Summer Reading 2023
Here are nine titles I think kids’ will enjoy relaxing with over the summer break. This list was originally shared on CTV Your Morning on July 5th, 2023. You can watch the segment here, starting at the 1:53:23 mark.
Picture Books, Ages 3-7
Malaika, Carnival Queen is the fourth book in a picture book series starring a little Canadian-Caribbean girl. Each book deepens Malaika’s understanding of her family and culture. In Carnival Queen, Malaika learns more about her father, who was a migrant farm worker. I think most indoor cats consider themselves jungle cats, and in Andrew Larsen’s Jungle Cat a confident indoor cat finds his mettle tested when he ends up outside his large, friendly apartment building where he knows (and is loved by) all the tenants. In Dear Street, a little girl reflects on what she likes most about her street throughout the seasons, leaving letters for neighbours to find. In addition to being a good read, kids will be inspired to write their own letters to their neighbourhoods.
Graphic Novels
Otis & Peanut is the first in a new series for readers aged 5-9 and is the answer to the question, ‘Is there a contemporary Frog and Toad?’ (YES!) Otis and Peanut are, respectively, a long-haired guinea pig and a naked mole rat. These three stories are tender, funny and poignant, just the right tone for emerging readers. On the heels of their very successful memoir High School, Canadian sister act Tegan & Sara have teamed up with award-winning graphic novelist Tillie Walden to create a middle grade novel that is loosely based on their own experiences, but set in the present day. Featuring first crushes, first periods and the ups and downs of friendships Junior High is a great addition to the growing contemporary canon.
Middle Grade, Ages 9-12
Nothing says summer like a pile of Choose Your Own Adventure Books. The Countdown to Danger series offers a similar premise, a make-your-own adventure series with escalating twists and turns. This is easy, diverting reading, perfect for car rides or lazy rainy days. A Green Velvet Secret is the latest from award-winning Vicki Grant. After the death of her beloved grandmother, Yardley is on the lookout for signs that her Grandmother is trying to contact her from the beyond, something she promised to try. This is a poignant family story wrapped in a mystery, great for contemporary or mystery readers.
Teen, 13+
Delicious Monsters is a thriller told in two parallel narratives, ten years apart. Daisy is a teenager who sees ghosts and moves north to a mansion with her mother. Britt is a film student who is filming a YouTube series about the infamous Miracle Mansion, a place made famous by her own mother, but it’s also the same site where Daisy goes missing. Creepy summer reading that packs an emotional punch. What A Desi Girl Wants is a fish-out-of-water story featuring Mehar, an American-raised teen who returns to India for her father’s second wedding to a famous socialite. Mehar reconnects with family members, learns more about her ancestry and falls in love with her grandmother’s assistant in this lavish rom-som.