When I was a kid, we kicked off every summer the same way: with a trip to the bookstore.
My mother used to joke that I would walk down the aisles with one arm outstretched, scooping entire rows of books into a shopping basket poised beneath. I did my most intense reading at the shore, devouring thrillers and mysteries in the shade of a rainbow beach umbrella. As I got older, my mother and I would swap books as soon as we finished them, lost in the story, feet in the sand. It was our favorite tradition — and one of the best summer reading ideas for kids that still hold up today.
The first time a book made me cry was a summer read called “Sunny-Side Up” by Patricia Reilly Giff. It’s a relatable story of a boy whose friend is moving away, and the last line is so devastatingly sad and beautiful I still tear up thinking about it.
That said, it was the fantasy worlds that swept me away. After speaking with a dozen book connoisseurs across the city, it sounds like I’m not alone.
Fantasy series top the list
Instead of a single novel, many summer reading recommendations came in the form of a series. Since Harry Potter didn’t burst onto the scene until I was at the end of middle school, my fantasy worlds were C.S. Lewis’ “Narnia” and Madeleine L’Engle’s “Time Quintet.” The first of each series is a beloved classic, but the real joy was knowing there was more to learn of Meg Murry and Charles Wallace, more of the world of Narnia beyond “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.”
Fantasy series are popular recommendations for kids, and it’s not hard to see why. The joy of traveling with a familiar character through their trials, tribulations, and eventual successes can be like a friendship. Fantasy also provides an alternative lens for kids to understand human behavior. I read “Many Waters” (third in the Time Quintet) when I was 11 years old, and I think the two Murry twins were my first crushes.
Fortunately for today’s children, the literary world is brimming with glorious stories of queens and kings and creatures and beasts in faraway lands, waiting for a hero to accompany them on their adventures.
Resilient characters, resilient kids
In addition to fantastic worlds and superpowered characters, another theme that emerged from this summer’s reading list is resilience. Whether the characters are forced to rebuild their lives after tragedy, persevere in isolation, or survive political or familial turmoil, their resilience and inventiveness inspire young readers.
It’s revealing that so many book lovers I talked to used the word “resilience” during recent interviews. After all, they’ve had a front-row seat to the challenges kids faced when schools closed abruptly four years ago. It may not be front-and-center of our lives anymore, but COVID’s effects linger.
Resiliency, then, becomes not only something to admire in fictional characters surviving on a deserted island, but something that young readers themselves must strive for.
Parents’ summer assignment
Whether fantasy, mystery, or realism, what I remember as a kid is reading. I remember a time when I could read as much as I wanted, whenever I wanted, sometimes all day long. I dearly hope our kids can find (and lose) entire days of reading, amid robotics camp, and swim team, and soccer practice, and all the other summer sign-ups.
In the meantime, parents, your summer assignment is to give your kids time to devour these books. Carve out unstructured time. Visit the library. Set up a hammock. And if they need inspiration, check out our list of summer reading ideas for kids from local booksellers, librarians, and authors.
And while you’re at it, grab a Book Bingo card from Seattle Public Library. It’s not too late to play — and if your child completes a row or blackout, they can even win a prize. It’s a fun, low-pressure way to keep reading fresh all summer long.
