In Season: Summertime Books

Books seem to resonate a little more when we can connect what's happening in the story to what's happening in our lives. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is picking a book that's set in the current season. If we're nearing Christmas, for example, I'll usually shy away from books set in the dog days of summer (jotting it down on my list, knowing that I'll forget it otherwise). So today's Ideas and Inspiration post is dedicated to great reads set in the summertime. Here's a starter set—chime in with your own family favorites!

• Bats at the Beach by Brian Lies (Level 2) - Thanks, for introducing us to that one, Gina!
• Flotsam by David Wiesner (Level 2)
• Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran (Level 2)
• Owly: The Way Home and The Bittersweet Summer by Andy Runton (Level 3)
• The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare (Level 4)
• Summerhouse Time by Eileen Spinelli (Level 4)
  
• Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright (Level 4)
• Hatchet by Gary Paulsen (Level 5)
• Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech (Level 5)
• Way Down Deep by Ruth White (Level 5)
• Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen (Level 5)

Comments

[amy]

Great list of summer reads! Can I suggest another?--The Cottonmouth Club by Lance Marcum. It's the coming of age story of an 11 year old boy in 1960's California, who has a perfect summer of comic books and monster movies all planned out with his best friend. Imagine his horror when he finds out he's actually going to spend the holidays with his mother's family in rural Louisiana! It makes a great read aloud, with both funny and very suspenseful passages.

[Lori Bailey]

Thanks, Amy! I've not heard of that one before. Sounds like it would be a great pick for Brian and Ben to read together. We'll look forward to checking it out!