The Best New Children’s & YA Books of June
by the Brightly Editors
Summer has arrived, and with it, a new crop of fresh books — hot off the press! Whether you have young children, tweens, or teens, there is something on this list for everyone. Keep scrolling because you’re about to discover the best children’s and young adult books of the month!
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Picture Books
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Sleep, Little Dozer
Available from:Get ready for bed with Little Dozer in this adorable rhyming picture book! Young readers will follow Little Dozer through his bedtime routine as he takes a bath, gets into bed, and counts jeeps until he falls asleep. This comforting story is perfect for children who like big machinery.
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The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Birthday Party
Available from:The Very Hungry Caterpillar is celebrating a birthday in this new board book. All the animals pitch in and help get everything ready for the big event. The sturdy format, familiar character, and a fold-out surprise at the end make this an excellent addition to your Eric Carle book collection.
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Getting Ready for Kindergarten
Available from:A young girl gets everything ready for her first day of school. From a new lunch box to packing her backpack, she has everything she needs. This sweet book is the latest in the Getting Ready series and includes a punch-out sign to use with first-day pictures.
RELATED: Smart Books To Help Get Your Kids Ready for Preschool or Kindergarten
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Shake It Off!
Available from:From the creator of Just Like Me and Grandma’s Purse comes a new picture book about overcoming adversity. A little goat who loves singing and climbing gets on everyone’s nerves. But when she falls down an old well, her resilient spirit and out-of-the-box thinking save the day.
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Kisses from Space
Available from:Readers of all ages will love this heartfelt book from real-life astronaut Anna Menon. A mother dragon returns from an outer space adventure and tells her children about her travels. She thought about them during her entire journey, even when she was at the furthest reaches of the galaxy. Written in gentle rhyme, this sweet book is the perfect addition to your bedtime routine.
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Gorgeously Me!
Available from:Author and star of Netflix’s Queer Eye, Jonathan Van Ness, delivers an upbeat story that shows young people how special they are. He encourages children to be authentically themselves and to embrace their unique qualities. Read this one when you want to boost your child’s confidence!
RELATED: 30 Great LGBTQ+ Picture Books for Kids
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Why Not You? Board Book
Available from:This New York Times bestselling picture book from Ciara and Russell Wilson is now available as a board book! Everyone has big dreams for their future, and this book encourages them. Whether your child dreams of fame, fortune, or something else, this story shows them it’s possible.
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America’s Dreaming
Available from:America’s first day of school goes terribly wrong, and they don’t feel like they fit in. With encouragement from the teacher’s history book collection, America learns about other misfits like Amelia Earhart and Martin Luther King, Jr. Their stories offer the inspiration America needs to return to school and make their dreams come true.
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Diggers Love to Go to School!
Available from:Get ready for school with your favorite trucks, tractors, and diggers! This sturdy board book features all kinds of machinery as they navigate their first day of school. They learn to count, take turns, and write their ABCs. Fans of heavy machinery will love this charming book!
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Grumpy Monkey Too Many Bugs
Available from:Bugs, friendship, and humor combine in this Step 2 reader featuring everyone’s favorite chimpanzee. Jim’s best friend Norman starts a bug collection. With each new critter he adds, Norman spends more time with his bugs and less with Jim. Simple sentences and fan-favorite characters make this book ideal for children learning to read independently.
RELATED: Grumpy Monkey Printables & Activities
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Home in a Lunchbox
Available from:Jun moves to America with her family and has difficulty adjusting to her new school. She doesn’t know the language and feels out of place until she opens her lunchbox. Inside, she finds the comforting and familiar foods that make her feel right at home. This delectable story is perfect for anyone who has ever had to adjust to a new place.
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Barrio Rising
Available from:Activism takes center stage in this vibrantly illustrated picture book about the fight for Chicano Park in San Diego, California. For decades, the beach was occupied by factories and industrial buildings until the neighborhood demanded the local government honor their promise to build a park. After a 12-day land occupation, the people pooled their resources to create the beautiful park they deserved.
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Chapter Books & Middle Grade
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Sink or Swim
Available from:From the creators of Just Roll With It comes a new graphic novel filled with summer camp and friendship. When Ty broke his arm, he had to stop swimming. But now, as he heads to summer camp with his friends, anxiety over his depleted swimming abilities and changes in his friendship group fills him with dread. This contemporary story about a boy navigating an awkward life phase will resonate with young readers.
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Children of the Wind
Available from:Return to the world of Daughters of the Lamp with the fast-paced sequel! Sahara and her best friend Vicky are staying in Egypt for the summer when they discover that the evil witch they defeated a year ago is trying to steal Ali Baba’s magic lamp again. Series fans will enjoy following Sahara as she learns to harness her magical abilities, prepares to take on the witch, and navigates an increasingly rocky friendship with Vicky.
RELATED: The Ultimate Summer Reading List for Kids Ages 9 – 12
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The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman
Available from:When his mom doesn’t come home for over a week, Hank and his younger brother, Boo, grow worried. Hank reaches out to his emergency contact and soon finds himself drowning in an ocean of social workers, foster care, and unanswered questions. This heart-wrenching yet hopeful novel tackles the often uncomfortable topic of unreliable parents and child homelessness.
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Ratty
Available from:Ratty is a boy cursed to look like a rat. He wants nothing more than to find a cure to the curse and turn back into a human. As the granddaughter of the groundskeeper, Edweena is determined to keep the estate rat-free. But when the two accidentally meet, they form an unlikely friendship. Humor, mystery, and history make this novel a delightful read.
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Cali’s Fun Bilingual Tales: 5-Minute Stories in Spanish and English
Available from:Anyone learning English or Spanish will love this collection of 15 stories that take about five minutes to read. The stories feature Cali the Capybara and his friends as he goes to school, visits the beach, prepares a meal, and more. Each story is written in both languages, so it’s perfect for bilingual families.
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Who Is Bad Bunny?
Available from:Kids will love learning about this popular artist and wrestler who found success by posting songs on Soundcloud. This self-starting singer quickly became an international sensation who has won several Grammys, performed at Coachella, and collaborated with some of the best musicians in the world.
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YA
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Moonstorm
Available from:If you’ve been craving a sci-fi novel to escape into, add this one to your summer reading list. As the orphaned daughter of rebels, Hwa Young wants nothing more than to prove her worth to her country. So, when she gets the opportunity to train as a pilot for an elite warrior squad, she eagerly volunteers. But when she uncovers a vast conspiracy that could destroy the world, she must choose to continue protecting the empire or join the rebellion her parents started.
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The Color of a Lie
Available from:Readers who enjoyed This Is My America and Invisible Son will want to read Kim Johnson’s latest social justice thriller. It’s about a Black family in 1955 who could pass as white. But as they settle into their lives in an all-white neighborhood, Calvin stumbles across the town’s dark history and its inhabitants’ secrets.
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Seasick
Available from:Set sail on an epic voyage with two ex-best friends and a murderer aboard a yacht bound for Bermuda. When bodies start piling up during their graduating class’s luxury cruise, Naya and Yana set their differences aside and team up to catch the killer before they become the next victims.
RELATED: Captivating YA Thrillers To Read This Summer
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Hearts That Cut
Available from:Dive back into the world of Threads That Bind with this fast-paced sequel about a girl descended from the Greek Fates. Io and Bianca find their threads fraying, leaving them more lost than ever. A new mystery draws the girls to the city of Nanzy, where they find dark forces threatening to destroy everything they care about.
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Of Jade and Dragons
Available from:When her father gets assassinated, Ying disguises herself as a boy and joins the prestigious, all-male Engineers Guild to search for clues about his death. Secrets, fierce competition, a killer on the hunt, and an unlikely friendship with a prince make this unforgettable YA fantasy a must-read!
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