July’s Best Books for Young Readers

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – Parts I & II, by J. K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany
The tale of the Boy Who Lived continues in this eighth original Harry Potter story—the first to be presented as a stage play, premiering in London’s West End on July 30, 2016. Set 19 years after the conclusion of the final book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the new story finds Harry now an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and a father of three children. And his youngest son, Albus, is struggling with the weight of his family’s legacy, as both father and son are forced to face some unfortunate dark truths in this highly anticipated release.

Song of the Deep, by Brian Hastings
Based on the video game of the same name, Song of the Deep dives into the world of 12-year-old Merryn who lives alone with her fisherman father after having lost her mother long ago. One evening when her father doesn’t return, Merryn is forced to summon all her resourcefulness and bravery to construct a submarine and prepare for a battle to rescue her dad from the treacherous undersea dangers in this exciting and fast-paced read.

An Author’s Odyssey (The Land of Stories Series #5), by Chris Colfer
The fifth book in Chris Colfer’s popular modern-day fairy tale series finds twins Alex and Conner Bailey facing the realization that the only way to get to the Masked Man and his army is in Conner’s own short stories. The pair will need the help of all their friends and allies—some crafted from Conner’s very own imagination—to defeat the menacing masked one. Bonus: This Barnes & Noble exclusive edition contains an excerpt from The Mother Goose Survival Guide.

Night of the Ninth Dragon (Magic Tree House Series #55), by Mary Pope Osborne and Sal Murdocca
Book No. 55 in the exciting Magic Tree House series transports Jack and Annie back to Camelot, introducing young readers to Welsh legends and author Mary Pope Osbourne’s continued tales of King Arthur, Merlin, and the Knights of the Round Table. A historical adventure with a side of dragons? Count us in!

Serafina and the Twisted Staff, by Robert Beatty
Serafina defeated the Man in the Black Cloak in her 2015 debut novel, but she’s having to face a new evil in this equally suspenseful follow-up. One evening, Serafina is attacked by a group of vicious wolfhounds in the forest near her home at Biltmore Estate. The animals seem to be under the control of a terrifying creature—and Serafina believes this stranger isn’t acting alone. Someone else is wreaking havoc at Biltmore—and it’s up to Serafina to put a stop to it.

Treasure Hunters: Peril at the Top of the World, by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein
Author James Patterson returns with the fourth in his and co-author Chris Grabenstein’s Treasure Hunters series. The Kidd siblings—Bick, Beck, Storm, and Tommy—are back with an all-new illustrated adventure, and this time the crew is headed to Russia. A set of priceless paintings by Leonardo da Vinci and Rembrandt has gone missing, and the Kidds are on the trail of the thieves in this exciting adventure full of twists and turns.

A New Class (Star Wars: Jedi Academy #4), by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Who knew that jedis-in-training still had to deal with things like crushes, pop quizzes, and food fights? Those are just a few of the experiences in store for Victor Starspeeder as he starts school at the Jedi Academy. Unfortunately, Victor winds up spending a lot of time in detention. While there, he meets Yoda, who encourages him to join the drama club—“Box step and jazz hands, young Padawan will!” Will Victor manage to get into the swing of things at school and learn to use the force? Find out in the latest installment of the Jedi Academy series.

Journey to the Lights (Disney Frozen: Northern Lights), by Suzanne Francis
Frozen fever is still running rampant, and the only cure is more tales of the adventures of Elsa and Anna. Journey to the Lights finds the sisters helping one of Kristoff’s troll buddies, Little Rock, earn his special tracking crystal. And as a fun addition, the book features eight pages of beautiful photos of the real Northern Lights that kids will love.

My Little Pony: Daring Do and the Forbidden City of Clouds, by A.K. Yearling
My Little Pony fans, this magical tale is for you! After hearing the legends about the hidden kingdom of Cirrostrata and its mysterious treasure, Daring Do is determined to enter this forbidden city. But this secret island floating somewhere above Equestria is protected by an ancient magic, so how will she find it? And once she does, will she be brave enough to venture forth? A fun and whimsical book for young readers.

VIP: Battle of the Bands, by Jen Calonita
Mackenzie “Mac” Lowell is living the dream—she’s on tour with her absolute favorite band, Perfect Storm. And the band’s guitarist even wrote a song just for her! But new band Thunder and Lightning’s first single sounds a lot like Mac’s song, and after Thunder and Lightning joins Perfect Storm on tour, secrets about Mac’s fave band are being leaked to the public. Can Mac and her comic book alter ego, Mac Attack, put a stop to the shenanigans? Grab your backstage pass and a copy of VIP: Battle of the Bands to find out.
What are you excited for the kids to read in July?