Booklists

The children's services staff (l. to r. Krishna Grady, Marian McLeod, Elisabeth Gattullo, Kiera Parrott, and Claire Moore) at Darien Library, CT kicked off its spy-themed summer reading program on June 21.

As the end of the school year approaches, school media specialists and teachers are equipping their students with lists of books to read over the summer break. Meanwhile, public librarians are prepping for their busiest season. From audiobook classics to DIY fun, the following is a compilation of tools that can be used in the summer months (or even throughout the year). SLJ's summer reading resources page will be updated continuously, so check back for new materials.

Help youngsters celebrate summer with a selection of alluring books bursting with vacation-time fun. From picture books to graphic novels, there’s something here for every reader.

Libraries can win a Harry Potter party pack to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the U.S. publication of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, complete with new paperback editions of the beloved series, illustrated by Kazu Kabushi. Entries are due July 17. Latinas for Latino Literature has launched a Summer Reading Program for summer camps, youth groups, and cultural centers serving Latino students and families, running through August 12.

Time travel, 200-year-old clues, and a gaggle of atypical princes round out Junior Library Guild's picks of new mystery and adventure novels for school-aged readers. Perfect for summer reading, check out the latest offerings from Kate Messner, Andrew Clements, and Christopher Healy.

From toads to bats and the Beatles to doctors, Junior Library Guild editors select new informational picture books for young readers that complement Common Core State Standards and do more than just fill a hole in the lesson plan.

Summer Time, and the living is easy. Unless you are a children’s or teen services librarian in a public library. Summer Reading Programs can be a tough time for librarians: it’s a busy time, with lots of prep work. There are all sorts of demands, and expectations, and stresses. It can be frustrating; and it [...]

Junior Library Guild editors select illustrated picture book biographies on remarkable Americans that are perfect for inspiring children in Grades 2 to 6. These include a new take on Albert Einstein and a brief look at how libraries became more accessible to young readers.

How can we use the summer to provide kids with more opportunities to grow confident as nonfiction readers? The authors offer suggestions and recommend a few reading lists to share with students.