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Summer-themed books


Earthmerlin
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In the Advanced Learner forum, someone mentioned reading aloud summer-themed classics. I asked for titles but didn't receive a response, which is why I'm now asking here. My daughter is 7 so anything appropriate w/ this setting is appreciated. We are currently reading The Penderwicks. Any other 'must-read' picture books or novels that take place in summer? Thanks!

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The Family Fletcher Takes Rock Island comes to mind - but it's better if you read the first book first.

 

I like (really, really, really like) Unusual Chickens for the Extraordinary Chicken Farmer - but as an epistolary novel, it might be challenging to read aloud.

 

Seaglass Summer, perforce, takes place during the summer. I wouldn't call it a must-read, though, although I did enjoy it.

 

Mission Mumbai also covers a summer vacation. There's some family tension in the background, though.

 

Hm. There's also The Thing About Luck, but that doesn't involve a vacation - they're working during it. (Also, a bit more mature in tone.)

 

Both 101 Ways to Bug Your Parents and The Lemonade War take place during summer, and they're pretty accessible books for this age.

 

If you're going to go classic I suppose you can go with Half Magic or Five Children and It - those both take place during vacation. They have some unfortunately racist episodes, each of them, but you may not have too much trouble with those.

 

Dumpling Days also takes place during the summer but, again, it's part of a series and you'll want to have read the first two first.

 

The Lotteries takes place during a vacation, but honestly, I thought the author tried too hard in a "Look how unconventional and bohemian my family is!" way. On the plus side, everybody's homeschooled, so there is that.

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I remember asking a similar question a long time ago, so I searched my history and found the post! (We also started with The Penderwicks because they are the best!) :-)

I got some good responses. Hope it helps!

 

We always read Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey every year, because it's gorgeous and quintessential summer for us. 

I think The Night Fairy by Laura Amy Schlitz is set in summer. 

Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace (my very favorite children's novel!) spans the year, but lots of the scenes are set in summer. 

The Cobble Street Cousins series by Cynthia Rylant have lots of summer scenes.

The Sophie Mouse series by Poppy Green are also very seasonal - you could pick the summer titles to read.

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For me, the first sequel to The Saturdays - The Four Story Mistake - is THE children's book about summer. There's an entire chapter that's literally just about a moth at the window of the youngest child's room at night.

 

Enright's other series - Gone-Away Lake - is also filled with very poignant, beautiful prose about the countryside in summer.

 

There are so many other children's books that take place in summer... I'm trying to think what else would be a must. I like Tanaqui's suggestions, as always. Maybe Because of Winn-Dixie would be a good one for a 7 yo as a read aloud. A lot of the other things I'm thinking of like One Crazy Summer or Love, Ruby Lavender might be better to wait a year on.

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  • 4 weeks later...

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