Our Top Picks for Summer Reading
Cool Books for Hot Summer Days
Whether you’re headed to the beach, lounging in a hammock, or just looking to fill those long summer days, you’ll want to pick up one of these engaging, high-interest novels. Don’t want to get burned? Pair your reading with our curated word lists and avoid the summer slide.
Clap When You LandAfter their father dies in a plane crash, two sisters who never met must come to terms with each other's existence.
Amari and the Night BrothersAmari Peters competes for a coveted spot at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs while trying to solve the mystery of her brother's disappearance.
The Canyon's EdgeWhen Nora gets lost while exploring a canyon, she must fight to survive and to find her father.
Charlie Hernández & the League of ShadowsCharlie learns that the supposedly mythical creatures from Hispanic folklore are real and finds himself caught in an epic supernatural battle.
Aru Shah and the End of TimeWhen 12-year-old Aru Shah lights a cursed lamp in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture, she releases an ancient demon. Now she must find a way to stop the demon and rescue her friends and family.
The Ballad of Songbirds and SnakesIn this prequel to the Hunger Games trilogy, Coriolanus Snow mentors a tribute in the 10th Hunger Games.
Class ActIn this sequel to the award-winning graphic novel New Kid, eighth-graders Drew and Jordan grapple with identity, privilege, and fitting in.
Ground ZeroA Novel of 9/11A teen in New York City fights for his life during the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center, while on September 11, 2019, a teen in Afghanistan gets caught up in war.
To All the Boys I've Loved BeforeSixteen-year-old Lara Jean writes letters to the boys for whom she has romantic feelings — letters she never intends to send. When someone starts secretly mailing the letters out, Lara Jean and one of the recipients, Peter, decide to team up and fake a relationship to make their current crushes jealous.
You Should See Me in a CrownA high school student campaigns to be prom queen in the hopes of winning a college scholarship.
Stand Up, Yumi Chung!Shy Yumi Chung dreams of being a stand-up comedian — and when a mix-up gives her access to a summer comedy camp, she might finally get her chance to shine.
The Downstairs GirlIn 19th-century Atlanta, Jo Kuan works as a lady's maid while secretly penning a controversial advice column and attempting to learn the truth about her past.
MoxieFrustrated with rampant sexism at her school, Viv creates a feminist zine — and inspires a revolution.
From the Desk of Zoe WashingtonTwelve-year-old Zoe Washington attempts to prove that her father was wrongfully convicted of a crime.
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the SkyAfter the death of his best friend, grieving seventh-grader Tristan Strong goes to Alabama to spend a month with his grandparents. There, he accidentally opens a portal to a world populated by African gods and African-American folk heroes.
One of Us Is LyingSimon Kelleher publishes gossip about his classmates online. When he unexpectedly dies during detention, the four students who were in the room with him become prime suspects in his murder.
SlayNo one knows that seventeen-year-old Kiera Johnson is the developer behind a popular online role-playing game called SLAY. But when the game is linked to an act of violence in the real world, growing controversy puts both Kiera and her game at risk.
Ghost SquadWhen best friends Lucely and Syd accidentally summon evil spirits to their town, they must figure out a way to reverse the spell and defeat the spirits.
Becoming Muhammad AliThis fictionalized biography, written in a combination of prose and verse, imagines the early life of Cassius Clay, better known as Muhammad Ali.
Prairie LotusIn this historical novel, Hanna, a girl with Chinese heritage, moves to the Dakota Territory in 1880 and struggles to overcome the prejudices of her new community.
Charming as VerbIn this romantic comedy, Henri, a Haitian-American teenager who dreams of attending Columbia University, is coerced into helping one of his classmates change her image.
StampedRacism, Antiracism, and YouThis bestselling book traces the history of racist ideas and racial injustice in the United States.
Early DeparturesWhen a technological miracle allows Jamal's best friend, Q, to be brought back to life for a few weeks, Jamal must decide whether to tell Q the truth about what happened to him.
Race to the SunSeventh-grader Nizhoni, her brother, and her best friend must pass a series of difficult tests and travel to the House of the Sun in order to defeat ancient monsters.
They Both Die at the EndAfter receiving calls from Death-Cast informing them that they have less than 24 hours to live, strangers Mateo and Rufus connect through an app called Last Friend.
The List of Things That Will Not ChangeAs her dad prepares to remarry, twelve-year-old Bea reflects on her parents divorce and looks forward to developing a relationship with her new stepsister.
Dear JustyceIn this companion novel to Dear Martin, a teenager in a juvenile detention center tries to make sense of his life by writing letters to an old friend.
The Queen's GambitA young girl experiences triumph and despair as she becomes immersed in the world of competitive chess.
Cemetery BoysYadriel is determined to prove to his family that he's a brujo. When he accidentally summons the ghost of classmate Julian Diaz, the two boys investigate a series of strange disappearances.
Concrete RoseA young man attempts to turn his life around when he becomes a father.
Dragon HoopsIn this nonfiction narrative, told in graphic form, Gene Luen Yang follows the Bishop O'Dowd High School basketball team during one eventful season and reflects on his own work as a storyteller.
SwindleEleven-year-old Griffin hatches a plan to retrieve his prized baseball card from a swindler.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling PantsA pair of magical jeans helps four best friends feel close even when they can't be together.
Liar, LiarEighth-grader Kevin can't help telling lies but when the lies pile up and get him into big trouble, he has to find a way to make things right — and end his lying streak.
Lawn BoyAfter receiving an old lawnmower on his 12th birthday, the unnamed narrator recounts the adventurous summer he spent mowing his neighbors' lawns and becoming a young entrepreneur.
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