When it comes to funny books for preschoolers, the Grumpy Monkey series by Suzanne Lang is another favorite for my son and me. We especially like reading this graphic novel addition to the series together. After getting annoyed at oxpecker, Jim Panzee throws a banana peel at her and causes quite the stir amongst his fellow jungle neighbors. When he’s banished to the desert, his loyal friend Norman tags along, and the journey gets hilariously bumpy. Just wait until all of the animals start getting banished for increasingly absurd reasons. It’s been awhile since a book has made me laugh so hard.

Funny books for preschoolers are that much funnier when they make us adults laugh too. Bedtime struggles are relatable for both kids and caregivers, and this story by Bunmi Laditan makes for such a funny and cathartic read. When a girl decides her little bed just won’t cut it, she informs her dad he can swap his spot in the big bed for a camping cot instead.

This funny picture book is part of Anna Kang’s endearing You Are (Not) Small series. In this particular adventure, our fuzzy friends are having fun building a sandcastle on the beach. Maybe if they just add one more finishing touch to the castle though, it’ll be perfect. These become famous last words, of course.

Trying to aim for perfection can lead to some funny disasters, and this sweet book for preschoolers by Kat Zhang captures that too. Amy Wu is a funny and fearless star in this story. She’s got her mind set on making the perfect bao bun, but everything seems to be going wrong! Despite the challenge, Amy perseveres. Plus, readers get rewarded with a delicious bao recipe at the end too!

Bubbly Narwhal and grouchy Jelly make the perfect best friend duo in this silly graphic novel series by Ben Clanton. Jelly’s woes are very relatable, and Narwhal is always the life of the party. Plus, they create some epic comic book adventures together called Super Waffle and Strawberry Sidekick. The audiobook adaptations of this series include a full cast and great sound effects, and my son and I love listening to them in the car. Forewarning, the Narwhal song is very catchy and will get stuck in your head.

Written by Pura Belpré Honor-winning author Anika Aldamuy Denise, this silly story is sure to give your preschooler a case of the giggles. Along with the humor, the story blends Spanish with English and encourages readers to count to 10 in Spanish. As Gato Guapo walks around in his fine and fancy clothes, nine naughty kitties follow him along and swipe something fancy for themselves before declaring “¡Yo soy Gato Guapo!”

The Max and Ruby series by Rosemary Wells is another all time favorite in our house. Each story features Ruby’s bossy plans getting derailed by her little brother Max’s mischief in the most hilarious ways. In this particular tale, Ruby keeps having to send Max back to the store for cake ingredients after he causes chaos in the kitchen. All Max really wants are some Red-Hot Marshmallow Squirters though, and by the end of the story, both bunnies may become successful bakers.

After reading this funny story by Arree Chung, my son is always ready to have his own sneaky ninja adventures. Chung incorporates comic book style panels into the tale of a boy creeping through a house like a ninja on a top-secret mission (which may involve some cookies). By the end, the boy decides his little sister might be ready to learn the ways of the ninja too.

While you may have heard of Adam Rubin’s Dragons Love Tacos, have you read this epic sequel to the bestseller? My son and I love this one even more than the first. The story opens with the devastating news that the world has run out of tacos. Good thing you have a handy time machine to jump in with your dragon buddies to go grab some more tacos from the past. My little guy and I especially love the part when the characters land in an alternate reality where dragons love diapers.

Nora grew up changing identities at the drop of a hat, her mother always wrapped up in some scheme. Now, though, she has left all of that behind. That is, until she, her girlfriend, and her ex are trapped in the middle of a bank robbery. Now Nora’s past just might be the thing to get them out of this situation, but it means coming clean to her closest friends.

Devon and Chimaka are the only Black students at the prestigious Niveus Private Academy, and they both have secrets that got them there. When an anonymous person starts texting them with threats to reveal everything, they must work together to find out who has put a target on their back and how to stop them. And if they were willing to fight to get into Niveus, they’ll fight even harder to stay.

It’s Paris’s 1889 world fair and Severin, a sticky-fingered heir to the House Vanth is forced to find an ancient artifact in order to claim his rightful place on the Order of Babel. With a team just as determined to succeed for their own reasons, they must navigate puzzles, magic, and an Order convinced he won’t make it.

When Louise was a teenager, she fought off kidnappers, saving three other girls in the process. Now, she has moved on, forged a normal life waitressing at a café and hitting the roaring ’20s nightclubs at night. But then a teenager Black girl is found dead in front of her cafe, and she’s talked into going undercover to find out what’s happening and who’s causing it.

Malini is banished to a temple, alone, by her high-on-his-power brother after she refused to be burned alive in a purification ritual. Isolated and furious, her only interactions is with the maidservant who comes to clean her prison. After Priya is attacked and her hidden power is revealed, the two set out to take down the oppressive dictatorship that hurt them both.

As World War II approaches, Phyllis is working for a mobster as an assassin in Harlem, using her unique skills bestowed by her “saints hands.” Dev, Phyllis’s ex-lover, also has the gift: his hands can sense threats. Tamara, using a tarot deck, can predict peoples’ futures. All three characters get a part of the book, struggling with their gifts and what it means to be good or bad or something in between.

Jamie and Zoe meet in a memory support group after they both lose their past. Jamie can read minds, using that power to rob banks and whatever else he pleases. Zoe has been on the other side of things, using her super strength to take down the bad guys. When they both get wind of a threat to their city, they must join together to stop it, recovering some of their past along the way.

On the run from the experiments of The Institute, Jes takes refuge on pleasure moon Persephone-9. There, he joins the circus and finds comfort and friendship. But when Dax, a crime boss, sets his sights on the circus and uses Jes’s fugitive status to blackmail him into doing what he asks, Jes’s refuge is ruined. When Dax tries to pin the circus for some of his crimes, they must rally together to stop him.

Veronica, a photographer, is best friends with performance artist Nico. When Mick, a new girl, joins their world in the San Diego summer, Veronica is obsessed. Obsession and the need to push art to its limit converge into a deadly conclusion.

English professor Scarlett Clark has everyone fooled. After hours, she targets bad men and kills them. That is, until the police come sniffing around campus and she must charm Dr. Mina Pierce to avoid suspicion. At the same time, student Carly is dealing with her own need for revenge after her roommate is assaulted at a party. As their stories collied, one thing is for sure: bad men won’t make it out of this one alive.

Sue grew up an orphan, in a house of thieves. When the charming con man named Gentleman asks her to help him take the fortune of a young woman in a secluded manor, Sue agrees. Undercover as the girl’s maid, she’s supposed to help him seduce the young girl and then get her shut into a mental hospital. But the problem with working with thieves is you can never quite tell where trust lies.

Sister Holiday’s background isn’t exactly what you’d expect of a nun, but that’s all behind her now. Only, when fires start popping up at Saint Sebastian’s School, her not-so-pretty past seems to turn the suspicion her way. Now she must use her skills to prove everyone wrong and find out who’s really starting the fires.

In the midst of a world at war, Rig is on the run from the Pyrite faction after making off with plans for weapons meant for them. On the side of the rebels, she smuggles and steals to her heart’s content. But when Rig’s twin sister is taken by Pyrite, she sets off on a rescue mission in the enemy’s territory.

After being outed by a raid on a gay bar, officer Evander Mills is kicked off the force. Then, the head of a soap empire, Irene, is killed, and her widow comes to Evander to investigate. Inside the soap empire’s grounds is a paradise for Evander, where people can be whoever they want openly. But poking around, Evander must uncover the scheming underneath it all that led to Irene’s death.

Oliver lives with his surgeon partner, Nathan Klien in Washington D.C. One night when Nathan’s out of town, Oliver ventures into a local bathhouse where he follows a stranger into a private room. Escaping with his life and a bruise on his neck, Oliver can’t let anyone know what happened that night, especially Nathan. The lies he tells Nathan spiral out of control, though, and what happened at the bathhouse just won’t seem to stay there.

After aspiring comic Joey’s boyfriend cheats on him, his whole future is uncertain. Their shared college, their future plans: it’s all crumbling down. At the same time, his mom’s relationship falls apart and the mother and son are furious together. In their anger, they go too far and must go on the run.

Clementine used to be a thief, but now she runs a perfume shop in Nazi-Occupied Paris where she mixes scents for her friend and cabaret singer, Day. When Day’s Jewish identity is threatened to be exposed, Clementine must locate the diary of Day’s father inside an occupied house.

Providing for her son after a messy divorce proves difficult for Sonja, and it pushes her into the underworld of drug trafficking into Iceland to try to get enough money to get custody back. But a customs officer is taking notice of her movements, and getting out of the trade isn’t as easy as giving a two-weeks notice.

On the run from the Guildmaster, Ryia works for Cal, head of the Saints, using her reputation as The Butcher to spill blood. When Ryia’s next goal takes her into the Guildmaster’s path, she and a team of desperate criminals work together to try to get freedom for them all or die trying.

Although Delphina Baker and her Gramma move often, she doesn’t mind. Home is wherever she and Gramma are together.

But when Gramma gets sick, Delphina is sent away to live with her Nana Rose — a woman she’s never met before who runs a school for magic in South Carolina. While getting over the shock that magic is real, Delphina seeks answers to family secrets that Gramma never shared with her.

Seventh grader Ben struggles to feel at home after moving to a new city and coping with his parents’ divorce. If only making new friends could be as easy as playing his favorite role-playing games.

When Ben falls through an interdimensional portal, he enters a strange fantasy realm where a girl named Niara claims he’s the Chosen One. Soon he discovers that, while his gaming knowledge is useful, saving the world is a lot more complicated in real life.

Josie, Theo, and Taylor are three teens whose lives are brought together by a haunted house in the middle of Saint Juniper’s Folly — a forest rumored to be cursed. Escaping the Folly will mean working together, as none of the teens have the strength to face its dangers alone.

Saorise Sorkova is a siren in hiding among her fellow soldiers, knowing that if others found out, they would likely kill her. When she becomes the crown prince Hayes’ bodyguard, she not only has to navigate the complicated romantic feelings that emerge, but also work harder to hide her magical powers and her secret job as an assassin in a group of mercenaries Prince Hayes asks her to track down.

Born into a family of time travelers, twins Tommy and Eva search for unanswered questions to why their parents disappeared into the past. While Eva copes with her grief by trying to make a place for herself in the present, Tommy is drawn to a woman named Peggy living in London’s Chinatown nearly a century ago.

Amidst the lingering trauma of World War I, Rin and her wife Odette run a magical circus troupe that offers escapism from the troubling outside world. But with the threat of another war on the horizon, a second, more sinister circus emerges. And its cruel ringmaster brings dangers from Rin’s past back into her life.

What if first contact was briefer and more perplexing than anyone expected? When a fleet of spaceships disappear as quickly as they arrived, people around the world are left with existential questions. With humanity’s place in the universe small, finding meaning in life can take absurd but nonetheless hopeful turns.

Mexican American comedian Jesús Trejo’s debut picture book features a young Jesús helping his landscaper Papá for a workday. Papá puts Jesús in charge of the magical water jug. When the water is all gone, he tells Jesús, it means it’s time to go home. Jesús is eager to help, but as his Papá works hard on properties, Jesús gets a little overzealous with the water. Peacocks look thirsty, as does a sweater-clad dog. And, of course, Jesús needs water, and it only makes sense to cool himself down by splashing himself with water. With all this water waste, the magical water jug empties fast, and to Jesús this means it’s time to go home. But they’ve only finished three houses, and Papá says there are 11 more to go. Thankfully, Jesús is able to refill the water jug and learns a valuable lesson about water waste. This is a really fun father/son picture book with Spanish words interspersed throughout the text.

This magical and absurd bedtime read is reminiscent of Maurice Sendak. Each night, a new baby takes the lead on the march of the Midnight Babies, whose goal is to go anywhere except to the land of Sleep. They venture through the Forest of Nightlights, swim through the Sea of Stories, dodge the Army of Teddies, and more. However, as they journey through each land, some babies are wooed to sleep until only the intrepid leader remains. Will the leader also succumb to sleep, especially when faced with cuddling? My daughter and I have read this imaginative picture book many times now.

Joy visits her grandmother’s house in South Carolina every summer, but this is the first summer she’s helping Grammy in the garden. Grammy teaches her more than just basic gardening skills; she teaches Joy how to listen to the Earth’s heartbeat and to remember her ancestors who cared for the soil before her. At first Joy doesn’t hear the Earth’s heartbeat, and she struggles to understand what Grammy means. But by consistently practicing mindfulness throughout the summer as the pair plants spinach, okra, and more, something clicks, and by the end of their time together, when Joy listens to the Earth, she hears its heartbeat. This is a beautiful story about the connection between gardening, heritage, and intention, with vibrant illustrations.

Kindergartner Molly is so excited for picture day at school. There’s already a spot waiting for her first school picture on a wall of family photos. She wants this picture to be perfect; however, her mom thinks she should wear a poufy dress, which is not Molly’s style. She packs her brother’s tuxedo to wear instead, and when it comes time for pictures, Molly ditches the dress and struts out in the tuxedo. While it’s not the look her mom expected, she loves her daughter exactly how she is, unique style and all, and proudly hangs up the picture. This is an affirming picture book published in partnership with GLAAD about letting kids be their authentic selves.

This is an amazing nonfiction biography collection about disabled athletes that I could immediately tell was written by a disabled author. Many books about disabled athletes either focus on being inspirational or on trauma; this collection instead shows the complexity and nuance of the disabled experience and allows the athletes to speak about both the daily challenges and joys of being disabled. For example, dancer Annabelle Geib, who has spastic diplegia cerebral palsy, describes the difficulty in navigating her middle school’s hallways and her worry about falling, while she also takes joy in dancing TikToks with her sister. There’s a lyrical storyline from beginning to end, while each page has a one-paragraph biography of the disabled athlete illustrated. In addition to Geib, there’s paralympic champion Will Groulx, who competes in recumbent hand cycling, and adaptive CrossFit star Dr. Andrea Woodson-Smith. At the end of each paragraph-long biography, Prevo asks the athlete to describe a daily challenge and joy.

This is a beautifully written contemporary middle grade novel set in a small town and told from two perspectives, one written in prose and the other in verse. Drew and Mia were born on the same day in the same hospital, but Mia’s family moved away soon afterward. The two reconnect 12 years later when Mia returns to live with her grandmother for the summer. They both decide to train together for a half marathon along with Drew’s dad, but in the meantime, both are dealing with very serious problems: a parent with Lou Gehrig’s Disease, moving away from home, temporary separation from a father, a dying grandmother, losing a home, financial woes, and friends moving away. Both are good kids trying to make the best out of tough situations. While sad, it is ultimately a hopeful read and just such a tender and lovely book. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Mark Sanderlin and Charley Flyte.

Eden has recently had to abandon a promising gymnastics career after a serious injury, and is having a bit of an identity crisis. When her mom, the CEO of the period products company MySecret, presents at Eden’s middle school discussing periods, Eden is verbally bullied by another classmate. She and her friend Maribel fight back, and the bully ends up with a broken wrist and the two girls are suspended. They end up spending their days volunteering at a community center, where they learn about and decide to become involved in a period equity nonprofit. However, when Eden begins protesting and advocating for free period products in schools and food pantries, her mom becomes angry. She believes Eden’s activism is a threat to her business. This is a really fantastic conversation starter for middle school students. I also love that it includes trans characters and shows that period products are not just for girls and women.

This heartbreaking novel-in-verse centers a Muslim family in crisis. Twelve-year-old Adnan loves table tennis, is color blind, and is extremely specific about what he will and won’t eat. He’s very close to his older sister and 2-year-old brother, and his mom is pregnant and he can’t wait to meet his newest sibling. He’s thrilled to make the finals in a table tennis tournament being held in Florida. The tournament occurs during Eid, so the whole family decides to visit cousins in Florida to celebrate Eid together so Adnan can participate in the tournament. Unfortunately, a horrific tragedy occurs, and Adnan’s younger brother drowns in a pool. This beautiful and complex novel shows how the family and community pull together in a time of immeasurable grief.

Survival stories tend to be popular with middle schoolers, and I have found a new favorite with this very realistic, moving read, one I imagine will be on some award lists next year. Twelve-year-old Raymond has never had much stability in his life. His parents move constantly, and he’s been in and out of children’s homes. They recently moved into a trailer in River Mill, North Carolina, but when they leave without Raymond and turn their trailer keys in to the landlord, Raymond has nowhere to stay. He finds a hollow tree trunk in the woods behind his middle school for him and his dog to sleep in and checks out a survival book from the library. He’s able to make this work for a long time, with his grades only suffering a bit, but several complications force him to ask for community help: a coyote attacks his dog, a snake bite, and difficulty finding food in the winter. But community members and fellow students are willing to listen, respect, and help where needed.

This book tells you upfront that both of the main characters are going to die at the end, but even knowing that going in won’t save you from the absolute heartbreaker of a story. Matteo and Rufus live in a world where you’re informed of your impending demise on the day of your death, and these two teens connect and set out to spend one final day together, trying to live as much as possible before their inevitable end.

In this funny and sad novel-in-verse, Ruby’s beloved mother has just died, leaving her almost completely alone in the world — except for her dad, who left before she was born. But he’s not just any guy. He’s a mega famous movie star. And they’ve never met until now, when Ruby goes to live with him. She’s all set to hate him, but as time passes and she gets to know him while mourning her mom, she discovers that there is more to her parents’ story than she ever knew, and maybe her dad isn’t so hideous after all.

Bucking old and tired tropes, here is an anthology of short horror stories for young adults all starring Black girls, and spoiler alert, they all survive! But just because we know that they live to see the next day doesn’t mean there is any lack of suspense or terror. These stories are by Erin E. Adams, Monica Brashears, Charlotte Nicole Davis, Desiree S. Evans, Saraciea J. Fennell, Zakiya Dalila Harris, Daka Hermon, Justina Ireland, L. L. McKinney, Brittney Morris, Maika & Maritza Moulite, Eden Royce, and Vincent Tirado, with a foreword by horror master Tananarive Due.

Cosby hits us with another banger of a Southern noir novel with All the Sinners Bleed. Titus Crowne is busy. He’s the first Black sheriff in Charon County, VA and his work is cut out for him. As he contends with everyday Virginia sheriff tasks (like guarding Confederate pride marches?!), a tragedy happens. A popular teacher in town is killed and before Titus can talk down the suspected student and get him to surrender, he’s shot by police. Soon enough, Titus finds out that the student — and other Black kids — had been abused by the teacher. The investigation also reveals dead bodies and secrets that point to a serial killer. Roxane Gay said it’s, “An excellent, gritty novel about how eventually, all sins must be reckoned with, one way or another.”

In this memoir, Academy Award-nominated Page offers a look at his life as he became himself. Once he experienced the success of starring in Juno, he found his dreams being realized in some ways, but not in others. Pageboy looks at his romantic relationships, experiences in Hollywood and within the trans community. He explores his experiences with gender, abuse, mental health, love, and more as he came of age.

In 12 dark and speculative stories, queer Indonesian writer Pasaribu uses Batak and Christian trappings to answer the question of how it feels to be almost happy. The characters in Happy Stories, Mostly are just at the cusp of joy, but never able to fully grasp it. Heaven has a department dedicated to archiving the prayers that go unanswered. A mother travels to Vietnam seeking closure for her son’s suicide. Each of these stories examines the consequences of colonialism, homophobia, and the insistence on heteronormativity.

Roxane Gay, who is fairly active on Goodreads, is one of the few people whose book recs I will follow to the ends of the earth, and And Then He Sang a Lullaby is the first release from the Roxane Gay Books imprint. Ani Kayode Somtochukwu is a Nigerian queer activist, and with this debut, explores the lives of queer men in a deeply homophobic country. When track star August leaves home to go to college, he seems to be doing pretty well initially. His grades are decent, he’s making friends, and there’s a girl that might become his girlfriend. But his thoughts constantly go to Segun, an openly gay student who works nearby. As the two become closer, Segun wants more than ever to be loved openly, while August’s true self remains guarded and hidden from the violence that surrounds them.

Makhene writes stories of the South Africa before, during, and after apartheid, showing the savagery of colonization and slavery. Each linked tale follows the lives of the residents of Soweto as the geography changes in relation to apartheid. Ntatemogolo, a descendent of shepherds, is older and must sell animal innards to survive; a girl finds a burning body and goes mute; a woman is reeling after a terrible experience with police. The full range of human emotions is told with unique prose accented with South African English, Afrikaans, and Dutch. 

Lou is killed by a serial killer. Then she’s brought back through a controversial government project, and returns to her life being the mother of a toddler. As she adjusts to a new normal, she meets other female victims and starts to question exactly what happened leading up to her death. She searches for answers, which take her to unexpected places and make her question who she should really trust. This is for the girlies wanting murder mystery, but make it sci-fi.

This debut novel takes its inspiration from Persuasion by Jane Austen. It is set at a beautiful resort in Taboga, an island in the Gulf of Panama. Renya is seventeen and has lived on the island her whole life. Her first love, Aiden, returns with his Grammy-nominated band after pursuing his music career. Will the sparks fly again or has the fire died down? We get to witness what unfolds as Renya and Aiden get a second chance at the first love.

This short fun read was originally an Audible original, and has been released in other formats since. Do you wanna read something fun, flirty and steaming while basking in the sun? This book has got it all. Naomi Reyes has a low tolerance for nonsense, but ends up babysitting Donovan Taylor, who’s an insufferable creative director. If you’re looking for an enemies to lovers story set on a gorgeous tropical island, you should check this out!

As the title suggests, our protagonist Mac can’t let go of her people pleasing tendencies. She’s exhausted from the act. She wants more than anything to focus on her online business, but ends up getting a college degree on her parents’ persistence. To do this, she moves to the beach town of Avalon Bay. She meets the local bad boy Cooper Hartley, who brings our the impulses she’s suppressed for so long. They foster an unlikely friendship, but it’s threatened by the secret he’s been keeping all along.

Harriet and Wyn are the perfect couple that’s adored by everyone…except they broke up five months ago and haven’t mentioned it to anyone. So when they go on their annual vacation at their Maine cottage with their best friends, they end up in the same room. This is the last year they’ll have this place, so they want to play their part and not break their friends’ hearts. But how long can you pretend with people who know you best?

At 12 years old, Kat Steiner and Blake O’Neill meet at Camp Chickawah. They instantly hit it off, until they realise they’re also half sisters. Fifteen years later, when their father dies, they discover their joint inheritance: a beach house in Destin, Florida. Blake wants to sell the house, but Kat wants to preserve their childhood memories. They reluctantly agree to renovate the house while each are enticed by romances.

This book is set in Sag Harbor, a small village in the Hamptons on the east end of New York’s Long Island. Benji Cooper spends every summer there in a community of fellow African Americans. It’s a getaway from his life in an elite prep school in Manhattan, where he’s surrounded by white people. Benji is confused by both places and his own place in the world, but is hoping things change this summer.

Dionne and Phaedra, our sister duo, leaves their home in Brooklyn to visit their grandmother in Barbados. Dionne spends her time there looking for love and testing her grandma’s patience. On the other hand, Phaedra accompanies her grandmother in her job as a midwife, and gets curious about her mother’s past. This lyrical coming-of-age story makes for a perfect summer read.

The setting of this fun read, written by two sisters, alternates between Miami and Haiti. The story unfolds in an epistolary style with letters, emails, articles, and diary entries. Alaine is sent to Haiti on a “spring volunteer immersion project” after “the incident.” So it doesn’t feel like a vacation except she gets to flirt with a cute intern, spend time with her mum, experience Haiti for the first time, and possibly uncover a family secret!

If you’re over cheery female protagonists in every romcom that you read, you should check this out. Olive is pessimistic and considers herself to be downright unlucky. When her twin sister Ami gets married, everyone in the wedding gets sick from eating bad shellfish. The only people who are unaffected are Olive and Ethan, the best man who’s also her sworn enemy. That’s how they end up going to an all-expenses-paid honeymoon to Hawaii. They’ve got to pretend to be newlyweds, and Olive’s life seems more inconvenient than ever — until things turn, and she almost starts to feel lucky.

This book is set at the beach in its flashbacks from the California coast. The present is set in wintertime in New York. If you want to experience the charm of both seasons in one read, pick this up. It has love, longing, queerness, friendship, grief, and the need to figure yourself out as the first flowers of adulthood start to bloom. I read it because John Green described it as “a poetic meditation on loss.” I cannot describe it better.

Eripiyo is a passionate fan of the chika idol group ChamJam, and in particular of the member Maina Ichii. Unfortunately, Maina is the group’s least popular member, leading Eripiyo to take it upon herself to spend most of her money on Maina’s merchandise in support of her. For a fun, feel-good read, you’ll want to check out this cute yuri manga centered around Japan’s chika idol subculture.

Cherry is a shy, reserved boy who prefers to express himself through haiku and avoids interacting with others by always wearing headphones. Smile is an online influencer with a bubbly personality but constantly wears a mask to hide her teeth and braces. When a fateful encounter at the mall causes the teens to cross paths one summer, the two begin to take an interest in each other despite their differences. Based on the 2021 animated film, this sweet slice-of-life teen romance is sure to charm and delight.

Saitou is an average handyman who has never felt particularly special or important in his life. Until one day, he suddenly finds himself transported to a fantasy world. Here, he meets and joins a band of adventurers who come to rely on his skills to help with picking locks, making repairs, and more. Finally, Saitou experiences the feeling of being needed and valued!

Manga artist Poppy Pesuyama, who had struggled with gender dysphoria since childhood, was excited about their new job as a mangaka’s assistant. But instead of gaining valuable experience and mentorship, what they ended up facing was sexual harassment and demeaning treatment. In this urgent and brutally honest account, Pesuyama reckons with this and other past traumas and experiences, reflecting on how they contributed to shaping who they are and how they view the world today.

After being rejected from art school at the end of high school, Miyuu has led a life her mother chose for her — one that is secure and boring and completely void of passion. Now 23, she feels like an empty shell of a person. But when Miyuu finally reaches a boiling point and clashes with her mother one last time, she leaves home with a blank canvas and the desire to pursue her dreams once more.

Tatsuki Fujimoto is the creator of the hit series Chainsaw Man, and this one-shot is one of his newest stories. On his 12th birthday, Yuta receives a smartphone from his parents, and his mother’s wish is that he use it to put together a film of her as she has a terminal illness. After her death, Yuta shows the film he made at school, but is met with criticism and ridicule, pushing him to contemplate suicide. However, when he meets the mysterious Eri, Yuta is encouraged to make another film, and the two work on it together. Enigmatic, strange, and electric, this is an imaginative and compelling story about grief and loss.

Centaurs, or jinba, inhabit medieval Japan alongside humans in this alternate historical fantasy series. Although the centaurs were once considered deities and revered, in the sengoku period they are captured and enslaved by humans. In this epic adventure, Matsukaze, a samurai jinba caught and traded to a feudal lord, and Kohibari, who was captured and tamed in childhood, must work together to regain their freedom and escape back to the wild.

From the creator of Helter Skelter, River’s Edge is a moody, atmospheric story of the messiness and angst of adolescence. It follows six high schoolers whose lives overlap and intertwine on the bank of a river in their town. The story is complete in a single volume, making it a great pick for readers not ready to commit to a lengthy series. A film based on the manga was released in Japan in 2018, and is available to view on Netflix in the U.S.

If you’re looking for something more on the dark and disturbing side, Homunculus is a horror manga with psychological thriller and supernatural elements. A man is offered a large sum of money to undergo an experimental medical procedure involving trepanation, the drilling of holes in a person’s skull. When he wakes up from the procedure, he discovers that he has gained the ability to see homunculi, or visual distortions made up by people’s traumas. Homunculus was also the basis for a film released worldwide on Netflix in 2021.

This time travel middle grade novel sees McKinley O’Dair find herself in 1993, and with a decision to make before she can go back to the present. One for Millennial and Gen X parents to enjoy alongside their middle grader!

A Publishers Weekly 2023 Summer Read, this middle grade novel tells the story of Nat, who falls in love with synchronised swimming despite not having the white, thin body more common in the sport. She’s determined to make it, though, no matter what those around her might think…

This book is a choose-your-own-path take on the world of Hollywood, for girls who might be interested in making a career in producing, acting, set design, and more. It’s a really fun way to learn about the world of movie making.

For fans of historical murder mysteries!

Three siblings return to their childhood home in Yorkshire in 1921 after their father, Sir Lawrence Linwood, is murdered. Upon the reading of the will, the siblings are made aware that he left a provision in his will in case of unnatural death: whoever solves the murder will inherit everything!

For fans of cozies with delicious food!

Lana is now the manager of Ho-Lee Noodle House, her family’s Chinese restaurant in Cleveland, OH. And she’s on her way to a food convention in California with her sister Anna May. Staying with their aunt is a great escape from life, even if they’re technically working. But things take a turn after a cookie vendor and journalist get into a fight, followed by the journalist plummeting to their death…

If you want to start at the beginning of the series, pick up Death by Dumpling — have a Chinese takeout menu on hand!

For fans of crime novels and procedurals.

Titus Crowne was an FBI agent who returned home to care for his father and younger brother. Now he’s been sheriff for a year when a school shooting kills a beloved teacher and the shooter, a former student, is killed by police. The tragic situation doesn’t end with the shooting, it is soon is revealed the student had been abused, there are secrets, buried bodies, and a killer to find…

For fans of YA mysteries that explore our injustice system!

Andre Jackson has been released from juvie for a crime he didn’t commit. As he tries to rebuild his life he ends up looking into a missing person’s case: Eric Whitaker is missing, his sister Sierra (Andre’s crush) is worried, and their adoptive parents are not. Dre was planning on confronting Eric — who was responsible for the crime and let Dre take the fall — but instead he ends up having to figure out why he’s missing and no one but his sister is concerned…

For fans of historical mysteries.

Akal Singh had a promising career in Hong Kong until an incident led to him being transferred. Now he’s a 25-year-old police sergeant in Fiji in 1914 and isn’t on the best of terms with his new supervisor. His first case involves a missing indentured worker from a sugar plantation which leads Singh to discover that the plantations overseer is also missing. Clearly something is going on…

For fans of the trope where the MC returns home to small town to solve a murder and past stories are revealed with blog and diary entries!

Del Walker left her small religious town and has spent the last six years trying to undo all the harmful teachings from her pastor. She also left behind the love of her life, Lars, who ended up marrying her friend Eve instead of her. Now Lars has been killed in a hunting accident and Del has returned home to face the town, her upbringing, family, and Eve. Except immediately she’s hit with the something-is-wrong vibe because no one seems concerned in finding out who shot Lars or how this accident happened. So Del takes it upon herself, starting by accusing Eve of having an affair, and then Eve is arrested.

For fans of FBI procedurals, fictional serial killers, the consultant trope, and thrillers.

Emma Lewis and Travis Bell were recruited as junior consultants for the FBI because of their own separate past connections to serial killers. After their first case, Emma rejected her offer and Travis went to work for the FBI. Now Emma is brought in to consult again, going so far as to make her a serial killer’s bait…

If you want to start at the beginning of the series, pick up None Shall Sleep.

For fans of crime novels.

Cafe owner and mother Nikki Finch is a transgender woman who sees her thriving life and community put in danger the summer of Trump’s first year as president. When a neo-nazi attacks her business partner, her family, community, and self are put at even more risk leaving Nikki to decide: if after all avenues are exhausted, is getting away with murder her only option?

For fans of best friends, con-artists, and missing person mystery!

Leo and Summer travel around California escaping their pasts by living a free life with some pick-pocketing and conning to afford their lifestyle. When Leo meets a billionaire and gets invited to a private island, she thinks it’ll be a huge score for them: selling off jewelry and photos to the pap. Except Leo never returns. That’s how Summer finds herself infiltrating the island to search for Leo…

For fans of cozy mysteries, bakeries, and dogs!

Maddy is way over her head after inheriting her Great Aunt Octavia’s bakery since she doesn’t know how to cook. Making it even harder for her to make Baby Cakes a top bakery is that there is a new bakery competing, and the owner is now dead with a knife from Baby Cakes. Guess Maddy will have to solve a murder while learning to bake.

If you want to start at the beginning pick up Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder.

If you’ve ever wanted Jane Austen but with murder and mystery, this is your series!

Fanny Price is having a difficult time in life staying in her uncle Sir Thomas Bertram’s estate. He wants here there but his children and wife absolutely do not. So when her uncle dies, and Fanny swears there is evidence of foul play, there’s nothing for her to do but put on her sleuthing cap and uncover the truth!

Each book is a standalone but all are fun and great, so if you want to start at the beginning, pick up Pride and Premeditation.

For fans of foodie cozy mysteries!

Yale and Celine Yee are cousins who run a successful food stall business in the Eastwood Village Night Market. They’re opposites and Celine is visiting from Hong Kong, but that doesn’t stop them from having to solve murders. This time the Asian American Restaurant Owners Association is hosting an exclusive dinner and Yale and Celine are invited, which of course means there will be a murder they’ll have to solve — all while surrounded by delicious food!

If you want to start at the beginning pick up Death by Bubble Tea.

For fans of MCs on the run, falsely accused of murder thrillers!

Jack and Gabe have a business where they are hired to break into businesses to hack their systems in order to test their security. But during a job, Jack gets caught and detained by police, only to finally return home and discover that Gabe has been murdered. Immediately she becomes the suspect and flees during an interrogation determined to clear her name…

For fans of historical mystery series!

Vivian Kelly, living with her sister in a tenement in 1924 New York, has just gotten a job at a speakeasy, which just means she’ll be spending even more time at her favorite club, the Nightingale. And soon she’s embroiled in a mystery: Vivian’s best friend Bea is certain that her uncle, the club’s doorman, did not die by suicide. Vivian goes looking for clues.

If you want to start at the beginning, pick up Last Call at the Nightingale.

For fans of neighborhoods with secrets and murder mystery!

Alexis and Sam buy a home in an exclusive suburb in D.C. thinking they’re getting a dream life. They instead land smack in a neighborhood full of secrets — secrets that start to spill over as tensions rise following their family man neighbor being found dead…

For fans of thrillers with a national park setting.

Three women’s lives intersect to create this thriller: Cassie Peters is running from something in New York and lands back in Mammoth Lakes, California to work search and rescue at Yosemite; Jada is traveling the country with her boyfriend and posting it all on Instagram; and Petal keeps detailed diary entries on everything she sees in the park.

For fans of historical mystery series and secret organizations!

A secret organization, Miss Brickett’s Investigations & Inquiries, is where Marion Lane is working as an apprentice detective in 1960 London. Marion takes on a case involving a friend’s girlfriend that quickly takes a turn when the girlfriend disappears and the agency begins to receive packages that Marion thinks tie to her mother’s long ago mysterious death…

Start at the beginning with Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder.

For fans of fictional serial killers and podcasts!

Over a decade ago Abby Hartmann disappeared while a freshman at the University of Iowa. The man suspected of her murder is serial killer Jon Allan Blue who is about to be executed. Now a podcast is making a season about the killer’s crimes and Hartmann’s best friends, Bree and Chelsea — who are no longer friends — must come together to get to the truth of what happened.