Education

Best New Books in July 2025 for Kids, Teens, and Teachers


Ready to fill your summer reading list with all the latest books? We’ve got you covered! We scoured the reviews to find the best new books for July 2025, with picks for kids, teens, and teachers. So slather on the sunscreen, slip one of these picks into your beach bag, and spend your summer days relaxing with a new read or two.

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July reading log

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Printable July Reading Log

Ready to recommend some new books to your students? Grab our free printable July reading log to hand out so they can easily track their reading!

New Fiction Picture Books in July 2025

Fish Fry Friday book cover
Amazon

Fish Fry Friday by Winsome Bingham and C.G. Esperanza

Every Friday evening, one family joins Granny for a fish fry. But this Friday, her grandson joins her earlier, watching her catch, clean, and prepare the fish too—and even contributes a side dish of his own!

Buy it: Fish Fry Friday

Everyday Bean book cover
Amazon

Everyday Bean by Stephanie Graegin

Readers will delight in the sweet adventures of Bean, a tiny hedgehog, and her grandma. This collection of 10 brief stories is perfect for bedtime reading.

Buy it: Everyday Bean

Recess book cover
Amazon

Recess by Lane Smith

For many kids, recess is one of the best parts of the school day, and this author wholeheartedly agrees. This new book for July 2025 will make a terrific classroom read-aloud.

Buy it: Recess

The Moving Book cover
Amazon

The Moving Book by Lisa Brown

Moving is a time full of emotion: fear, excitement, sadness, and more. The brother and sister in this book have moved many times, and their reminiscences about their experiences can help prepare kids for what to expect when facing a move of their own.

Buy it: The Moving Book

Forts book cover
Amazon

Forts by Katie Venit, ill. by Kenard Pak

When you build a fort, you create a small safe space to play, to hide, to shut out the rest of the world. This new book celebrates the forts kids build, anywhere and everywhere!

Buy it: Forts

New Easy Reader/Chapter Books in July 2025

Stitch book cover
Amazon

Stitch by Pádraig Kenny

This new read promises to “reimagine Frankenstein” for young readers, and pulls it off beautifully, asking kids to consider the question “What makes someone a monster?”

Buy it: Stitch

Earl & Work: The Big Mess book cover
Amazon

The second entry in this chapter book series has all the humor and charm of the first. Join Earl and Worm as they clean up a big mess, deal with a bad-luck penny, and try their hardest to stay up all night long.

Buy it: Earl & Worm: The Big Mess

Olive Gets a Little Crafty (Mrs. Z's Class) book cover
Amazon

The Kids in Mrs. Z’s Class: Olive Little Gets Crafty by Linda Urban, ill. by Kat Fajardo

This makes number seven in the beloved chapter book series about the kids in Mrs. Z’s class, this time featuring Olive. She loves making stuff, but she’s not always the best at making friends. The solution? A crafting club! Will the other kids join in?

Buy it: Olive Little Gets Crafty

New Middle Grade Books in July 2025

The Accidental Stowaway book cover
Amazon

The Accidental Stowaway by Judith Eagle, ill. by Jo Rioux

It’s 1910, and 12-year-old Patch, passed from one relative to another, accidentally stows away on the RMS Glorious. As she makes unlikely friends and uncovers a dangerous mystery, Patch must decide whether to settle down at last—or embrace the thrill of adventure.

Buy it: The Accidental Stowaway

An Encantadora’s Guide to Monstros and Magic book cover
Amazon

An Encantadora’s Guide to Monstros & Magic by Sarah J. Mendonca

To save her grandmother’s shop from the powerful Ministério dos Monstros, young monster hunter Rosa joins a crew of thieves as a magical safecracker. As she navigates a world of luxury and danger, Rosa must rely on her magic and newfound allies to pull off a high-stakes heist that could change everything.

Buy it: An Encantadora’s Guide to Monstros & Magic

Snoop book cover
Amazon

Snoop by Gordon Korman

After a skiing accident leaves Carter with two broken legs, his boredom leads to an obsession with watching police cam feeds—until his spying uncovers strange secrets and puts him in danger from those who now know he’s been watching.

Buy it: Snoop

The House of Found Objects book cover
Amazon

The House of Found Objects by Jo Beckett-King

Puzzle lovers, rejoice! When 12-year-old Bea’s grandmother’s treasured Matisse drawing goes missing during a summer visit to Paris, a mysterious clue sets her on a mission to find it in this fun new middle grade read. She and her cousin Céline navigate the city’s landmarks, solving puzzles in a thrilling search for the lost artwork—and the person behind the clues.

Buy it: The House of Found Objects

New Young Adult Books in July 2025

This Book Might Be About Zinnia book cover
Amazon

This Book Might Be About Zinnia by Brittney Morris

In 2024, Zinnia Davis suspects her favorite author might be her birth mother after a new novel mirrors her adoption story, sparking a search for the truth. In 2006, teen Tuesday Walker’s lost journal leads to buried secrets that could change both their lives forever. Their interwoven stories will keep teen readers enthralled.

Buy it: This Book Might Be About Zinnia

Love at Full Tilt book cover
Amazon

Love at Full Tilt by Jenny L. Howe

Lia Baker escapes her uncertain future by entering a legendary theme park scavenger hunt, but as sparks fly with her charming rival Mason, she must choose between chasing a new dream or an unexpected love. This romance novel features diverse characters and relationships sure to appeal to today’s teens.

Buy it: Love at Full Tilt

The Yomigaeri Tunnel book cover
Amazon

The Yomigaeri Tunnel by Kelly Murashige

Grieving the loss of a classmate, Monika enters the mysterious Yomigaeri Tunnel with hopes of bringing Shun back. But when she crosses paths with determined Shiori, who wants to revive her mother, the two must confront their darkest secrets and decide whether they’re allies or rivals.

Buy it: The Yomigaeri Tunnel

The Rebel Girls of Rome book cover
Amazon

The Rebel Girls of Rome by Jordyn Taylor

In the present, grieving college student Lilah travels to Rome after a mysterious letter leads her to uncover her grandfather’s hidden past as a Holocaust survivor. Her story alternates with that of Bruna, torn from her family in 1943 during the Nazi occupation, who joins the resistance and risks everything in a fight for survival and identity.

Buy it: The Rebel Girls of Rome

New Graphic Novels for All Ages in July 2025

Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom book cover
Amazon

Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom by Jessixa Bagley

Jazzy’s parents run the broom shop in a town full of witches, but Jazzy herself just doesn’t love flying. Instead, she loves bicycles! Can she figure out how to get one and still meet the expectations of her friends and family? (Grades 1–4)

Buy it: Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom

The Mighty Onion and Guinea Pig Girl book cover
Amazon

The Mighty Onion and Guinea Pig Girl! by Mark Crilley

In the second graphic novel in the series, Eliot and Pam are thrilled when their comic “The Mighty Onion” gets picked up by the local paper, but their dream starts to unravel when Pam is recruited for a bigger comic strip. As creative tensions rise, they must decide if their partnership—and their beloved comic—can survive the pressure. (Grades 4–7)

Buy it: The Mighty Onion and Guinea Pig Girl!

Maska book cover
Amazon

Masks by Margaret Rae and Brian Nathanson, ill. by Beck Kubrick

After narrowly escaping the monster hunters who killed her parents, Poe now cares for her younger siblings, who yearn for more than a life in hiding. When their safe haven faces destruction, their search for belonging leads them to a transformative Halloween party that challenges them to embrace their true selves. (Grades 4–7)

Buy it: Masks

Free Piano (Not Haunted) book cover
Amazon

Free Piano (Not Haunted) by Whitney Gardner

Lonely Margot finds a discarded synthesizer haunted by the spirit of Vision, a teen pop star from 1979, and the two form an unexpected bond through their shared love of music. But as Margot chases fame and online followers, she risks losing her passion for what truly matters. (Grades 4–7)

Buy it: Free Piano (Not Haunted)

Clementine (Book 3)
Amazon

Clementine (Book 3) by Tillie Walden

In peaceful Nuuk, Clem and her friends struggle with their pasts and growing doubts about the mysterious Gardener. After a devastating event, Clem must choose whether to trust the Gardener’s offer, even as she uncovers threats to their community. (Grades 9–12)

Buy it: Clementine (Book 3)

New Nonfiction Books in July 2025

Toes, Teeth, and Tentacles book cover
Amazon

Toes, Teeth, and Tentacles by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

Get some practice counting while learning about the strange appendages of all sorts of animals, from a squid’s three hearts to a scallop’s 200 eyes! (Pre-K to Grade 2)

Buy it: Toes, Teeth, and Tentacles

Dawn book cover
Amazon

Dawn by Marc Martin

Through sparse, poetic text and lush illustrations, this new read beautifully captures the subtle rhythms of a lake’s wildlife at dawn, creating a vivid, immersive celebration of nature’s quiet moments. (Pre-K to Grade 2)

Buy it: Dawn

Light book cover
Amazon

Light by Jess Wade, ill. by Ana Sanfelippo

Explore the science of light—from the night sky and rainbows to shadows, color, and solar energy—with clear explanations of its natural phenomena and human applications. The scientist-penned text is accessible and fun, and the illustrations bring everything to life. (Grades 1–3)

Buy it: Light

The Atlas of Languages book cover
Amazon

The Atlas of Languages by Rachel Lancashire, ill. by Jenny Zemanek

This intriguing book offers a continent-by-continent overview of the world’s languages, combining detailed maps, language trees, proverbs, and cultural insights to explore major, minor, and isolated languages with engaging commentary and diverse illustrations.(Grades 4–7)

Buy it: The Atlas of Languages

Daring book cover
Amazon

Daring by Jordana Pomeroy

Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun overcame early tragedy and societal barriers to become a celebrated portrait painter for European elites, including Marie Antoinette. Forced to flee during the French Revolution, she bravely navigated exile across Europe and Russia, using her talent and resilience to rebuild her career and identity. (Grades 8–12)

Buy it: Daring

New Books for Teachers in July 2025

How We Grow Up book cover
Amazon

How We Grow Up by Matt Richtel

Richtel explains how modern pressures and earlier puberty impact the adolescent brain, contributing to mental health challenges. Using neuroscience and stories, the book offers valuable insights for parents and teachers to better support youth through this critical stage.

Buy it: How We Grow Up

Get your free printable July reading log!

July reading log
We Are Teachers

Grab our free printable July reading log to hand out to your students so they can easily track their reading.

What new books are you adding to your must-read list in July 2025? Come chat with other book lovers in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook!

Plus, Books To Teach Kids About the 4th of July.



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