|
|
Books for Kids and Tweens August 2026 |
|
|
|
|
|
Thunder and Mercy
by Jennifer Robin Barr
It's 1979 and twelve-year-old Theodora Thunder Underwood is dreading her summer vacation once again. Every year, her scientist parents disappear on far-flung scientific expeditions, leaving her with relatives who clearly don't want her around. But this summer, Thunder is sent to Mount Pleasant, her aunt's historic yet crumbling old mansion outside of Philadelphia once owned by Revolutionary War traitor Benedict Arnold. When Thunder discovers a mysterious diary written by Mercy, a girl her age who lived through the American Revolution, Thunder is plunged into a mystery that involves a shadowy prowler, a hidden ring, and mysterious spies--making her summer far more exciting than she ever expected. Fast-paced and full of twists, this suspenseful middle grade novel transports young readers between the 1770s and 1970s as Thunder uncovers the truth behind a Revolutionary-era spy network--and discovers the importance of friendship, family, and her own voice along the way.
|
|
|
|
Fatal Glitch: Camp Zero
by Erin Entrada Kelly
Black Mirror meets Goosebumps in the first installment of this fast-paced middle-grade horror series by New York Times-bestselling authors Erin Entrada Kelly and Eliot Schrefer featuring tales of technology gone wrong. Eleven-year-old Sofia Mendoza is a gamer, not a camper. She should be at home building landscapes and fighting monsters in Sandbox, not deep in the forest with six other kids, who might as well be playing her favorite game in tutorial mode. Even worse, there's something off about this summer camp. There are creepy, mechanical vultures, cloaked NPC figures, and the only adult is Monarch, a grim woman in combat boots. And then the game of elimination begins. Sofia may be caught in the clutches of Camp Forestjaw, but she'll do anything to survive. Anything. The problem is, in Forestjaw, everything you've ever done--no matter how long ago--comes back to you . . .
|
|
|
|
Lightmare
by Lauren Magaziner
Still grieving and in hiding, Fiora and her Inc, the Thistles, plan to fight back against the sorcerer, but a shocking revelation and a teammates' devastating choice forces the team to confront fractured loyalties and the blurry line between good and evil.
|
|
| Offside by Christina Diaz Gonzalez; illustrated by Mari CostaAfter their middle school finally makes the soccer team tryouts co-ed, sabotage from the guys means that Nicky and Fabiola are the only two girls who make the cut. With such a bad start, not to mention some language differences, can the new team figure out how to work together? This graphic novel combines on-the-field action with authentic emotions. Read-alikes: Tryouts by Sarah Sax; The Breakaways by Cathy G. Johnson. (Ages 9-13.) |
|
| Ghost in the Night by Tiffany D. JacksonAfter her grandmother's death, grieving, ghost-obsessed 12-year-old Harmony joins her blues musician dad on tour. At a stop in Savannah, Georgia, Harmony encounters what might be a real haunting, leading her to investigate a local unsolved murder -- and maybe find a missing person. For fans of: smart paranormal mysteries inspired by Black history, like those by India Hill Brown. (Ages 10-13.)
|
|
|
|
The Baby-Sitters Club Fan Edition: Baby-Sitter Summer
by Ann M. Martin
An all-star author lineup, including Ann M. Martin, creates the first ever Fan Edition Baby-sitters Club novel It's a summer to remember for The Baby-sitters Club, with Mary Anne and Stacey staying in Stoneybrook while Kristy, Claudia, Dawn, Jessi, and Mallory head on adventures all across the map.
|
|
| Shook by Julian Randall; illustrated by Nathan WalkerAmbitious, basketball-obsessed 12-year-old Malik "Shake" Page accidentally lives up to his nickname when a broken ankle leaves him shaken and sidelined. Shake's crisis of confidence -- and its impact on his friends and family -- is described through powerful poems, lists, groupchats, and illustrations that will keep you turning the pages. For fans of: Kwame Alexander's The Crossover. (Ages 9-13.) |
|
| Crumble by Meredith McClaren; illustrated by Andrea BellAt first, Emily is successful at practicing her family's special skill: magically baking good feelings into desserts for their bakery. But then tragedy strikes, and Emily's sadness begins seeping into her baked goods. Cute, colorful artwork balances the serious elements in this touching graphic novel. (Ages 7-11.) |
|
| The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey HartmanNot quite alive and not quite dead, Clare the fox is content with his cozy home in Deadwood Forest, where he ushers souls into the Afterlife. That changes, however, when a badger soul named Gingersnipes makes Clare question everything he once understood. This charming and bittersweet story is sure to tug on your heartstrings. (Ages 8-12.) |
|
| The Strongest Heart by Saadia FaruqiHis dad's untreated mental illness has always made life unstable for sarcastic, folktale-loving Mo. But when they move from New York to Texas to stay with Mo's aunt and cousin, Mo begins to wonder if life could be different. Fans of realistic fiction should check out this painfully honest yet hopeful story, inspired by the author's own family. (Ages 10-13.) |
|
|
|
The Greenies
by Emma Mills
The Baby-Sitters Club meets The Breakfast Club in this fun and fresh graphic novel about a girl who reluctantly joins the Environmental Club at her new school--and finds friendship and community where she least expects it. After her parents' divorce, seventh grader Violet is forced to start all over. Now the new kid, at a new school, in a new town, she must navigate unfamiliar territory. Luckily, Violet falls in with a new group of (maybe?) friends. But when they wind up in detention, they're forced to join the under-attended Environmental Club--and mischief ensues. What will become of this rag-tag group? Fans of Raina Telgemeier will love this hilarious and heartfelt story about making friends, making mistakes, and making it up as you go along--until you end up just where you were meant to be.
|
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|
|
|
|