July 2026 Selections
To access the books on our monthly MPS Reads book lists, visit your school library or local library. You can also go online to Sora* (formerly OverDrive) and log in with your MPS student ID number.
*Not all titles are available through Sora.
This page has been specially formatted for printing. To request a one-page, print-only version of these book selections for home or classroom printing, please contact webmaster@milwaukee.k12.wi.us.
Primary (Preschool–Grade 2)
Fireworks
by Matthew Burgess, illustrated by Cátia Chien
Two siblings eagerly anticipate a spectacular fireworks display. As a hot day sizzles into evening, everyone on stoops and sidewalks looks skyward on this special summer night—the Fourth of July!
Boy + Bot
by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Dan Yaccarino
A boy and a robot meet in the woods. They play and have fun. But when Bot gets switched off, Boy thinks he's sick. Boy tucks the sick Bot in, then falls asleep. Bot is worried when he powers on and finds his friend powered off. He takes Boy home with him and tries to revive the malfunctioning Boy!
Intermediate (Grades 3–5)
The House of Found Objects
by Jo Beckett-King
Bea is visiting her family in Paris for the summer when her grandmother’s most precious heirloom—a drawing by Henri Matisse—goes missing. Bea teams up with her cousin, Céline, and the girls embark on a city-wide search as they try to locate the Matisse and find a thief.
Across the Alley
by Richard Michelson, illustrated by E.B. Lewis
This is a poignant picture book about two boys in segregated mid-20th century Brooklyn. Though Jewish Abe and African-American Willie are best friends, societal pressures force them to keep their bond secret until a courageous act bridges their worlds.
Middle School (Grades 6–8)
War Games
by Alan Gratz
Evie Harris can't believe she's competing in the 1936 Olympics along with fellow American athletes like Jesse Owens. There's something creepy about Germany's leader, Adolf Hitler. But Evie's here to win a gold medal in gymnastics. Until she discovers a horrible secret.
Weirdo
by Tony Weaver, Jr., illustrated by Cin and Jes Wibowo
Tony Weaver, Jr. loves comic books, anime, and video games. But his new classmates think he’s a weirdo. Tony struggles with not being accepted and tries to conform. After a traumatic event shakes him, he embarks on a journey of self-love that will require him to become the hero of his own story.
High School (Grades 9–12)
Blood in the Water
by Tiffany D. Jackson
Brooklyn girl Kaylani feels like a fish out of water. She's spending the summer with friends on Martha's Vineyard. There are beautiful beaches, ice cream, and fascinating Black history. Plus a few kids her age. Until the shocking death of a popular teenage boy. Was it a drowning? A shark attack?
Braiding Sweetgrass
by Robin Wall Kimmerer
As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer is trained to use scientific tools. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Kimmerer demonstrated how, when we listen to the languages of other beings—from strawberries and witch hazel to water lilies and lichen—we are capable of understanding the generosity of the earth.
Manga
With a Dog and a Cat, Every Day is Fun
by Hidekichi Matsumoto
With both a cat and a dog, there’s double the antics, double the fun (and double the kibble!), but while Inu and Neko coexist peacefully, they have their own distinct personalities, which play out in unexpected, charming ways during these short-form stories.
Books in Spanish
El Príncipe de la Niebla
by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
El nuevo hogar de los Carver está rodeado de misterio. En él aún se respira el espíritu de Jacob, el hijo de los antiguos propietarios, quien murió ahogado. Las extrañas circunstancias de esa muerte sólo empiezan a aclararse con la aparición de un diabólico personaje: el Príncipe de la Niebla, capaz de conceder cualquier deseo a una persona a un alto precio.
MPS Reads Archive
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