This August is a great time for book lovers! Lots of great books coming this month, including these releases for this week:
Books for Kids
Alice the Amber Fairy – I love the illustrations in this fairy series. I think they are eye-catching and a big hit with young readers.
Here Comes Teacher Cat – Fifth book in this collection of sparsely worded stories about a mischievous cat who this time finds himself serving as a substitute teacher. This is at the top of my list for this week. I have loved all of the previous books in this fun collection.
I Can Love Like Jesus – Lovely picture book looks at the ways Jesus showed love to others and encourages readers to do the same. I’d love to see this one in person, too.
Little Red Riding Sheep – Arnold the sheep is SO excited to star in his first book. Surely the author won’t mind a few suggestions. This is right up my alley. It reminds me a little of Don’t Read this Book which is a lot of fun to share with a class of students.
When a Wolf Is Hungry – A hungry wolf is mistaken for a helpful neighbor. I’d love to read this one. Sounds great.
You Must Bring a Hat – A boy meets an unusual collection of animals as they try to get into a party with a lot of rules. Looks darling!
Jigsaw Jones: The Case from Outer Space AND The Case of the Smelly Sneaker – Some of the first chapter books my teen read were the Jigsaw Jones mysteries. I LOVE that they are producing some new books in the series for today’s readers. Great mystery series for elementary readers.
Secret of of the Hidden Scrolls: The Beginning AND Race to the Ark – Two new Christian books for kids about a mysterious scroll that transports kids to Bible times. Sounds like a Christian version of Magic Tree House or a Bible-based Imagination Station. I’m curious to see these in person and see how they hold up both as an engaging story and in their ties to the Bible.
The Good Fight – A look at the Revolutionary War era for kids
Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults
Forever Court – Book 2 in the Knights of the Borrowed Dark series about an ancient order of knights that keep monsters at bay. Sounds like a great fantasy series.
Just Sayin’ – Kids in an almost-blended family try to figure out why their parents have broken up. Looking forward to this Christian book for kids.
The Real Us – A pretty and perfect middle-schooler experiences her first pimple right before the big dance, and everything she thought she knew about herself, her friends, and her place in the social order starts to fall apart. I’ll be reviewing this book this week.
Wilder Boys – The latest MAX book from Aladdin, this is a reprint of an older title, and first in a series about two boys who discover a secret about their mother’s boyfriend and head off across the country on their own to find their father. Sounds like a great outdoors, survival sort of adventure story.
World’s Greatest Adventure Machine – Four lucky kids get to try out a new roller coaster adventure. Sounds like a fun adventure.
Who Are Venus and Serena Williams?
Who Is Pope Francis?
Who Was Andrew Jackson?
Bakersville Dozen – After a video goes viral, one by one the girls involved go missing and the police have no clue what happened to them. When one of the girls gets an invitation to a scavenger hunt, she thinks it’s a cute surprise from her boyfriend, but it is something much more sinister as she starts to find the bodies of the missing girls. Sounds like an edge-of-your-seat, read-in-one-sitting kind of story!
In Some Other Life – A girl chooses her crush over her future, but when her crush betrays her she gets a chance to see what her life might have been like if she made a different choice. I LOVE stories like this where characters get to see the “other path.” Definitely on my list!
League of American Traitors – A teen discovers he is the last surviving descendant of Benedict Arnold, noted Revolutionary War spy. He also learns that the war between heroes and traitors has continued to the present day, and his only hope to avoid a duel to the death is to finish his father’s research and clear Benedict Arnold’s name. Sounds like a terrific historical adventure!
Reunited – Book 3 in the Reawakened series tied to Egyptian mythology. Our family enjoyed the Rick Riordan Egyptian series so we might have to give this one a try.
This Is Not the End – Resurrection technology exists. After a fatal accident, a teen has the chance to save one person. Does she choose her best friend or her boyfriend? This sounds fantastic!
Books for Adults
Any Dream Will Do – A young woman and a widowed pastor are both looking for a fresh start. And they may have found that in each other. But secrets from the past might destroy their second chance. Sounds like a great story just like you would expect from Debbie Macomber.
Emma in the Night – Two sisters go missing, but only one returns. A psychologist tries to get at the truth of what really happened to the girls. Sounds like a great psychological thriller.
Hollywood Homicide – First book in the Detective by Day mystery series about an actress who investigates the fatal hit-and-run she witnesses. This one is definitely on my list!
The Paris Spy – Book 7 in the Maggie Hope mystery series set in World War II. I’ve read one book in the series, but I have the rest on my TBR. Looking forward to getting to this one.
Star Wars: Heroes of the Force – Includes interviews from the cast. This will be a hugely popular book in my house as we are all big Star Wars fans, looking forward to the new movie this December. Best of articles from Star Wars Insider.
Identity Matters: Discovering Who You Are in Christ – Identity in Christ is a theme I have been working on this year, so this book is definitely on my list.
Of Mess and Moxie: Wrangling Delight Out of this Wild and Glorious Life – Latest from Jen Hatmaker, includes essays and humor about day to day life. I enjoy Jen’s essays as well as her social media posts. I am hoping to get a special edition from Barnes and Noble this week when the book releases.
She’s Still There: Rescuing the Girl in You – Christian Living title for women about rediscovering the life you’re meant to live. There’s going to be an online group going through this one, so I have already pre-ordered this. Looking forward to reading it.
The Wellness Revelation: Lose What Weighs You Down So You Can Love God, Yourself and Others – An eight week journey to health and fitness including Bible study and small group questions. I have this one on my list.
The Writing Revolution – A writing strategy for schools that could be used across the curriculum. I might check this one out for use at home for my teen who could use help in growing as a writer.