The Best Children’s and YA Books of September 2019
by the Brightly Editors
School is back in session and the last days of summer are winding down, which can only mean one thing: a thrilling selection of new fall reads! From a brand-new Dr. Seuss book to YA novels tackling serious topics with brave protagonists, your beloved young readers are in for a treat.
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Picture Books
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Dr. Seuss’s Horse Museum
Available from:Created from a newly-discovered manuscript, Dr. Seuss's Horse Museum is a fascinating exploration of art, from creation to appreciation. Browse a cheerful museum full of horse-themed artwork by the greats, including Picasso and Jackson Pollock. Kids will love Andrew Joyner's illustration style and appearances from Seussian favorites in this jam-packed ode to art.
(On Sale: 9/3/19)Also available from: -
Just Ask: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You
Available from:Using her own experience with childhood diabetes, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor shares an important message about recognizing the unique differences and abilities of all - and celebrating that diversity. While a group of children plant a community garden, they take turns asking questions and learning about each other. Paired with vibrant illustrations, it's a charming and essential picture book.
(On Sale: 9/3/19)Also available from: -
Unicorns 101
Available from:It's time to get scientific about unicorns. This hilarious book goes into it all, from diet and habitat to social behaviors and goofy historical anecdotes (like the time one unicorn made it rain waffles for a week - yum!). Studious readers will even earn a diploma at the end of the course. (Celebratory waffles not required, but highly encouraged.)
(On Sale: 9/3/19)Also available from: -
Save It!
The third installment of Cinders McLeod's Moneybunny series (following Spend It! and Earn It!) teaches young readers the practical values of patience and saving. Honey is saving up, too - with the carrots she earns for bunnysitting her rambunctious siblings, she sets some aside to invest in a space of her own, while still indulging in a couple of treats.
(On Sale: 9/3/19)Preorder from: -
Hey Grandude!
Available from:Paul McCartney - yes, that Paul McCartney - knows a thing or two about being a cool grandpa, just like the Grandude at the heart of McCartney's new picture book. With a magic compass in hand, Grandude takes his four grandkids on incredible, globetrotting adventures. Celebrate the grandudes in your own family with this fun-filled romp.
(On Sale: 9/5/19)Also available from: -
I am Walt Disney
Available from:During his lifetime, Walt Disney brought endless magic to the world - and his legacy, of course, lives on. Now, readers can learn even more about the man behind the mouse in this kid-friendly biography. I am Walt Disney is the latest addition to the bestselling Ordinary People Change the World series, which inspires children to consider how they can change the world, too.
(On Sale: 9/10/19)Also available from: -
Five Minutes
Available from:For kids, five minutes can feel like forever. It can also go by in the blink of an eye. That's what one boy is dealing with as he moves through a day punctuated by moments of joy (puppies!) and pure boredom (more errands). Espousing patience for never-ending moments and appreciation for fleeting ones, Five Minutes is worth every second of reading time.
(On Sale: 9/17/19)Also available from: -
I Want a Dog
Available from:Beloved author-illustrator Jon Agee is back, this time following one determined girl's journey through an off-the-wall animal shelter. No, the girl insists, she'd rather not adopt an aardvark, nor a weasel, nor a hissing goose - as entertaining as they may be. She has her heart set on a dog, and she's willing to wait for her perfect match.
(On Sale: 9/24/19)Also available from:
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Middle Grade
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Ice
Available from:A time-spanning history from the ice age to today, this compendium of true stories, surprising facts, and captivating photography impresses on readers how important ice is to our world. They'll learn about the animals that call those landscapes home, the humans who have lived and explored there, and, most importantly, the changes in climate that threaten the survival of ice itself.
(On Sale: 9/3/19)Also available from: -
Women in Art
Available from:Rachel Ignotofsky has used her creative talents to celebrate women in science and women in sports, and now she turns that spotlight on women in art. With profiles of fifty inspiring female artists throughout history, gorgeous illustrations that bring them to life, and important context about women's representation in the art world today, Ignotofsky's latest is a must-have for budding creatives.
(On Sale: 9/10/19)Also available from: -
The Last Kids on Earth and the Midnight Blade
Available from:The latest addition to theLast Kids on Earth series finds Jack and his crew on the other side of a treacherous winter, but the action's not slowing down yet. Jack's Louisville Slicer has new powers to figure out, his friend Dirk is acting weird around the zombies, and now there are evil vines to avoid. There's no rest in the Monster Apocalypse!
(On Sale: 9/17/19)Also available from: -
Pages & Co.: The Bookwanderers
Available from:Ever since her mother disappeared, Tilly Pages spends most of her time in her grandparents' bookstore, where she meets two unexpected guests: Anne of Green Gables and Alice of Wonderland. Not only can Anne and Alice visit Tilly, but Tilly discovers she can bookwander into their stories - and all the rest. It's pure magic, and an irresistible story.
(On Sale: 9/24/19)Also available from:
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YA
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American Royals
Available from:Katherine McGee's American Royals reimagines the past as one where General George Washington was offered a crown after winning the Revolutionary War. In present day, his heirs to the throne are teen sisters Beatrice and Samantha, neither of whom is enamored with the role she has to play. Full of intrigue and romance, it's a highly addictive read.
(On Sale: 9/3/19)Also available from: -
Frankly in Love
Available from:Korean-American Frank Li is barely in touch with his Korean identity, yet his immigrant parents would never approve of him dating a non-Korean - like Brit, Frank's girlfriend, who's white. With his friend Joy Song, who's in the same shoes, Frank concocts a fake dating scheme to fool their parents. Nuanced and illuminating, Yoon's novel follows the three characters' separate paths to self-discovery.
(On Sale: 9/10/19)Also available from: -
Pet
Available from:"There shouldn't be any monsters left in Lucille." So opens Akwaeke Emezi's YA debut, Pet. Jam was born after the monsters lost power, after justice was finally restored. But one day Jam meets Pet, a horned creature that emerges from one of her mother's paintings and has arrived to hunt a monster. A genre-defying novel that raises important questions about our political climate, expect Pet to make big waves this fall.
(On Sale: 9/10/19)Also available from: -
The Prom
In Edgewater, Indiana, the PTA would rather cancel senior prom altogether than allow two girls to attend as dates. Little does the PTA president know that her daughter Alyssa has been dating Emma Nolan for over a year. When two Broadway stars hear the story and arrive in Edgewater poised for a scene, the drama's about to hit the fan. Based on the Tony-nominated musical, and soon to be a Netflix film, readers won't want to miss this.
(On Sale: 9/10/19)Preorder from: -
Juliet Takes a Breath
The night before flying from the Bronx to Portland, Oregon, to intern with a feminist writer she idolizes, Juliet finally comes out to her Puerto Rican family - and her mother doesn't take it well. Though her idol can't help with the questions of intersectionality she's dealing with, Juliet's in for one breathtaking summer in this anthem of authenticity and joy.
(On Sale: 9/17/19)Preorder from: -
The Babysitters Coven
Available from:There's a witchy new series on the block, with serious (and seriously delightful) Baby-sitter's Club vibes. Esme Pearl kick-started her neighborhood's babysitting club, and she can't fathom why too-cool Cassandra Heaven wants to join. Cassandra doesn't mention the note her mother left behind urging her to find the babysitters - but the girls are about to uncover ancient powers they never knew they had.
(On Sale: 9/17/19)Also available from: -
Rules for Vanishing
Available from:Sara's sister Becca disappeared a year ago, and Sara knows exactly where she is: trapped on Lucy's road, a mystical in-between place that opens once a year in the forest - a road that ends with the beckoning of the ghost of Lucy Gallows. Sara and her friends wait for their opening and follow the road of terrors. But will they make it out alive?
(On Sale: 9/24/19)Also available from: -
Who Put This Song On?
Available from:Based on her own teenage diaries, award-winning poet Morgan Parker's YA debut tells the life-affirming story of 17-year-old Morgan, who's struggling with growing up black in an overwhelmingly white suburb while also navigating depression. Morgan's desire to be herself sings loud and clear in this novel that author Elizabeth Acevedo calls "unflinchingly irreverent, laugh-out-loud funny, and heartbreakingly honest."
(On Sale: 9/24/19)Also available from:
