July 2025 Book Recommendations

Magic, Space, Cats, and More!

Happy July! I hope your summer has been filled with wonderful memories, and whether you only have a few weeks of summer left, or you still have two months of summertime bliss, I hope you enjoy this next round of recommendations. And if you need more recommendations, you can look back at newsletters from previous months HERE.

My goal is simple: Provide book recommendations you can trust so your 8-12 year-old reader can find their next right book. So, if you are looking for specific book recommendations for the 8-12 year-old reader in your life, let me know and I’d love to help out!

Don’t forget to check out my 2025 Summer Reading Guide to find lots of helpful resources for summer reading!

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The Cats of Silver Crescent

(Animals, Fantasy) Elsby discovers a family of talking cats living in the house next door, but she realizes it’s not regular cats when she sees a cat standing on its two hind legs and dressed like a sailor! Elsby can’t believe her eyes, but that night, the cat and three of his cat companions approach her to ask for help. The cats can talk, think, and behave like humans, but the magical spell is running out and Elsby might be the only one who can save them.

*Note: If your young reader isn’t comfortable with magic that goes dark, this might not be the book for them. On the other hand, if that’s what your young reader enjoys, this book is perfect!!

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Farther Than the Moon

(STEM, Realistic Fiction) All Houston has ever wanted is to become an astronaut. When he's accepted to the highly-competitive Junior Astronaut Recruitment Program he thinks his dreams just might be coming true. He wishes he could bring his little brother with him, but Robbie's cerebral palsy and epilepsy mean he needs medical attention at home. The program is extremely rigorous and Houston is having to come to terms with the fact that Robbie may never visit space like the brothers have always hoped. How does he pursue his dreams while still honoring his brother?

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Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien

(Graphic Novel, Nonfiction) Learn more about Lewis and Tolkien’s near-idyllic childhoods, their horrific experiences in the trenches of World War I, and then their first meeting at Oxford in 1929. The story is look at how their friendship gave them the confidence to step into writing fantasy (at the time fantasy was only considered acceptable for children ), shaped the stories they wrote, and influenced their thinking about mythology and faith. Parts of the book are cleverly told from two narrators…a wizard and a lion!

*Note: This can be read digitally, but the illustrations are gorgeous and there is incredible intentionality with the color, so I do recommend the physical copy of the book.

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Rose

(Historical Fantasy) Rose, a young orphan girl, is selected to become a new maid at the residence of Mr. Fountain. He is a famous alchemist and his mansion is a completely different world from where Rose lived in the dark orphanage. Rose discovers that not only is the house overflowing with magic, but she just might have some magic in her too. Will Rose be able to harness her magic to save the day?

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*Note: The word damn is used towards the end of the story.

The Willoughby’s

(Humor, Fiction) Tim, the twins, Barnaby A and Barnaby B, and their sister, Jane are abandoned by their parents and left in the care of their nanny, so they attempt to fulfill their roles as good old-fashioned children. The four Willoughbys hope to have the same happy ending as is promised in all good children’s books, but things do not go as planned. Will these four children, their nanny, and the abandoned baby they find, all get the happy ending they want?

*Note: An old-fashioned parody that is funniest with at least some knowledge of classic children’s books, be sure to read through the tongue-in-cheek glossary and bibliography at the end of the book.

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A Wolf Called Fire

(Animals, Survival) Warm is the smallest pup, the one his father calls the heart of the pack. But all Warm sees is his bigger brothers Sharp and Swift, even his sisters Pounce and Wag, winning all the wrestling matches. Just as Warm is finding his place, enemy wolves destroy and scatter the pack. Warm helps lead the pups away from the fight, only to find himself alone with four pups to defend and feed. Can he be both the heart and the head of a new pack? Does he have to choose the aggressive leadership style of his father and brothers? Or is there another

*Note: Do not skip the back matter in this book, it is outstanding!!

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