Best New Books in August 2025 for Kids and Teens

CeeCee: Underground Railroad Cinderella by Shana Keller, ailing. by Laura Freeman

On this utterly distinctive reimagining of the basic fairy story, Cinderella is CeeCee, a younger enslaved woman dwelling on a Maryland plantation taking care of the 2 wealthy white daughters of the home. As an alternative of a fairy godmother, CeeCee’s rescue comes from Binty, the prepare dinner, who units her brave escape in movement.

Purchase it: CeeCee: Underground Railroad Cinderella

A Place for Us by James E. Ransome

Youngsters will see themselves within the story of somewhat boy whose mother picks him up from faculty and takes him for some dinner and a visit to the library. However as an alternative of heading dwelling after taking part in within the park, the 2 cool down on a bench to spend the night time, and readers understand this household doesn’t have a house to go to.

Purchase it: A Place for Us

Fall Is for Beginnings by Rajani LaRocca, ailing. by Abhi Alwar

Ravi’s excited in regards to the new faculty 12 months however somewhat alarmed when the duo he and his finest buddy have all the time been turns into a trio with new woman Ellie. It’s going to take time and recommendation from an older sister to show his pondering round. This charming new learn is ideal for back-to-school season!

Purchase it: Fall Is for Beginnings

Earlier than I Lived Right here by Stacy S. Jensen, ailing. by Victo Ngai

Have you ever ever thought-about what occurred on the bottom the place you reside earlier than you lived there? This ebook traces a plot of land’s story again via time, from the planning levels to log cabins to indigenous individuals and so forth … all the way in which again to the dinosaurs!

Purchase it: Before I Lived Here

5 Little Buddies by Sean Taylor, ailing. by Fiona Woodcock

Pre-Ok and kindergarten lecture rooms will particularly love this new assortment of read-aloud rhymes, all with coordinating finger actions. Little ones will love getting in on the motion!

Purchase it: Five Little Friends

Witchycakes: Candy Magic by Kara LaReau, ailing. by Ariane Moreira

This sequence opener a few younger witch-to-be named Blue who works at a magical bakery is a candy learn for any emergent reader. (The second ebook about Blue releases this month too.)

Purchase it: Witchycakes: Sweet Magic

The Solely Ghost in Faculty by Tara J. Hannon

Right here’s one other new sequence kicking off this month with a pair of chapter books. On this one, a younger ghost’s life adjustments when their household strikes from Scareville to Smithville, and so they’re immediately the one ghost in school!

Purchase it: The Only Ghost in School

The Freedom Seeker by Ruchira Gupta

Twelve-year-old Simi Singh’s household is compelled to flee India after violent assaults resulting from her mother and father’ interfaith marriage. Her father is granted asylum in the USA, however Simi and her mom should take a harmful secret journey throughout the border to be reunited with him. This can be a well timed story of desperation and love.

Purchase it: The Freedom Seeker

Displaced by Patrick Ochieng

When violence following an election upends their lives in suburban Kenya, 14-year-old Kimithi and his household discover themselves in a camp for displaced individuals. It’s a tough surroundings, nothing like Kimithi has ever recognized, however he finds methods to adapt and make life higher for each his household and others.

Purchase it: Displaced

The Trainer of Nomad Land by Daniel Nayeri

In 1941 Iran, Babak and his sister face separation after their father’s dying. To remain collectively, Babak decides to take up his father’s job instructing nomad tribes within the mountains. On their journey, they befriend a Jewish boy fleeing a Nazi spy—and collectively, the kids should depend on each other to outlive.

Purchase it: The Teacher of Nomad Land

The Island of Forgotten Gods by Victor Piñeiro

Aspiring teen filmmaker Nico is shipped to Puerto Rico for the summer time, the place he hopes to make a life-changing film. When he and his cousins by accident awaken a creature that appears just like the chupacabra, they’re swept into an epic journey involving historic Taino gods, hidden secrets and techniques, and the destiny of the island itself.

Purchase it: The Island of Forgotten Gods

The Forest of a Thousand Eyes by Frances Hardinge, ailing. by Emily Gravett

Feather lives atop a crumbling Wall, surrounded by a relentless, creature-filled Forest that threatens to devour the whole lot. After a betrayal, she units out together with her scaly ferret Glossy to recuperate a stolen spyglass, discovering new communities—and the ability of resilience and cooperation—alongside the way in which.

Purchase it: The Forest of a Thousand Eyes

All of the Tomorrows After by Joanne Yi 

Winter Moon has spent years saving to flee a harsh life together with her mom, however her plans are destroyed when her mom steals the funds and spends all of them in in the future. Now she has a brand new provide: spend time together with her estranged father in alternate for the cash she wants. However household secrets and techniques quickly threaten to sabotage her plans as soon as extra.

Purchase it: All the Tomorrows After

My Good Household by Khadijah VanBrakle

Leena all the time dreamed of getting an enormous household, however when her prayers are unexpectedly answered in the future, issues don’t prove fairly as she anticipated. Her long-lost grandfather makes unreasonable calls for, and although Leena loves him, she actually wasn’t ready for all of the drama her new household brings.

Purchase it: My Perfect Family

Legendary Frybread Drive-In edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith

This anthology of tales and poems by Indigenous authors is tied collectively by the frequent thread of Sandy June’s Legendary Frybread Drive-In. Teenagers of each tribal Nation come right here to expertise love, loss, household, grief, and extra. The varied illustration on this new ebook for August 2025 deserves a spot on each classroom bookshelf.

Purchase it: Legendary Frybread Drive-In

Songs for Ghosts by Clara Kumagai

When Adam finds a century-old diary, he’s drawn into the lifetime of a younger lady in Nagasaki—till her ghost begins haunting him. To interrupt the curse, he travels to Japan, reconnecting together with his heritage and uncovering a generational thriller with the assistance of a brand new buddy.

Purchase it: Songs for Ghosts

Sugar Crash by Melinda Di Lorenzo

We love a great high-low book for teens, and this one matches the invoice! When diabetic Zoe finds herself stranded after a wintry automobile crash together with her former finest buddy Vic, they face one disaster after one other on this thrilling survival story that reluctant readers will love.

Purchase it: Sugar Crash

The Hearth-Respiration Duckling by Frank Cammuso

You’ve heard of the duckling that turned out to be a swan, however what about one who’s truly a dragon? Early readers will love this temporary however enjoyable introduction to the graphic fiction style. (Grades Ok–2)

Purchase it: The Fire-Breathing Duckling

Diary of a Nature Nerd by Tiffany Everett

Brooke lives her life on the street together with her area biologist mother and has all the time dreamed of seeing a moose. However when her BFF-turned-stepsister spots one first, issues get a bit rocky. The story is dropped at life via pages from Brooke’s nature journal, which simply might encourage youngsters to start out their very own. (Grades 2–5)

Purchase it: Diary of a Nature Nerd

Monkey King and the World of Myths: The Battle of the Beasts by Maple Lam

Solar Wukong and his three-headed sidekick Cerberus land in historic Japan, the place tensions between people and beasts are about to blow up. With new associates and foes from folklore, they need to uncover a hidden villain’s plot earlier than a magical battle destroys the town. (Grades 4–8)

Purchase it: Monkey King and the World of Myths, Vol. 2

Faculty Dance by Sarah Sax

There’s a faculty dance coming, and Milo can be excited—besides he believes he can’t dance as a result of he’s cursed! With the assistance of associates and his gifted abuela (grandmother), Milo does his finest to interrupt the curse so he can put on his dancing sneakers with confidence within the newest entry within the Brinkley Yearbooks sequence. (Grades 4–8)

Purchase it: School Dance

This Place Kills Me by Mariko Tamaki, ailing. by Nicole Goux

At Wilberton Academy, star scholar Elizabeth Woodward is discovered lifeless after opening night time, shaking the elite Wilberton Theatrical Society. Switch scholar Abby, skeptical of the suicide ruling, uncovers darkish secrets and techniques and hidden rivalries, suspecting Elizabeth’s dying was no accident however tied to lethal mysteries inside the faculty. (Grades 8–12)

Purchase it: This Place Kills Me

Over and Below the Coral Reef by Kate Messner, ailing. by Christopher Silas Neal

The newest entry within the Over and Below sequence takes readers to a magical place below (and over) the ocean! With birds and sea turtles above and colourful fish and sharks beneath, the reef comes alive on this new nonfiction ebook. (Grades Ok–3)

Purchase it: Over and Under the Coral Reef

Sound by Olga Fadeeva

What precisely is sound? That’s the central query this ebook explores, protecting matters like how sound is produced and the way it travels, how people dwell with (and with out) it, and even how sound can have an effect on our well being. (Grades 4–9)

Purchase it: Sound

The Sky Was My Blanket by Uri Shulevitz

Born throughout World Warfare I, Yehiel Szulewicz leaves his restrictive dwelling in Poland at 15, embarking on a dangerous journey throughout Europe. As fascism rises, he joins the Spanish Republican Military and Jewish Resistance, preventing for survival and freedom amid the darkest days earlier than World Warfare II. (Grades 5–9)

Purchase it: The Sky Was My Blanket

By no means Silent by Setsuko Thurlow and Kathy Lowinger, ailing. by Michelle Theodore

Setsuko Thurlow’s glad life in Hiroshima modified when she was 13 with the dropping of the atomic bomb. Although she survived, she’s spent her life educating the world about its horrors, in an effort to stop such a factor from ever taking place once more. (Grades 6–8)

Purchase it: Never Silent

White Lies: How the South Misplaced the Civil Warfare, Then Rewrote the Historical past by Ann Bausum

At a time when overt, widespread racism has reared its hideous head as soon as once more, this new ebook appears like needed studying for each teen seeking to perceive why historical past might be such a contentious topic. That is the sort of ebook some will search to maintain off library cabinets, however the arduous truths inside beg to be uncovered. (Grades 7–12)
Purchase it: White Lies: How the South Lost the Civil War, Then Rewrote the History