Those end-of-summer blues might be developing, but new series installments are sure to perk young readers right up. This month, kids can look forward to a graphic novel about a monster battle, a middle grade horror about a creature haunting a small town, a graphic novel about a blended family, and more.
Picture Books
Chuseok: A Good Harvest Festival by Grace Habib (Little Bee, Aug. 12 $9.99; ISBN 978-1-4998-1778-2). The newest addition to the Our Neighborhood series introduces the holiday of Chuseok, via a Korean family’s preparation for the celebration.
Perla and the Pirate by Isabel Allende, illus. by Sandy Rodríguez (Philomel, Aug. 26 $18.99; ISBN 978-0-593-62362-6). Nico Rico is lost, and Perla will use her roar to bring him home in the sequel to Perla the Mighty Dog.
Tali and the Timeless Time by Mira Z. Amiras, illus. by Chantelle and Burgen Thorne (Collective Book Studio, Aug. 26, $19.95 ISBN 978-1-68555-185-8). In the sequel to Tali and the Toucan, Tali grapples with her grandmother’s ailing memory as they work together to prepare a meal.
Zooborns! When I’m Big by Andrew Bleiman, illus. by Chris Eastland (Beach Lane, Aug. 26$19.99; ISBN 978-1-665-95600-0). In the latest installment in the ZooBorns series, the animals are all grown up and readers can learn about their new skills and habits as they’ve progressed.
Illustrated Early Readers/Graphic Novels
Campers Beware by Bob Scott and Vicki Scott (Aladdin, Aug. 5 $14.99, ISBN 978-1-665-94314-7). The second Molly and the Bear graphic novel follows Molly as she attempts to bring her father and her best friend Bear closer together while on a camping trip.
Changing Magic by Kara LaReau and Ariane Moreira (Random House, Aug. 19 $15.99; ISBN 979-8-217-02586-2; $6.99 paper; ISBN 978-0-593-81229-7). Witch in training Blue helps guests adjust to change while making deliveries for her family’s magical bakery in the second book of the Witchycakes series.
Getting Ready for Halloween by Vera Ahiyya, illus. by Debby Rahmalia (Random House, Aug. 12 $10.99; ISBN 979-8-217-02611-1; $5.99 paper; ISBN 979-8-217-02610-4). The fifth picture book in the Getting Ready series follows a classroom’s preparations for a spooky holiday.
Itty Bitty Betty Blob Makes a Splash by Constance Lombardo, illus. by Micah Player (Astra/Hippo Park, Aug. 19 $18.99; ISBN 978-1-6626-4092-6). The titular star Itty has joined the diving team but struggles when her and her coach’s approaches differ in the sequel to Itty Bitty Betty Blob.
The Magnificent Book of Treasures: Ancient Greece by George Maudsley, illus. by Eugenia Nobati et al. (Insight Editions, Aug. 19 $19.99; ISBN 979-8-88674067-7). Readers discover this history of ancient Greece via artifacts in the newest addition to The Magnificent Book Of series.
Monkey King and the World of Myths: The Battle of the Beasts by Maple Lam (Putnam, Aug. 19 $13.99 paper; ISBN 978-0-593-52469-5). In the second installment of the Monkey King and the World of Myths series, Wukong discovers humans and monsters on the edge of a war orchestrated by someone behind the scenes.
Quest for the True Dragon by Jaimal Yogis, illus. by Vivian Truong (Scholastic/Graphix, Aug. 5 $14.99 paper; ISBN 978-1-339-03300-6). Grace and Nate find their relationship on the ropes while stranded on a mission in Tokyo in the third book of the City of Dragons.
Sugar Shack by Lucy Knisley (Random House Graphic, Aug. 5 $21.99; ISBN 978-0-593-12550-2; 13.99 paper; ISBN 978-1-984-89690-2). In the final graphic novel of the Peapod Farm series, siblings Andy, Reese, and Jen come to a head when Andy singles Jen out as a stepsister.
Unwanted Guests by Steve Foxe, illus. by Naomi Franquiz (First Second, Aug. 5 $21.99; ISBN 978-1-250-85026-3; $13.99 paper; ISBN 978-1-250-85025-6). The second installment of the Archives of the Unexplained series aims to explain the history behind House of Blood 1987, a mysterious case that occurred in Atlanta, and the Guyra Ghost, a specter that haunted an Australian family.
Magic at the Mansion by Susie Yi (HarperAlley, Aug. 19 $8.99; ISBN 978-0-06-338141-4). In the fifth installment of the Cat & Cat Adventures series, Squash and Ginny must rescue their best friends and a magical orb from being sold to the highest bidder at an auction.
School Dance by Sarah Sax (Knopf, Aug. 26 $21.99; ISBN 978-0-593-30696-3; $13.99 paper; ISBN 978-0-593-30695-6). Milo struggles to learn how to dance and receives assistance from his Abuela who recently moved in, in the third installment of the Brinkley Yearbooks series.
Novels
The Cursed Cloak of the Wretched Wraith by Rob Renzetti. (Penguin Workshop, Aug. 12 $9.99 ISBN 978-0-593-51959-2). The third book of the Horrible Bag series follows Zenith Maelstrom as he goes deeper into a new portal in order to find his sister and return to his world.
The Visitors by Yamile Saied Méndez (Clarion, Aug. 26 $15.99; ISBN 978-0-06-329822-4). Gen and his family move to a new town where children are suddenly going missing in the third title in the Tales from Cabin 23 series.
When Fairies Go Too Far by Kate Korsh, illus. by Marta Altés (Putnam, Aug. 19 $7.99; ISBN 978-0-593-53373-4). In the fourth installment of the Oona Bramblegoop series, the titular fairy is elected to join the Fairy Council but takes her rulemaking too far.
Your Turn Marisol Rainey by Erin Entrada Kelly (Greenwillow, Aug. 26 $18.99; ISBN 978-0-06-333721-3). Marisol is assigned to write and perform a haiku in front of the class and must overcome her stage fright in the latest addition to the Marisol series.
