Summer Reading 2026

Opposites Axolotl and Axolittle are brother and sister who find themselves in a sibling disagreement. Will they be able to make up despite their differences?

Arfy follows his nose as he tracks down a mysterious smell. Fans of Can I Be Your Dog? by the same author will love this early comic reader.

POP!

As a hot day sizzles into evening, everyone on stoops and sidewalks looks skyward on this special summer night—the Fourth of July! Words and art blossom into flowers of fire across the sky, making this a perfect read for firework enthusiasts in cities and suburbs everywhere.

Winner of the 2026 Caldecott Medal

Squirrel and Bird are back, and this time it's summer! But squirrel is perplexed: a few weeks ago, the sun was still out at bedtime. Now he's brushing his teeth in the dark! There must be... A SUN THIEF!

With vibrant art and captivating characters, the magic of summer's changes is captured beautifully on each page as readers tag along on Squirrel's forest adventure. Is there truly a sun thief on the loose, or is something else going on?

Do you want to know what the future is like? Turn the pages to get a glimpse at the world of tomorrow and its unexpected words, strange social customs, and mind-blowing colors!

Why, dear reader, must you NEVER EVER trust fish?

1) They spend all their time in the water where we can’t see them.

2) Some are as big as a bus—that is not okay.

3) We don't know what they're teaching in their "schools."

4) They are likely plotting our doom.

This nature-guide-gone-wrong is a hilarious, off-the-rails exploration of the seemingly innocent animals that live in the water.

When plucky Gilbert the Goblin and his pal Chicken go camping together, they run into creatures that go bump in the night! The friends immediately flee the woods and head home—after all, everyone knows that monsters are absolutely, undeniably, unequivocally the worst!

Penelope Rex is the only dinosaur in her school and she likes it that way. But when a new kid joins her class, Penelope doesn’t know how to feel about it—because this new kid is another dinosaur! As she tries to welcome Patty Topps, Penelope is faced with some dino-size questions about standing out, fitting in, and what really makes her feel special.

Readers will root for Penelope as she navigates what it means to be one of a kind (even if she’s no longer the only kid in her class who is seven feet tall and covered in scales). This newest installment in the popular series comes out in August!

Reluctant reader Madeline really wants to earn a star at school, so when Mrs. Dimple, the librarian, suggests she read to a dog, Madeline gives it a try in the first installment of this series, Madeline Finn and the Library Dog.

The Crayons are getting ready to go to bed, but each crayon has something special they need to fall asleep. A great choice for fans of The Day the Crayons Quit by the same author.

Eliana is a thoughtful, spunky 1st grader who shares her love of the Hmong culture with readers. The newest installment, titled The Magnificent Hmong New Year tells the story of Eliana and her family as they prepare for the New Year together. Everyone has a job to do except Eliana, but she wants to help! Will the title character get the opportunity to help her family in time for their three-day celebration?

Fans of fairy tales and early chapter books will love this series by different authors! Book 1 follows “Indi” as she adjusts to having a new stepmom and stepsisters in this fractured Cinderella story. Indi soon discovers the twins are into live-action role-playing. Indi excitedly offers to craft them new costumes. Then she gets a chance to make costumes for herself, her sisters, and their mysterious friend for the big end-of-the-year school celebration. But when the twins get in trouble for messing up their mom's kitchen, Indi takes the blame. That's when Indi's fairy godmother, FG, decides to appear, and events take a magnificent turn. Follow along as Indi's story unfolds in her very own journal entries.

The What Was…? series is a natural extension of the Who Was…? series, offering informative accounts of key historical events such as Pompeii, D-Day, Ellis Island, the World Cup, and more.

Famous athletes from the past and present face off in this fun fact book series to teach readers all about each person’s accomplishments. Is one athlete better than another? Kids can decide for themselves!

Welcome to Unicornia, the most wonderful place ever! Claudia is about to start her first day at the Unicornia Academy of Magic, where she'll learn all about spells, potions, and most importantly, unicorns! But she will need to ace her first unicorn flying test at the end of the week if she hopes to advance. With the help of her new friends, will Claudia learn to ride in record time? Get ready for unicorns, glitter, and magic galore in this shimmering story of friendship and fun.

Otto and Sheed, small-town sleuths, spend their summer solving mischief—until a stranger with a time-freezing camera appears. With help from odd allies, they must work together to save their town before time stops for good, despite their differences.

Twelve-year-old Eddie tries to avoid laundry by wearing all his clothes—until he’s grounded on Beach Bash day. When a power outage leaves him stuck mid-wash, he ventures outside and discovers his neighborhood is eerily empty. Teaming up with other kids, they realize their families—and maybe everyone else—are gone.

A year older and braver, Melody heads to summer camp with her Medi-talker, determined to gain independence and make real friends. Through new challenges, scares, and even a first crush, she discovers just how strong she is.

When ghost sightings at an abandoned lighthouse spark chaos, Olive and her misfit team take the case. As rumors spread—from ghosts to a possible sea monster—and a corrupt mogul closes in, they must uncover the truth and protect the mysterious creature.

A heartwarming story told in alternating perspectives about a rescue dog and a nervous, but lovable cheetah cub as they form a special bond following separate traumas in each of their lives.

The first in its series, the story follows Minerva Shrew as she ventures into the dangers of a human house to solve the mystery of a missing necklace.

In the newer chapter book series, Jasper acts as the guide and narrator rather than the main character. The tales focus on other woodland creatures experiencing their own hilariously unsettling, Twilight Zone-style scenarios: Troubling Tonsils (Book 1), Unsettling Salad (Book 2), and Yarn is Everything (Book 3).

Rex Dexter, is itching to have a dog... but ends up with a pet chicken.

One hour and fourteen minutes later, the chicken is dead (by a steamroller), Rex is cursed (by the Grim Reaper), and wild animals are haunting Rex's room (hounding him for answers). Even his best friend, Darvish, is not going to believe this, and that kid believes everything!

Rex's uninvited ghostly guests are a chatty, messy bunch. And they need Rex to solve their mysterious, deadly departures from the Middling Falls Zoo before it happens again. But how?

Can Super Rabbit Boy rescue his kidnapped animal friends from meanie King Viking? It's up to YOU to try to save the day -- all you have to do is press start! In this 144-page, full-color special edition, each page presents the reader with a number of options for the next page turn. Readers will see their choices make the story unfold in fun and exciting ways! But be careful -- if the wrong choice is made, it might be game over! In this unique Press Start adventure, it’s up to you to beat the game!

This high-interest series takes young readers on an exciting adventure through the virtual world of Roblox. With thrilling stories featuring epic challenges, zombie invasions, and heart-pounding chases, this series is a must-have for Roblox fans looking to experience the action beyond the screen.

When 12-year-old Teddy Fitzroy and his parents move into FunJungle, the nation's largest zoo, Teddy is prepared for some excitement - like maybe the occasional elephant stampede or a chimpanzee water balloon fight. Then Henry the Hippo dies from not-so-natural causes, and Teddy suspects foul play. It's just the first of many mysteries to unfold at FunJungle, as Teddy finds himself investigating a missing koala, trying to save a rhino from poachers, and more. This series features hilarious madcap mysteries, fun facts for every animal lover, and has an eye towards environmentalism and conservation--suggestions to kids on how to get involved are included in the back of the books.

A middle-grade novel, Nando is the fourth book in the Best Friends Dog Tales series (though it can be enjoyed as a stand-alone book) about a loyal border collie who gets lost after a storm and is rescued by a boy named Levi, learning that he doesn't have to be perfect to be loved. August 4th is its release date, but the three preceding stories in the series can be enjoyed any time: Stella, Just Gus, and Millie.

In Book 1, What Happened to the Naked Mole Rat?, eight-year-old Carter teams up with the ghost of his class pet, Mr. Pebbles, to solve the mystery of the mole rat's death and clear his name after being blamed for it.

Follow Kitty on her various adventures in this colorful graphic novel series for lovers of the traditional Bad Kitty stories. From taking a test to keep her cat license to celebrating birthdays, readers of all ages will be entertained from start to finish.

In Gymnastics Challenge, Harper's passion is parkour. Moving over, under, and around obstacles in unique ways makes her feel like a superstar. But when the big parkour competition is cancelled, Harper has no place to compete- unless she joins a gymnastics team. Will Harper find the same passion for gymnastics as parkour?

Zara and Zeeshan can’t stop fighting, even on a family trip—until they’re forced to spend time together. When they discover an injured turtle, the twins must set aside their rivalry and work as a team.

Planet Earth meets Narwhal and Jelly in this funny and suspenseful young reader graphic novel adventure series featuring heroic animals! Inspired by true events, the book includes facts about climate change, animals, and how kids can help protect the environment.

Ford rivers, hike mountains, and make the trek to Oregon City in this colorful, fully illustrated adventure! Depending on the path you pick, you could face wild animals, natural disasters, famine, sickness, unpredictable weather, or even death. With more than fifty story possibilities to follow, each decision counts. Make the right choices and blaze a trail out west! Do you have what it takes?

This primary nonfiction biography series shares engaging stories about the lives of many historical figures - from Lucille Ball and Martin Luther King, Jr. to Walt Disney and Sacagawea. All ages enjoy these colorful picture books!

Introducing the brand-new series from National Geographic Kids that combines two wonderful things: supercute photos of all your favorite fluffy animals and silly text that will have the whole family laughing. Add to that some great nonfiction content that gets kids learning, and, what can we say? This series is just so cute!

A nonfiction series that offers "origin" stories of famous cultural figures, characters, and events throughout history. A great option for fans of the "Who Is/Was" series!