A Cup of Quiet by Nikki Grimes, illus. by Cathy Ann Johnson

One summer, a young Black girl’s quality time with her grandma is interrupted by her boisterous grandfather. In exasperation, the grandma exclaims how desperately she needs a cup of quiet. The grandma convinces her doubtful granddaughter of the quiet possibilities, by taking her to the garden, handing her an imaginary cup, and instructing her to “walk around the garden / and fill this cup / with any sounds you hear.”

Don’t Trust Fish by Neil Sharpton, illus. by Dan Santat

Fish are not to be trusted. Mammals? Of course. Birds? Yep. Even reptiles? Sure. Fish, however, are agents of chaos, rule-defiers, rebels without any causes. Some live in saltwater, others in freshwater. Some have lungs while others have gills. Some eat seaweed, others eat other fish, and still others eat crabs. This story goes gleefully off the rails through the wonderfully absurd exaggerations of a clearly unreliable, decidedly crabby narrator.

Everybelly by Thao Lam

Swimsuit and goggles at the ready, a child marches their way past their neighbors and community members at the local public pool. Neither the child nor the viewer sees their faces, as the kiddo’s eyes are level with a diverse array of bellies that each hold a story reflective of the love and at-homeness felt throughout this community of all kinds of bodies.

Firefly Season by Cynthia Leitich Smith, illus. by Kate Gardiner

After four weeks with her cousins fishing, chasing fireflies, and listening to her Elders’ stories, Piper, a young Muscogee girl, heads back home. She desperately misses her family, but when a new girl, Sumi, moves in next door, the two develop a special bond. Embracing their multicultural friendship that lasts through the passing seasons, their reflections on family, found family, and how bonds are forged and kept, make for a reassuring and wholesome read.

Fireworks by Matthew Burgess, illus. by Cátia Chien

On the Fourth of July, two siblings walk down the streets of New York City, eagerly awaiting the night’s big event. They take in the sights and sounds of the city, cooling off under a burst of water from a fire hydrant and munching on mouthwatering watermelon wedges until night time arrives, and they climb a ladder to the rooftop ready for a spectacular fireworks display to commence.

Made for More by Chloe Ito Ward, illus. by Gael Abary

A young Japanese girl tells the story of her family immigrating to Hawaii and how her pride in her skin color contradicts those in her new community who advise her to stay out of the sun to prevent it from darkening. This novel thoughtfully explores cultural expectations surrounding beauty standards while our young protagonist learns to embrace her identity and heritage while surfing ocean waves and climbing misty mountains.

Otter Carries On by Maya Tatsukawa

When a storm comes and the other animals swim to safety, Otter is unable to navigate the choppy waters as the little creature tries to hold onto the many rocks they have collected. A whale inadvertently upends Otter’s rocks, but it’s a stroke of luck, as Otter happily realizes they can move their arms and swim and decides to store the remaining few rocks on land rather than carry them around. 

Shark Girl by Kate Beaton

Despite being half human, Shark Girl has no real interest in events topside, but she is unfortunately and quite literally dragged into human affairs when she’s caught in a trawling net. After magicking herself into human form, she joins the crew of the Trawler to lead a mutiny against its evil captain in this splashy subversive take on The Little Mermaid.

The History of We by Nikkolas Smith

Centered in Africa, this celebration of early human ingenuity takes readers “so far back that all of our roots begin to tell the same story” and then guides us through centuries of the human race building our dreams through language, art, and music. We shaped our surroundings, explored new worlds and built just as many, cultivating nature as we moved further and further over land and sea.

¡Vamos a surfear! by Kwame Alexander, illus. by Danial Miyares, tra. by Isabel C. Mendoza

Two frog friends take a trip to the beach to enjoy an afternoon of surfing, but one of them is so enamored with the book they’re reading that they can hardly look up the whole journey there. When the green frog insists that books are boring, the orange frog begins to read aloud, gradually pulling them both into the tale of a froggy captain trying to capture a white whale in exchange for gold. 

Badge Quest: A Cheesy Brie-ginning! by Guy Kopsombut

A dragon has stolen the Golden Cheese Statue from young bear Pillow’s town, and Pillow sees finding and slaying the cheese thief as the perfect opportunity to earn another badge in his Badge Quest. On his quest he meets an adorably pink “dragon” named Fae, who is actually a fairy, and together they search for the real cheese-stealing dragon. This graphic novel humorously ends with a badge earning lesson on how to make vegan cheese.

Audre & Bash Are Just Friends by Tia Williams

When Audre’s summers plans are derailed, she comes to find excitement in a new, cute, rule-bending surfer and amateur tattoo artist named Bash. He is the type of boy Audre’s parents would warn her against but in their distraction, a typically goody-goody Audre decides not to play this summer safe, enlisting Bash to be her “fun consultant,” and teaching Audre how to have the kind of good time you can’t just read about.

The Forgotten Summer of Seneca by Camryn Garrett

Twelve-year-old Rowan knows that nothing will bring back her father, but she finds solace for her broken heart in living with her Aunt Monica in New York City while carrying around her father’s beloved camera. After she stumbles into a portal that leads to Seneca Village, a primarily Black neighborhood from the early 1800s, her sense of curiosity and adventure is sparked.

Gabby Torres Gets a Billion Followers by Angela Dominguez

When 9-year-old Gabby is tasked with managing the social media for the Sea Musketeers, a club dedicated to protecting the ocean, she becomes obsessed with unmasking a mean troll from the comments, even questioning friends and family and nearly losing her best pals during her investigation. This illustrated novel exemplifies a growth mindset and shares a message about healthy social media use.

Meet Me at Sunset by Lee Heart

Ready for her beach vacation, Julie has plans to make James, a boy she’s been crushing on, fall in love with her. However, there’s a wrench in the plan when Julie’s classmate Sophia is invited along and discovers Julie has been lying about dating James. Tensions surface as Julie learns how to embrace her genuine self and also learns how to be a better friend through accepting that fulfilling relationships can come in all forms. 

The Queen Bees of Tybee County by Kyle Casey Chu

Middle school basketball star Derrick discovers a new side of himself when he spends the summer with his estranged grandmother, who’s deeply involved in her small Georgia town’s beauty pageant. Unfortunately, he doesn’t know how to reconcile this burgeoning interest in drag with his basketball-playing bro side. This book tenderly follows the classic coming-of-age formula as Derrick goes after what makes him happy, even at the cost of others’ judgment.

Smokes & Mirrors by Rosalyn Ransaw

With his father in prison, 12-year-old Andy is staying with his Aunt Nonie for the summer. When Andy is falsely blamed for burning down a barn, he’s forced to help restore a decaying mansion, once home to the Red Nave, a legendary magician accused of murder. Given Andy’s own experiences with wrongful accusations, the decades old mystery sparks his inner sleuth and motivates him to seek the answers someone has kept hidden.

The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall by Chris Cotter

Spending the summer at Camp Blue Heron in 1960, Bee is frightened that the monster she believes caused her dad’s death might come for her too. Luckily, Bee makes a friend in campmate, Zippy. When other girls from the Hawk tent keep showing up to breakfast exhausted with all their flashlight batteries drained, Zippy and Bee are eager to find out what’s going on and eventually stumble into trouble they aren’t equipped to handle.

The Village Beyond the Mist by Sachiko Kashiwaba, illus. by Miho Satakf, tra. by Avery Fischer Udagawa

Sixth grader Lina Uesugi is unexpectedly guided by her umbrella to Misty Valley, a hidden rural village delightfully populated by gnomes, centaurs, and other fantastical creatures. Kashiwaba’s beloved novel, seamlessly translated from Japanese to English and complemented by Satake’s intricate illustrations, invites young readers into a world filled with delightful whimsy, profound moments of self-discovery, and gentle reminders of the power of community.

Zarina Divided by Reem Faruqi

It’s 1947 in Poona, India and eleven-year-old Zarina’s idyllic life is upended during India’s partition. After an angry mob ransacks their home, Zarina’s family is forced to make a harrowing journey to Pakistan. Written in verse, the poetic form flows smoothly and creates an immersive journey, effectively punctuating the enduring depth of Zarina’s experience.

Death in the Jungle: Murder, Betrayal, and the Lost Dream of Jonestown by Candace Fleming

On November 18, 1978, over 900 people in an American-founded cult drank a sweet drink laced with cyanide—some voluntarily, some coerced, some forced—in what became the largest mass murder-suicide event in American history. Fleming offers an immersive work of nonfiction here, moving past snarky takes to a more complicated account of the rise of infamous cult leader Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple.

Dreamover by Dani Diaz

While on a trip to the beach celebrating the end of the school year, Amber tells Nico she has a crush on him, a sentiment he readily returns. After spending time in their bubble of blissful but also identity-erasing coupledom, the two realize via a shared dream how they need to repair their other friendships. This is a story of significant growth with a hopeful undertone, sharing with readers that life is so much bigger than any single other person.

Meet Me at Blue Hour by Sarah Suk

Yena and Lucas are spending their summer in Korea – Yena’s mom is a researcher at a memory erasure clinic and Lucas is trying to get his grandfather a spot in her clinic. When the two run into each other, Yena remembers him as the childhood friend she fell in love with, although Lucas does not reciprocate. Told through alternating perspectives, this novel explores ideas around memory, grief and the social consequences of technology.

Nav’s Foolproof Guide to Falling in Love by Jessica Lewis

In an attempt to gain a spot in the six-week SAT prep summer camp, Nav makes a deal with Gia, teaching her how to romance and eventually setting her up with Nav’s best friend Hallie. Unexpectedly, Nav develops feelings for Gia and it complicates her friendship with Hallie. An underlying theme of abandonment issues are explored through Nav, as well as an intricate queer romance that ultimately spotlights characters growing and branching out.

Meet Me at Sunset by Lee Heart

In this sweeping romance, two boys know they only have one summer in Rome together and are determined to make every moment incredible. Danny, having spent most of his life moving, has learned to keep folks at a distance to avoid being hurt. But when he meets Angelo, he learns that sometimes heartache is worth it when being in love is so magical. This illustrated novel dives into all of the passion, infatuation, and fervent dedication of a dwindling summer love.

The Family I’m In by Sharon G. Flake

High school junior John desperately wants a girlfriend but he’s not getting any advice from his dad, who thinks John’s approach to masculinity is wrong, or his friend Caleb, who is occupied with his own girlfriend. John narrates his coming of age with sincere reflection and flashbacks that make for a rich story, which threads through his parents’ divorce, Caleb’s financial struggles after his father’s health complications, and John’s summer job on a bookmobile.

The Lost Queen by Aimee Phan

Ever since last summer, Jolie Lam’s life has been hell, amplified by worries that she’s inherited her grandfather’s seer powers and dementia. A new vision puts Jolie in popular girl Huong Pham’s orbit, and as the girls grow closer, it becomes clear that their connection stretches back lifetimes from real-world to ancient Vietnam. As legendary sisters pitted against the invading Han army, they sacrificed themselves to save their people; but there’s more to the story, and even as Jolie begins to regain her powers, she races to figure out what really happened and what that truth holds for her and Huong’s future.

The Summer I Ate the Rich by Maika & Maritza Moulite

Brielle, a Haitian teenage zombie, or zonbi, as they’re known in Creole, aspires to become a chef. But, unfortunate circumstances force Brielle to take a catering job with the wealthy family who caused her mother’s chronic pain and who, ironically, also make the medicine that can ease it. In pursuit of helping her mother, Brielle also seeks revenge through a not-so-subtle metaphor akin to eating the rich.

Toxic Summer by Derek Charm

Leo has the perfect summer plan working as a lifeguard with his best friend Ben, but when a toxic spill closes the beach, their lifeguard duties turn into clean-up duties. The Scooby-Doo-like mystery of this graphic novel sees the two boys bumbling along as they try to solve the problems of the toxic spill and the monsters, even while they’re on the hunt to find a party or two – it’s the perfect mix of summer fun and queer boy friendship.

True Life in Uncanny Valley by Deb Caletti

Eleanor’s father, Hugo Harrison, left when she was a baby and became a successful technocrat app creator. When Eleanor learns that Hugo’s wife needs a summer live-in nanny, she uses a fake last name to get the job. However, she quickly realizes the curated life she has seen online isn’t real. Eleanor discovers her own sense of self, separating the imperfections of her parents from her own identity, and comes of age in a thoroughly enjoyable summer read.