2026 TD Summer Reading Books for Older Children

Updated March 13, 2026
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Atana and the firebird
Zhou, Vivian
Paper Book
A mermaid, a firebird, and a witch become entangled with the mysterious and powerful Witch Queen, who may hold the key to each of their past in this epic middle grade fantasy by debut author Vivian Zhou. Atana's island may be quiet and peaceful, but mostly, it's lonely. With...

Also available in eBook format.

Deep, Deep Down: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench
Lukidis, Lydia
Paper Book
Deep, deep down, at the very bottom of the ocean, lies a secret world. Through lyrical narration, this spare-text STEM picture book takes readers on a journey to a place very few humans have ever been--the Mariana Trench. The imagined voyage debunks scary myths about this mysterious place with...
Making a splash : how humans consume, control and care for water
Nelson, Colleen
Paper Book
★ "Visually dynamic layouts use detailed cartoon illustrations while also weaving in high quality photos and maps that will keep readers engaged. Thorough and timely...will make excellent additions to any library collection." -- Booklist, starred review From where we live to what we...
Rising seas : flooding, climate change and our new world
Thomas, Keltie
Paper Book
2019 Silver Birch Non-fiction Honour Book "This is an important book but we don't have time for its young readers to replace those in power. So read this book and then give grown-ups hell and demand something be done. It's your future that's at stake." -- David Suzuki<...
Spooky lakes : 25 strange and mysterious lakes that dot our planet
Rutherford, Geo
Paper Book
Dive into the most mysterious waters around the world (if you dare) in Spooky Lakes, an illustrated nonfiction book from TikTok star and educator Geo Rutherford Some of Earth's strangest--and creepiest--wonders lie deep below the surface. There's Lake Natron, a...
Barnacle Bay
Curll, Jana
Paper Book
Selected for the 2026 Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List A Best Graphic Novels for Children 2025 ALA Selection "Perfect for fans of the visual style and humor of Ben Clanton's Narwhal and Jelly, and also a useful introduction to marine...
What fish are saying : strange sounds in the ocean
Pendreigh, Kirsten
Paper Book
Perfect for curious kids ages 4-8, parents, and educators seeking fun and educational reads! Did you know that fish grunt, shellfish crackle, and some sea creatures even burp and boop to communicate? Dive into a fascinating underwater adventure as one little...
Axolotl : a first field guide to the amphibian that never grows up
Whited, Jessica LaMae
Paper Book
An illustrated first guide to cute axolotls from expert Dr. Jessica LaMae Whited, featuring illustrations by Bethany Lord. You might know that axolotls are some of the most adorable animals around, but there's so much more to learn about these incredible creatures from Mexico!...
Bye land, bye sea
Spencer, Rene?
Paper Book
Two children from different backgrounds show that friendship has no language in this epic bilingual story about being lost and finding a friend who understands. I'm lost. Soy naufrago. A boy and a girl lost at sea run into each other on an...
Growing home
Ferry, Beth
Paper Book
An instant New York Times bestseller! "A meditative, charming delight." --School Library Journal (starred review) An unlikely team of talkative plants, a curious spider, and a grumpy goldfish use their newfound magical abilities to defend their...
Ocean Secrets: A Guidebook for Little Underwater Adventurers
Grindler, Sarah
Paper Book
The newest book in the Little Explorers series takes young readers from the seashore to the ocean floor, finding fascinating plants and animals and solving ocean mysteries along the way. Let's meet some of the amazing sea life that calls the ocean home. What creatures...
Hex vetsThe river guardian
Davies, Sam, (Illustrator)
Paper Book
A seemingly normal day at the clinic turns strange when a magical creature begins making wild prophecies, when he usually just predicts the weather and helps find lost household items! Meanwhile, a mysterious magic in the water makes river creatures, both magical and normal, behave in odd ways....
Sea wolves : keepers of the rainforest
Benedict, Megan
Paper Book
This lyrical, stunningly illustrated book explores the sea wolf-an apex marine mammal evolved from the gray wolf-as it navigates the coastline, eats seafood, and lives its extraordinary, unusual life. Sea Wolves- Keepers of the Rainforest is the astonishing story of a wolf...
The big splash
Ahn, Angela
Paper Book
Julia and her swim team struggle with a new strict coach, but she is determined to make a big splash regardless in this buoyant illustrated chapter book for ages 7 and up. For fans of Mindy Kim and Jasmine Toguchi. Julia is dismayed to learn that Coach Marissa has to leave the...
What about an octopus? : a fact-filled underwater adventure
Kerbel, Deborah
Paper Book
On a visit to the ocean, a curious little girl goes searching for a seashell and meets a new eight-armed friend While at the ocean, a curious young girl goes searching for a seashell and finds an octopus friend instead. The encounter turns into an afternoon full of play and discovery. From...

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