The Best Children’s and YA Books of June 2018
by the Brightly Editors
June’s new releases sure are something to be excited about — from moving picture books to stunning YA novels, the month is packed with awesome reads. Here’s a sneak peek at some of our favorite books for young readers that are hitting the shelves this month.
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Picture Books
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Do Not Lick This Book
Buy from:Equal parts cool and icky, this interactive picture book is an adventure with Min the microbe to all the places microbes can be found. Hint: everywhere. Humorous cartoons pair with real microscope photographs to give young readers an extra close — and somewhat dirty — view of the world.
(On Sale: 6/5/18)Buy from: -
Drawn Together
Buy from:A young boy and his grandfather struggle to establish a relationship with one another because of a language barrier. But once they sit down to draw together, magical things begin to happen, and the two form a special bond that goes beyond words. This stirring picture book reminds us that art can be one of the best ways to connect with someone you love.
(On Sale: 6/5/18)Buy from: -
Niblet & Ralph
Buy from:Two feline friends who look a lot alike find themselves in each other’s homes, unsure that they’ll ever make it back to their respective apartments. When Niblet and Ralph’s owners eventually recognize them as imposters and set out to find their missing pets, they find not only what they were looking for, but also a new friend.
(On Sale: 6/5/18)Buy from: -
Pop-up Peekaboo: Baby Dinosaur
Buy from:This pop-up book is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers who are curious about dinosaurs and like to find surprises with each turn of the page. The rhyming text is simple to help with language development and the entertaining pop-up flaps are sure to make children smile time and time again.
(On Sale: 6/5/18)Buy from: -
Do Not Open This Math Book
Buy from:Mathematician, actress, and bestselling author Danica McKellar returns with a new math-inspired picture book for young readers. A perfect addition to home and classroom libraries, Do Not Open This Math Book introduces children to addition and subtraction with McKellar’s signature blend of education and entertainment.
(On Sale: 6/26/18)Buy from: -
How to Be a Lion
Buy from:Everyone knows not to judge a book by its cover, but how about a lion by its roar? Leonard the lion knows he is expected to be fierce but is nevertheless fearless in his efforts to be himself: a gentle and caring kind of lion. A clever picture book with a powerful message about kindness and acceptance.
(On Sale: 6/26)Buy from:
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Middle Grade
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Heartseeker
Buy from:Only Fallow’s unique ability to see lies lands her in the king’s court. As a royal truth seeker, she must help the king weed out the kingdom’s traitors. Caught in a web of power games and politics, Only will soon realize that sometimes seeing the truth can be just as painful as lying.
(On Sale: 6/5/18)Buy from: -
Just Under the Clouds
Buy from:Cora’s family has struggled to find a home of their own in New York City. As her mom works long hours and her family moves from one temporary housing situation to the next, Cora struggles to keep up with the pressures of school and her sister’s special needs. Throughout the instability, Cora keeps a journal where she records the different plants she sees, connecting with the natural world wherever she goes. A compassion-building debut for middle grade readers.
(On Sale: 6/5/18)Buy from: -
Everything Else in the Universe
Buy from:It’s 1971 and Lucia’s father has just returned from serving in the Vietnam War. With the tense political atmosphere outside and her father’s difficult transition to civilian life at home, it becomes clear to Lucia that things will never be exactly as they were before the war. But when she and her friend Milo discover a package in their neighborhood containing a Purple Heart, a helmet, and old photos, they set out to piece together who it belonged to — and meet many new faces, from all stages of life, along the way.
(On Sale: 6/12/18)Buy from: -
The Boy, the Boat, and the Beast
Buy from:This debut begins with a boy washing up on a mysterious, uninhabited beach. He can’t remember who he is, or why he’s there. Feeling lost and alone, the boy follows a light that he sees with the hope that it will lead him to other people. Tween readers will follow the boy on his winding journey and, with each new turn, learn that he must face his biggest fears if he is to return home.
(On Sale: 6/26/18)Buy from:
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YA
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History of Jane Doe
Jane Doe is the mysterious new girl in Ray and Simon’s small Connecticut town. As the three become friends, they learn that Jane has a secret past, one she can’t easily run from. A story of first love, heartbreak, and the darkness that is depression, The History of Jane Doe is an absolute must-read.
(On Sale: 6/5/18) -
Neverworld Wake
Buy from:Beatrice Hartley and her five best friends lived the good life as the cool kids of Darrow-Harker School. But when Beatrice’s boyfriend died unexpectedly, everything changed. A year after his death, Beatrice is more determined than ever to understand what happened. In the midst of searching for answers, a mysterious man knocks on Beatrice’s door and explains that time has become still, and Beatrice realizes she has one last chance to make things right.
(On Sale: 6/5/18)Buy from: -
The Fragile Ordinary
Buy from:Comet doesn’t think her unusual name suits her. She doesn’t feel anything but ordinary, especially since it seems like her own parents don’t have any interest in her. Instead, Comet is shy and she’d rather hole up in her room with a good book than go out and socialize with other teenagers. Until Tobias, a new student at school, arrives on the scene and makes Comet question what she knows about or wants for herself.
(On Sale: 6/26/18)Buy from: -
The Game of Hope
Fifteen-year-old Hortense de Beauharnais’s mother is married to Napoleon Bonaparte. It has been four years since the Reign of Terror ended and Hortense, still coping with the very traumatic loss of her father, is attending a strict boarding school near Paris with other young women from aristocratic families. Fans of historical fiction will enjoy getting an inside look at how life as a young noblewoman in the turn of the 19th century might have felt.
(On Sale: 6/26/18)
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More Awesome Books Coming This Month
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