It’s time for more books! I get so excited every month when new picture books come out and, since I am a bit behind, there are quite a few! I pulled together some awesome new releases from June, July and August. Check out these new picture books that were released in Summer 2024.
I’m sharing all of these books on video as well! Check out the New Picture Books Summer 2024 on my Youtube channel.
This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.
New Books Summer 2024 (June)
Zuni and the Memory Jar by Aisha Saeed
In this story, we meet Zuni, who is always full of ideas. And one of those things that her family has is a memory jar. And in this memory jar, they put their favorite memory, everyday memories. At the end of the year they go back through this jar and talk about all of the wonderful everyday moments that they had together throughout the year.
I’m kind of intrigued by this idea and I think this would be something fun to do as a class. After you read the story, have a class jar and each day have one student, you could make it a job, or have multiple students write down something they learned that day, something fun that they did, and then at the end of the year, go through it together and have a lot of fun reliving your year together.
I See Color by Valerie Bolling
This book really affirms that people of color of all shades and celebrates their achievements and their contributions to society.
It recognizes some very famous names such as Dr. Martin Luther King, as well as others. We see incredible leaders and how they are honored on every page in this book. A powerful book to share with your class.
A Song for Nolan by Rushie Ellenwood
In the story, Nolan, who is non binary, is invited to a party at the local roller skating rink. They are so excited. They love to roller skate, and you would say that it’s their jam. Once they’re there, the DJ announces a song for the girls, and then a song for the boys. Nolan’s not really sure where they fit in. So they encourage the DJ to play a song for everyone.
It’s really a powerful and joyful book that uplifts and celebrates non binary children.
Home in a Lunchbox by Cherry Mo
In the story, a young girl immigrates from Hong Kong to America. When she gets here, there’s only a handful of words that she knows. Her new school feels foreign. It feels terrifying. Then she opens her lunch box to find her favorite meal. She realizes that home isn’t so far away after all. And this book reminds readers and your students that friendship and belonging can be found in every bite.
Abeulo’s Flower Shop by Jackie Morera
Elena is finally old enough to help her abuelo out in his flower shop. But she notices that all of the people who come into the flower shop have tears in their eyes. Her abuelo explains that they come in to buy flowers to remember to remember those that they have lost and to share that they miss them.
This is a powerful story for those who are navigating those difficult conversations about grief and can help out those students who are going through that.
The Boy Who Found His Voice by Tyler Gordon
In the story, it’s a boy who has a speech difference and he finds a way to express himself through art. He often pauses and stammers, but his mom helps him realize that he can express himself in different ways. That he can be true to himself, and he finds art as that way to express himself.
Beach Hair by Ashley Woodfolk
This is a book about family, community, and most importantly, beach hair. Everyone on the beach’s hair is twisty and crazy and blown by the wind. The best part about this beach day is that everyone belongs because all of their hair looks the same that day. And they can really let their hair run as wild and free as the sea.
Gorgeously Me! by Jonathan Van Ness
This is a book that celebrates all the things that makes each individual unique and special and gorgeously themselves. It talks about how being yourself isn’t always easy, but it’s so important to stay true to who you are.
The Yellow Bus by Loren Long
Told from the point of view of the bus, this book shares how much that bus loves bringing kids to school every day, and the joy that it finds in having all those kids on the bus. Eventually the bus gets old and no longer takes those kids to school anymore. But yet, this school bus still finds joy and happiness in each day.
Pete the Cat Screams for Ice Cream by James Dean
The Just Chillin Ice Cream Truck is about to arrive and Pete is so excited. But he’s running late and his friends need help. Will Pete take a little bit of time out of his day to help his friends? Follow along with Pete the Cat as he learns that it is cool to be kind.
New Books Summer 2024 (July)
Dante Plays His Blues by Allen R. Wells
This is a boy who is affected by housing insecurity. He and his mom have lost their home, so they have to move in with his Uncle Ron and Uncle Joe. But Dante doesn’t know anyone in this neighborhood, and he’s feeling a little lost. So his Uncle Ron teaches him how to play the saxophone, and he learns that playing the blues is a great way to lift his mood.
Dare to Be Daring by Chelsea Lin Wallace
Dare to Be Daring is about facing your fears, whether they are big or small. From tasting a new food to a trip to the dentist, to those scary sounds in the basement, it’s about inviting students to be brave when things feel a little scary, and how you can be just brave enough to try everything and really encourages them to build that confidence and feel brave. Even in those times that feel a little nerve wracking.
I am La Chiva! by Karol Hernandez
In the high mountains of Colombia, a colorful bus named La Chiva travels from village to village picking up farmers and their wares. Eventually, they arrive at the town square and its lively marketplace. In a mix of Spanish and English, this tale brings a cherished custom of rural Colombia to life for readers.
Millie Fleur’s Poison Garden by Christy Mandin
In Millie’s new neighborhood all of the houses are really nice and well-kept, except for her house which is kind of scruffy and a little run down.
That doesn’t bother Millie though as she gets to planting a garden of rather strange plants. The other kids are a little weary at first of these weird magical plants that she has in her yard. Soon everyone wants a little bit of Millie’s garden to add to their own yards. It’s a reminder to embrace everything that makes us all unique and wonderfully weird.
Think a Thought by Conor McGlaufilin
Think a Thought is a book on mindfulness. It offers students examples of meditation and mindfulness to help them ease their anxieties. I have not picked this one up, so I’d be curious to see if this makes a good read aloud or if it’s just a good resource to have in your classroom for students when they feel the need to have this.
I am Jesse Owens by Brad Meltzer
This one came out just in time for the Summer 2024 Olympics. Before Jesse Owens was an Olympic gold medalist, he was a poor kid in a big family. When his speed caught the eye of one of his high school teachers, he began to train seriously. His running eventually took him all the way to the Olympics. He was a fierce competitor and overcame racist assumptions, while breaking world records and winning medals.
Saturdays at Harlem Grown by Tony Hillery
Saturdays at Harlem Grown is a companion to the non fiction book Harlem Grown about an urban community farm. And it talks about how every Saturday the community comes out to tend this garden together and it’s time to harvest all of that, all of their hard work that they’ve put into it.
The book shares the great garden that they’ve created, as well as how they’ve created an amazing community that has all worked together. There’s an author’s note at the end that includes a recipe for soup and instructions for recycling, composting, and tending to a garden.
Boo the Library Ghost by Becky Paige
This next one will be fun for Halloween. The library is Poppy’s favorite place to visit. But, there’s a ghost named Boo who tries to frighten everyone away.
Boo casts eerie shadows, rips pages out of books, and knocks the books off the shelves. But brave Poppy refuses to leave. She just wants to read her books in peace. Well, we learn that Boo wants to learn to read, too, and so Poppy helps her become a reader. And then Boo is no longer a haunted ghost, but a friendly ghost in this story.
So not only is it a fun Halloween, could be a fun Halloween book, but it also celebrates reading and the joy of books as well.
Vamos! Let’s Celebrate Halloween & Dia de los Muertos by Raul the Third
Little Lobo is celebrating two big holidays this fall. On Halloween, he and his friends are going to dress up in costumes, go trick or treating, and share spooky stories. But then, everyone in the town prepares food, drinks, and other gifts, and decorates the cemetery with ofrendas. So they can enjoy Dia de los Muertos with the spirits of the people that they love.
Author vs. Illustrator by Donal Lemke
This book goes on to become a competition between the author and the illustrator and how they have their own ideas about how they want this book to turn out.
Can the author make a successful picture book without an illustrator? Can the illustrator tell a story without words? Or will they get together to at last create the ultimate happy ending in the book? This is a great book to kind of point out the important roles of the author and the illustrator in a picture book.
A great way to kind of start out, maybe you’re writing workshop or reading workshop at the beginning of the year, talking about how picture books come together and how both of those roles play really important parts in creating picture books and how they need to work together. to make that book come to life.
New Books Summer 2024 (August)
One Small Spark by Ruth Spiro
In One Small Spark, a young girl goes on a journey to solve a problem. She notices a problem on one rainy day on her way to school. And in that moment, a small spark inside of her grows, and it connects her with others who are inspired to make a change as well.
I think this will inspire your own students to make a difference in the world! It will spark a classroom discussion about how students can make a difference in the world, even if it’s something small.
Who’s In Charge? by Stephanie Allain
This is an age appropriate book for students. for young children that encourages them to set boundaries. That they need to take charge of their own body, voice, and the choices that they make. So as the book goes through, it asks who’s in charge of your voice? It can be playful and silly, but students will respond with the “I AM!” statement.
I’m Sorry You Got Mad by Kyle Lukoff
Jack wants to apologize for hurting Zoe’s feelings but he can’t quite find the words. He doesn’t really know what to say or how to apologize. He learns that there’s more to an apology than just saying “I’m sorry”, and that it goes deeper than just words. This is a helpful SEL concept for students to understand how to apologize and what it means to apologize.
The Ofrenda that We Built by Jolene Gutierrez
A story about families that are celebrating Dia de los Muertos as they remember their loved ones who have passed on. It uses the nursery rhyme, The House That Jack Built, to share how the family ofrenda is the center of this celebration. It goes through all of the different elements and how each one symbolizes something and has special meaning to that family.
Trick or Treating in the City by Tiffany D. Jackson
Janelle lives in New York City and, this year, she can’t do her typical Halloween traditions. Both her mom and dad have to work and they can’t take her to the suburbs to go trick or treating.
She starts to listen to her friends and neighbors talk about their Halloween and how they plan to celebrate. This helps her learn how she can have her own traditions or her own celebration of Halloween in her own special way.
Once Upon a Diwali by Anita Mishra
In the story, a young girl loves Diwali. She loves the tasty treats, but she doesn’t really like the darkness and the fireworks. So can she find a way to be brave and figure out how to celebrate Diwali with her family out being scared? Throughout this story, not only will you hear this young girl’s story and figure out how she overcomes those fears, but you’ll learn more about the holiday as well and how it’s celebrated.
You’ve Got This! by Lindsay Bonilla
You’ve Got This! helps kids tackle those scary moments with a special mantra to help inspire confidence. Learning to ride a bike, performing in a recital, or facing a mistake are all things that can, even for adults, make your hands sweat and your heart pound.
But by repeating the mantra, “you’ve got this!”, young kids will learn to face their fears and try new things.
Stay Angry, Little Girl by Madeleine L’Engle
This comes from a powerful quote from A Wrinkle in Time.
“Stay angry Little Meg” Mrs. Whatsit whispered, “you will need all your anger now.”
This picture book takes that quote and encourages girls everywhere to proudly share their ideas and their emotions, even if those traits are met with resistance. It’s because being brave, sensitive, stubborn, curious, loud, kind, or playful help young girls build strength and stay true to themselves.
I Miss You Most by Charlotte Cheng
In this book, a young girl remembers her grandfather fondly. Those memories of her grandpa bring solace but also grief at the same time. She’s learning to navigate that trickiness of missing her grandfather, but also wanting to remember him. This is a great book for students who are navigating that grief and helping to talk with them about loss.
Show Up and Vote by Ani DiFranco
This is an eye opening book for young students about voting. A young girl goes with her mother to a local polling station and her mom walks her through the process. She stresses the importance of voting and that it comes with great responsibility.
Which of these new books from the summer of 2024 will you grab first? Your students are sure to love all of them! And, if you are looking for more new books, check out these lists:
Listen to New Books Summer 2024 on the Podcast
Get a FREE Scope & Sequence Book List!
Say goodbye to endless book searches! This FREE downloadable resource provides a full year’s worth of read-alouds for your first or second grade classroom, aligned with all subjects.
Here’s what you’ll get:
- Over 180 book titles to ignite young minds!
- A weekly scope and sequence, so you know exactly what to read each week. ️
- The perfect texts to support the skills you’re teaching.
Stop wasting time searching and start sparking a love of reading in your students today! Don’t miss out, download your FREE First or Second Grade Read-Aloud Book List now!
Save these New Books Summer 2024
Be sure to save this pin to your favorite read alouds board on Pinterest! You’ll be able to come back to these new books when you are ready to read them aloud with your students.
