It may be the height of a bright and sunny summer, but the Read This Next! Kids list for July and August celebrates the dark. From ghosts and ravens to the moonlit garden of everyone's favorite gardener, Millie Fleur, the books on the July/August list invite us to enjoy the warm and weird summer nights as much as we do the brilliant blue skies of summer days.

RTNext! Kids Bookseller Resources
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Read is why Southen indie booksellers love these books:

I Wanna Be Your Girl Vol. 1 by Umi Takase
Hime is so wonderful. She doesn't know how to feel about her friend, whom she has been in love with, now that her friend Akria transitioned. What she does know is that she will stay by her side and help her no matter what.
– Sarah Dimaria, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana

The Little Ghost Quilt's Winter Surprise by Riel Nason, Byron and Eggenschwiler
I love how Little Ghost Quilt is different, and so are his ghost friends, and that is OKAY, more than normal. This story isn't about changing to be more similar, but finding ways they can all experience the magic of the holidays.
– Morgan DePerno, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Aggie and the Ghost by Matthew Forsythe
Lovely illustrations and wonderful tale of a girl's trials living in a haunted house with a ghost who never follows her rules.
– Alissa Redmond, South Main Book Company in Salisbury, North Carolina

A Treachery of Swans by A. B. Poranek
An enchanting, action-packed retelling of Swan Lake! I was completely enthralled in this vividly told, magic-infused fantasy filled with a cast of unique, engaging characters, each navigating a labyrinth of power struggles, evil sorcery and court intrigue. I soaked up every page!
– Anderson McKean, Page & Palette in Fairhope, Alabama

Millie Fleur Saves the Night by Christy Mandin
What might happen if we turn off our lanterns and join Millie Fleur in the dark of her moon garden? Millie Fleur Saves the Night is a gorgeously written and illustrated tale of embracing the wonders of the dark, from the moon to the stars, from raccoons to bats.
– Mikey LaFave, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

The Raven Boys: The Graphic Novel by Maggie Stiefvater, Stephanie Williams, Sas Milledge (Illus.)
Every page was full of magic and atmosphere. As a fan of the series, there were so many foreshadowing clues. I absolutely cannot wait to see the rest of the series adapted. Whether a long-time fan or a newbie to Maggie Stiefvater, any lover of magic and dark whimsy will devour this!
– Rachel Randolph, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

Current Read This Next! books and what SIBA booksellers have to say about them can always be found at The Southern Bookseller Review