dusk
In the thrilling sequel to Spin the Dawn, war looms for Maia’s kingdom, and the boy she loves, Edan, is missing. Trapped in the palace and forced to play the part of the emperor’s bride, Maia begins to notice that her magic is slipping away from her and taking on a life of its own.
(On Sale: 7/7/2020) -
He Must Like You
If you were having the year Libby’s having, you’d probably dump a pitcher of sangria on capital-C creep Perry Ackerman, too. But Libby’s outburst — coming on the heels of her brother’s decampment to Greece with his college money — inspires her dad to kick her out of the house. Righteously angry at the men in her life, Libby’s also (confusingly, but undeniably) crushing on her former coworker Kyle.
(On Sale: 7/14/20) -
This Is My America
Available from:For the past 10 years, 17-year-old Tracy Beaumont has been writing letters, pleading for her innocent father’s release from death row. When her brother is accused of murder and goes on the run, Tracy is determined to save her family, no matter what it costs her. Bestselling author Nic Stone calls this novel a “searing examination of the often tragic collision of racism and a flawed criminal justice system.”
(On Sale: 7/28/20)Also available from:
