Let’s kick off summer with our engaging, printable Diverse Summer Reading List that will get all kids engaged in reading! Our list includes both fiction and nonfiction, bilingual Spanish/English titles, and a diverse range of cultures—in other words, the right book for every reader! You can find the full Summer Reading collection here.
Want to freshen up your Summer Reading list, but not sure where to begin? Keep reading for some of our favorite pairings of popular books with our Lee & Low picks!
Grades PreK-2
For fans of Mommy’s Khimar: Try Under My Hijab
In Under My Hijab, Hena Khan invites young readers to understand and appreciate the hijab and the Muslim women who decide to wear it. A perfect book for both mirror and window readers.
For fans of Peter’s Chair: A Space For Me
If you have readers dealing with tricky sibling dynamics, check out A Space for Me. Alex needs a break from his pesky little brother, Lucas, so he creates a space for himself, but soon realizes that he and Lucas need time together too. Discuss the importance of kindness and problem solving with these two books.
Grades 3-5
For fans of Merci Suárez Changes Gears: try Julieta and the Diamond Enigma
Readers of Merci Suarez Changes Gears will delight in this smart young middle-grade mystery about a diamond gone missing from the Louvre and the sweet and spunky girl who cracks the case. Readers will be on the edge of their seats with this page-turning, suspenseful novel!
For fans of I Am Not a Number: try Indian No More
Similar themes and issues are presented in both books about termination of tribal nations and identities in the United States. Indian No More is the first novel for young readers about tribal termination in American history and is also a heartwarming story of interracial friendships during the Civil Rights movement.
Grades 6-8
For fans of Love Sugar Magic: try On These Magic Shores
Leonora in Love Sugar Magic and Minerva in On These Magic Shores figure out how to navigate the magic in their lives with creativity, curiosity, resourcefulness. Lovers of magical realism and a splash of fantasy will be sure to enjoy On These Magic Shores. Minerva must take care of her sisters after her mother’s disappearance in this magical #ownvoices middle grade story that has touches of Peter Pan through a culturally responsive lens.
For fans of Flame in the Mist: try The Magnolia Sword
Bestselling author Sherry Thomas weaves an enthralling #ownvoices retelling of a story that has thrilled readers for centuries: the ballad of Mulan. Readers can compare and contrast the experiences of both Mulan and Mariko who have to disguise themselves as men in order to defend their families’ honor. Check out the live action Mulan movie this summer, too!
Download, print, and share the 2020 Diverse Summer Reading List Grades PreK-8 here.
What other diverse books do your kids enjoy? Leave comments below to share! Follow or tag us @leeandlow to show us your summer reads!
