It's the end of May and we closely approach the "unofficial" first weekend of summer. As we get ready to pack our bags for long weekend - we want to provide families the perfect book picks for any weather you will encounter during the Memorial Day weekend.
In support of the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge, our free, online program where kids can log their reading summer minutes earn digital rewards, check out some top tips to help kids take the “summer leap” into great books. Check out this free summer reading book list (in English and Spanish), courtesy of the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge – and don’t forget to sign-up kids at scholastic.com/summer.
Sunny days? Grab a book as you enjoy the great outdoors.
Whether it's a fun beach day, a trip to the local park or a family party in your backyard - don't forget books. According to the Kids & Family Reading Report: 6th Edition, contrary to popular belief, a majority of kids enjoy reading books over the summer with the top reasons why as "I just enjoy reading" and "it's a fun way to pass the time." Go for great books that capture the adventure of the great outdoors, summer sports, activities and more
- The Pout-Pout Fish Far, Far from Home, Deborah Diesen (Author) & Dan Hanna (Illustrator)
- Surf’s Up, Kwame Alexander (Author) & Daniel Miyares (Illustrator)
- Get a Hit, Mo!, David Adler
- Magic Tree House: Stage Fright on a Summer Night, Mary Pope Osborne (Author) & Sal Murdocca (Illustrator)
- Rainbow Magic: Joy the Summer Vacation Fairy, Daisy Meadows
- Who Would Win: Ultimate Bug Rumble, Jerry Pallotta (Author) & Rob Bolster (Illustrator)
- Revenge of the Happy Campers, Jennifer Ziegle
- Two Summers, Aimee Freidman
BONUS: Go for spooky campfire stories as well for the older kids, featuring the Goosebumps series, R.L. Stine or Shadow House: You Can’t Hide, Dan Poblocki
Rainy days? Go to the library!
Need an activity during a stormy day? The Kids & Family Reading Report™ shows the top way parents ensure their child reads over the summer is “taking kids to the library” (66% parents of kids ages 6-11; 28% of parents with kids ages 12-17). Go for books that will take you on a reading adventure away from the gloomy weather. Dive into some stories from faraway places (both real and imaginary) including:
- Fly Guy Presents: Castles, Tedd Arnold
- Princess in Black Takes a Vacation, Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, & LeUyen Pham
- A New Class (Star Wars: Jedi Academy #4), Jarrett J. Krosoczka
- Whatever After series, Sarah Mlynowski
- Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection, Matt Dembicki
- Horizon: Book 1, Scott Westerfeld
- Wings of Fire series, Tui T. Sutherland
- Tales of the Peculiar, Ransom Riggs
Still a little cold and windy? Curl up with a great read aloud indoors!
Kids of all ages love to read aloud together as a family. If it’s still too chilly to visit the amusement park or play outside, take time to read aloud together. Data from the Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report™ revealed that kids ages 6–11 and their parents agree that they enjoy read-aloud time, the top reasons being it is a special time together and reading together is fun.
Remember, reading aloud does not stop once kids hit school. Many kids enjoy read aloud through their early teenage years.
- Groovy Joe by Eric Litwin (Author) & Tom Lichtenheld (Illustrator)
- StoryPlay™: I Love You Because You’re You, Liza Baker (Author), David McPhail (Illustrator)
- Ugly Cat and Pablo, Isabel Quintero (Author) & Tom Knight (Illustrator)
- Dog Man series, Dav Pilkey
- The Bad Guys series, Aaron Blabey
- American Girl: Gabriela, Teresa E. Harris
- Amulet series, Kazu Kibuishi
- Harry Potter series, JK Rowling
On the road? Go for funny reads!
Kids can easily get bored during the time it takes to travel during long, holiday weekends. Whether you are driving across town for the family barbeque or boarding a plane for a far getaway, kids need something that help pass the time. Why not go for books that make them laugh? Research shows this is the top thing kids ages 6-17 look for when reading books for fun.
Some top picks include:
- Please, Mr. Panda, Steve Antony (board book edition)
- King Baby, Kate Beaton
- Pig the Pug, Aaron Blabey
- The Pigeon Needs a Bath!, Mo Willems
- Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Dorky Drama Queen, Rachel Renee Russell
- Captain Underpants series, Dav Pilkey
- Frogkisser!, Garth Nix
- Smile, Raina Telgemeier
Happy #SummerReading!
Scholastic
