2026 TD Summer Reading Books for Older Children

Updated March 13, 2026
W
Winnipeg Public Library Winnipeg Public Library
This is your list in printable form. Simply print this page using your browser's print command.

2026 TD Summer Reading Books for Older Children

Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.
Aniana del Mar jumps in
Me?ndez, Jasminne
Paper Book
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...
Atana and the firebird
Zhou, Vivian
Paper Book
"A charming magical adventure." -- Lily LaMotte, author of Measuring Up 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. ...

Also available in eBook format.

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...
Murray out of water
Tracy, Taylor
Ebook

Also available in eBook format.

No matter the distance
Baldwin, Cindy
Paper Book
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...

Also available in eBook and eAudiobook format.

Off the map
Hashimoto, Meika
Paper Book
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...

Also available in eBook format.

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...
The deep! : wild life at the ocean's darkest depths
Leigh, Lindsey
Paper Book
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...
The Great Lakes : discover the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world, and their importance to the geography and environment around them
Schaefer, Lola M.
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...
The thief who sang storms
Anderson, Sophie
Paper Book
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...
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...
Autumn Peltier, water warrior
Lindstrom, Carole
Paper Book
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...
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...
How the sea came to be : and all the creatures in it
Berne, Jennifer
Paper Book
***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 <...
If you sailed on the Titanic
Patrick, Denise Lewis
Paper Book
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...
The noisy puddle : a vernal pool through the seasons
Sweeney, Linda Booth
Paper Book
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...
Origin
Cardozo, Nat
Paper Book
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...
Puffin and Penguin
Becker, Helaine
Paper Book
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...
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...
Sejal Sinha swims with sea dragons
Prasad, Maya
Paper Book
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...
Stories of the islands
Angkasa, Clar
Paper Book
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...
Sunken ship
Hevron, Amy
Paper Book
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...
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...
Where the water takes us
Barillaro, Alan
Paper Book
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...
Yoshi, sea turtle genius : a true story about an amazing swimmer
Cox, Lynne
Paper Book
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...
Zandi's song
Ndhlovu, Zandile
Paper Book
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...
Find this list online

https://librarian.syndetics.com/syndeticsunbound/lp/739.1102/list/7139

Library staff! You can create and contribute to lists. Contact your catalog administrator or log in here.