Summer Reading 2023

Make sure the littles and teens in your life are reading this summer with these action packed, summer inspired reads!

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  • Swim Team

    by Johnnie Christmas

    $15.99

    A splashy, contemporary middle-grade graphic novel from bestselling comics creator Johnnie Christmas!

    Bree can’t wait for her first day at her new middle school, Enith Brigitha, home to the Mighty Manatees—until she’s stuck with the only elective that fits her schedule, the dreaded Swim 101. The thought of swimming makes Bree more than a little queasy, yet she’s forced to dive headfirst into one of her greatest fears. Lucky for her, Etta, an elderly occupant of her apartment building and former swim team captain, is willing to help.

    With Etta’s training and a lot of hard work, Bree suddenly finds her swim-crazed community counting on her to turn the school’s failing team around. But that’s easier said than done, especially when their rival, the prestigious Holyoke Prep, has everything they need to leave the Mighty Manatees in their wake.

    Can Bree defy the odds and guide her team to a state championship, or have the Manatees swum their last lap—for good?

     

  • Aniana del Mar Jumps In

    by Jasminne Mendez

    from $10.99

    A powerful and expertly told novel in verse by an award-winning poet, about a 12-year-old Dominican American swimmer who is diagnosed with Juvenile Arthritis.

    Aniana del Mar belongs in the water like a dolphin belongs to the sea. But she and Papi keep her swim practices and meets hidden from Mami, who has never recovered from losing someone she loves to the water years ago. That is, until the day Ani’s stiffness and swollen joints mean she can no longer get out of bed, and Ani is forced to reveal just how important swimming is to her. Mami forbids her from returning to the water but Ani and her doctor believe that swimming along with medication will help Ani manage her disease. What follows is the journey of a girl who must grieve who she once was in order to rise like the tide and become the young woman she is meant to be. Aniana Del Mar Jumps In is a poignant story about chronic illness and disability, the secrets between mothers and daughters, the harm we do to the ones we love the most—and all the triumphs, big and small, that keep us afloat.

  • The Braid Girls

    by Sherri Winston

    $16.99

    In this unforgettable summer novel perfect for fans of From the Desk of Zoe Washington, Maggie, her best friend Daija, and her new half-sister Callie team up to create the ultimate hair-braiding business.

    Maggie's world is turned upside down when she learns that her father, whom she admires, has a second daughter, Callie, whom no one knew existed. But she won't let a new family member get in the way of her summer plans with best friend Daija. They're determined to make tons of money braiding hair for kids around the neighborhood.

    Daija's always felt like she had a sister in Maggie. So she can't let new half-sister Callie take her place! And she can't let her interfere with their new Braid Girls business, either. She needs the money to pay for extra ballet lessons so she can go en pointe and earn a spot in the fall dance showcase, making her distant father proud at last—if she pulls this off, he'll have to pay attention to her.

    Callie's still grieving her late mom. Now she's leaving her old home in the Bahamas behind, including her old school and friends to move in with the father she's never met, plus his family. When she hears of Maggie's and Daija's business, she sees a chance to prove her skills and a way to be accepted.

    With three very different girls on board, the Braid Girls arrive to a summer camp full of kids with locs begging to be braided. Business is booming, until rival Angela shows up with her friends and starts a new braiding business—the Sistahs Who Braid. With competition heating up, the Braid Girls are sure to have an unforgettable summer.

  • The World Belonged to Us by Jacqueline Woodson
    $18.99

    Two children’s book superstars—#1 New York Times bestseller Jacqueline Woodson, the author of The Day You Begin, and Leo Espinosa, the illustrator of Islandborn­—join forces to celebrate the joy and freedom of summer in the city, which is gloriously captured in their rhythmic text and lively art.


    It's getting hot outside, hot enough to turn on the hydrants and run through the water--and that means it's finally summer in the city! Released from school and reveling in their freedom, the kids on one Brooklyn block take advantage of everything summertime has to offer. Freedom from morning till night to go out to meet their friends and make the streets their playground--jumping double Dutch, playing tag and hide-and-seek, building forts, chasing ice cream trucks, and best of all, believing anything is possible. That is, till their moms call them home for dinner. But not to worry--they know there is always tomorrow to do it all over again--because the block belongs to them and they rule their world.
     
    (This book is also available in Spanish, as El mundo era nuestro!)

  • The Amazing Adventures of Aya & Pete in Mexico!

    by Serena Minott & Asha Gore

    $18.00
    Aya and Pete are going to visit Mexico! Aya travels with her best friend Esme to meet her family and explore all of the magic and wonder that Mexico has to offer. From the excitement of Mexico City to the historic center of Oaxaca, Aya and Pete explore the foods, languages, arts, landmarks, and historical architecture of one of the most mythical countries in the world. The newest book in the Aya and Pete collection, The Amazing Adventures of Aya & Pete in Mexico is a must-have book for little explorers, and the first book in our next 3-book box set! Ships in a sturdy corrugated flat-pack book box.
  • Green Sea Turtle (Young Zoologist): A First Field Guide to the Ocean Reptile from the Tropics by Carlee Jackson
    $15.99

    A beautifully illustrated first guide to green sea turtles from marine biologist Carlee Jackson.

    Snorkel around coral reefs to study green sea turtles in this beautiful nonfiction field guide for kids.

    You might know that green sea turtles have incredible shells, but there’s so much more to learn about these underwater marvels! Turn the pages to find out how green sea turtles keep seagrass beds healthy by “mowing” them, and how some species of fish like to hitch a ride on their shells. You’ll also witness the amazing egg hatching frenzy that occurs—when baby turtles have to make a mad dash from the beach to the safety of the sea. Filled with simple science and plenty of animal facts, this book also looks at the conservation challenges these endangered animals face due to climate change, poaching, and plastic pollution.

  • Papá's Magical Water-Jug Clock

    by Jesús Trejo

    $18.99

    *Ships in 7-10 Business Days*

    Is this jug really magical? In Mexican American comedian Jesús Trejo’s debut picture book, little Jesús makes a big, funny mistake as he works alongside his landscaper papá, but father and son find a heartwarming solution.

    Little Jesús is excited to spend a Saturday with his landscaper Papá at the “family business.” He loves Papá’s cool truck and all the tools he gets to use. Papá even puts him in charge of the magical water jug, which is also a clock! When it's empty, Papá explains, the workday will be done. It’s a big job, and Jesús wants to do it right. But he just can’t help giving water to an array of thirsty animals—a dog in a sweater, some very old cats, and a flock of peacocks. Before he knows it, the magical water jug is empty —but the workday’s not over yet! Will Jesús be fired?! Or is the jug not really magical after all? This mischievous tale of a very young comedian’s life lesson will warm hearts and have class clowns, practical jokers, and all high-spirited kids nodding in sympathy.

  • The Jump by Brittney Morris
    $19.99

    *ships in 7-10 business days

    From the acclaimed author of SLAY and The Cost of Knowing comes an action-driven, high-octane novel about a group of working-class teens in Seattle who join a dangerous scavenger hunt with a prize that can save their families and community.

    Influence is power. Power creates change. And change is exactly what Team Jericho needs.

    Jax, Yas, Spider, and Han are the four cornerstones of Team Jericho, the best scavenger hunting team in all of Seattle. Each has their own specialty: Jax, the puzzler; Yas, the parkourist; Spider, the hacker; and Han, the cartographer. But now with an oil refinery being built right in their backyard, each also has their own problems. Their families are at risk of losing their jobs, their communities, and their homes.

    So when The Order, a mysterious vigilante organization, hijacks the scavenger hunting forum and concocts a puzzle of its own, promising a reward of influence, Team Jericho sees it as the chance of a lifetime. If they win this game, they could change their families’ fates and save the city they love so much. But with an opposing team hot on their heels, it’s going to take more than street smarts to outwit their rivals.

  • Ty's Travels: Camp-Out

    by Kelly Starling Lyons

    $5.99

    *ships in 7-10 business days

    Ty makes his I Can Read! Comics debut! Join Ty on his imaginative camping adventures in Ty’s Travels: Camp Out, a Geisel Honor–winning series with rhythmic text by Kelly Starling Lyons and joyful art by Niña Mata.

    Rain, rain go away!

    When wet weather cancels his family camp out, Ty uses his big imagination! They pitch a tent, go fishing, look at the stars, and roast s’mores. Yum! Camping in is so much fun.

    Join Ty on his camping adventure in this Level One I Can Read! Comic, perfect for shared reading. 

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