For many families summer break is a time to relax and have fun without schoolwork. But now we are halfway through summer break and thoughts of school are creeping back. One of the best ways, in my opinion, to enjoy the end of summer while easing into a routine is by finding some good books. Summer reading provides the best of both worlds; being able to immerse yourself in another world and retaining the skills needed to thrive come the start of school. As your children make their way through the possible required reading, it is great to have them find books that fit their individual interests and can be carried through the fall. That’s why we have rounded up some great books to entice readers of any age.
A Walk in the Words by Hudson Talbott
When Hudson Talbott was a little boy, he loved drawing, and it came naturally to him. But reading? No way! One at a time, words weren’t a problem, but long sentences were a struggle. As his friends moved on to thicker books, he kept his slow reading a secret. But that got harder every year. He felt alone, lost, and afraid in a world of too many words. Fortunately, his love of stories wouldn’t let him give up. He started giving himself permission to read at his own pace, using the words he knew as stepping-stones to help draw him into a story. And he found he wasn’t so alone—in fact, lots of brilliant people were slow readers, too. Learning to accept the fact that everyone does things in their own unique way, and that was okay, freed him up and ultimately helped Hudson thrive and become the fabulous storyteller he is today.
Available 9/14/2021
Better Together! By Amy Roback and Andrew Shue
When a big thunderstorm shakes their woodland home, the Squirrelly family must flee their nest for a hollow in an oak tree. To their surprise, the McMunk family had the exact same idea. This family of squirrels and a family of chipmunks must find ways to live together—which isn’t always easy since they come from different backgrounds. But after some important lessons in compromise, the Squirrellys and the McMunks realize that life is better together as the McSquirrelies.
Available 9/28/2021
The Bookshop of Dust and Dreams by Mindy Thompson
It’s 1944 Sutton, NY, and Poppy’s family owns and runs, Rhyme and Reason, a magical bookshop that caters to people from all different places and time periods. Though her world is ravaged by World War II, customers hail from the past and the future, infusing the shop with a delightful mix of ideas and experiences. Poppy dreams of someday becoming shopkeeper like her father, though her older brother, Al, is technically next in line for the job. She knows all of the rules handed down from one generation of Bookseller to the next, especially their most important one: shopkeepers must never use the magic for themselves.
Available 10/26/2021
Clarice the Brave by Lisa McMann
The only good cat is a fed cat. Clarice, a young ship mouse, knows this to be true. She and her brother, Charles Sebastian, were taught to be careful—as all mice are—but caution is no match for the sea, which took their mother, and it is certainly no match for Special Lady, the horrid cat who ate their sister. Now the siblings hide in their pantry crate, knowing every move they make could be their last. Being careful may have saved them in the past, but now Clarice and Charles Sebastian will need to grow bold if they are to survive...and keep their promise to find one other again.
Available 10/12/2021
Children of the Fox by Kevin Sands
Lured by the promise of more money than they’ve ever dreamed of, five young criminals are hired to steal a heavily guarded treasure from the most powerful sorcerer in the city. There’s Callan the con artist, Meriel the expert at acrobatics (and knives!), Gareth the researcher, Lachlan who can obtain anything, and Foxtail, whose mysterious eyeless mask doesn’t hinder her ability to climb walls like a spider. Though their shadowy backgrounds mean that they’ve never trusted anyone but themselves, the five must learn to rely on each other in order to get the job done.
Available 10/5/2021
What About Will by Ellen Hopkins
Twelve-year-old Trace Reynolds has always looked up to his brother, mostly because Will, who’s five years older, has never looked down on him. It was Will who taught Trace to ride a bike, would watch sports on TV with him, and cheer him on at Little League. But when Will was knocked out cold during a football game, resulting in a brain injury—everything changed. Now, seventeen months later, their family is still living under the weight of “the incident,” that left Will with a facial tic, depression, and an anger he cannot always control, culminating in their parents’ divorce. Afraid of further fracturing his family, Trace begins to cover for Will who, struggling with addiction to pain medication, becomes someone Trace doesn’t recognize. But when the brother he loves so much becomes more and more withdrawn, and escalates to stealing money and ditching school, Trace realizes some secrets cannot be kept if we ever hope to heal.
Available 9/14/2021
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
June, 1941. A knock comes at the door and the life of fifteen-year-old Lina Vilkas changes forever. She’s arrested by the Soviet secret police and deported from Lithuania to Siberia with her mother and younger brother. The conditions are horrific and Lina must fight for her life and for the lives of those around her, including the boy that she loves. Risking everything, she secretly passes along clues in the form of drawings, hoping they will reach her father’s prison camp. But will her messages, and her courage, be enough to reunite her family? Will they be enough to keep her alive?
A moving and haunting novel perfect for readers of The Book Thief, now available as a stunning graphic novel.
Available 10/12/2021
Women Sticker Book by Sticker Book Publishing
The Women Sticker Book contains 16 pages of over 60 of the most important and influential women in history. We are in awe of these WOMEN as some of the most important, influential, and inspiring people in history! This book acknowledges and celebrate their accomplishments. The women in this book struggled for equality pushed the boundaries of where women had ever gone before, and some overcame great odds and obstacles. This interactive book is wonderful for any non-fiction fan you may know. The book also contains 6 pages of stickers with detailed instructions for use. Fun and inspiring for all ages!
stickerbookpublishing.com