Summer reading season is almost here! Summer is my favorite time of year. I love the change of pace. I love the extra sunshine and warmth. Summer to me means travel and beach days and extra time to read. As a mom, Summer also means a change in routine for my kids which can be hard. My kids, most kids I think, thrive on routine. There is always a week or two that feels a little hard as we shift into different routines but hang in there mamas (and dads!). Find a rhythm, one heavy in time for reading, outside time and creativity, that works for your family and you’ll have a fantastic summer together.
Also Read: Summer Reading Ideas and Booklists
For my part, below I have summer reading recommendations for everyone in your family from babies through adults. Obviously there are TONS of amazing books that you could put in the hands of your loved ones this summer. This is in no way exhaustive, but I do update it each year heading into Summer. I focus on books that:
- are published in the past few years
- feel summer related
- and that I think are excellent.
Summer Reading Recommendations for the Whole Family
For the Board Book Littles
Adorable stories for the younger listeners.
Lake Life with You
by Cindy Jin
illustrated by Andres Landazabal
Find Online
This board book has glowing illustrations, simple text and familiar summer moments. A sweet new board book that celebrates the simple pleasures of time at the lake with your family.
What Goes in the Ocean? a Seek-and-Find book
by Dori Elys
illustrated by Katie Cottle
Order Online
A delightful, colorful adventure into the ocean. Each page has brief text and a look and find question for kids asking them to spot the things in each illustration that don’t fit in the habitat. The scuba diving giraffe is my favorite.
For the Picture Book Crowd
These are the books to read aloud all summer long to the kiddos on your lap or next to you on the couch.
Nellie’s Big Splash
by Cori Doerrfeld
Order Online
Nellie is a darling baby turtle you can’t resist rooting for in the newest picture book from Cori Doerrfeld. The illustrations are absolutely my favorite part. This dear little turtle and the big beautiful wave had my heart from the cover. The story of facing fears and finding courage is a perfectly relatable and encouraging tale. You close the book thinking well if little Nellie can venture into the big huge crashing waves of the ocean then I can do anything. A brilliantly chosen heroine and another heartfelt book from one of the best author/illustrators out there.
A Book of Maps for You
by Lourdes Heuer
Order Online
This is for anyone with a big move coming up this summer. I love the creative way the topic of moving was approached in this book. The whole book is a collection of maps for the kid moving into a house from the child moving out. Doesn’t that just punch you in the gut. So sweet and thoughtful and heartbreaking.
Just One Wave
by Travis Jonker
Order Online
Have you read Just One Flake? This is the summer sequel to that fun winter story. The text is brief and works loud for reading aloud or for early readers. The illustrations are often comical. This is about the simple joys of summer. A relatable, satisfying summer read.
Mouse by the Sea
by Alice Melvin
Order Online
This is the third book in the mouse series and as equally lovely. These books have gorgeous detailed illustrations and simple stories. This one is perfect for summer. I recommend these books for kids who love to soak in all the details of illustrations and a cozy story to read on your lap.
You May Also Like: Our Favorite Children’s Books about Moving
Beach Hair
by Ashley Woodfolk
Order Online
From two bestselling creators comes a lyrical and heartfelt picture book about a multiracial family’s trip to the beach that’s an ode to family, community, diversity, and—most importantly—fabulous beach hair!
Also Read: 15+ Best Picture Books for Summer
Make More S’Mores
by Cathy Ballou Mealey
Find Online
Perfect for summer camping or evenings around the campfire – this is about a group of animals that make and share gooey delicious s’mores.
Want More? Best Picture Books about Camping Booklist
Hot Dog
by Doug Salati
Find Online
Winner of the Caldecott and Ezra Jack Keats Award last year, this one might already be on your radar. It is also a perfect story for summer, so if you haven’t read it yet then this is the perfect time. It’s the story of a dog who is desperate to escape the hot, summer heat.
For Kids Ready for Books with Chapters
Primarily for the elementary school kids, these books are just a little longer but still a lot of fun.
Seashell Key
by Lourdes Heuer
Order Online
Head to an adorable coast town full of interesting characters ready to show you around. This is a well written early chapter book. (This one is also available on audio!)
Once Upon a Tim
by Stuart Gibbs
Find Online
There are four books in the ONCE UPON A TIM series! They are all rollicking, hilarious adventures starting with this one. If your kids fall in love, like my kids did, then you have 3 more books to pass along to them.
Good Dog
by Cam Higgins
Order Online
This is the first in the Good Dog series which currently has 12 books – lots of series reading potential if your child falls in love. Also in this series, BEACH PAWS, is perfect for summer. You follow Bo on his first ever trip to the beach. I love the playful energy of these books and the cute characters. Perfect for readers who are building their confidence.
Kraken Me Up
by Jeffrey Ebbeler
Find Online
Great for: Early Elementary schoolers who love to laugh.
For the Longer Chapter Book Readers
Middle Grade Fiction, more complicated ideas. This is the list for the kids who are in upper elementary school or middle school. 
Not Nothing
by Gayle Forman
Order Online
This warm hearted middle grade novel has so many layers and takes place over the course of a summer. It is told from the perspective of the 107 year old oldest resident of the Shady Glen retirement home. That’s an interesting choice of POV for a middle grade novel, but it works.
There are two stories here – the one of Alex who has had a rough childhood, made some bad choices, and has been given one last chance when he is sentenced to spend his summer working at the retirement home. His relationship with the oldest resident, Josey, breaks the cycle of feeling like he’s nothing and changes his life. The second story is the one Josey tells Alex of his own childhood in Nazi occupied Poland. This incredible story is layered in between Alex’s journey.
Great characters, second chances, surprising relationships. A powerful story to get lost in.
The Greatest Kid in the World
by John David Anderson
Find Online
Zeke is the star of this book. He’s what adults often call “creative” or “energetic” in a way parents know isn’t a compliment. Imagine everyone’s surprise when he is one of the 5 finalists in the “greatest kid in the world” competition. Suddenly a boring summer is anything but because even though he’s pretty sure he’s not so great, $10,000 badly needed dollars are at stake and he’s going to do his best to earn them. Funny, heart filled and full of summer antics.
Deep Water
by Jamie Sumner
Find Online
Jamie Sumner has a lot of great middle grade books for summer. In recent years I have recommended Time to Roll. Deep Water is a little different because it’s written in verse, but it has the same depth, great characters and summery setting.
The premise is a 12 year old girl trying to swim 12 miles across Lake Tahoe to be the first kid to accomplish this feat and feat it is. The book is segmented into the six hours she plans for this exhausting task. As she swims, her reasons for tackling this swim come to light in her thoughts where the story primarily takes place. She is dealing with a mom with depression who left her and her dad several months earlier.
It is a powerful story about how we show love and the mental fortitude needed to do hard things. It keeps moving pretty well despite the repetitive action. This one is for the poets, the swimmers, and anyone who struggles with understanding who they are when they lose someone important to them.
Spelling it Out
by Margaret Finnegan
Find Online
The main character, Ben, goes to stay with his grandma in San Francisco for the summer to prep for his next big spelling bee with an eye on qualifying for the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
In San Francisco, Ben meets Asha who is also determined to win the National Spelling Bee. They form a friendship while he navigates the city, endures a crabby tutor, and worries over his increasingly forgetful Nan. Lots of spelling, vocabulary and studying are sprinkled throughout.
This is a story about figuring out who you are and pushing through difficult things.
Stitch Camp: 18 Crafty Projects for Kids and Tweens
by Nicole Blum & Catherine Newman
Find Online
My kids have both been interested in embroidery in the past year so I was thrilled when I found this book. It has super cute projects that tackle a host of crafty skills. The directions are easy to follow and the results are fun and often actually useable. For the kid that loves to craft, this is a great book to put in their hands.
for the teens
British Girl’s Guide to Hurricanes
by Laura Taylor Namey
Order Online
This is the sequel to A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow which is adorable. In a bit of a reverse from the first, now it is a British Girl heading to the unfamiliar world of the Miami Cuban world. Vibrant and emotional.
for adults
Just for the Summer
by Abby Jimenez
Order Online
This is Abby Jimenez’s summeriest book, but I love everything she has written. The premise of this one has been done before – someone thinks they’re cursed to always be the last one before someone finds their person. In this case two people who share the same curse agree to date and hopefully break the curse. Like all of her books, this has so much depth, heart, and characters that feel so real.
Her latest, Say You’ll Remember Me, is so, so good. It’s set across a year and is about a long distance relationship with the worst timing.
One Golden Summer
by Carley Fortune
Order Online
Carley Fortune’s books always scream summer. The settings are my favorite kind of summer and they feel like a true escape. This one takes you back to a lake and you drift off into the stories of characters who feel real. Her books are all standalone, so you can read them in any order, but if you love this one there is a stack of lake escapes waiting for you.
The Love Haters
by Katherine Center
Find Online
I haven’t read this one yet, but it’s at the top of my must read list for the summer. I love Katherine Center’s books and she has written a TON. This one sounds perfect for summer with it’s idyllic paradise setting.
Thank you for including MAKE MORE S’MORES in this roundup of super summer reads!
Happy to include it. It’s adorable and so perfect for summer!