For many, May means the last month of school and the start of summer break. That makes it the perfect time to pick up some new reads to fill the lazy days ahead! These are the May 2025 new books we’re most looking forward to adding to our shelves, based on their promising advance reviews.
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New Fiction Picture Books May 2025
The Gathering Table by Antwan Eady, ill. by London Ladd
Join a diverse family as they gather around a special table beneath a tree, one that’s seen every kind of festivity imaginable. It’s a joyful celebration of the moments, big and small, that make life worthwhile at every age.
Buy it: The Gathering Table
Frank’s Red Hat by Sean E. Avery
In the Antarctic world of black and white, Frank the penguin and his red hat really stand out. Unfortunately, that’s not so great when there are predators on the loose. Can Frank find a safe way to pursue his passion for wacky hats?
Buy it: Frank’s Red Hat
Colette, the Solitary Bee by Jean-François Sénéchal, ill. by Pascale Bonenfant
Friends and family are wonderful, but it’s also okay to enjoy being on your own. That’s the moral of this story about a sweet bee who glories in the delights of being solitary, and it’s an important message for all kids to hear.
Buy it: Colette, the Solitary Bee
Fireworks by Matthew Burgess, ill. by Cátia Chien
Get little ones excited about summer’s greatest holiday with this beautiful new book about the urban joys of the Fourth of July, from fire hydrant sprinklers and watermelon to the main attraction: fireworks!
Buy it: Fireworks
Big Family Beach Day by Nina Crews
Speaking of summer joys, this new book for May invites readers to one family’s favorite tradition: a big family day at the beach. The illustrations steal the show here, in gorgeous double-page spreads full of detail and excitement.
Buy it: Big Family Beach Day
New Easy Reader/Chapter Books May 2025
Amina Banana and the Formula for Friendship by Shifa Saltagi Safadi, ill. by Aaliya Jaleel
New chapter book series are always exciting for young readers, especially when they feature diverse characters. Syrian refugee Amina is determined to fit in in 3rd grade, but things don’t go exactly to plan. Any kid who’s ever felt a bit on the outside will recognize themselves in this winning new protagonist.
Lone Wolf Goes to the Library by Kiah Thomas, ill. by K-Fai Steele
In the third entry of this chapter book series, Wolf must face his fear of encountering other people to return a library book on time. Kids will giggle and sympathize as Wolf’s escapades escalate, and they’ll cheer when he accomplishes his goal at last.
Buy it: Lone Wolf Goes to the Library
Squid in Pants by Kaz Windness
Squid and his pals have just one wish: clothes! When they see some clothes hanging over the side of a boat, they take their chance and snag some snazzy new threads. But what happens when the owner of the clothes shows up to reclaim his stuff?
Buy it: Squid in Pants
Middle Grade Fiction May 2025 New Books
The Burning Season by Caroline Starr Rose
Opal lives in a fire lookout tower with her mother and grandmother; she lost her father to a wildfire and now has a secret fear of the deadly flames. This novel-in-verse tells her gripping story, which is so different from the lives of most 7th graders that readers will be fascinated.
Buy it: The Burning Season
Gus and Glory by Sarah Guillory
Twelve-year-old mystery-lover Glory is spending the summer with her grandparents, trying to solve the biggest mystery of all: What happened to her absent mother? When she teams up with lovable bloodhound Gus, the young sleuth and her dog really start to make progress!
Buy it: Gus and Glory
The Garden Just Beyond by Lindsey Leavitt
The magic garden of Maggie’s family dates back centuries, all the way to 1776. In it, the family has always found incredible ingredients, exactly what they need to create literal life-changing meals for those who can afford them. But now that it’s Maggie’s turn to cook, the garden is filled with rot. What does that mean, and can she find a way to bring it back to life?
Buy it: The Garden Just Beyond
The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls by Judith Rossell
Magdalena Fishbone is sent to an orphanage as punishment for a crime, but she soon discovers that it’s actually a secret spy-training school for young girls! Set in the early 20th century, this clever book is a fun adventure that’s perfect for summer reading lists.
The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall by Charis Cotter
A bird-watching summer camp in the 1960s might seem like an unlikely setting for a spooky mystery, but that’s the delight of this ghostly new tale. Flashlight batteries mysteriously drained overnight set pals Zippy and Bee off on a search to find the cause. But are they ready for what’s waiting for them?
Young Adult Fiction May 2025 New Books
Up in Smoke by Nick Brooks
This new teen mystery takes on an urgent feel, set against a background of violence during a Black Lives Matter protest. Cooper and his crush Monique must team up to prove her brother Jason is innocent of the murder of which he’s been accused. They’re soon caught up in the web of corruption and racial prejudice that plagues their city—at the same time that they’re falling in love.
Buy it: Up in Smoke
This Thing of Ours by Frederick Joseph
As a basketball star, scholarship student Ossie Brown felt at home in the mostly white Braxton Academy. But a torn ACL trips up his dreams, leading him to a new interest (and new friends) in creative writing. When his favorite teacher becomes the target of a conservative outcry against a “woke agenda,” Ossie’s online protests make him a target too, changing his life forever.
Buy it: This Thing of Ours
Eliza, From Scratch by Sophia Lee
A sweet teen romance with a little extra kick, this new read is another surefire hit for summer reading lists. When high-achieving Korean American Eliza finds herself in Culinary Arts instead of AP Physics, she’s sure it’s going to mean the end of her dreams. Instead, the class leads to a deeper connection with her heritage, as well as with her antagonistic cooking partner, Wesley.
Buy it: Eliza, From Scratch
Run Like a Girl by Amaka Egbe
Competitive runner Dera’s life is turned upside down when she’s sent to a new school that doesn’t have a girls’ track team. The school lets her join the boys’ team, though her new teammates aren’t all exactly welcoming. Still, things are looking up until some publicity brings more attention than Dera expected, throwing everything into chaos once again. Dera’s about to learn that sometimes you just can’t run from your problems.
Buy it: Run Like a Girl
Solo by Gráinne O’Brien
Daisy leads a lonely life centered on music and her boyfriend. When he unexpectedly dumps her, Daisy finds that music seems to have abandoned her as well. A burgeoning friendship with fellow student Flora helps her navigate life’s challenges, leading her back to the music she loves amid a scary medical diagnosis for Daisy’s dad. This novel-in-verse will be especially meaningful to those who love and know classical music themselves.
Buy it: Solo
New Graphic Novels May 2025
Pencil & Eraser: Lost and Frown! by Jenny Alvarado
Pencil and Eraser are so excited about owner Stella’s upcoming karate class that they jump right out of her backpack. Now the hilarious duo are lost and must find their way back to Stella any way they can. (Grades K–3)
Buy it: Pencil & Eraser: Lost and Frown!
Creature Clinic by Gavin Aung Than
Here at the world’s only hospital for mythical creatures, every kind of being is welcome—except human beings. So when a real live human shows up at the hospital, doctor in training Kara Orc is in a tough position. Still, she took an oath to help all creatures. What’s a creature doctor to do? (Grades 3–6)
Buy it: Creature Clinic
One Crazy Summer (Graphic Novel) by Rita Williams-Garcia, ill. by Sharee Miller
The beloved middle grade novel gets the graphic novel treatment in this new edition. It’s perfect for reluctant readers or teachers looking to put a new spin on the material for their classes. (Grades 3–6)
Buy it: One Crazy Summer (Graphic Novel)
Reel Life by Kane Lynch
Galen and his friends Kyle and Luna have always bonded over their love of film, but lately Kyle has been harder to hang around with as he deals with his parents’ divorce. Galen can’t understand it—until his own dad breaks up his marriage to marry a much younger woman, and his mom brings home a new boyfriend. Luna and Galen decide to make a film documentary to try to make sense of it all, but “reel life” isn’t the same as “real life,” as they’re about to find out. (Grades 3–6)
Buy it: Reel Life
Song of the Lioness: Alanna (Graphic Novel) by Tamora Pierce, adapted by Vita Ayala and Sam Beck
Here’s another beloved classic adapted into a graphic novel, bringing the popular fantasy tale to life for a whole new generation. Heroine Alanna is a young noblewoman who wants to be a knight despite her world’s expectations. Her journey kicks off the four-book cycle first made popular in the 1980s, now reincarnated as a graphic novel series. (Grades 6–10)
Buy it: Song of the Lioness: Alanna
New Nonfiction Books for All Ages
So Many Years by Anne Wynter, ill. by Jerome Pumphrey
Juneteenth can be a difficult holiday to explain to the very young, but this new book does an excellent job of keeping material honest but age-appropriate. This book belongs on all shelves as a celebration of emancipation that reverberates from the past and into the future. (Grades pre-K to 2)
Buy it: So Many Years
The Secret Life of a Sea Turtle by Maddalena Bearzi, ill. by Alex Boersma
Follow one sea turtle’s life, from her first dangerous scamper through the sand after hatching to a life spent sailing through the ocean searching for food and evading predators, then back once again to the beach where she was born to start a new generation of her own. (Grades pre-K to 2)
Buy it: The Secret Life of a Sea Turtle
Hurricane by Jason Chin
Life in a hurricane zone is scary sometimes, but this new book does a good job explaining all the ways people can protect themselves and each other when a big storm approaches. It makes stressful situations easier for young readers to understand and process. (Grades pre-K to 2)
Buy it: Hurricane
Some of Us by Rajani LaRocca, ill. by Huy Voun Lee
As the author notes, some of us were born American citizens, while others chose to be here. This book traces the journey of immigration and naturalization taken by so many Americans, those who are made up of where they come from and where they’ve made their lives now. It’s inspiring, insightful, and informative for kids and adults alike. (Grades K–4)
Buy it: Some of Us
An Immense World (Young Readers Edition) by Ed Yong, adapted by Annmarie Anderson, ill. by Rebecca Mills
This adaptation of the popular bestseller will captivate the preteen crowd as they learn all the ways that animals see the world and communicate with each other in ways humans can’t begin to imagine. Animal and wildlife lovers will devour this one over the summer months! (Grades 4–7)
Malcolm Lives! by Ibram X. Kendi
Billed as “the official biography of Malcolm X for young readers,” this new offering from the author of Antiracist Baby and others is a well-researched look at the civil rights leader as well as the landscape of America during his life and tragic assassination. (Grades 5–9)
Buy it: Malcolm Lives!
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