Ho ho! Summer is here folks. You know what summer has? Books. Warm weather and books. I surveyed the landscape and noticed titles arriving in June, July, and August that you might want to keep an eye out for – I know I will. Keep your shades on. Stay cool, summer. Never change.

Picture Books

One Word From Sophia by Jim Averbeck; illustrated by Yasmeen Ismail 

June 16, 2015 | Atheneum (Simon & Schuster) | Grades PreK-3

Should I be ashamed to admit that I was charmed by the poop joke in the above spread? No shame here, friends. This story about a girl looking to fulfill her One True Desire (to get a Giraffe) looks to be a charmer through and through.

The Little Gardener by Emily Hughes

August 11, 2015 | Flying Eye Books | Grades PreK-2

While Emily Hughes’ last book (Wild) had an edge this one is brings the sweetness. A timeless story about persistence with incredibly lush colored-pencil illustrations, it’s a book that will have a lasting effect.

Chapter Books

Dory and the Real True Friend by Abby Hanlon

July 7, 2015 | Dial | Grades 1-3

Seeing as how Hanlon’s last effort – Dory Fantasmagory – was certified brilliant, I can’t wait to see what Dory gets into as she begins first grade.

Piper Green and the Fairy Tree by Ellen Potter; illustrated by Qin Leng

August 4, 2015 | Knopf | Grades 2-4

This is a new chapter book series about a girl who says everything that’s on her mind (for better or worse) and has something unusual in her front yard: a fairy tree. When trouble pops up at school, can the tree help?

Middle Grade Fiction

Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invincible by Ursula Vernon

August 18 | Dial | Grades 3-7

Definitely not middle grade fiction in the typical sense – Hamster Princess combines words and pictures to create a comic-hybrid style (if you’ve seen Vernon’s popular Dragonbreath series, you know the deal. This new series is about a princess who finds the royal life lacking.

Nonfiction

Women Who Broke the Rules: Sacajawea by Kathleen Krull; illustrated by Matt Collins

June 9, 2015 | Bloomsbury | Grades 2-4

Solid, interesting bios for younger readers are hard to come by – here’s hoping that this new series that shines a spotlight on important women in history is something to hang a hat on.

Boy, Were We Wrong About the Weather by Kathleen V. Kudlinski; illustrated by Sebastia Serra

July 7, 2015 | Dial | Grades K-3

This latest entry in the Boy, We Were Wrong series takes on weather. Looks like a book teachers should have at the ready.

Where Did My Clothes Come From? by Chris Butterworth; illustrated by Lucia Gaggiotti

August 4, 2015 | Candlewick | Grades K-3

It’s a good question, isn’t it? It’s the kind of question worth digging into. This book shows every step in the process, from field to store.

Graphic Novels

Anna & Froga: Fore! by Anouk Ricard; illustrated by Helge Dascher

August 18, 2015 | Drawn & Quarterly | Grades 1-3

Readers looking for something a bit different in their graphic novels might take to Anna & Froga. This is the third book in this series and the offbeat hijinks continue.

Professor Brownstone’s Mythical Collection: The Urn of Uruk by Joe Todd Stanton

July 19, 2015 | Flying Eye Books | Grades 3-7

Collector Professor Brownstone tells the tale of his prized possession: The Urn of Uruk. I can see the right kind of reader being totally enthralled by this large-format graphic novel.

(Top Image: ‘cambria skies (explored #237–thank you)‘ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34209020@N02/8289450599 Found on flickrcc.net)