The Best Children’s and YA Books of June
by the Brightly Editors
With schools getting out for summer, kids can play with friends, go on vacation, and spend their downtime reading a stack of good books. This month saw a host of exciting new titles from beloved authors and debut voices. From fantasy novels to concept books, there is something on this list for every age and stage. Here are the best books of the month for children, tweens, and teens!
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Picture Books
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ABC and You and Me
Available from:Get your child’s wiggles out and learn the alphabet with this unique, movement-inspired book from the bestselling creator of The Tree in Me and My Heart. Readers of all ages will enjoy bending, wiggling, and leaning to create letter shapes with their entire bodies.
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Bluey Outdoor Fun Box Set
Available from:Everyone’s favorite blue dog is heading outside in this fun picture book boxed set! Young readers will love reading about Bluey doing summer-themed activities like camping, visiting the beach, and swimming. It’s the perfect way to get your kid excited about heading outdoors!
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Before, Now
Available from:Snuggle up with your little one and read this gorgeous bedtime picture book from the beloved illustrator of Dragons Love Tacos. The story follows a young girl named Ava as she grows, hits milestones, becomes an adult, and has her own child. This tender, gift-worthy book is perfect for baby showers, birthdays, and special occasions.
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Hattie Harmony: Opening Night
Available from:Hattie Harmony is back in her second mystery story for young children. This time, Hattie heads to the school play and notices her classmates dealing with stress and pre-show jitters. Thankfully, Hattie has a belt full of tools to help everyone calm their nerves and put on the best show possible. This highly relatable picture book is a must-read for any kid who feels nervous from time to time.
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A Day at School with The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Available from:Send your little one off to preschool with The Very Hungry Caterpillar! You can’t go wrong with this tabbed board book that walks children through a school day. With its liftable flaps, colorful illustrations, and familiar characters, this book makes the perfect back-to-school read for toddlers and preschoolers.
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The Ice Cream Vanishes
Available from:Ice cream, magic, and humor fill the pages of this summer-worthy picture book from the creator of The Bear Ate Your Sandwich. When Squirrel leaves some ice cream out in the hot sun, it disappears. Convinced that magic is involved, Squirrel and her best friend, Bear, trail after the ice cream truck, hoping to do it again. Plenty of giggles await inside the pages of this delightful book!
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Breathe Like a Bear: First Day of School Worries
Available from:Even though school just got out for the summer, it will start again before you know it. Most kids (and teachers) experience first-day jitters, and this book is here to help. Readers will practice breathing exercises to calm their nerves and help them manage those stressful feelings. It’s perfect for the first day of school or anytime your child feels anxious.
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Chapter Books & Middle Grade
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Lei and the Fire Goddess
Available from:Send your reader on a thrilling summer adventure with this novel inspired by Hawaiian folktales! Twelve-year-old Anna doesn’t believe in curses until she visits her Tūtū in Hawaii. A botanical mishap leaves Anna with an angry goddess, a kidnapped best friend, and an ancient curse to unravel before it’s too late. Kids who love the Percy Jackson series will enjoy this exciting new adventure!
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The Many Masks of Andy Zhou
Available from:Andy Zhou is a quiet, thoughtful kid who cares deeply for his friends and family. He tries out for a dance production at school, develops an unlikely friendship with a classmate, and works through the complicated feelings of middle school in this novel. This is an excellent book for kids navigating middle school and figuring out how they fit in.
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Rebel Undercover (The Forgotten Five, Book 3)
Available from:Series fans and kids who love action-packed books will be thrilled to get their hands on the third installment in this series from the bestselling author of The Unwanteds. With a presidential election coming up, uncertain alliances, and supernatural rights on the line, the forgotten five have their work cut out for them. They must stick together and do everything they can to ensure a better future for themselves — including going head to head against their supervillain parents.
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Spellbinders: The Not-So-Chosen One
Available from:Ben is not a chosen one — he’s not a hero who saves the world. But that doesn’t stop him from pretending he is when a character from his fantasy game appears and requests his help. Before he knows it, he is immersed in a dangerous quest where he doesn’t know the rules. Lying to his new friends about his lack of “chosen one” status isn’t helping. Ben must dig deep and rely on his wits and average skill set to save the day.
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Ham Helsing #3: Raising the Stakes
Available from:Monsters, friendship, and humor fill each page of this action-packed graphic novel. The third installment in the Ham Helsing series transports readers back to Helsing Manor, where Ham and his friends are snowed in. But things take a surprising turn when Ham’s legendary and supposedly dead father reappears (alive). Plenty of laughs await young readers returning to this spooky and hilarious series!
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The Deep!
Available from:Dive below the ocean waves and explore the depths of the sea with this informative nonfiction book! Fun facts and bizarre critters appear in an easy-to-read comic book style that is both engaging and educational. Kids will love poring over the brightly colored and fully illustrated pages of this book.
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Picture Day
Available from:When Viv live streams an impromptu home haircut right before seventh-grade picture day, she becomes an overnight sensation at her middle school. It’s a dream come true! Or is it? Suddenly everyone wants her opinion and help to create social media-worthy moments. Viv finds herself stretched thin and losing focus of the things that matter most — her friends. This graphic novel is perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier!
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Pizza and Taco: Dare to Be Scared!
Available from:Your favorite foods are back in a tasty new graphic chapter book! Pizza and Taco dare each other to tackle their fears. The dares start with dark spaces and scary movies but quickly escalate to something truly terrifying: hunting Ghost Peppers. Newly independent readers will love the latest addition to this giggle-worthy series.
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Sweet Valley Twins: Teacher's Pet
Available from:Readers who loved the Sweet Valley Twins: Best Friends graphic novel will want to read the next book. This time, twin sisters Jessica and Elizabeth are at odds in their dance classroom. Even though Jessica is the better dancer, the teacher favors Elizabeth and plans to give her the lead role in an upcoming production. Full-color artwork brings this beloved classic to life for a new generation of readers!
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YA
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Threads That Bind
Available from:Mythology, romance, and mystery combine into a high-stakes fantasy novel you won’t be able to set down. Io is the daughter of one of the Fates from Greek mythology and uses her powers to solve mysteries for well-paying clients. When a string of abductions leads to wraiths terrifying the city, Io teams up with some unlikely allies to find the culprit and stop them before they destroy everything she cares about.
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The Grimoire of Grave Fates
Available from:Harry Potter meets One Of Us Is Lying in this murder mystery novel set at an academy for teenage magicians. When one of their professors gets murdered, 18 students must piece together the clues and find out who killed him. Each of them believes they have what it takes to solve the crime, but their magical school has dark secrets hiding in its walls. This inclusive and diverse magical mystery will keep you reading all night long!
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House Party
Available from:Follow 10 teens as they say goodbye to their high school years in an epic send-off party that the entire neighborhood will be talking about. The book takes place over the course of a few hours that will change the lives of the party-goers forever. Let the secrets, kisses, and good times roll!
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Invisible Son
Available from:When you’re in the mood for a social justice thriller that will keep you guessing until the end, pick up Invisible Son. It’s about Andre, a teen who recently got out of juvie for a crime he didn’t commit and wants to get his life back. But fixing things is nearly impossible with the COVID-19 pandemic shutting everything down, trouble at home, and his reputation in tatters. Andre believes that if he can find his long-time crush’s missing brother, he can repair his reputation and restore his life.
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Starlings
Available from:If you’ve been looking for a dark YA fantasy to obsess over this summer, look no further! When her father dies unexpectedly, Kit learns she has a grandmother, relatives, and a picture-perfect town he kept hidden from her. At first, Kit adores everything about the town and her newly discovered family but soon notices strange things about the town and the locals. Before long, Kit realizes something sinister lurks beneath the beautiful exterior.
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