Summer Reading Recommendations for Children

School's out! Many libraries sponsor summer reading programs and offer summer reading lists for all ages. I thought I'd compile one of my own: a summer book list for middle grade readers. Publishers aim the middle grade genre at children ages eight through twelve who are looking for more challenging reading.

My daughter and I collaborated on the recommendations. I contributed some older, tried-and-true classics while she shared more modern titles:

• The Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
• Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
• The Wrinkle in Time series by Madeline L'Engle
• Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone
• The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
• Old Yeller by Fred Gipson
• Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
• The Giver by Lois Lowry
• Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
• The Lemonade War series by Jacqueline Davies
• Rules by Cynthia Lord
• The Chronicles of Prydain series by Lloyd Alexander
• Anything at all written by Kate DiCamillo

And here's some interesting nonfiction:

• Bomb by Steve Sheinkin
• Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson
• World Without Fish by Mark Kurlansky
• Girls Who Looked Under Rocks: The Lives of Six Pioneering Naturalists by Jeannine Atkins

Encourage your children to keep reading over the summer. A paperback is a trusty companion that can go just about anywhere.

For more about summer reading programs in your area, check with your public library. Many libraries use themes and materials from the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) or the Illinois Reading Enrichment and Development (iREAD) program.

If you have other books to recommend, please list them in the Comments section. My daughter is always looking for new favorites, and I'd love to hear from you.

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