2025 TD Summer Reading Books for Older Children

Updated February 27, 2025
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Alina in a pinch
Nanji, Shenaaz
Paper Book
Moving to a new city means Alina has to make new friends, and nothing is worse than lunch at a new school. When her grandmother visits, Alina is inspired to help her cook the delicious Afro-Indian meals she's always loved, but a cruel note from a mysterious lunchtime bully leaves a bitter taste...
Alterations
Xu, Ray
Paper Book
For fans of Gene Luen Yang's American Born Chinese and Svetlana Chmakova's Awkward, this funny yet poignant middle-grade coming-of-age story highlights the struggle of feeling invisible while yearning to be seen by all.    ...
Anne dares
George, K.
Paper Book
Anne is excited to be a guest at a party at Orchard Slope, the home of her kindred spirit, Diana Barry. But when the dares start and mean Josie Pye makes the others feel bad, Anne can't stop herself from challenging Josie to a dare... which leads to Anne being dared to climb the house and walk along...
Anzu and the realm of darkness
Nguyen, Mai K.
Paper Book
5 Worlds meets Spirited Away in this tale of a girl fighting her way back home after getting trapped in the spirit world. Anzu has just moved to a new town during Obon, a time for families to remember and celebrate their ancestors. Ever since her obaachan died,...
Are we there yet? : how humans find their way
Birmingham, Maria
Paper Book
Why do some people have a bad sense of direction? How can you avoid getting lost? Why did early mapmakers put fake towns on their maps and why does every traffic controller in the world speak English? From finding food, water and shelter to traveling for commerce, trade and eventually...
The Bellwoods Game
Krampien, Celia
Paper Book
Perfect for fans of Doll Bones and Hocus Pocus, this "beautifully creepy" (Kirkus Reviews), highly illustrated middle grade novel follows a girl who hopes to fix her outcast status through a game in the haunted woods, only to discover that some legends shouldn't be...

Also available in eBook and eAudiobook formats.

Bog Myrtle
Sharp, Sid
Paper Book
Best Books of 2024 lists: NYPL, New York Magazine, Quill & Quire * JLG Gold Standard Selection * Moonbeam Children's Book Award Winner * Kids Indie Next Pick From the acclaimed author of The Wolf Suit comes another weirdly hilarious, masterfully thought-provoking, and lushly painted early...
The boldest white : a story of hijab and community
Muhammad, Ibtihaj
Paper Book
In this call to bravery from Olympic medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad, Faizah learns to overcome her fears and stand in front of the crowd in this beautiful celebration of family, fencing, and community.   Faizah loves being part of the community at her mosque, and...
Ellen outside the lines
Sass, A. J.
Paper Book
Winner of a Sydney Taylor Book Award Honor! A heartfelt novel about a neurodivergent thirteen-year-old navigating changing friendships, a school trip, and expanding horizons for fans of Rain Reign and Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World. ...

Also available in eBook format.

Endangered animals atlas : a journey across the world and into the wild
Jackson, Tom
Paper Book
In this follow-on to Football Atlas, Space Atlas, Ocean Atlas and Dinosaur Atlas readers will be taken on a journey around the planet and through the distinctive habitats and landscapes it supports! On this Amazing Adventure readers will meet endangered animals from every corner of the globe and...
A first time for everything : a true story
Santat, Dan
Paper Book
*Winner of the National Book Award for Young People's Literature* A middle grade graphic memoir based on bestselling author and Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat's awkward middle school years and the trip to Europe that changed his life. Dan's always been a...
Good food, bad waste : let's eat for the planet
Silver, Erin
Paper Book
A deep dive into why humans waste so much food and the consequences for people and the planet Around the world, a billion tons of food gets thrown away every year, even when hundreds of millions of people suffer from hunger. A lot of what we don't eat ends up rotting in landfills which...
Grounded : a novel
Saeed, Aisha
Paper Book
When a thunderstorm grounds all flights following a huge Muslim convention, four unlikely kids are thrown together. Feek is stuck babysitting his younger sister, but he'd rather be writing a poem that's good enough for his dad, a famous poet and rapper. Hanna is intent on finding a lost cat in the...

Also available in eBook format.

Into the sideways world
Welford, Ross
Paper Book
The moving, funny, thrilling and adventured-filled new novel for readers of 10 and up from bestselling author Ross Welford. When twelve-year-olds Willa and Manny hear of a mysterious animal prowling their town, they are determined to prove it is real. Following the creature...

Also available in eBook format.

The invisible elephant
Anisimova, Anna
Paper Book
A 2024 USBBY Outstanding International Book From beloved Finland-based children's author Anna Anisimova comes a heartwarming, beautifully illustrated chapter book about a blind girl who joyfully explores her environment using her senses and vivid imagination, inviting young readers to...
Isabel in bloom
Respicio, Mae
Paper Book
A middle-school girl discovers a connection between her home in the Philippines and her new home in the U.S. through a special garden in "this sweet and heartfelt novel [that] explores how bumpy beginnings can offer chances for new growth" (The New York Times)
Into the Sock-Verse
Youssefian, Shidan.
Paper Book
Have you ever lost a sock? It's in the Sock-Verse! Get ready to embark on a series of toe-tally awesome adventures that follow a band of misfit socks as they journey through this new whimsical world. Enter Freddy: a skater sock who gets caught in a dizzying spin-cycle and is...
Lunar boy
Wibowo, Jessica
Paper Book
For fans of The Witch Boy and Squished, Lunar Boy is a must-have heartwarming coming-of-age graphic novel about a young boy from the moon who discovers a home in the most unlikely places, from debut twin creators Jes and Cin Wibowo. Indu, a boy from the moon, feels like he...
The new girl
Calin, Cassandra
Paper Book

Also available in eBook format.

No boundaries : 25 women explorers and scientists share adventures, inspiration, and advice
Fieseler, Clare
Paper Book
Along the way, they share lessons learned and words of wisdom sure to inspire the next generation of scientists, adventurers, and world-changers. Track a volcanologist as she braves the elements atop an active volcano. Travel alongside a mountaineer as she battles stereotypes-and...
One Home : Eighteen Stories of Hope from Young Activists
Khan, Hiba Noor.
Paper Book
Join writer and activist Hiba Noor Khan as she takes you on an inspiring journey across the globe to meet eighteen young activists who are taking a stand against climate change. Every person has a right to live on our planet, a right to call somewhere on this earth their home....
Out of My Dreams
Draper, Sharon M.
Paper Book
Melody flies to London to speak at a convention about differently abled kids in this stunning sequel to the acclaimed, New York Times bestselling middle grade novels Out of My Mind and Out of My Heart. When Melody saves...

Also available in eBook and eAudiobook formats.

The Racc Pack. 1
Cooke, Stephanie
Paper Book
Live life in the trash lane with this first entry in a hilarious middle grade graphic novel series about a family of sneaky raccoons from graphic novel superstars Stephanie Cooke and Whitney Gardner! Meet the Bins family, a trio of raccoons in the risky business of dumpster...
Safiyyah's war
Khan, Hiba Noor
Paper Book
Salma writes a book
Ramadan, Ahmad Danny
Paper Book
Same here! : the differences we share
Hughes, Susan
Paper Book
Explore how kids around the world live and the common needs that unite them Children around the world live different lives from one another--different cultures, different geographic and socio-economic realities, differing access to health and education. Despite these differences, they all...
Search for a giant squid : pick your path
Forrester, Amy Seto
Paper Book
A new and exciting pick-your-path STEM adventure for emerging readers! This series starter takes emerging readers on an expedition to the ocean's twilight zone in search of a giant squid. But giant squids are hard to find. Readers will need to join the expedition...
Song of the sea : the graphic novel
Sattin, Samuel
Paper Book
A lush graphic novel about family adrift and the magical adventure that brings them together. Based on the award-winning film, this gorgeous adaptation includes a bonus story from the film's creator. Many years after the disappearance of their...
Special delivery : a book's journey around the world
Faber, Polly
Paper Book
An original and unique story following the journey of one book across the globe, from a printing press in a factory far, far away, over land and across the sea, to the hands of a young boy.
Tasty : a history of yummy experiments
Elliott, Victoria Grace
Paper Book
How did cheese happen? Who pickled the first pickle? Explore the history of innovative food in this non-fiction graphic novel filled with facts, legends, and recipes. Have you ever wondered how some of our favorite foods came to be? How was cheese created and who realized it...
Time to roll
Sumner, Jamie
Paper Book
In the eagerly anticipated sequel to Jamie Sumner's acclaimed and beloved middle grade novel Roll with It, Ellie finds her own way to shine. Ellie is so not the pageant type. They're Coralee's thing, and Ellie is happy to let her talented friend shine in the...
Viewfinder
Chung, Christine D. U.
Paper Book
A young space traveler happens upon Earth in the future in this gorgeous wordless adventure for fans of Shaun Tan. A transportive graphic novel for ages 6 to 9, perfect for Earth Day. A young space traveler visits Earth on a whim and finds a planet empty of people. She happens...
Monstrous mammals
Pallotta, Jerry
Paper Book
Eight monstrous mammals battle it out in this exciting bind-up featuring four Who Would Win? books in this action-packed animal series! Which dangerous animals would win in a fight? Find out in this awesome bind-up of four books in the popular Who Would Win? series. The collection features...
World tour: the ultimate journey around the globe
Collins Kids.
Paper Book
Pack your bags, it's time for a round-the-world adventure! Get ready for a whirlwind tour of the entire world through stunning photographs, colourful maps, and lots of fascinating facts. Eye-catching, educational and engaging, this beautiful hardback book is...
Swimming into trouble
Ahn, Angela
Paper Book
Temporarily sidelined from her swim team by an earache, Julia won't be kept down in this buoyant illustrated novel for ages 7 to 10 by acclaimed writer Angela Ahn. As a member of the Vipers Swim Team, Julia Nam's always in the pool. Mountainview Community Center is like her...

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