When the legendary children’s book editor Ursula Nordstrom, who worked with luminaries like Maurice Sendak and E.B. White, was challenged about her qualifications to publish children’s books, she replied, “Well, I am a former child, and I haven’t forgotten a thing.” I once gave more or less the same answer (less imposingly, more abashedly) to a neighbor who asked me how I dared to write books for children, and I’ve come to believe that the artists who create work for young people are all particularly qualified to do that work not because they werekids, and they remember the emotional experience of childhood with astonishing clarity. In a successful book for children, no matter what outlandish stuff might be happening on the page, young readers will see their real emotions faithfully represented there—and older readers will be reminded of what it felt like to be a child who was lonely, anxious, playful, ambitious, left out, angry, open-hearted, and loved.
Here are ten excellent new books that reflect the ups and downs of young readers’ emotional lives, from toddlerhood to the teenage years.
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Dan Yaccarino, I Am Murphy and I Am Waiting
Henry Holt and Co., August 25
recommended for ages 4-8
Murphy, a French bulldog, is poised to become readers’ next best buddy: he’s got a playful mischief, a charming Eloise-like talent for narrating his day, and a deep affection for his boy, who has been whisked away by a big yellow bus to an unknown place. Murphy endures the waiting period for his boy’s return, occupying his time with pragmatic activities, such as exercising with a cardboard toilet-paper roll and peeking for his boy inside a bag of flour. Dan Yaccarino animates this canine protagonist with warmth that will tickle kids’ funny bones and make them yearn for the moment the reunion finally arrives.
Adrienne Thurman, The Brunch Shift
illustrated by Mags DeRoma
Random House Studio, August 25
recommended for ages 4-8
I adore this heartwarming picture book about a young girl who rises early on Saturdays to accompany her mother as she works at a restaurant, where Mama tends to tables during the lively “egg-crackin’, pancake-flippin’, orange-juicin’ brunch shift.” She endures a lengthy day — bus rides, kitchen cleanup, and watching other kids enjoy time with their own families — and wishes Saturdays could be carved out just for the simple, leisurely moments she desires with Mama. Yet Mama’s imagination helps the hours fly by, and the two of them become courageous knights defending against a dragon or heroes stopping art thieves at a museum. The bright art and approachable storytelling capture the nuanced feelings children experience and celebrate how a caring adult and child can savor joy together, even when life is tough.
Margarita Engle, Wifredo’s Jungle: The Power of Wifredo Lam’s Art
illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara
Abrams, August 25
recommended for ages 6-8
In this excellent picture-book biography, acclaimed writer Margarita Engle teams with illustrator Jacqueline Alcántara to acquaint readers with the early modern Cuban painter Wifredo Lam. As a boy, Wifredo loved sketching dream images and later went to art school to study European masters. As an adult, his circle included great artists like Picasso and Miró, and his own art began to reflect not only their visions but also his own Cuban, Chinese, and African heritage against a backdrop of wartime upheaval. With fresh prose and delicate illustrations on earthy-toned pages, Wifredo’s Jungle stands out as a thoughtful pick for art lovers and history buffs of all ages.
Eiko Kadono, Kiki and the New Magic (Kiki’s Delivery Service #2)
illustrated by Yuta Onoda, translated by Emily Balistrieri
Delacorte, August 25
recommended for ages 8-12
Before Kiki’s Delivery Service became a beloved Studio Ghibli animated film about a young witch honing her powers, it was an equally beloved novel by Eiko Kadono, published in Japan in 1985 and followed by a number of sequels. Delacorte Press published a new English edition of the first book in 2020, translated by Emily Balistrieri and illustrated by Yuta Onoda. This month, the same team brings the second book in the series to an English-speaking audience for the first time. Kiki is now one year into her life as an established witch in a seaside village, living above a bakery and delivering items around town on her broomstick. As in the first book, each chapter recounts a new adventure in Kiki’s life. She delivers a hippo to a veterinarian, learns to hear the music of trees, and contemplates challenges of friendship, newfound fame, and growing up.
Robin Easter, Middle School Monsters
Little, Brown Ink, August 4
recommended for ages 8-12
Middle school can pose a challenge for any kid, but it grows even tougher when you’re a werewolf. In Robin Easter’s latest graphic novel, Jamie — a devotee of scary films — moves to a new town and struggles to discover where she fits within the school’s social web. She imagines herself as her werewolf alter ego, Scout, yet she won’t reveal her true self to the other girls who’ve taken her under their wing. They’ve warned her to avoid Vera, a quiet outcast rumored to be a vampire. When Jamie realizes Vera might be the only student who genuinely appreciates her, she must decide whether risking exile is worth pursuing a real friendship. While the creatures in this story are largely symbolic, the emotional pulse of adolescence feels intensely authentic.
Tiffany D. Jackson, Ghost in the Night
Scholastic, August 4
recommended for ages 9-12
Readers who enjoyed Tiffany D. Jackson’s 2025 novel Blood in the Water will be thrilled to get their hands on Ghost in the Night, Jackson’s newest mystery for the middle grade set. Twelve-year-old Harmony is fascinated by ghosts and determined to photograph one. When she accompanies her blues guitarist dad on a trip to the notoriously haunted city of Savannah, Georgia, Harmony signs up for a ghost tour and snaps an otherworldly photo. But is the spirit she captures on camera real? Could it lead Harmony and her new friends to the truth behind a modern crime? Award-winning author Jackson delivers clever characters, atmospheric settings, and plenty of thrills to mystery-loving fans.
Andrea Beatriz Arango, No Place on Earth
Random House, August 25
recommended for ages 10 and up
This month brings a fresh middle grade novel from Andrea Beatriz Arango, who earned a Newbery Honor for her 2022 title Iveliz Explains It All. In No Place on Earth, we meet Gustavo, a sixth-grader standing on the brink of a major life shift: his parents are navigating a separation, and although he’d rather stay with Pa in Puerto Rico, the plan sends him three thousand miles away to Yellowstone National Park, where Ma has taken a new job. Gustavo has long battled panic and troubling dreams, and after the move, strange events occur when he meets his new classmate Kordell inside a dream. The narrative uses a blend of prose, verse, and text messages to explore anxiety from a thoughtful, candid viewpoint through a fantastical lens.
Billie Jean King with Liz Robbins, See It To Be It: Eleven Champions Leading Women’s Sports Today
Calkins Creek, August 11
recommended for ages 12 and up
Sports enthusiasts of all ages will relish this empowering collection designed to inspire continued engagement with women’s sports. In engaging profiles, tennis legend Billie Jean King and journalist Liz Robbins highlight eleven athletes who are making waves, emphasizing not only their athletic triumphs but also their willingness to break barriers, resist injustice, and champion causes they care about. The lineup spans a broad spectrum of sports and backgrounds, featuring well-known stars such as Caitlin Clark and Naomi Osaka alongside notable competitors from flag football, volleyball, track, Paralympic swimming, and beyond.
Jessica Spotswood, The Harrow Home for Wayward Girls
Henry Holt and Co., August 25
recommended for ages 14-18
Two of my favorite authors in the world of young adult fiction have fresh releases this month, and I’m eager to dive into both. The first is The Harrow Home for Wayward Girls by Jessica Spotswood, known for the Cahill Witch Chronicles. Set in the 1940s, this tale blends historical fiction with a supernatural Gothic edge: at a secluded estate where unwed mothers were once sent, Grace, the caretaker’s daughter, is haunted by the furious spirit of a girl who never left the Harrow Home. Rose, the daughter of the estate’s wealthy new owner, also senses the ghost. Together, Grace and Rose must uncover the Home’s hidden truths and pursue justice—or perhaps spectral retribution—for the young women who suffered there.
Rae Carson, Monster, Monarch, Maiden
Greenwillow, August 25
recommended for ages 14 and up
The second YA title on my radar is Monster, Monarch, Maiden from Rae Carson, the author behind The Girl of Fire and Thorns. Carson excels at crafting immersive fantasy worlds populated by strong, relatable heroines. The protagonist, Bria, is seventeen and spends her days at her family’s inn, hoping her magical Gift would be more potent. Her world shatters when raiders attack, slay relatives, and capture Bria. Titus, a young man with his own secret mission, rescues Bria only to leave her to survive in the wild. Bria quickly realizes that surviving means joining Titus on his quest, no matter what he thinks about it.p>
