A New Chapter: Select new books, a permanent home, and coming together as Our Mutual Friend

It's been a busy few weeks for us and we have some exciting news to share! We just moved inside our pop-up home, where we’ll be through mid-2026. This move lets us host more regular pop-ups and gradually add more regular hours while we work on the larger space we’ll eventually move into, right here in the same location at 1219 Frankford Ave.

As part of this move and to match how you actually browse and buy, we’re adding a small, intentional slice of new books (about 20–30% of our inventory). These will focus on titles from the past five years so you can reliably find what’s current, and we will only stock new books by authors in good standing (for example, we will not carry new books by J.K. Rowling or Neil Gaiman).

It’s the discovery you love about Midsummer—now with a clearer path to today’s must-reads.

Our debut new book collection

We built this list based on what we've heard from you both in conversations at pop-ups and around the community, as well as from those who helped in our early stage information gathering. What you can expect:

• Gateway formats that welcome every reader: picture books, early readers, graphic novels, and novels-in-verse that reward quick dips or long afternoons.

• Buzzy series + debuts: familiar worlds next to brave first books that deserve an audience.

• Timely nonfiction & biographies for curious minds who love a clean, clear “teach me something” read.

• Kid-lit with heart: stories that center friendship, community, and problem-solving, great for family discussions and classroom reads.

Together, it’s a shelf designed for reliability + surprise: the book everyone’s talking about and the one you didn’t know you needed.

What you'll find when you stop in this Saturday

A sneak peak at a few of our new selections:

• Sometimes, a Tiger by Z.B. Asterplume — a tender picture book reminder that imagination and kindness help us grow.

• Let’s Get This Potty Started by Rose Rossner — a cheerful board book that makes a milestone feel silly, doable, and worth celebrating.

• Turtles of the Midnight Moon by María José Fitzgerald — a debut middle-grade mystery with sea turtles, community care, and friendship at its heart.

• Pencilmation: The Graphite Novel by Ross Bollinger — a graphic-novel spinoff that’s pure cartoon-energy for readers who love fast laughs.

• Starfish by Lisa Fipps — a Printz-honor novel-in-verse about claiming space and self-worth.

• Cinder by Marissa Meyer — a series opener that remixes fairy tale and sci-fi into a propulsive YA favorite.

• Blood Countess (Lady Slayers) by Lana Popović — YA horror that turns history into a dark, gothic page-turner.

• Who Is Michael Jordan? by Kirsten Anderson & Who HQ — a clear, kid-friendly biography that inspires “I can do that” conversations.

Together, this batch does what Midsummer hopes to do for kids of all ages in Philadelphia: invite any reader to find a way in, by mood, by format, or by sheer curiosity.

Beyond books, gifting comes to Midsummer Books

We’ve expanded into bookish and kid-friendly gift options at the shop. We’ve expanded our book-adjacent gifts so you can grab a little something extra while you're in the shop. Easy, breezy, Amazon-free gifting. Among our early options are:

• Fidgets (sensory soothers and desk toys)

• Earrings (fun, giftable styles tweens and teens will love)

• First-period starter kits (practical + affirming, we're here for all the changes your child will go through on this crazy ride from baby to adult)

• Playing cards (travel-friendly and party-ready, in super cute styles)

• Stickers & bookmarks (who doesn't love a great sticker?)

Want a curated gift bundle? Tell us the age, vibe, and budget, and we’ll assemble a themed set (e.g., Cozy Night In, Graphic-Novel Starter Pack, Teacher Thank-You, New Reader Confidence, YA Romance Sampler).P.S. You can pair any bundle with a beautiful card.

Coming together as Our Mutual Friend

We’re also thrilled to share that we’re coming together permanently with our friends at Fingerprint Books and Gus & Ruby inside this space. We are calling our home Our Mutual Friend. Think three distinct brands, one cohesive shopping experience:

• Midsummer’s blend of used favorites and selective new picks for kids through Y/A.

• Fingerprint's sharp curation of literature, fiction and nonfiction for adults

• Gus & Ruby’s curation of beautiful, gently used clothes and goods for babies and growing kids

It’s all under one roof, intentionally woven so browsing feels effortless.

Thanks for helping us make this next chapter real. If there’s a new release you’re hunting for, or a used unicorn you’ve been chasing, tell us! We’re building this shelf both for you and with you.