2025 Summer Reading Guide: Teen Edition
July 8, 2025 § Leave a comment
I’m wrapping up my better-late-than-never Summer Reading Guide with a post for the teens! I’ve got twelve fantastic new YA picks for you, all of which published in the first half of this year. (Please note that none are graphic novels because I already included my two favorites in the Graphic Novels installment.) If you’ve got young teens, I also encourage you to check out some of the 10+ titles in my Middle Grade installment.
In this list you’ll find fiction and nonfiction, thrillers and romances, historical fiction and contemporary coming-of-age stories. What I admittedly didn’t do a great job of vetting for you is fantasy. I’m not including sequels here, which is why you won’t see Sunrise on the Reaping (but it’s soooo good), but I’ve heard Ava Reid’s Fable for the End of the World is the queer dystopian book we didn’t know we needed, and Divine Rivals fans have also been loving Laura Steven’s Our Infinite Fates.
I’ve read and loved all of these, with the exception of one I haven’t gotten to yet but my daughter adored; I indicate which one it is below. Some of these (Everything is Poison; Death in the Jungle; Truth, Lies, and the Questions in Between; Under the Same Stars) have tremendous crossover appeal for adults, so I encourage you to add them to your own TBR list as well!
Onwards! Remember that summer break comes with a chance at new routines, fresh starts, and screen-free trips, all of which can jump start reading for fun.
« Read the rest of this entry »2025 Summer Reading Guide: The Graphic Novels (ages 8-12 & 12+)
June 27, 2025 § Leave a comment
I’m back with another installment of this year’s Summer Reading Guide and this one is dedicated to graphic novels! It always bears repeating that graphic novels aren’t just what many of today’s kids prefer to read, they’re also helping to build the stamina for reading that is in increasingly short supply in this age of digital media and instant gratification. Lean in, I implore you!
I’m particularly proud of this list, because I’ve been generally less-than-enthused with graphic novels in the past year or so. The storylines, especially in contemporary realistic fiction, have started to feel painfully similar (and less and less well written). The YA graphic novels are just downright weird. I could go on, but I’m merely making the point that I am really, really excited about the titles I’ve picked below. These needles in the haystack feel fresh in the best sense, with unique storylines, stunning art, or twists on old favorites. Or, if they aren’t introducing anything new, they’re at least doing it as well as the Greats who made graphic novels so attractive to these kids in the first place.
Nine of the books below are for the middle-grade audience (ages 8-12), while two are for teens (Dan in Green Gables and Alanna). (If you’re looking for graphic novels for the 6-9 set, check out this earlier post.) I hope your kids love them all.
« Read the rest of this entry »2025 Summer Reading Guide: For the Middle-Grade Readers (Ages 8-14)
June 24, 2025 § Leave a comment
And we’re back with the second installment of this year’s Summer Reading Guide! This time I’ve got twelve new middle-grade standalones or series starters that I have read and heartily endorse for today’s picky elementary and tween readers! Included in this list are some titles that fall inside the traditional 8-12 years window and others that skew 10+.
As with all the installments of this year’s Summer Guide, my reviews are shorter than in the past BUT I’ve also linked to any full reviews that I’ve done on Instagram. Where illustrations play a key role in enhancing the story, I also include some interior shots.
« Read the rest of this entry »2025 Summer Reading Guide: For the Emerging Readers (Ages 5-10)
June 11, 2025 § Leave a comment
Let me begin by apologizing to those of you who follow me here, as my almost full-time work at the bookstore these days has meant that I am much less present on this platform that I used to be. As many of you know, I continue to be very active on Instagram (@thebookmommy), posting several reviews each week, but I know that many of you have moved away from social media, and I also understand that! I’m not quite sure what the future of this blog will be, but I do know many of you have reached out asking if I would please at least continue to share my Summer Reading Guide and Holiday Gift Guides, and so here I am with the first installment of this year’s Summer Reading Guide (better late than never?). My reviews won’t be quite as long as in years’ past, though I will link to longer reviews that I’ve done so far on Instagram and pop in periodically to add links.
My 2025 Summer Reading Guide is pretty close to the one that has already launched at Old Town Books—and which I spearhead each year. I’m fortunate to have amazing colleagues at the bookstore who help me read for the guides, and I’ll often prioritize reading things that they’ve loved. But I also can’t get through everything, so there are some books on the shop’s guide that are not in my personal guide, simply because I only ever recommend books that I have personally read (and loved, of course).
This first installment highlights my favorite new short chapter books and early graphic novels for emerging readers. Note that these are all standalone titles or first in a series, but you should absolutely go back and read past guides because many of those books now have sequels out!
« Read the rest of this entry »2024 Summer Reading Guide: Tweens & Young Teens (Ages 10-16)
July 3, 2024 Comments Off on 2024 Summer Reading Guide: Tweens & Young Teens (Ages 10-16)
I may have made you wait for the final installment of this year’s Summer Reading Guide far longer than I had planned (apologies!), but at least I made sure it delivered. Today’s roundup includes a fantastically diverse list of new releases that span upper middle grade (ages 10-14) to young YA (ages 12+), making it the perfect resource for those getting ready to embark on middle school, those already well into it, and those on their way out. (Not that high schoolers won’t like the YA recs—they will—just that with YA encompassing such a broad range of ages and topics these days, I’m finding it increasingly helpful to curate some that aren’t quite as heavy or risque.)
If you’ve got teens who are ready for more mature content, I won’t have time to do a separate post, but I’ll list a few here that we chose for our Teen Summer Reading Guide at Old Town Books and that I enjoyed. These are all categorized by the publisher for 14 and up, which means they include more graphic language, violence, or heavier themes. That said, I’ve been comfortable letting my thirteen-year-old daughter read them, and they’ve been big hits. They are Holly Jackson’s The Reappearance of Rachel Price (same author as the perennial 12+ favorite, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, though heavier on the violence); Monica Hesse’s The Brightwood Code (gripping historical fiction about a telephone operator back from the frontlines of WW1, though heads up about an attempted sexual assault); Jas Hammonds’ Thirsty (a “cautionary tale”—my daughter’s words—about a girl who descends into alcoholism after rushing a sorority); and two edgy, dark, unique graphic novels: The Worst Ronin and The Deep Dark.
And now for the Main Event! The books below are presented in order of target ages, with the 12+ picks towards the second half.
« Read the rest of this entry »2024 Summer Reading Guide: Elementary Readers (ages 7-12)
June 6, 2024 Comments Off on 2024 Summer Reading Guide: Elementary Readers (ages 7-12)
Welcome to the second of three installments of my Summer Reading Guide! This round-up includes a whopping seventeen brand new middle-grade books for a range of readers, from animal lovers to Dog Man aficionados, fantasy seekers to summer camp dreamers, mystery solvers to history buffs, and everything in between. There’s even a touch of elementary-appropriate romance! The list spans a mix of traditional novels and graphic novels, and I’ve included an example of an interior spread where illustration factors into the enjoyment of the story.
Nearly all of these have been published in just the past few weeks or months. THAT SAID, I must encourage you to take a look at my Spring Break Reading Round-Up from earlier in the year, with what will undoubtedly end up being some of my very favorite middle grade of the entire year. If your kiddos haven’t found their way into the likes of The Liars Society, Max in the House of Spies, The First State of Being, or Not Quite a Ghost, consider them musts. Likewise, Katherine Marsh’s Medusa, an action-packed, thought-provoking story about a group of kids descended from Greek Monsters, is being met with such enthusiasm by my readers at the shop (and me!) that I’ve chosen it for Old Town Book’s inaugural Camp Bookworm. If you’re local, encourage your kids to read the book, then join us in person to discuss and meet Katherine Marsh herself (!) on Tuesday, August 27, at 6pm at the bookshop.
Now, a quick word for my fantasy lovers. There are two fantasies on the below list, but there should be more. One of my colleagues with a deep love of fantasy and a great eye for kid lit read and loved two additional fantasies that made it onto our shop’s Summer Reading Guide but are not included here, simply because I haven’t had time to read them yet. They are: Julie Kagawa’s Lightningborn: Storm Dragons, a series starter about a boy who finds a wild baby dragon, believed to be extinct, and becomes the focus of an evil sky pirate’s vengeance; and Ryan Graudin’s The Girl Who Kept the Castle, another series starter about a girl who must save her home from destruction when a not-totally-dead wizard’s inheritance competition goes awry (think Nevermoor meets Howl’s Moving Castle). It should also be said that every single fantasy on last year’s Summer Reading Guide—and there were some fabulous ones—now have sequels out (hello, Greenwild!).
OK, let’s gooooo! As always, the list is organized in ascending order of target ages.
« Read the rest of this entry »2024 Summer Reading Guide: Emerging Readers (ages 5-9)
May 30, 2024 Comments Off on 2024 Summer Reading Guide: Emerging Readers (ages 5-9)
The school year is wrapping up, which only means one thing (well, besides parental panic): it’s time for my Summer Reading Guide! This year’s guide, chock full of new releases, will have three installments: Emerging Readers (today!), Elementary Readers, and last but never least, Tweens & Young Teens. Keep your eyes here so you don’t miss all the fun!
If you’re local (or even if you’re not!), you can visit Old Town Books, where the guide is already on display and ready to shop (sneak peek of the entire guide here!). If you want personalized recommendations, I’ll be holding office hours this Saturday, June 1 from 10am-5pm; Friday, June 14 from 12-5pm; and Saturday, June 29 from 10am-3pm. Come shop with me: our shelves overfloweth with summery reads!
Emerging readers, the target of today’s round-up, is a broad classification: it encompasses a spectrum of readers from those who are just beginning to read on their own to those confidently reading but still happiest with slimmer stories and lots of illustrations. I’ve organized this list—a mix of early graphic novels, early chapter books, and young chapter books—from youngest to oldest, easiest to hardest. (I’ve also noted page count and included a picture of the interior so you can gauge level.) All of the books are starts to new series, many with second titles already out or out soon. As always, I’ve read them all and weeded out tons of others to bring you the best of the best!
Let’s get those new(ish) readers in love with reading and then build on that momentum!
« Read the rest of this entry »2023 Summer Reading Guide: For the Middle (& Early High) Schoolers (Ages 10-16)
June 8, 2023 § 1 Comment
The final installment of this year’s Summer Reading Guide is here, and it’s mostly targeted at middle schoolers, although the last few suggestions will be great for early high schoolers, too. (Before you ask, YES, graphic novels are included here as well!) For those with 10-12 year olds, I highly recommend you also peruse my list for Elementary Readers, with titles for 8-12 years.
All the books below are newly published! But, a reminder that if you missed my Spring Break Reading Round-Up earlier this year—traditional books here and graphic novels here—there are some fabulous middle-school titles on there. For instance, I’ve now had three middle schoolers tell me that What Happened to Rachel Riley? is the best book they’ve EVER read. Dan Santat’s graphic memoir, A First Time for Everything, is a must for summer reading, especially for those getting ready to head off to high school. The graphic novel adaptation of Bomb is perfect for your history buffs. And Simon Sort of Says, if your kiddo can handle some heavier themes (overlaid with lots of humor and beautiful friendships and parental relationships), is likely to garner gazillions of accolades come awards season.
Then there are all the books still on my to-read pile, so you’ll have to stay tuned to Instagram for updates on those. (Including what my high schooler will be reading in the UK for the next few weeks!)
Here we go! Books below are presented from YOUNGEST to OLDEST. Links, as always, support Old Town Books. (View and shop all our Summer Reading Guides—for adults, too!—right here!)
« Read the rest of this entry »2023 Summer Reading Guide: Elementary Readers (Ages 8-12)
May 25, 2023 § 1 Comment
Today’s installment of the Summer Reading Guide features favorite new releases for 8-12 years, mostly traditional novels but concluding with three graphic novels. If you have Emerging Readers, check out last week’s recs here. And if you have Middle School Readers, stay tuned for next week’s recs for 10-15. Some of you may have kiddos that straddle two lists—the more the merrier!—and keep in mind that many of these would make terrific read alouds or audio books as well!
Wait! Before you scroll down, hear me out. Earlier this year, I did a Spring Break Reading Round-Up here and here with other incredible new books. If you missed it, make sure you check out that list in conjunction with the one below. A few of them, like Lasagna Means I Love You, It’s Boba Time for Pearl Li, and Link & Hud are actually set during the summer! You might also want to reference last year’s Summer Reading Guide for this age group (here and here), as many of those picks (ahem, Skandar and the Unicorn Thief) have sequels just out, and others are now in paperback.
If you’ve got a fantasy lover, they’re in for a treat because I’ve got a whopping SIX recommendations below. If you’ve got a kid off to sleepaway camp, I’ve got a book with ALL THE FEELS (be sure to also check out Camp Famous, just out in paperback, which my daughter read and loved at the end of last summer, too late for the 2022 Guide). If you’ve got a reader easily intimidated by long books, the first three recs are for you. If you’ve got a kid only hooked by zany plots, like survival stories or reality TV, I’ve got you covered. Animal lovers? Check. STEM interests? Check.
Alas, there are books I haven’t yet read that may well have made the cut. (Deadlands: Hunted, a new series billed as Wings of Fire meets Jurassic Park, got rave reviews from my co-workers, with the sequel out as soon as this fall!) As I tackle more, I’ll post reviews on Instagram of anything I love, so follow me there for more recommendations.
Finally, if you’re planning to purchase any of these, especially if you’re local, please consider supporting Old Town Books, where I do the kids’ buying. My links will take you there. (We also ship!) And for those who want to meet with me directly, I’ll be holding Office Hours on Sunday, June 4 and Sunday, June 25 from 10am-4pm, so bring your kids, your questions, your slumps, and we’ll have a great time.
Onwards! Maycember is almost over, and I can almost taste all the reading in store for us all!
« Read the rest of this entry »2023 Summer Reading Guide Kicks Off With Emerging Readers (Ages 5-9)
May 18, 2023 § 1 Comment
I’m delighted to kick off this year’s Summer Reading Guide with a round-up of new favorites for emerging readers. (In the weeks ahead, we’ll be covering Elementary Readers (8-12) and Middle School Readers (10+).) Below, you’ll find selections for those just learning to read, those starting to get their reading legs underneath them, and those who have strong reading skills but aren’t ready to make the transition to the longer chapters and more complex plots of middle-grade books.
The pressure on parents to keep new readers from backsliding over the summer can feel like a lot. I’ve been there! A couple things to remember:
- Leave books within reach! Dining tables, sofas, bathrooms, playrooms, cars…they can’t complain they’re bored if a book is RIGHT THERE.
- Embrace comics! Our children are coming of age in a highly visual world. Comics not only help with decoding, but they give kids the same instant gratification that they long for from screentime.
- Have a kid who has trouble getting started? Thinks every book looks boring? Scaffold the onboarding experience by reading the first few pages or chapters to them.
- Incentivize with reading challenges, BINGO boards (we’ve got a great one coming to Old Town Books!), or make up your own treats to reward their progress.
- Picture books count as reading! In fact, their rich vocabulary and gorgeous art make them just as attractive and valuable to elementary children.
Hopefully, the recommendations below—all new releases!—will help you kick off a terrific summer of reading. (And if you need more, check out last summer’s guide here!)
Titles are arranged from easiest to hardest, with age ranges provided at the top of each description and an interior photo at the end to help you gauge words per page. Especially if you’re local, I thank you SO much for shopping at Old Town Books, where I do the kids’ buying and where I’ll be hosting office hours on Sunday, June 4 and June 25 from 10am-4pm, if you want personalized recommendations. Come see me!
Let’s begin!
« Read the rest of this entry »Summer Reading Guide: For the New Readers
June 23, 2022 Comments Off on Summer Reading Guide: For the New Readers
Whooooboy. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: today’s early readers have it GOOD! The wealth of talent being channeled into creating early graphic novels and early chapter books has never been greater than it is right now, and our lucky kiddos get to reap the benefits. Learning to read is all about generating momentum—from there, confidence swells—so it’s vital to have a bottomless array of choices.
Today, I’ve got a comprehensive round up of 2022 releases for newly independent readers at a variety of reading levels. Some of the storylines are sweet, others funny. Some are educational, all are entertaining, and every one is part of a series, which means more to come! (If you need more while you’re waiting, check out previous round ups here and here, many of which have sequels out.)
Of course, many of these make engaging read alouds as well. Just remember at these ages to keep reading those picture books too, for their rich vocabulary, nuanced storytelling, and gorgeous art. It shouldn’t be one or the other. Elementary kids need both to thrive in developing literacy skills and a lifetime love of reading!
The books in this post are arranged according to length and number of words per page. I’ve indicated whether each title is a graphic novel or a traditional chapter book, and I’ve included one interior shot per book to give you an idea of what the layout looks like. (And because they’re so dang cute!)
« Read the rest of this entry »Summer Reading Guide: The Graphic Novels
June 16, 2022 § 1 Comment
My Summer Reading Guide continues with a round up of favorite new graphic novels. Think of these as your secret weapons this summer. Got bored kiddos? Leave these lying around the house for wandering eyes to page through. Need one kid to sit through another one’s swim meet? Stick two of these in your bag. Packing up for a beach vacation with cousins? Throw a bunch of new-to-everyone graphic novels in your suitcase and then watch the kids pass them around like coveted candy. (We actually do this every year when we visit our cousins in Boston, and it is a favorite tradition!)
If you worry about investing in books your child will fly through at breakneck speed, consider this: graphic novels are designed to be read multiple times. The first time a child reads a graphic novel, they’re reading for plot and plot alone; the visuals propel them forward. The second, third, and fifteenth times: that’s when appreciation for character development, visual details, and tricky vocab develops. A good graphic novel is a richly layered piece of literature, and each reading takes you deeper into the story. This is true as kids age, too. Those Raina Telgemeier graphic novels they first read when they were seven? They resonate on an entirely different level years later, when the reader catches up in age to the protagonists.
Of course, sometimes kids re-read a title, not because they have anything left to learn, but because it’s fantastically entertaining. Or comforting. Or restorative.
I’ll be honest. There was a period, earlier this year, when I looked around the bookshop and thought, Ummm, where are all the new graphic novels? Thankfully, my panic didn’t last long, because come they did, many in just the last few weeks.
That said, I’m remiss in not including the sequel to Katie the Catsitter, the latter of which my daughter hails as her favorite graphic novel of all time (well, tied with Witches of Brooklyn). She loved the sequel—we all did—but as it came out all the way back in January, it escaped my mind as I was putting this post together. It’s nearing midnight, I’ve already taken my pictures, so just trust me on this one.
« Read the rest of this entry »2022 Summer Reading Guide: The Middle-Grade Novels
June 9, 2022 Comments Off on 2022 Summer Reading Guide: The Middle-Grade Novels
My Summer Reading Guide kicks off with a whopping seventeen fantastic middle-grade novels—my favorites of 2022 thus far. I had to break out graphic novels into another post, so hold tight and you’ll have those soon. After that, I’ll conclude with books for developing readers. So, keep your eyes right here in the coming weeks! (I regret that I haven’t kept up with older teen reading as much as I’d like, but that will change soon. Stay posted to Instagram where I’ll share reviews for those I read and love.)
I also recently did a guest post for Old Town Books, where I’m the kids’ buyer, with tips for keeping your kids reading all summer long. Many of us credit our own childhood summers with igniting a love of reading. Throw in some Sun-In and a rainbow push pop, and spending time in the company of Ramona Quimby or Prince Caspian was a pretty fabulous way to pass hot, lazy afternoons. But how do we convince our kids to follow suit, given today’s busy camp schedules and the lurking enticement of screens? How do we make sure our kids don’t lose the reading skills they’ve been working hard to master during the school year? Even better, how do we translate those skills into a genuine love for reading where our kids will turn to books for entertainment without nudging from us? Check out my tips here.
The below recommendations are arranged from youngest to oldest. For a fun twist, I’ve organized the list into sections by comparative titles. I hope this is helpful!
Finally, if you don’t have an indie bookstore near you, please consider supporting my work by using the links to order through the Old Town Books website. We ship every day!
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What to Read to Your Kids 