School’s out, and summer has finally arrived! Now’s the time to grab some new reads and stretch out on the hammock. We’ve combed the reviews to find out what’s about to hit the shelves, and these are the new books for June 2026 we’re most excited to relax with this summer.
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New Fiction Picture Books June 2026
Watermelon Pool by Bonsoir Lune
The lazy, hot days of summer wouldn’t be complete without cold, juicy watermelon. Anyone who’s ever wished they could dive right into one for a cool swim will love this sweet new June picture book!
Buy it: Watermelon Pool
Toad on the Go by Jashar Awan
The beloved hero of Towed by Toad is back! As he races to help a customer with a flat tire, Toad causes an accident. No one is hurt, but Toad needs to fix the other car—and own up to his mistake.
Buy it: Toad on the Go
I Am the Mountain by Steven Weinberg
With breathtaking illustrations set off by simple, powerful text, this new picture book takes readers on an immersive sensory journey through the four seasons of a majestic mountain.
Buy it: I Am the Mountain
What Do We Do in Preschool? by Kathryn Wanless
Summer is the perfect time to help young ones adjust to the idea of starting preschool. This new picture book gives prospective students a good idea of what to expect, calming first-day jitters and building excitement.
Buy it: What Do We Do in Preschool?
Welcome to Our Classroom! by Alexandra Penfold, ill. by Suzanne Kaufman
The creators (and characters) of All Are Welcome are back in this new read that’s perfect for the first day of school. The diverse classroom gives every student a chance to see themselves on the pages as they get ready to kick off a brand-new school year.
Buy it: Welcome to Our Classroom!
June 2026 New Easy Reader / Chapter Books
Frankie and Friends: The Missing Sock by Christine Platt, ill. by Alea Marley
In the fourth chapter book about future journalist Frankie, follow along as she and her pals do some investigative reporting into what happened to a laundry’s missing sock. Aspiring writers will learn new journalistic terms and might just be inspired to do some reporting of their own.
Fish Do Not Have Feet! by T. J. Miller
Giggle your way through this easy reader as one determined little fish proves that he really does have feet—no matter what others say!
Buy it: Fish Do Not Have Feet!
Venus Washington and the Birthday Blowout by Maisha Oso, ill. by Courtney Lovett
Venus is back, and this time she’s trying to plan the perfect celebration for her brother’s first birthday party. Her parents say she’s only in charge of decorations, but that won’t stop her! This new chapter book is as hilarious and engaging as the first.
New Middle Grade Fiction Books for June
Perfect Enough by Meg Eden Kuyatt
Dragon-loving Selah is sure her new autism diagnosis and adaptive tools will help her make her time at a summer writing camp a big success. But despite the support of her best friends and a neurodivergent counselor, Selah still struggles. Written in free verse, this new novel beautifully portrays a young teen’s journey to redefining what it means to succeed.
Buy it: Perfect Enough
Rostam Wrecks the Realm by Olivia Abtahi
Rostam worked hard to make new friends when he moved from Earth to Enceladus, but his mom’s new transfer to boring Pars-1 means starting over again. When an ancient demon prince offers to make a deal—popularity in exchange for the legendary Persian golden mace—he’s eager to agree. But this bargain soon puts his new planet at risk, and Rostam must find a way to save it before it’s too late.
Buy it: Rostam Wrecks the Realm
The Book of Jupiter by Robin Stevenson
Growing up as part of the Jupiter Station cult, Ara has always believed what she’s been taught. But when her brother pushes her to question everything she’s always known, her beliefs begin to crumble. This fascinating novel is an age-appropriate, well-researched look into the way cults function and draw people in.
Buy it: The Book of Jupiter
Roxie in Color by Diane Debrovner and Stacy Cervenka
Roxie loves and admires her accomplished mom and dad, but others can’t seem to see anything but their vision disability. When Roxie starts a new school, she sees a chance to escape the label that’s always been applied to her: “the girl with the blind parents.” But keeping that secret (and an even more personal one) is much harder than she expects.
Buy it: Roxie in Color
Home of the Brave by Kitty Felde
In the latest entry in the Fina Mendoza series, the young detective and social justice warrior battles to prove that a scary-looking man living in a broken-down RV isn’t the vandal responsible for neighborhood crimes. As she urges her community to fight stereotypes, she also discovers more about the man himself, who turns out to be an artist—and a military vet.
Buy it: Home of the Brave
New Young Adult Fiction June 2026
Winners & Liars by Aleema Omotoni
Wealthy Cambridge Professor Darnley and his wife are dead, and their will shockingly disinherits their aristocratic children. Instead, an elite group of Cambridge students are invited to compete in an immersive Victorian-themed literary competition to win the estate. Working-class Derin is determined to win, but her competitors (and the disinherited heirs) all have their own scheming motives and goals.
Buy it: Winners & Liars
Blue Beach by Karyn Parsons
When Blue and her friend Ben find a white debutante washed up on the Santa Monica beach Blue’s parents own (the only Black beach in town in 1929), they panic and move her body to a nearby white beach. Now, Ben’s darker skin has put him in the crosshairs of panicked white townsfolk, and it’s up to Blue to prove his innocence.
Buy it: Blue Beach
The Game of Oaths by S.C. Bandreddi
The Hunger Games meets a late 19th-century circus in this new fantasy YA novel. Trapeze artist Falan is one of 12 chosen to compete to the death in this year’s Game of Oaths, which took her sister’s life the previous year. If Falan is going to survive, she’ll have to figure out who to trust. But are there any winners at all in this “game”?
Buy it: The Game of Oaths
How To Lose Yourself Completely by Peter Bognanni
Wilderness adventure therapy is supposed to help Case’s anxiety in the wake of his brother’s death. But when the counselor goes missing, survival suddenly takes priority. Now this group of anxious teens must figure out how to make it back home—a journey that will change their lives along the way.
Buy it: How To Lose Yourself Completely
The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue by Zoulfa Katouh
Colors speak to 17-year-old Syrian American Jihad, but the world becomes gray and flat after her mother’s death. Enrolling in the elite Braxton Academy for her senior year only makes things worse, so she turns to her sketchbook for solace. As her drawings magically transform into murals for all to see, Jihad begins to paint a new future by sharing her resilient mother’s story.
Buy it: The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue
June 2026 Graphic Novels for All Ages
Aurora and the Orc by Lewis Trondheim
There’s something unusual about the new kid in Aurora’s class, and it’s up to her to help this orc (whose personal goal is slaying 1,000 elves) adapt to school life. As she journeys between worlds, Aurora learns a lot about orcs—and her own family. (Grades 2–5)
Buy it: Aurora and the Orc
Through the Black Gate by Alfredo Cáceres
Orphaned Irene and her roommate Francis make a deal with the Ferryman to the Land of the Dead—he’ll return their loved ones if they help him return to the Land of the Living. But this bargain may put everything they know in danger. Is it worth the risk? (Grades 3–8)
Buy it: Through the Black Gate
Midsummer Sisters by Niki Smith
Stepsisters Quinn and Kenzie spend the summer with their grandmother in the Outer Banks while their parents’ relationship deteriorates back home. The coastal marshes and wild horses provide a calming backdrop as they try to process what life (and their relationship) might be like if their parents split up. (Grades 4–8)
Buy it: Midsummer Sisters
Declaration Illustrated by R. Sikoryak
You’ve never seen American history presented quite like this! The jarring juxtaposition of famous cartoon characters alongside the text of the American Declaration of Independence, Emancipation Proclamation, and Gettysburg Address will draw in reluctant readers and history buffs alike. (Grades 9–12)
Buy it: Declaration Illustrated
Charity & Sylvia by Tillie Walden
Charity Bryant and Sylvia Black built a quiet life together in early 1800s Vermont, sharing a home, running a business, and becoming part of their community. This graphic biography explores their daily lives and challenges as an openly same-sex couple in a country that’s constantly growing and changing. (Grades 10–12)
Buy it: Charity & Sylvia
June 2026 New Nonfiction Books for All Ages
The Long Hike by Meghan McCarthy
The Appalachian Trail covers nearly 2,000 miles of mountainous terrain from Maine to Georgia. Imagine hiking that entire path in one season! Earl Shaffer was the first person to do it back in 1945, and his story will inspire kids to get out and take a hike themselves. (Pre-K to grade 3)
Buy it: The Long Hike
No Brain the Same edited by Lindsay H. Metcalf et al.
Meet 14 neurodivergent activists through poems celebrating their accomplishments, written by poets who share their challenges. This new read also features brief bios, poetic term definitions, and explanations of various kinds of neurodivergence. (Grades K–4)
Buy it: No Brain the Same
Liberty’s Forgotten Hero by Kesha L. Grant
James Forten wasn’t born enslaved, but he certainly faced discrimination as a Black man living in the American colonial era. The American Constitution denied this Revolutionary War fighter citizenship, so he dedicated the rest of his life to the abolition cause, demanding the rights Black Americans deserved. (Grades 4–8)
Buy it: Liberty’s Forgotten Hero
The Book of Disappearing Plants by Stepanka Sekaninova, ill. by Eliska Podesvova
When we talk about endangered species, we usually think of animals. But many plants are in trouble too. Explore 30 plant species that are vanishing from the planet and learn how to help them in this new nonfiction read. (Grades 4–8)
Buy it: The Book of Disappearing Plants
What If You Could by Jacina Ardern
As New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern was the youngest woman to lead a country anywhere in the world, and people thought she would be too kind or insecure to succeed. This young reader adaptation of her book A Different Kind of Power shows kids youthful thinking may just be what makes our planet a better place in the end. (Grades 5–12)
Buy it: What If You Could
Don’t forget to grab your free printable June reading log!
