Get your kids ages 5 to 18, reading with book recommendations from these up-to-date summer reading lists. They’re at every grade level from elementary to middle school to high school!!
Over the summer, choose books on the grade level they will be going into. (Unless you know that your child needs modifications up or down.)
Reading, lots and lots of reading, is the only way to keep kids growing as readers. But kids need lots of good books. That’s why I’ve made these book lists.
You’ll find both familiar and newly published favorites as well as a variety of genres and subjects from which to choose. Not only that, many of these recommendations are books in series. (Because book series are the best!)
2021 Summer Reading Lists for Kids
Picture Book List for Pre-Readers
1st Grade Reading List (age 6 – 7)
2nd Grade Reading List (age 7 – 8)
3rd Grade Reading List (age 8 – 9)
4th Grade Reading List (age 9 – 10)
5th Grade Reading List (age 10 – 11)
6th Grade Reading List (age 11 – 12)
7th Grade Reading List (age 12 – 13)
8th Grade Reading List (age 13 and up / teen)
P.S. Are you doing a summer reading program? Maybe through your library, Scholastic, or Barnes and Noble? Click here to see free summer reading programs for 2020.
Tips to Make Summer Reading Happen
1. CHOICE: Let your kids choose the books that they read. Kids Need to Pick Out Books.
2. BOUNTY: Fill your house with lots of books. More books = more chances for your children to find a fantastic, amazing, very good book that they can’t put down.
Yesterday, we set a new money-spent-record at the bookstore. Gulp. I shouldn’t even tell you but it was well over $300. There’s something magical about mom taking you to the bookstore where you can pick all the books you want to read. (Magically expensive. But worth it.)
Of course, we do visit the library weekly, and it’s much more economical.
3. LIBRARY: Use your library. Let your kids go WILD and check out lots of books!
4. TIME: Kids need opportunities for reading. So, make sure they’re not filling all their time with TV, video games, and iPad time.
5. TECHNOLOGY: Don’t forget about audiobooks, Kindles, iPads, and Nook reading. Ebooks and audiobooks count as reading, too. (See: audiobooks for tweens & audiobooks for teens.)
6. READABILITY: Make sure your child is reading books that he or she can actually comprehend. When choosing a book, use the 5 finger test to decide if it’s a just right book. During and after reading, ask your child to tell you a little bit about the story. If you haven’t read the story, read the back and ask questions pertaining to that summary. Make sure your child is understanding what he reads — and that he KNOWS IF HE DOESN’T. For more clarity about reading comprehension, visit this post.
7. COZY READING SPACE: Kids LOVE a Cozy Book Nook. It doesn’t have to be fancy but it does need to involve the kids. Find a corner – those work best. Let your child add pillows, lamps, books, stuffed animals, a headlamp or flashlight, and create a special space.
Read more tips on how to make an enticing book nook.
8. DOWN-TIME: Kids Need Margins Just Like We Do. We all need unscheduled time to rest and relax. Kids especially. Remember to make time during the day for rest and reading.
Download a Super Fun Summer Reading Printable Packet!
Download a Reading Bingo Challenge
Get FREE printables to track summer learning here.
MORE BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:
Science Fiction Books for Kids
You Might Also Like:
Summer Reading Bingo (Free Printable)
Indoor Scavenger Hunt for Words
2020 Summer Reading Programs for Kids
Good Books About Summer Vacation
16 Responses
Hello,
That is an awesome list. I will go through them and see which ones are appropriate for me.
Thanks a lot
I love book lists lol and I look forward to reading more reviews
thanks!
Hi Melissa
Your website is amazing! I just ordered a ton of books from our library based on your lists, and summer isn’t even here yet! I have two questions for you;
1. I am working in a school library and would like to use your lists to give our readers (and their moms) some inspiration for the summer. I would also like to direct them to your website so they can check out your other lists as well. Would that be ok?
2. Do you have a list of scary books for kids? That is the one thing that I get asked for the most. Something other than “Haunted Canada” but just as good. (Grade 3/4 and up)
Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear my lists are helpful! Thanks, Jody.
Yes, you can give the lists to your patrons. I’d love if you directed people to my website, thank you!
I don’t have a scary list yet but I’ll get started on it today and let you know when it’s done– probably a few days from now. You’re right, scary books are super popular with many kids. (I personally dislike anything scary!)
WooHoo! Thanks Melissa. I look forward to your scary list. 🙂
By the way, I just read “A Hungry Lion…” and LOVED it. So funny and unexpected. I will have to buy a copy of it! Great recommendation!
Here are some: https://imaginationsoup.net/spooky-scary-chapter-books-kids/
Jody,
I’m an ELA teacher at a Mandarin immersion school and the Goosebumps series is very popular for all the kiddos who love to be scared.
Great post, thanks for sharing!!
Have a great day and thanks for everything that you do!! Keep up the great work. -Erin
Hi–love the lists but link to 6th grade list doesn’t work. That’s the one I really want to look at–thanks!
whoops – thanks for catching that! Here’s the link: https://imaginationsoup.net/2015/05/6th-grade-summer-reading-list-ages-11-12/