The last Tuesday in June means lots of great books for your summer vacation! Here are some of the ones releasing this week.
Books for Kids
A Dog Named Doug – An adorable rhyming book about a dog who loves to dig!
Geraldine – A giraffe, reluctant to move and start at a new school in a new town where she is the only giraffe, finds a friend. I can’t wait to read this one!
Honeydukes Scratch and Sniff – If I had a working sense of smell, I would be more interested in this one, but I can see it appealing to a lot of Harry Potter fans!
I Am: Names of God for Little Ones (board book) – Adorable-looking board book for the youngest book lovers.
Jack B Ninja – “Jack Be Nimble” with a ninja twist. I adore books like this. They make great gifts for kids who love martial arts – or for their younger siblings.
Peg + Cat: The Eid al-Adha Adventure – Eid al-Adha is a holiday that includes practices to share with those who have less. Peg and Cat get to use their math skills to help with the fractions. I love this series!
Sir Tim Wants a Dragon (July 1) – A boy and his mom head to the pet store because he wants a pet. What pet would be perfect for a young knight? A dragon!
What If You Had an Animal Tail? – Book 6 in this fantastic series for kids! Some of my teacher friends have done amazing projects with their classes based on this series. There’s a new book coming in December, too.
Curious George in Super George! – George and his friend are off to solve a caper. This looks adorable; I love George! (hardcover early reader)
Hurricane Katrina Rescue – Book 8 in the Ranger in Time series – a series I call Magic Tree House with a dog. Perfect for kids ready for chapter books.
Mr. Wolf’s Class – A new teacher and a new fourth grade class are full of stories in this first book in a new series.
Waking the Rainbow Dragon – Book 10 in the Dragon Masters series from Scholastic Branches, my favorite line of early chapter books for kids.
Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults
American Girl – Pearl Harbor – Book 4 in the Real Stories from My Time series from American Girl.
Harry Potter (Anniversary Covers) – I usually don’t spotlight books that are being re-released, but these are the 20th Anniversary books with all new covers. Frankly, the covers from Kazu Kibuishi are my favorites, and then the originals by Mary GrandPré. But Brian Selznick fans will want to scoop these up!
The Jamie Drake Equation – A kid whose dad is living on the International Space Station picks up a strange signal on his phone. Could it be aliens? Jamie is ready to prove he is a hero, too. I’m eager to check this one out!
The Language of Spells – A girl and a dragon form an unusual partnership as they go looking for the dragons that vanished from Vienna around WWII. I LOVE a good dragon book, so I am eager to give this one a try.
Strays Like Us – A girl in foster care longs to rescue the dog next door from his mean owner. But she knows not to get too attached to anything – the dog, her foster mom, or a friend from school. This sounds like a book I will love!
Wings of Fire – The Lost Continent – Book 11 in this outstanding series about dragons kicks off a new five-book arc. I have had this pre-ordered for months! I just have to wait a little longer and it will be here. I will drop everything to read this one.
The Evolution of Claire – For teen fans of Jurassic World comes a prequel that fills in the backstory of Claire Dearing.
The Fragile Ordinary – Set in Scotland this is a story of a girl who never feels truly herself, the bad boy from America who takes the school by storm, and what happens when these two opposite personalities have to work together.
Learning to Breathe – A sixteen-year-old girl struggles to hide a pregnancy from the aunt who is just itching to throw her out into the streets. This is the sort of hook that leaves me needing to know more. This is on my list.
My Plain Jane – A new take on the classic Jane Eyre. I know I read Jane Eyre as a teen, but I don’t remember it at all. This twisty version sounds terrific and might just get me to re-read the original.
Now You See Her – A tennis player finds herself in the body of her rival after a near-abduction and an accident. I was completely taken in by the full premise of this. It’s a must read for me.
Wild Blue Wonder – In June it was all camping and wild blueberries and love. But by winter, after the accident, the magic of summer has all but disappeared. Yep, I’ll be reading this one, too! Can’t let a mysterious “accident” get thrown out there and not read the book for the details.
Your Destination Is on the Left – An artist who has lived in an RV on the road with her family all her life takes a risk on an internship that might help propel her into the future. But when problems arise for her family, she’ll have to decide which life she wants to hold onto. Yes, that’s going on the list, too.
Books for Adults
Buried in Books – Book 12 in the Bibliophile mystery series. The bride-to-be is surprised when two feuding friends show up at her bridal shower. But they seem to have put the past behind them. When one is later killed, the soon-to-be bride needs to find answers so her special day can go off without a hitch. I have not kept up with this series, but this particular story sounds like one I would enjoy. (Hardcover*)
Claws of Death – Book 2 in the Cat Lady mystery series after Escape Claws. A retired actress who adopts some kittens from Lara’s shelter is the prime suspect in a murder. I enjoyed the first book in the series, and I’m eager to see how this second one stacks up. (It looks like this series is primarily for e-readers, but there is a Trade Paperback* option.)
Death by Espresso – Book 6 in the Bookstore Cafe mystery series. This is another wedding-themed story. This time, the bride-to-be’s snobby mother has brought in her own wedding planner who winds up dead. This is not a series I have tried, but now I am curious to give it a go. (Mass Market Paperback*)
Kappy King and the Pickle Kaper – Book 2 in the Kappy King Amish mystery series. This time, a buggy accident starts to look like murder. I have book one on my wish list already – and a third book is coming out in December. I need to get reading on this one. (Trade Paperback*)
A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder – First in a new series about the widowed Countess of Harleigh who is trying to keep the details of her husband’s indiscretions to herself but she is a suspect in his death. I requested this one from the library early in June, and it will be hitting my e-reader tomorrow! I can’t wait! (Hardcover*)
Portrait of a Sister – Another Amish story, a standalone this time. Twin sisters living vastly different lives as one left the Amish community and the other stayed behind. Katie is determined to do the “right” thing – forget her artistic gifts which are a sin and marry the man who has been chosen for her. But her sister’s invitation to spend some time in New York opens up new ideas in Katie’s heart and mind. I’m only a few chapters into this one, but I am hooked already! (Trade Paperback*)
Staged 4 Murder – Book 3 in the Sophie Kimball mystery series. Private investigator Sophie gets drawn into a real life Agatha Christie mystery when an actor in a production of “The Mousetrap“ is killed. (Mass Market Paperback*)
Till Death Do Us Tart – Book 8 in the Bakeshop Mystery series. I’ll be reviewing this one later this summer. (Mass Market Paperback*)
To Catch a Latte – A new e-book mystery from one of my favorite authors, Jenn McKinlay. A cafe owner is suspected of money laundering and her sexy FBI agent tenant is looking into the case. I’ve already pre-ordered this one. (E-book only)
Fake News, Propaganda, and Plain Old Lies: How to Find Trustworthy Information in the Digital Age (June 29) – This is a must read for me. (Hardcover*)
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism – I have this one on my list, too. (Trade Paperback*)
*I’ve noticed that publishers have shifted some of their new mystery series to Trade paperback (full size paperback with a sale price around $15 or $16) or hardcover (with a sale price around $25) instead of Mass Market paperback which runs around $8. When I think of it, I’ll try to note the format so readers can plan their book budgets – and trips to the library – accordingly.