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SLJ presents our top picks for summer reading, from read-alouds to share with the youngest prereaders to engrossing titles for tweens and teens. The majority of the titles have been published over the last two years, almost all of them are available as ebooks, and many of them have received starred reviews or been selected as past Best Books. New lists will publish every week during the month of June, with additional lists in July and August. 

Dolley Madison and intrepid traveler Marianne North are but two of the engaging heroines who appear in this month's list of books we found star-worthy. 

YA books with older characters appeal to teens looking ahead in life and adults drawn to themes of self-discovery and affirmation. 

Featuring poets from Amanda Gorman to Kenn Nesbitt and offering inspiring writing prompts, these shows have something for every student.

This month's must-haves for children and teens include Steve Light's take on the road trip, L.L. McKinney's pitch-perfect reimagining of superhero Nubia, and a delightful bilingual board book from Susie Jaramillo.

Popular in the early 2000s, this manga category for teen and tween girls is seeing renewed interest and a bevy of new titles with twists on standard tropes.

Horror fiction provides kids with an outlet and a method to cope with an overwhelming world. 

With the growing cultural footprint of superhero stories and other forms of fantasy and science fiction, academics have begun to examine the impact of these genres on young readers. These ten titles are an excellent introduction to the rich possibilities of early speculative fiction.

These fiction and nonfiction titles take on the embarrassment and discomfort associated with menstruation—while urging readers to take pride in their bodies and combat the stigma related to periods.