For many, May means the last month of school and the start of summer break. That makes it the perfect time to pick up some new reads to fill the lazy days ahead! These are the May 2026 new books we’re most looking forward to adding to our shelves, based on their promising advance reviews.
Jump to:
FREE PRINTABLE
May Reading Log
Students can keep track of all their May reading accomplishments with this simple free printable log! Just fill out the form on this page to get yours.
New Fiction Picture Books May 2026
Kindergarten Gets Ready by Naomi Danis, ill. by Pete Oswald
Give kids a boost of confidence about starting school with this book, which shows how a classroom (and its dedicated teacher) prepares for its new set of students. Teachers, you’ll love the way this new read shows just how much love and care teachers put into prepping their spaces each year.
Buy it: Kindergarten Gets Ready
Arlo Needs Your Help by Cortney Cino, ill. by Olga Sall
Every kid knows about the famous “hungry caterpillar,” but that story gets some things wrong. That’s what’s led to poor Arlo being shut in a plastic box with food he can’t eat! Pair this new pick with the book that inspired it to give children the full picture of what caterpillars need to thrive.
Buy it: Arlo Needs Your Help
Dad by Christian Robinson
There are so many different ways to be a dad—animal or human. Explore dads around the globe (and around the food web) in this wonderful new book that’s sure to be a Father’s Day favorite.
Buy it: Dad
Sixteen Games of Hide and Seek by Stephen Barr, ill. by Steve Teare
Hide-and-seek is a fun game, but it can take a little courage to play. We love this tale of a father and child playing the classic game, offering reassurance that sometimes it’s OK to hide—and to be found.
Buy it: Sixteen Games of Hide and Seek
Jia Has a Dog Problem by Stephanie Ellen Sy, ill. by Isabella Kung
Little Jia is afraid of dogs. Charlie, the French bulldog who lives upstairs, is afraid of kids. When the two are stuck together during a bad storm, though, they each realize the other isn’t quite as scary as they thought.
Buy it: Jia Has a Dog Problem
New Easy Reader / Chapter Books May 2026
Edith: The Girl Who Was 100 Years Old by Catharina Valckx
Fairies gave Edith two gifts when she was born: eternal childhood and the ability to bring anything to life. Now, she’s been 10 years old for 100 years, and she’s tired of it. Follow her journey to find the fairy and reverse the “gift” in this unique chapter book that’s sure to charm young readers.
Princess Minna: The Giant Beanstalk by Kirsty Applebaum, ill. by Sahar Haghgoo
Kids who love to laugh will enjoy the latest entry in the Princess Minna chapter book series. This time, she must brave the giant at the top of the enormous beanstalk to retrieve everything he’s stolen from her kingdom.
Middle Grade Fiction May 2026 New Books
The Sweet Spot by Elaine Vickers
Trip plans to lead his Little League team to the championship this summer. But between bad news about his deployed Marine father and dealing with difficult teammates, Trip is forced to make hard decisions. Sports stories are terrific for engaging reluctant readers, making this new pick a great one for school shelves.
Buy it: The Sweet Spot
The Strange Disappearance of Imogen Good by Kirsty Applebaum
Fran is not excited about having to spend part of her summer with her snooty cousin, Imogen. But when she arrives at her aunt and uncle’s house, Imogen isn’t there. And what’s even stranger—no one even seems to remember her. Throw a mysterious locked garden into the mix, and Fran’s summer just got a whole lot more interesting.
Styx and Stones by Gary D. Schmidt and Ron Koertge
Simon was just 13 when he was trapped in the Underworld of ancient Greece nearly 2,500 years ago. He’s spent centuries trying to escape, finally breaking free and landing in a modern-day middle school. With help from an outcast student named Zeke, he adjusts to the new world, but their friendship is tested when a demon is sent to drag Simon back, putting everyone around them in danger.
Buy it: Styx and Stones
The Second Life of Snap by Erin Entrada Kelly
Zuzu Santos lives in a dystopian world and knows that robots can’t be trusted. But when her friend reprograms a broken-down robot named Snap, he becomes a loyal friend. But Snap’s battery is slowly running out, and Zuzu must find a way to save him—or learn how to let him go.
Buy it: The Second Life of Snap
The Shark Prince by Malia Maunakea
Nohea Alapaʻi has a secret: He’s a shark prince, and one day he’ll turn into a shark and become king. For now, though, he’s a 13-year-old Hawaiian boy who has to win a surf contest to save his family home—all while protecting his new friends and keeping his secret safe.
Buy it: The Shark Prince
My Brother Oliver by R.L. Toalson
In this new novel in verse, 6th grader Brooks deals with intense guilt after his brother Oliver is hospitalized with severe depression after a “traumatic incident.” Through flashbacks, Brooks tells his family’s story, revealing the challenges of living with (and idolizing) a loved one who suffers from mental illness.
Buy it: My Brother Oliver
Young Adult Fiction May 2026 New Books
Shards of Silence by Brian Lee Young
Derrick Hoskie leaves his Navajo reservation and family in New Mexico to attend an elite Connecticut boarding school. There, a school assignment reveals his great-grandmother’s painful history in an Indian boarding school decades earlier. As Derrick faces pressure and prejudice both as an athlete and scholarship student, he learns to make tough decisions and take responsibility for his choices.
Buy it: Shards of Silence
Holloway by Elana K. Arnold
Nora (18, Jewish, and autistic) has just lost her mother to COVID-19. On a trip to the French countryside to scatter her ashes, Nora suddenly finds herself transported back to 1946. In shock, she lands in an asylum, where new and unexpected friendships help her deal with family trauma and the consequences of her mother’s anti-vaxxer beliefs.
Buy it: Holloway
Never Hide From the Devil by N.T. McQueen
Explore a lesser-known aspect of World War I in this new historical fiction novel: the Armenian Genocide. Fourteen-year-old Suren lives an ordinary life alongside his Turkish best friend, Hamza, until the Ottoman Invasion of 1915 brings violence and the threat of extermination to the Armenian community, changing Suren’s life (and those of everyone he knows) forever.
Buy it: Never Hide From the Devil
Meet Me at the Picket Line by Jasper Sanchez
Trans teen Eli takes a summer job he loves to save for top surgery but finds a toxic workplace instead. His (increasingly attractive) rival, Efraín, is rallying coworkers to unionize. As tensions rise, Eli must choose between protecting his future or standing with his coworkers—and his growing feelings.
Buy it: Meet Me at the Picket Line
The Hanging Bones by Elle Tesch
In a remote forest where the mysterious Scavenge Moon summons the deadly Breimar Hunt, gamekeeper Katrin guides reckless nobles seeking a wish-granting stag. When the baron threatens her cousin, she joins the hunt herself—but as bodies pile up and an ancient force stirs, she questions the true danger.
Buy it: The Hanging Bones
New Graphic Novels May 2026
The Hidden Dominion of Geordie James by Mike Dawson
A group science fair project goes awry when 12-year-old Geordie becomes obsessed with both a pig that’s escaped from a local factory farm and an online game called Dominion. When his father bans the game, Geordie secretly plays from a mysterious hidden forest fort—but he can’t stay hidden away forever. (Grades 4–8)
Opting Out by Maia Kobabe and Swati “Lucky” Srikumar
Seventh-grader Saachi is confused. Her friends are suddenly obsessed with romantic relationships, something that doesn’t interest her at all. What’s more, her changing body is causing her to question why she doesn’t quite seem to feel like a girl—or a boy. As she withdraws from her social group to focus on her writing, she relies on the support of her family to help craft her own personal story. (Grades 6–8)
Buy it: Opting Out
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (Graphic Novel) adapted by Barbara Perez Marquez
The smash hit novel-turned-film-franchise is getting the graphic novel treatment. Reluctant readers will especially enjoy this version of Lara Jean’s complicated love story, drawing in devotees of the movies and new fans as well. (Grades 8–12)
Landing in Place by Sherine Hamdy, ill. by Myra El Mir
College freshman Anisa loves art but feels pressured to follow her sister into pre-med instead. After failing out, she travels to Cairo to spend time with her grandfather. There, she’s free to explore her own interests, even though they conflict with the expectations of society, family, and religion. Back in the United States, it’s harder to hang onto her artistic voice, but she’s determined to stay true to herself. (Grades 8–12)
Buy it: Landing in Place
As I Dream of You by Jennifer Lee and LeUyen Pham
After a chance meeting, Sam and Franny fall into an intense, all-consuming love, sharing their deepest fears and dreams. When tragedy strikes, they try to stay together through lucid dreaming, but their refusal to let go turns their connection into something horrifying instead. Drawing on Greek myths like Orpheus and Eurydice, this new graphic novel is perfect for fans of magic realism. (Grades 10–12)
Buy it: As I Dream of You
New Nonfiction Books for All Ages
Taking Care of You by Lizzy Rockwell
Teach little ones the importance of proper physical hygiene with this engaging new nonfiction picture book. Kids learn not just how but also why they need to take care of their hair, teeth, nails, and skin through fun text and illustrations that emphasize diversity. (Pre-K to Grade 2)
Buy it: Taking Care of You
Weird, Wild, and Rare by Elizabeth Eakes, ill. by Bindy James
Explore the most unusual animals in the United States, from flying squirrels to manatees, pupfish to venomous caterpillars. With bite-sized snippets and colorful illustrations, this is a terrific new nonfiction read for animal lovers. (Pre-K to Grade 3)
Buy it: Weird, Wild, and Rare
Kaleidoscope of Hope by Miranda Paul, ill. by Hari and Deepti
Many children have played with toy kaleidoscopes, but they may not know that the term can also be used to describe a group of butterflies. Both definitions come into play in this book, which teaches the butterfly life cycle as well as the importance of nurturing and protecting our environment. (Pre-K to Grade 3)
Buy it: Kaleidoscope of Hope
Fourteen Ways of Looking at Jellyfish by Carole Boston Weatherford, ill. by Bagram Ibatoulline
Part poetry, part nonfiction, this unusual new book brings jellyfish to life in all their unique glory. Illustrations shift between striking graphic panels and pages that look straight out of a scientist’s notebook, grabbing your attention and holding it as you learn about these special sea creatures. (Grades 1–3)
Diamond Fever! by Steve Sheinkin, ill. by Jon Chad
When two Kentucky cousins announce they’ve found diamonds in the American West in 1870, they set off a stampede known as “Diamond Fever.” But as the months go by and the cousins refuse to reveal the location, suspicions arise. This is the fascinating true story of the Great Diamond Hoax, one of the most carefully planned crimes of the 19th century. (Grades 4–8)
Buy it: Diamond Fever!
Don’t forget to grab your free May Reading Log!
Use this printable log to help kids track the books and pages they read all month long. Just fill out the form on this page to get yours.
