Our Most Anticipated New Kids’ & YA Book Releases of July 2021

Here We Are: Book of Animals
Oliver Jeffers
In this companion to his bestselling and highly renowned Here We Are, Oliver Jeffers (What We’ll Build, The Crayons’ Book of Numbers and The Crayons’ Book of Colors) makes his brilliant universe accessible to the youngest of learners. In board book form, Jeffers blends ABCs and animals into a gorgeous guide that will have you admiring each and every page. Ideal for any child’s library and the perfect gift for newborns.

The Giggles Are Coming
Christopher Eliopoulos
From cartoonist extraordinaire and illustrator of the Ordinary People Change the World series, Christopher Eliopoulos, comes The Giggles are Coming. The hilarious companion to The Yawns are Coming brings back our friends for the first day of school but, this time, they need to be extra careful because … the giggles are coming! It’s a fresh take on back-to-school, but this irresistibly charming ode to laughter will be enjoyed by kids of all ages.

Lala’s Words: A Story of Planting Kindness
Gracey Zhang
From debut author-illustrator Gracey Zhang comes a timeless story that celebrates the power of kind words. Zhang’s gorgeous illustrations use select colors that emphasize the evergreen moral of the story, while whimsically highlighting the world in which Lala has created. Lala’s Words is full of compassion and creativity and easily sits alongside the classics.

Clash
Kayla Miller
When Nat joins Olive’s sixth grade class, Olive jumps at the chance to show her around. Olive is excited to make a new friend, until she realizes that Nat doesn’t seem to want to be her friend. Middle school can be tough enough with your friends by your side, but what happens when your friends want to hang out with the new girl instead? Fans of Raina Telgemeier and Terri Libenson will love following Olive’s journey as she navigates friendships, middle school and more.

Linked
Gordon Korman
Chokecherry, Colorado is a relatively small and quiet town, until one day, swastikas begin appearing around the school. Told from multiple points of view, Linked explores how the symbols of hate affect the students, and how they come together to fight back and understand who is behind them. Gordon Korman deftly weaves in serious topics with his trademark levity, giving young readers an engaging and thought-provoking story they won’t soon forget.

The Okay Witch and the Hungry Shadow
Emma Steinkellner
Magic, middle school and mayhem — what else can we ask for? After discovering she is half witch, Moth Hush is back at school and still the target of class bullies. When she finds a magical solution to help make her popular, things start out great, but soon spiral out of her control. This fun coming-of-age follow-up to graphic novel The Okay Witch is perfect for fans of Raina Telgemier and Kayla Miller craving a little more magic on the pages.

 It Ends in Fire
Andrew Shvarts
With dark magic, rebellion and a vengeful protagonist, It Ends in Fire is an unstoppable high-stakes, action-packed fantasy with a dark academia setting from the author of the Royal Bastards trilogy that will appeal to graduates of the Harry Potter series, as well as fans of Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan and Once & Future by Cori McCarthy.

Gods & Monsters (Signed Book) (Serpent & Dove Series #3)
Shelby Mahurin
This third and final book in Shelby Mahurin’s amazing Serpent & Dove trilogy will leave readers breathless one last time as they seek to uncover what kind of darkness has taken hold of Lou — and what must be done to stop it. This sweeping conclusion to one of our favorite fantasy series is not to be missed. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Kerri Maniscalco.

They’ll Never Catch Us
Jessica Goodman
Part sister story, part murder mystery, They’ll Never Catch Us is a captivating yet slow burning thriller with a shock ending. Author Jessica Goodman proves her writing prowess yet again by delivering a twisty, layered high school mystery woven into an adrenaline-inducing sports story, perfect for fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. 

Small Favors (B&N Exclusive Edition)
Erin A. Craig
Horror-fantasy at its finest, Small Favors is a haunting small-town monster mystery complete with a heart-pounding forbidden romance. Atmospheric, unsettling and completely engrossing, this fresh spin on the tale of Rumpelstiltskin uncovers the evil that can sometimes lurk within the people we trust.

Six Crimson Cranes
Elizabeth Lim
This stunningly imaginative fairy-tale mashup combines East Asian folklore with western fairy tales to create a wholly original story of an exiled princess, forbidden magic, and a quest to save the kingdom. YA fantasy fans will delight in the richly crafted world Elizabeth Lim has poured onto the pages.

Rise to the Sun
Leah Johnson
Rise to the Sun is the heartfelt story of two girls who find love at a music festival. Even more than that, it is a poignant tale of self-discovery, friendship, grief and the power of music to bring us together. Fans of You Should See Me in a Crown will swoon over Leah Johnson’s sophomore novel.

Any Way the Wind Blows (B&N Exclusive Edition) (Simon Snow Series #3)
Rainbow Rowell
The finale of the beloved Simon Snow series is here, and it is, in a word, EPIC. Simon and Baz and Penelope and Agatha are back to Watford—and their families–as they decide what the future holds for them. Packed with answers (and revelations), Any Way the Wind Blows is a not-to-be-missed story about truth, traumas and triumphs and how we move forward. Our exclusive B&N Edition features an alternative cover, original endpapers and original case stamp.