Ready to fill your summer reading list with all the latest books? We’ve got you covered! We scoured the reviews to find the best new books for July 2026, with picks for kids, teens, and teachers. So slather on the sunscreen, slip one of these picks into your beach bag, and spend your summer days relaxing with a new read or two.
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July Reading Log
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We Are Teachers
New Fiction Picture Books in July 2026
Amazon
The Skeleton and the Cat by Brandon James Scott
Five sweetly funny short tales tell of the unlikely friendship between Skeleton and Cat. Skeleton isn’t too sure about Cat at first, but the two soon find joy in each other’s company.
Join Rosie as she washes up, cleans the bathroom, eats breakfast, brushes her teeth, and gets ready to go out. After all that careful prep, just what is the little pig planning to do? Jump in a mud puddle!
The Bats on the Bus by Alison Jackson, ill. by Scott Magoon
This Halloween take on “The Wheels on the Bus” will have kids singing along as the bats, vampires, witches, ghosts, and more ride the bus. A fun twist at the end reveals all these scaries to be kids dressed up for Halloween at school!
Digger Daisy! by Andrea Zimmerman, ill. by Dan Yaccarino
Let kids know that a love of construction equipment isn’t just for boys with the story of Daisy. Daisy uses her excavator (along with the help of her crew and some friendly beavers) to help a bulldozer that’s stuck in the mud.
All the Ways We Learn by Chloe Ito Ward, ill. by Yaroslava Apollonova
We absolutely love this new picture book for classrooms, especially as kids head back to school. It helps kids understand why some students use accommodations to learn, making education equitable for all.
In this follow-up to Our Friend Hedgehog, it’s back-to-school season. As the humans head off to learn, the animals of Hedge Hollow decide to start their own school, each teaching what they know best. (Easy Reader)
Young readers will enjoy Maud’s gently spooky adventures as the little vampire investigates a haunted teapot, meets the ghost family living in her dollhouse, holds a yard sale, and much more. (Chapter Book)
After losing her parents, Cherokee teen Raven Miller struggles to fit in at a new school. She faces bullying from the popular crowd, who spread rumors she’s a witch. The thing is, Raven actually does have some magical powers: Her baked goods can literally be life-changing. Now she must decide whether to use her magic for sweet revenge or find her solace in friendship and community instead.
Think of this like Only Murders in the Building for middle grade readers! Reformed thief Valory and neighbor-watching Rook team up to find out what’s happening in an supposedly empty apartment across the alley. When they begin to suspect it’s related to a recent kidnapping, the investigation takes on a real urgency. A real page-turner for mystery lovers!
Dig Romer has been kicked out of multiple boarding schools, so his dad sends him to live with small-town relatives. At first he dismisses the creepy stories about the surrounding woods, but it’s not long before he realizes the monster may actually be real. When no adults will believe them, Dig and some unlikely friends have no choice but to step in and find out just what’s happening out there.
All the Sunshine in the World by Caroline Brooks Dubois
Tolly’s sister died in a distracted-driving accident—and Tolly fears she was the cause. The only way to find out is to get her lost phone back. For now, though, she’s the only 8th grader without a phone, which leads to some surprising new friendships that may help her cope with her grief and anxiety. (Novel in Verse)
High school senior Zakiyyah convinces her parents to let her quit high school and start community college instead, choosing at the same time to begin wearing a niqab as a symbol of her Muslim faith. She also decides she wants to get married, though she doesn’t have anyone in particular in mind. Ultimately, this is a story of a teen learning more about herself as she asks, “What comes after high school?”
Following the loss of her best friend to suicide, neurodivergent Evie withdraws from the world and immerses herself in an online role-playing game. She finds community and even romance there, but she can’t avoid real life forever.
Seventeen-year-old Norah Sullivan enrolls in the elite Academy of Navigation after flickerbeast bites threaten her and her father’s lives. Determined to uncover a cure hidden in restricted archives, she enters a dangerous competition that requires her to learn to navigate flickerstate, “the space between nothingness and the real.” But she won’t be able to win without relying on others and sharing her secrets.
Third-generation Cuban American Evamar is spending time in Cuba spreading sunflower seeds nourished by her abuela’s ashes, despite her fear of the country’s instability and living conditions. The last thing she expects is to fall in love with a Cuban American boy who was deported back to the country. Together, they fulfill her grandmother’s dying wishes and uncover a secret that has the potential to change the lives of millions. (Novel in Verse)
In this easy-reader graphic novel, Mavis and her imaginary friend Duck don’t need anything more than each other’s company. Then one day they meet a boy named Daniel who happens to have an imaginary bird friend of his own! (Grades Pre-K to Grade 3)
Gracie has come to the Young Dancer Summer Workshop in New York City to shine at ballet, not make friends. But the competition is much stiffer than she expects. To find her way, Gracie finds she may just need to rely on support from the new dancers she meets. (Grades 3–8)
This graphic memoir shifts between past and present as 8th grader Damien reflects on his life after his mother died when he was a toddler. Now living with his grandmother and brother, Damien retreats into his memories (and those of others) when present-day life seems too hard. By the end, he comes to understand that mothers can take many forms, and his Nanny fills an important role in his life. (Grades 3–8)
In a flooded future world, Paolo survives by scavenging underwater ruins in the impoverished Flats. After discovering valuable designer clothes, he sneaks into the wealthy Uplands and begins a secret double life. As romance and class differences collide, Paolo struggles to balance ambition, identity, and belonging. (Grades 9–12)
Sharks in Kansas by Melissa Stewart, ill. by Becca Stadtlander
Can you believe sharks once swam in the area we now call Kansas? It’s true! A creature-filled sea stretched across the center of America 85 million years ago. This fascinating new read brings this ancient world to life for kids who love sharks, dinosaurs, or just the amazing history of our planet. (Grades Pre-K to Grade 3)
Share the story of Copernicus with young learners in this new nonfiction book. When he proposed that the Earth revolves around the sun (instead of the other way around), others mocked him. But later science proved him right, showing the importance of careful observation—and belief in yourself. (Grades 1–5)
Grab our free printable July reading log to send to your students so they can easily track their reading. Just enter your email info in the form on this page for instant access!
What new books are you adding to your must-read list in July 2026? Come chat with other book lovers in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook!
