READING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SUMMER - KIDS

While I am wrapping up the school year, here are some of my favorite books for kids that you might enjoy this summer!

PICTURE BOOKS

Silly Doggy - This hilarious picture book was a hit when I first read it, and it has been a hit every time I have read it to students. It even gets a sequel later this year! You can read my review here.


The Princess and the Pig - Another hilarious picture book. Kids and parents alike will enjoy this one. You can read my review here.


The Really, Really, Really Big Dinosaur - a fun take on a bullying storyline. I'm not sure who enjoys this one more, me or my students. You can read more about it here.

MIDDLE GRADE

The False Prince - This is the first book in a great series. When the third book came out this year, I had students and staff fighting over the opportunity to check it out first. You can read more about the first book here.


Because of Mr. Terupt - This is a great school story and the sequel was just as good. You can read about both books here.


The Candymakers - One of my favorite books to recommend to students. Check out my review here.


Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library - This is one of my go-to books for kids. When someone asks for a recommendation, this is one of the books I suggest over and over. You can read my review here.


Almost Super - I fell in love with this book and immediately bought a copy for the school library. Every student who has tried this has finished it in a matter of days and enjoyed it. Check out my review here.

TEENS

Also Known As - I don't do a lot of reading for teens, but I was intrigued by this one and loved it when I read it. You can read my review here.


Steelheart - The other memorable book for teens/young adults that I have read recently is this one. It is a great super powers story, though darker than most of the books I usually read. You can see my review here.

ALSO KNOWN AS by Robin Benway

Maggie Silver is a master safe-cracker in a family of spies. She is also a high school student. She is sent undercover to get information from the father of one of her classmates - information that could expose her family and other spies working to keep the world safe. She has no idea how cute the classmate is, or how quickly she might fall for him. Can Maggie maintain her cover and get the information without getting her heart broken?

I loved this book! I laughed out loud so many times and even had to read some passages to my husband because they were so great. Maggie has a fantastic voice - sassy, sarcastic, confident - but she also has a sweetness about her as she has her first boyfriend and a fierceness when it comes to standing up for herself and her ability to do her job to those who doubt her. The core characters - Maggie, her friend Roux, and her boyfriend Jesse - are fantastic together. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Going Rogue (pictured below)!

5 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 4.2, interest level of Middle Grade + (6th grade and older). There's underage drinking, prescription drug use, language, and other references that make this a better fit for teen readers than my elementary students. Personally, I would recommend this more for high school than middle school readers. Adults who enjoy middle grade fiction, should check this one out - it was great fun to read!