Once again I am partnering with FamilyFun magazine to share with the top 10 Summer Reading List for kids of all ages (yes, even for you moms!).
Related Post: Trendy Summer Pool/Beach Toys
Written and illustrated by Frank W. Dormer
Nope, the sword is not in the stone. It’s in the oven. Why, you ask? Kids will have to follow along to the slapstick antics of two clueless knights as they try to solve the mystery. Ages 4 to 8 Atheneum, $18
2. Into the Wild: Yet Another Misadventure (The Chicken Squad)
By Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Stephen Gilpin
Who you calling chicken? These fearless, feathered detectives are determined to discover what’s in the new cage in their yard. Is it holding a polar bear? A lion? A shark? Or, perhaps, is it just a new coop for them? (That couldn’t be it, could it?) Ages 7 to 10 Atheneum, $13
3. Julius Zebra: Rumble With the Romans!
Written and illustrated by Gary Northfield
Ancient Rome has a new class of unlikely gladiators: a lion, a warthog, and a zebra. Julius the zany zebra becomes a fan favorite at the Colosseum, despite the fact that people keep mistaking him for a striped horse named Julia. Read to find out if he can win freedom—and a trip back to Africa—for himself and his friends. Ages 7 to 12 Candlewick Press, $16
4. That Stinks! A Punny Show-and-Tell
By Alan Katz, illustrated by Stephen Gilpin
Recess is canceled due to bad weather, but that doesn’t mean the kids don’t get to play. Or, at least, play with their words during a round of show-and-tell that goes terribly (and hilariously!) wrong thanks to some very goofy misspeaking. Ages 4 to 7 Simon & Schuster, $18
5. Shrunken Treasures: Literary Classics, Short, Sweet, and Silly
Written and illustrated by Scott Nash
Kiddos aren’t quite ready for The Odyssey, Jane Eyre, or Hamlet? Enter “The Versizer,” a new—and very scientific—invention that condenses those voluminous literary works into children’s verse. Genius! Far from your typical CliffsNotes, these nine kid-friendly interpretations of the classics feature fun illustrations and lots of jokes. Ages 5 to 8 Candlewick, $16
By Gary Paulsen
Armpit sniff tests, games of truth or dare, and a stuffed cat are just a few of the ways the class clown keeps everyone laughing when a rainstorm strands six kids at school after hours. Your child will devour the book and use the script at the end of the story to act out the scenes with friends. (Also cool: All the characters’ names are gender-neutral.) Ages 8 to 12 Simon & Schuster, $17
By Josh Lacey, illustrated by Garry Parsons
Eddie gets himself in a little over his head when he agrees to babysit his uncle’s two pet dragons—that is, if you think swallowed spoons, burned-down castles, and ruined New Year’s Eve parties are a problem. But everyone, even his very grumpy dad, eventually sees the humor in the havoc. Ages 7 to 9 Little, Brown, $15
JUST FOR MOMS
By Emily Griffin
A pair of sisters find themselves at a crossroads in this dazzling new novel from the author of Something Borrowed, Where We Belong, and The One & Only. First Comes Love is a story about family, friendship, and the courage to follow your own heart—wherever that may lead.
9. Falling
By Jane Green
The New York Times bestselling author of The Beach House, Jemima J, and Summer Secrets presents a novel about the pleasure and meaning of finding a home—and family—where you least expect them…
By Allison Winn Scotch
Twenty years ago, six Penn students shared a house, naively certain that their friendships would endure—until the death of their ringleader and dear friend Bea splintered the group for good. Now, mostly estranged from one another, the remaining five reluctantly gather at that same house on the eve of what would have been Bea’s fortieth birthday.
What are you reading this summer?