Kids Summer Reads at the NLPLUnpublished

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Join a child captain and parent first mate as they embark on a wild high seas adventure...all without leaving the living room! This imaginative romp of a picture book is filled with glorious illustrations from a beloved Caldecott Medalist and New York Times bestselling creator.

Pura Belpre Author Honor Award ** Four starred reviews!** A powerful and expertly told novel in verse, by an award-winning poet, about a twelve-year-old Dominican American swimmer who is diagnosed with Juvenile Arthritis. Aniana del Mar belongs in the water...

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...

From New York Times bestselling author Carole Lindstrom and illustrator Bridget George comes a must-read companion to the powerful, award-winning picture book We Are Water Protectors. Telling the story of reall-ife water protectors, Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior celebrates...

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!...

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...

Julia is dismayed to learn that Coach Marissa has to leave the Vipers swim team for an urgent family matter. Coach Nathan, their new temporary coach, is strict and humorless. He doesn't even let them have Splash Time! And it's not just Julia who's upset - two of her teammates have even quit the team...

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...

Plunge beneath the waves to find an alien world of bizarre creatures who explain for themselves how they've adapted to life in the deep dark sea. Did you know that there are animals that are completely transparent? That some tube worms live for 1,000 years? That the Pigbutt Worm...

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...

NATIONAL BESTSELLER * An absurdly laugh-out-loud funny picture book about the villainy of fish, illustrated by National Book Award-winning creator Dan Santat "A ribald and uproarious warning to those unschooled in fishy goings-on." --Kirkus, starred review ONE OF...

This lyrical adventure follows the bluefin tuna, puffin, sea turtle, and Atlantic salmon through their life cycle. Each of these special species has a characteristic called natal homing. They're born, leave home to eat and mate, and then return to precisely where they were born to start their own...

For fans of Small Spaces, Doll Bones, and Mary Downing Hahn, a truly chilling (and historically inspired) ghost story from the award-winning author of The Forgotten Girl. Celeste knows she should be excited to spend two weeks at her grandparents' lake house with her...

An empowering story from #1 New York Times bestseller and Newbery medalist Linda Sue Park starring a young snorkeling enthusiast who draws inspiration for fighting climate change from interacting with her pesty little brother. A Green Earth Book Award Honor Book Inspired...

Discover the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world and their importance to the geography and environment around them. DK Super Planet The Great Lakes is part of the new DK Super Planet series for children aged 5-7 to learn all about life on and around the...

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...

A stunningly beautiful picture book from a critically acclaimed artist that follows a family who lives in a house by the sea as water levels start to rise. A BOOKPAGE AND HORN BOOK BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR In this gorgeous, wordless story, a family makes...

Beginning with 1 proud polar bear standing tall and ending with 10 bears waving goodbye, this delightful counting book shows polar bears in all their forms: slippery and fast, crafty and cool, hungry and proud. Tanya has created a story meant to be read aloud, incorporating simple Inuktitut words...

A 2026 Charlotte Huck Award Honor Book A 2026 Children's Africana Book Awards Best Picture Book Winner A Bank Street College Best Book of the Year for 2026 ★ "A wonderful story to show how it is possible to overcome our fears of doing something...

In this bilingual book, an Anishinaabe child explores the story of a precious mnoomin seed and the circle of life mnoomin sustains. Written in Anishinaabemowin and English, the story opens at harvest time. A child holds a mnoomin seed and imagines all the life that made a single seed...

Perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead, Natalie Lloyd, and Jasmine Warga, this beautiful novel in verse explores one girl's struggle to regain her magic after a hurricane forces her to move away from her beloved ocean that, she believes, has given her special powers. Bighearted...

"The most lovable duo since Frog and Toad." --Dav Pilkey, bestselling creator of Dog Man and Captain Underpants The funny and adorable New York Times bestselling kids graphic novel series starring happy-go-lucky, waffle-loving Narwhal and somewhat cynical sidekick,...

An unexpected animal companion helps a girl with cystic fibrosis learn to write her own story in this captivating novel in verse by award-winning author and disabled activist Cindy Baldwin. Penny Rooney has cystic fibrosis, which means she has to do breathing treatments to help her lungs...

A lyrical dip into the noisy, magical world of a vernal pool "This book literally has everything you would want in a science and nature title for younger readers ... Beautiful from tip to tail and back again." --Betsy Bird, A Fuse 8 Production In this vibrant and poetic...

In this whimsical picture book, a misunderstood girl with overwhelming emotions creates an origami boat and journeys to sea where she can feel free. Fans of Where the Wild Things Are will adore this fantastical tale of big feelings and boundless imagination. A BULLETIN OF...

A breathtaking picture book featuring a Korean girl and her haenyeo (free diving) grandmother about intergenerational bonds, finding courage in the face of fear, and connecting with our natural world. Dayeon wants to be a haenyeo just like Grandma. The haenyeo dive off the coast...

"Young readers will be captivated." --The Washington Post From the creators of the gorgeous bestseller The Night Gardener comes a stunning new picture book about a young boy who sets sail to find a place his grandfather told him about...the spot where the ocean...

From Meika Hashimoto, author of The Trail, comes an action-packed adventure about doing what it takes to survive--and realizing you can't do it alone. Amos and Marlo have always been best friends. From hiking trips to backyard camp-outs, from playing soccer at the park to sitting...

On a hot day, people come from all over the city to spend the day at the pool in this joyful picture book that's a love song to summer, the city, community, and staying cool! Today is a pool day in the city! The sun is shining, so what are you waiting for? Friends and family....

A funny new fable about artistic creation and chasing fame, imagined by award-winning author Caroline Adderson, and inspired by one of Japan's most famous haikus, "The Old Pond." Bashō, a 17th-century poet on an evening walk, stops to rest next to a murky old pond. Here, readers may...

On his first day at his new school, Puffin is thrilled when Penguin is assigned to be his buddy - Penguin's the coolest kid in the school! But Puffin quickly learns that the coolest kid is also the busiest kid, especially with Penguin starring as King Midas in the school play. Puffin realises he's...

"Eye-catching images help kids master time and colors....Useful and attractive introductions to several important concepts." --Kirkus Reviews I spent the day On the dock And who zoomed up At six o'clock? A purple speedboat. A day on the...

An uplifting novel in verse about an immigrant girl adjusting to life in the US through her love of nature, music, and poetry, by the award-winning author of The Bridge Home When Geetha and her mom move from India to Rhode Island after her parents' divorce, they leave...

"Alary and Blinick offer a child-friendly look at the connection between people and the sea around us, pointing out the importance of water in our world....An appealing package that conveys an important message."--Kirkus Reviews<...

An Indie Bestseller! A laugh-out-loud picture book from bestselling comics creator Kate Beaton about a brave shark girl bent on revenge after a greedy fishing captain messes with her waters - perfect for fans of We Don't Eat Our Classmates. ...

Let's go! Experience the magic of skating on wild ice. Two children wake up to hear the lake singing, then the wind begins wailing ... or is it a wolf? They bundle up and venture out into the cold, carrying their skates. On the snow-covered shore, they spot tracks made by fox, deer, hare,...

One summer day, Lauren and her little brother, James, go on a trip to the land with their Moshom (grandfather). After they've arrived, the children decide to fish for dinner while Moshom naps. They are in their canoe in the middle of the lake when the water around them begins to swirl and crash....

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...

Journey into a land of magic and powerful girls in this feminist graphic novel retelling of three Indonesian folktales. "Brimming with spirit, this is a book all about connection and empowerment. Angkasa's gorgeous rendering and vivid storytelling will pull you right in."--Tillie...

A Junior Library Guild Selection Discover the tiny, fascinating world of sunken-ship reefs in this latest book in an illuminating nonfiction picture book series that explores how even the smallest habitats play big roles in nature. Long ago, a grand...

An extraordinary tale of unity and friendship from the award-winning, internationally-bestselling author of The House With Chicken Legs The Island of Morovia is shaped like a broken heart. The humans live on one side of the island, and the alkonosts -- the bird-people -- live...

Tove and her family go to the island with no address every summer. After checking to make sure that everything in the cabin is exactly as it should be, young Tove sets off on an adventure. She finds some interesting salvage on the beach, she visits the grotto and she offers to babysit her strange...