It’s time to break out your beach blankets along with a few new additions to series for young readers, including a picture book about an iceberg that learns not to be jealous of a newcomer, a middle grade adventure about saving magical artifacts, the conclusion to a YA fantasy trilogy featuring an epic final battle, and more.
Picture Books and Graphic Novels
Bubble Gum Bison Needs a Bath by Scott Rothman, illus. by Pete Oswald (Random House Studio, June 11 $18.99; ISBN 978-0-593-70295-6). The newest addition to the Bison Family series follows Bubble Gum Bison, who will do anything to avoid taking a bath.
The Digger and the Dark by Joseph Kuefler (HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray, June 25 $19.99; ISBN 978-0-06-323793-3). Digger and friends are ready for a long night’s rest but meet furry friends who want to stay up in the fourth book in the Digger series.
Diggers Love to Go to School by Brianna Caplan Sayres, illus. by Christian Slade (Random House, June 4 $8.99; ISBN 978-0-593-80694-4). In the latest Where Do... book, diggers and their friends explore all the exciting activities they can enjoy at school.
Getting Ready for Kindergarten by Vera Ahiyya (Random House, June 4 $5.99 paper; ISBN 978-0-593-80948-8). A girl makes sure she has everything she needs for her first day of kindergarten in this Getting Ready picture book.
Getting Ready for Preschool by Vera Ahiyya (Random House, June 4 $5.99 paper; ISBN 978-0-593-80951-8). In this addition to the Getting Ready series, a boy and his family prepare for his first day of preschool, but what he may really need is a little affection from loved ones.
The Girl and the Mermaid by Hollie Hughes, illus. by Sarah Massini (Bloomsbury, June 18 $18.99; ISBN 978-1-5476-1434-9). In this book from the creators of The Girl and the Dinosaur, a girl encounters a mermaid who leads her into the deep sea where she doesn’t have to worry about memories disappearing.
Grumpy Monkey Too Many Bugs by Suzanne Lang, illus. by Max Lang (Random House, June 4 $5.99 paper; ISBN 978-0-593-43467-3). Jim Panzee grows upset when his best friend doesn’t have time to hang out now that he’s taken an interest in bugs, in the new book in the Step into Reading series.
Harold the Iceberg Is Not a Super Food by Lisa Wyzlic, illus. by Rebecca Syracuse (Feiwel and Friends, June 4 $18.99; ISBN 978-1-250-87780-2) In the sequel to Harold the Iceberg Melts Down, the titular star learns not to compare himself to others when a new super food moves to town.
Hello, I’m a Pangolin by Hayley Rocco, illus. by John Rocco (Putnam, June 25 $16.99; ISBN 978-0-593-61815-8). Readers are introduced to the pangolin, an endangered species in need of protection, in the second Meet the Wild Things book.
Not-a-Box City by Antoinette Portis (HarperCollins, June 11 $17.99; ISBN 978-0-06-182728-0). In the third Not-a-Box picture book, Bunny is determined to build a cardboard city alone, but learns that collaboration is part of the fun.
Sink or Swim by Veronica Agarwal and Lee Durfey-Lavoie (Random House Graphic, June 4 $14.99 paper; ISBN 978-1-984-89702-2). Ty struggles to reconnect with his friends and rekindle his passion for swimming after an injury, in the second graphic novel of the Just Roll with It series.
Super Pancake and the Mini Muffin Mayhem by Megan Wagner Lloyd, illus. by Abhi Alwar (Knopf, June 4 $10.99 paper; ISBN 978-0-593-37851-9). Peggy Pancake is left in charge of a group of rambunctious muffins in the second book of the Super Pancake series.
Walrus Brawl at the Mall by Nathan Hale (Amulet, June 11 $15.99; ISBN: 978-1-4197-7435-5). Trilobite and his friends face the downside of pursuing fame in the second graphic novel in the Mighty Bite series.
Novels
Break the Game by Andrew Auseon (Labyrinth Road, June 18 $14.99 ISBN ISBN 978-0-593-48275-9). In the second Spellbinders book, Ben, Niara, Merv, Drake, and their new friend Agnes must stop a dangerous entity from finding all of the Spellbinder’s books.
Children of Anguish and Anarchy by Tomi Adeyemi (Henry Holt, June 25 $24.99; ISBN 978-1-250-17101-6). In the third and finale book of the Legacy of Orisha series, Zelie confront King Baldyr, who has destroyed everything in his path in order to gain access to her power.
Children of the Wind by Nedda Lewers (Putnam, June 11 $18.99; ISBN 978-0-593-61933-9). Sahara struggles to maintain an important friendship and keep Ali Baba’s magic lamp from falling into the wrong hands in the second book of the Daughters of the Lamp series.
The City Beyond the Sea by Pari Thomson (FSG, June 4 $17.99; ISBN 978-0-374-39139-3). When Daisy and her friends set sail in search of Daisy’s mother, they encounter the dangerous Grim Reapers and will need to find a hidden city to survive, in the second book of the Greenwild series.
Darkness and Demon Song by M.R. Fournet (Feiwel and Friends, June 18 $17.99; ISBN 978-1-250-87604-1). Marius Grey worries that the return of his mother has come with dire consequences in the second book of the Marius Grey series.
Hearts That Cut by Kika Hatzopoulou (Razorbill, June 18 $19.99; ISBN 978-0-593-52874-7). In the sequel to Threads That Bind, Io and Bianca travel to a golden city to investigate a series of sibling disappearances.
Icon and Inferno by Marie Lu (Roaring Brook, June 11 $20.99; ISBN 978-1-250-85291-5). The sequel to A Stars and Smoke reunites pop star Winter and secret agent Sydney for another mission: this time to save a fellow agent, who also happens to be Sydney’s ex-boyfriend.
Lei and the Invisible Island by Malia Maunakea. Penguin Workshop, June 4 $18.99 ISBN 978-0-593-52205-9). Lei and her friends travel to an invisible island to find a relic that will keep an ancestral guardian healthy in the sequel to Lei and the Fire Goddess.
Masquerade of the Heart by Katy Rose Pool (Henry Holt, June 18 $20.99; ISBN 978-1-250-84668-6). Marlow is forced to turn to her estranged father for help to save Adrius, and questions her loyalties in the duology closer of the Garden of the Cursed series.
Natalie’s Double Trouble by Coco Simon, illus. by Manuela López (Simon Spotlight, June 4 $6.99 paper; ISBN 978-1-665-95237-8). In the second book of the Cupcake Diaries: The New Batch chapter book series, Natalie is overwhelmed when she takes on too many baking projects and deals with jealousy when her twin sister resolves the problem.
Past Present Future by Rachel Lynn Solomon (Simon & Schuster, June 4 $19.99, ISBN 978-1-665-90195-6). In the sequel to Today Tonight Tomorrow, Rowan and Neil learn to navigate a long-distance relationship after falling in love in 24 hours.
