Best Summer Reads for Kids

Are you looking for summer reading for your kids? Check out these 101 best summer reads for kids and get your summer reading program off to a great start!

I’m thrilled to have my good friend Rebekah Hallberg here this week sharing a stellar reading list for summer. Rebekah did a super job compiling this list of best children’s books for tweens. But first, I’ll share my personal picks~

Arabah’s Best Summer Reads for Kids:

 These 101 best summer reads for kids will encourage your kids to keep reading even while school is out.

The Knights of Arrethtrae – series by Chuck Black (Chuck Black has an incredible way of using fantasy to depict spiritual truths. Wow! Our family is nuts over Chuck Black so anything by him gets devoured!)


Jack Staples and the Ring of Time – by Mark Batterson (This pastor knows how to tell a compelling story that teaches character. Highly recommend.)

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes – by Jonathan Auxier (While this is not a Christian author or book, it is just good. Plain and simple. It draws you in and keeps you hanging until the last page.)


Rooms – by James L. Rubart (This uses Christian symbolism and was listed as a favorite by my son. Enough said.)


TJ and the Time Stumblers  – series by Bill Myers (This is another kid recommended series. Great character building content with plenty of action.)

Now here’s Rebekah: Have you ever tried to find new reading material for your tweens? It can be difficult to know what is safe, what’s appropriate, what holds their interest, and what is family-friendly.

I am a mom to two boys and then a girl, so I’m currently navigating the waters of appropriate books with my boys, one of whom is a tween, the other in his mid-teen years. Between reading levels, interests and what we deem appropriate, finding good summer reading books for them is often a struggle for us. Below is a book list for tweens, gathered from a post on social media. It’s certainly not comprehensive, and we would gladly welcome your help by adding some of your favorites in the comments, please!

Looking for some good books for your kids this summer? Check out our list of 101 best summer reads for kids - keep your kids reading this summer.

 

Note: This list of best summer reads for kids was compiled from a call out on social media.
I have not personally read every book on this list.
Please, please check the books ahead of time
to be sure they fit with your family’s criteria.

While a lot of the books below are fiction, we like to encourage our kids to read some non-fiction as well. We’ve found that the Heroes of the Faith Series has a little something for everyone. Various biographies are included in this series of men and women who made a difference for the kingdom of God.

 

The Kane Chronicles – by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson Series – by Rick Riordan
Left Behind: The Kids Collection – by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye

The Space Trilogy – by CS Lewis (Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength)

The Kingdom Series – by Chuck Black 


The Wilderking Trilogy – by Jonathan Rogers
The Berinfell Prophecies Series – by Wayne Thomas Batson and Chrisotpher Hopper
Inheritance Cycle – by Christoher Paolini (Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance)
The Chronicles of Prydain – by Lloyd Alexander
The Tripods Collection – by John Christopher

100 Cupboards – by N.D. Wilson
The 39 Clues – a collaboration of authors
The Peleg Chronicles – by Matthew Christian Harding
Hatchet – by Gary Paulsen
The Underland Chronicles – by Suzanne Collins (Gregor the Overlander Collection)

Michael Vey Series – by Richard Paul Evans
Adventures In Odyssey Passages Series – by Paul McCusker

The Dragonriders of Pern Series – by Anne McCaffrey
Dragonback Series – by Timothy Zahn
Rangers Apprentice Series – by John Flanagan

The American Adventure Series – by Colleen L. Reece and others
The Amazing Tales of Max and Liz Series – by Jenny L. Cote (looks like there are other books by this author, too)
Terrestria Chronicles – by Ed Dunlop
Redwall Series – by Brian Jacques
Artemis Fowl – by Eoin Colfer

Science Fair – by Ridley Pearson and Dave Barry
The Dark Is Rising Series – by Susan Cooper
The Wingfeather Saga – by Andrew Peterson
The Dangerous Book for Boys – by Conn Iggulden and Hal Iggulden
Cooper Kids Adventures Series – by Frank Peretti

Viking Quest Series – by Lois Walfrid Johnson
Red Rock Mysteries – by Jerry B. Jenkins and Chris Fabry
The Children of Hurin – by J.R.R. Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien
My Side of the Mountain – by Jean Craighead George
The G.A. Henty Megapack – by G.A. Henty

The Hardy Boys Starter Set – by Franklin W. Dixon
Nancy Drew Starter Set – by Carolyn Keene
The Complete Chronicles of Narnia – by C.S. Lewis (my boys ended up reading these on their own in their tween years)

Check out our list of 101 best summer reads for kids. Keep your kids in books this summer!

Classic novels (for example – To Kill a Mockingbird, and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass to name a couple)

Authors who were recommended:
J.R.R. Tolkien
Anthony Horowitz
Matt Christopher
Margaret Peterson Haddix
C.S. Lewis

Websites that were recommended:
Scholastic.com
Lexile.com – click on “Don’t know your Lexile measure?” by the Search button and then fill in the information in the “I don’t know my Lexile measure” area. This will take you through prompts for various interests and will populate a book list for you.

I hope you find some good books for kids within this list. If you are still uncertain, I’d recommend checking your local library as they often have summer reading programs for kids.

If you have other favorites, please be sure to leave them in the comments so we can all benefit! I know I’ll be checking back to find some of your favorites as I still need good books for my kids!

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