Great Summer Reads

Sometimes you just need something fun.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

I fell in love with dinosaurs in my mid-thirties after reading Jurassic Park. I expected an action book, but it was so much more and so well-written. Reading something so intelligent just for fun made my whole summer better. And I’m guessing I am not the only person who can remember a summer or beach trip based on which book I read. It’s worth the effort to find a great summer read for you and your kids.

If you want great recommendations for your children, look at Sonlight’s summer reader lists. Also, check out Redeemed Reader for more suggestions and quality reviews by Christians. But if you want more, here are my recommendations, listed by age group:

For Young Readers New to Chapter Books

• The Zach and Zoe mysteries by Mike Lupica — This twin team loves playing sports even more than they love solving mysteries in their elementary school.

• The A to Z Mysteries and The Calendar Mysteries by Ron Roy. A young group of best friends solve mysteries together. The A to Z Mysteries tell the stories of the older siblings. They are written for third and fourth graders. The Calendar Mysteries tell the tales of the younger siblings and are written specifically for first and second graders.

• The World According to Humphrey and its sequels by Betty G. Birney. This endearing hamster has to find a way to solve the problems of the kids in his school elementary school class. But can he find a way into the heart of the teacher who hates him?

• Max the Missing Puppy by Holly Webb. This prolific author has many books about puppies and kittens, perfect for animal lovers ages in first and second.

For Third Graders and Up

• The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again series by Frank Cottrell-Bryce. This delightful read is a sequel approved by the estate of the author of the original Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The book follows the adventures of the loving, funny, and biracial Tooting family. Note: One of the three books involves time travel to the age of dinosaurs and includes brief references to Evolution. But the series is delightful nonetheless, and includes supportive family relationships. My advice: Enjoy the books, and encourage your kids not to build their science or worldview on books about magical, flying cars.

• The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy. This isn’t so much a book as a work of art. Each page is a beautiful pen and ink drawing or a watercolor with a short anecdote or insightful quote from one of the four characters. I bought this book for myself and cherish it, but I also love sharing it with my kids.

• The Adventures of Vin Fiz by Clive Cussler. This lighthearted magical adventure is very much in the vein of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Two kids from California find a way to make their model toy airplane become real, and they set off on a series of unforgettable adventures across the country. What’s even more fun is that at the end of the novel, Cussler includes facts about the original historical airplane Vin Fiz, which is now housed in the Smithsonian Museum.

• The Britfield series by C. R. Stewart. These books are poorly written Twaddle. No doubt about it. But fans of the 39 Clues series or the Percy Jackson series will love the action-packed adventures of Tom and his best friend Sarah as they break out of their harsh orphanage and escape across England on foot, trains, and a hot air balloon. When Tom discovers the secret of his parentage, he finds that his life is in danger on every side, including from the Queen of England. The first book offers a map of England as Tom explores many of the country’s most famous sites. Kids basically get a free tour of England with no jet lag. Subsequent books similarly feature other famous places in Europe. These books are not well-written, and they are laughably far fetched. But the only language I noted in the book was one use of the word “bloody,” and the books offer a strong sense of justice and the value of family, friends, and loyalty. The fourth book is pending publishing.

• Pages and Co: The Book Wanderers by Anna James. For the girl who loves the books Anne of Green Gables, Alice in Wonderland, or The Little Princess, this book is a gem. On the surface, it tells the story of eleven-year-old Tilly who lives in a book shop in London with her grandparents. But one day, Tilly finds that her favorite book characters start coming to the shop to meet her. It’s her first introduction to the magical power of Book Wandering. Thoughtfully written, this book is a tribute to the power of stories. Note: A crucial plot point is that one character’s parents have never been married. Any discerning reader can see that this isn’t upheld as a happy or good situation, but any child who would struggle to understand this dynamic isn’t ready for this book.

For Older Readers

• The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers. This 2024 Newberry Medal winner is beautifully written from the perspective of the dog Johannes who lives on the channel islands in California. Dubbed “The Eyes,” Johannes works with the other animal inhabitants to protect their lives and the balance of nature in the park despite narrow escapes and dangerous threats from humans. This book is full of beauty, friendship, and originality. Note: It does take God’s name in vain a couple times near the beginning of the book, and the dog reveres the sun as a god that he calls “she.”

• Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. If you’ve only ever seen the movies, you’re missing out. This book is so much more than gore and dinosaurs (although there is a lot of both). Written as an adventure thriller, this book deeply and thoughtfully explores the arrogance and folly of commercializing science to feed human greed. But also, the action sequences and dinosaurs are gripping. Note: It is chock full of violence, and not even newborn infants are immune. This book also has some language.

• All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot. This beautifully written book about life as a veterinarian in Yorkshire, England, might just make you laugh and cry. Herriot was a genius at capturing the charm of ordinary people and the beauty and harshness of life in rural north England. Note: This book has some language and drunkenness as well as references to adultery and suicide. But it captures the sadness, beauty, and especially the humor of humanity and animals.

• Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley. Whatever you do, don’t read the forward. This little gem was written as a prequel to a much more odd and disorganized book which I won’t bother to list here. Parnassus on Wheels is a treat. A New England spinster in the 1910’s decides to runaway from the family farm to teach her brother a lesson. She narrowly escapes her brother’s wrath with the help of a traveling book salesman who is not above cutting a few telephone wires to help a lady in distress. This is Mark Twain meets Lucy Maud Montgomery.

• Bomb! by Steve Sheinkin. This completely true account of the race to develop the atomic bomb is almost impossible to put down. Written as a thriller, it describes spies in Los Alamos and sabotage in Norway with incredible pacing. Note: This book includes language and some violence and references adultery.

• Garlic and Sapphires by Rachel Reichl. This remarkable writer describes taking on six fake identities to pursue her work as the restaurant reviewer for the New York Times in the 1980s. Reichl’s ability to describe food could make even a house plant hungry. And her insight into herself and humanity in New York in the 1980s is a thoughtful treat. If you’re like me, you’ll spend the rest of your days hunting for Reichl’s book in every bookstore. Already read Garlic and Sapphires? Find Reichl’s book Save My the Plums about her time as the head editor at Gourmet Magazine. Note: These books include language. Also, with one fake identity in Garlic and Sapphires, Reichl goes on a date with a stranger, with the knowledge of her husband.

• Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. This book is a fan fiction of C. S. Lewis’s The Magician’s Nephew. People either love Piranesi or are completely confused by it. I love it. It’s a fantasy set in one of the most beautiful, strangest fantasy worlds I’ve ever encountered. You’ll spend the first half of the book just trying to figure out what’s going on. The second half of the book morphs into a crime thriller. Don’t feel bad if this book isn’t for you, but if you’re intrigued, give it a try. Clarke is a phenomenal writer. Note: This books contains a little language and a few references to past murders, crimes, and sexual encounters, and a death scene. Like other books in the crime genre, this book is infused with a strong sense of morality that condemns the crimes and abuse even as it describes them.