Summer is just around the corner, and we are excited to present our NEW Diverse Summer Reading List to keep kids excited about reading after school gets out. Our list includes fiction and nonfiction, bilingual Spanish/English titles, and a diverse range of cultures—in other words, there’s a book for every reader!
Kids love a good series, and this year our list has a series for every age group. Check out our recommendations below to get hooked and wanting to read the next!
Grades PreK–2
Colores de la vida: Imaginatively adorned animals handcrafted in Oaxaca, Mexico teach young children about colors in English and Spanish. Our Mexican Folk Art Series incorporate folk arts to illustrate basic concepts, like the alphabet, opposites, colors, numbers, jobs, animal sounds and modes of transport.
The Talent Show and La muestra de talentos: In this book in the popular Confetti Kids series, Henry is nervous about sharing his dance moves at the school talent show.
Dive into Reading with the whole collection in Spanish!
Discover more summer reading choices for grades PreK–2!
Grades 3–5
The Story Of Olympic Swimmer Duke Kahanamoku: This entry in the innovative “Story” line of chapter-book biographies focuses on Duke Kahanamoku, the six-time Olympic swimming champion and a legendary surfer who popularized surfing around the world.
Maximilian & The Mystery of the Guardian Angel: In the first book in Max’s Lucha Libre Adventure Series, Maximillian’s summer vacation resembles one of his beloved lucha libre movies: grudge matches, fantastic villains and the Guardian Angel.
Discover more summer reading choices for grades 3–5!
Grades 6–8
The Longest Night in Egypt: The Shadow Prince saga continues as Ash and his heroic friends rush to save Ra from the belly of Apep and bring light back to an Egypt that has been plunged into darkness. Will the kids prevail? Can Ash and his friends reunite Ra’s magic with the sun and bring power and light back to the kingdom? Or will Egypt remain in darkness forever?
Safe Passage: From Coretta Scott King Honor-winning author of Yummy, G. Neri comes an epic journey across the South Side of Chicago for Darius, his little sister Cissy, and his best friend Booger as they set out to find an armored truck that has lost a payload of cash.
Discover more summer reading choices for grades 6–8!
Grades 9–12
Quicks & Pull: Kevin Waltman’s YA basketball series features D-Bow, a teen who’s game has it all, and colleges are taking notice. But, he’s rehabbing knee injuries, figuring out family drama and girl trouble, and trying to put it all together to pull off an incredible basketball season. Will he win the championship, or crash and burn like so many Marion East players before him?
Discover more summer reading choices for grades 9–12!
Download, print, and share the 2024 Diverse Summer Reading List here.
