2023 Summer Books List for Young Readers

Whatever Comes Tomorrow
by Rebecca Gardyn Levington,
illustrated by Mariona Cabassa
Barefoot Books
March 2023, Hardcover $17.99

Lyrical, rhyming text and whimsical illustrations reassure readers that they have the resilience to navigate whatever life brings their way.

Age Range: 4-9
Themes: mental health, self-esteem, LGBTQ+ representation, anxiety, social-emotional learning, health and daily living, new experience, life transitions
 

The Illustrated Edgar Allan Poe
edited by Ryan G. Van Cleave
Bushel and Peck Books
April 2023, Hardcover $18.99

In this gorgeous collection, twenty-five of Poe’s most beloved works are each illustrated with stunning, full-color collage artwork and compiled with brief commentary and helpful definitions.

Age Range: 7-10 
Themes: spooky poems

Tree Whispers 
by Mandy Ross,
illustrated by Juliana Oakley
Child’s Play 
May 2023, Hardcover, $19.99; Softcover, $9.99

Mandy Ross has been listening closely to the trees. These fascinating poems with a strong environmental message, beautifully illustrated by Juliana Oakley, imagine the songs they are singing to us and the verses they speak.

Age Range: 3-8
Themes: trees, nature, the environment, conservation

Forever Is Now
by Mariama J. Lockington
Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers
May 2023, Hardcover $19.99


From the Stonewall Book Award–winning author Mariama J. Lockington comes a powerful young adult novel-in-verse about mental health, love, family, Black joy, and finding your voice and power in an unforgiving world.

Age Range: 12+

Animals in Surprising Shades
by Susan Johnston Taylor,
illustrated by Annie Bakst 
Gnome Road Publishing
March 2023, Hardcover, $18.99; e-Book, $9.99 

This engaging STEAM-themed poetry collection feels like a field guide to fascinating and colorful creatures throughout the world while doubling as an introduction to simple and fun poetic forms like concrete, tanka, haiku, and quatrain.

Age Range: 6-10
Themes: science and nature, interactive learning, animals

Sometimes I Feel Like a River
by Danielle Daniel,
illustrated by Josée Bisaillon
Groundwood Books
March 2023, Hardcover $18.99

Following the huge success of Sometimes I Feel Like a Fox, this companion book is a lyrical celebration of our relationship to the natural world.

Age Range: 3-6
Themes: Indigenous voices, environment, climate change

Lila Duray: A Collection of Delightfully Delectable Poems 
by Emily Morrison,
illustrated by Aileen Bennett 
Susan Schadt Press LLC
March 2023, Hardcover $24.95 

Inspired by Shel Silverstein, Emily Morrison stretches the bounds of imagination in this collection infused with humor, empathy, profound truths, and delightful characters. Lila Duray: A Collection of Delightfully Delectable Poems invokes whimsy in the ordinary and puts the extra in the extraordinary.

Age Range: 6-12
Themes: food, feelings, animals

A Whale of a Time: Funny Poems for Each Day of the Year
by Lou Peacock,
illustrated by Matt Hunt
Nosy Crow
September 2023, Hardcover $40

This rib-tickling illustrated anthology includes a spectacular range of funny poems for children. Whether shared out loud or read alone, this is the perfect book to bring a smile—every day of the year!

Garvey’s Choice: The Graphic Novel 
by Nikki Grimes,
illustrated by Theodore Taylor III
Wordsong
June 2023, Hardcover $22.99; Paperback,$12.99

Garvey’s father wants Garvey to be athletic, but Garvey is interested in astronomy, science fiction, and reading. Joining a chorus, Garvey discovers his voice, himself, and a way to reach his distant father—the language of music.

Age Range: 9-12
Themes: social themes, bullying

Welcome to the Wonder House
by Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Georgia Heard 
illustrated by Deborah Freedman
Wordsong 
July 2023, Hardcover $18.99 

This collection of poems, creatively presented in the format of a house, will engage anyone who has ever wondered “why?” as it shows young readers that wonder is everywhere—in yourself and the world around you.

Age Range: 7+
Themes: curiosities, wonders, science, nature