Books for Summertime Reading by various authors

c.2025, various publishers $16.95 – $19.99 various page counts

School hasn’t been out for long but – hey! Don’t blink! – the new semester’s not far away. Even so, you still have lots of time to do summer things, and you have lots of time to read a good book or two or three. So try a few books like these….

For kids who like to learn about new things and laugh, too, “Watch Out for Falling Iguanas” by Edwidge Ganticat, illustrations by Rachel Moss (Akashic Books, $16.95) is a fun one. As Grandma Issa drops Leila off for school on a hot day in Miami, she has one warning: “Watch out for falling iguanas.” Leila’s got a big day ahead of her and that warning seems strange. What does it even mean? As the day goes on, she finds out, but who’ll believe her? This book wraps ecology and biology up with an enjoyable story, perfect for kids ages 4-8.

If there’s been a loss in your family, “Where Are You, Brontë?” by the late Tomie dePaola, illustrated by Barbara McClintock (Simon & Schuster, $19.99) may be exactly what you need to bring home. It’s the story of a man and his dog, the love they shared over the years, the special friends and special collar, and you can already tell the ending, can’t you? But the ending isn’t the end, and kids ages 5 to 10 who grieve a pet this summer will find this book to be a big, big comfort.

The kid you know who loves adventure will want “Ablaze: The Story of America’s First Female Smokejumper” by Jessica Lawson, illustrated by Sarah Gonzales (Viking, $18.99). When Deanne Shulman was young, her family loved to spend time in nature and those activities carried Deanne into adulthood. They also helped her choose a career: she’s a firefighter, and an elite one, at that. This is a great book for all kids ages 4-8, but especially girls with STEM-leaning minds.

Your child knows that people are all different, and “Down Syndrome Out Loud” by Melissa Hart, illustrated by Maria Perera (Sourcebooks, $16.99) shows how differences never stop

some people. Here, your child will read more than twenty excellent examples of kids and former kids with Down symdrome and so what? They accept challenges head-on, just like most kids do, and they don’t allow their situation be a barrier for what they want to accomplish. That’s is inspirational for children ages 8-14. This book is perfect for kids with siblings, other relatives, neighbors, or friends who have Down syndrome, and an open-hearted, inclusive child will want to read it today.

These are just a few of the thousands of books that await your children at your favorite local bookstore or library, and all you have to do to find them – or books on any topic, really – is to ask the friendly face there. Booksellers and librarians are like Super Heroes in disguise and they’re ready to help your child find the exact right book. So what are you waiting for? There’s plenty of summer left…