2026 TD Summer Reading Books for Older ChildrenUnpublished

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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...

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...

Shark fans will quickly become shark experts with this informative, inventive and entertaining take on an animal book! Do you know all there is to know about sharks? They're all giant, cold-blooded creatures that enjoy eating humans, right? Well, this book is here to show you...

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...

★ "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...

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...

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...

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...

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<...

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...

The Sisters Ever After series concludes with a captivating Little Mermaid retelling about a younger sister who journeys from the sea to the human world to save the sister who risked everything for love. Daria grew up in Serema, an underwater city where merfolk and humans...

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...

Key Selling Points Fourteen-year-old Charlotte is determined to use her new drone to prove the existence of an elusive lake monster. This story explores family dynamics and intergenerational relationships, as well as themes of conservation, responsibility and doing the right...

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...

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 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...

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...

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...

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!...

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...

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...

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...

***THREE STARRED REVIEWS*** A New York Public Library Best Book for Kids  A Chicago Public Library Kids Best of the Best Book Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year List - STEM & Outstanding Merit <...

What do you know about the sinking of the Titanic? What if you lived in a different time and place? What would you wear? What would you eat? How would your daily life be different? Scholastic's If You Lived... series answers all of kids' most important questions about events...

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...

Portraits of Indigenous children and their communities from around the world in a stunning presentation emphasizing community and a connection to the land and the environment We are all one. We all inhabit the same planet, and we all have a common human origin. This is the...

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...

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....

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...

This second book in the chapter book series about a young Indian American girl who loves science and has a big imagination introduces readers to an incredible sea creature--perfect for fans of The Magic School Bus and Over the Moon! Sejal and her brother, Abu, are...

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...

"This sweet early reader comic can be read simply as an enjoyable story, or it can be a catalyst for discussion with younger readers about their sense of self." -School Library Journal Surf's up! Another fin-tastic graphic novel adventure awaits with your favorite shark...

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...

Explore the wonderful world beneath the waves in this fun, non-fiction graphic novel packed with fun facts and engaging characters. Learn about waves, tides, and currents, which keep our oceans moving continuously in this comic book for children aged 6-8. Filled with...

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...

Zeke and his friends have 'spring fever' and are excited about the temperature rising, but Zeke's Mood Meter starts to wobble when he notices cracks in the river ice. If the ice melts too quickly, it could turn into a flood! When Zeke's favourite meteorologist, Freeze Jones, invites him to join his...

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...

Debut author Alan Barillaro delivers a stirring story about a sensitive, shaken young girl who must face that growing up means coming to terms with the things you cannot change--and taking responsibility for the things you can. Ava's mom is about to have twins, and the...

In this picture book that is both heartwarming and exciting, join Yoshi, a sea turtle, on her remarkable journey as she swims farther than any animal in recorded history--23,000 miles!--to return to the beach where she first hatched, to lay her own eggs. Inside every loggerhead...

Featured on CBS Mornings and The Kelly Clarkson Show! Zandi is a girl on a mission: to bring a message of conservation to the world. Zandi was always thinking and dreaming about the ocean. Then, one special day, the ocean calls for her. Zandi tentatively...