Best books to read this summer for kids, tweens, teens and parents
Books, LIFESTYLE
Summer is high season for bookworms. Why not plan ahead for some great summer reading for the whole family this year!
Our list includes the best summer books for 2018. And offers everything from picks for toddlers to tweens and even parents. These summer books are great for all ages and will capture you with great stories. Whether told through pictures or shared through chapters.
Perfect for summer beach bags, plane carry-ons or lazy afternoons on the sofa.
Here is our roundup of the best books to read this summer:
Toddler:
Lots
A wonderfully illustrated celebration of the world where you travel far and wide. From Hong Kong, the Amazon, Antarctica to India. From the villages, towns and cities where most people live, to the deserts and vast oceans that cover the surface of the planet. There is a L O T to discover! Lots of people, lots of places, lots of different landscapes and lots of cultures.
The Big Book of Bugs
Which kid does not like bugs. Or finds them at least very interesting? Bugs live nearly everywhere on Earth. This book gives tips on how to become a young bug spotter. The book includes the key groups of bugs like beetles, moths, butterflies, bees, snails, crickets, grasshoppers, worms and spiders. All illustrated with scenic compositions.
A wonderful book that is beautifully illustrated and with as much information as any child could want.
Children:
Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth
Oliver Jeffers never disappoints and this is yet another wonderful book! A special book to make not just children think about the world around us.
Our world can be a bewildering place, especially if you’ve only just got here. Your head will be filled with questions, so let’s explore what makes our planet and how we live on it. From land and sky, to people and time, these notes can be your guide and start you on your journey. And you’ll figure lots of things out for yourself. Just remember to leave notes for everyone else… Some things about our planet are pretty complicated, but things can be simple, too: you’ve just got to be kind.
Cannonball Coralie and the Lion
Coralie longs to join the circus. But the Man in the Big Hat says her tricks just aren’t good enough. With the help of her new friend, Lion, Coralie realises she is perfect just the way she is.
A heart-warming story about the friendship between a girl and a lion. A fun, quirky picture book that celebrates difference and the importance of standing up for yourself.
Tweens:
The Buildings That Made London
Take an incredible journey through the streets of London and see beautiful buildings as you’ve never seen them before! Using original architectural drawings from The National Archives that are brought to life by the stunning artwork of Josie Shenoy. Watch Buckingham Palace transform from a large country house into an opulent palace. Or spot Henry VIII playing tennis on the lawn of Hampton Court Palace, and get lost in the Palm House at Kew.
A historical kaleidoscope celebrating the magnificent buildings that made London.
Stories for Boys Who Dare to be Different
Prince charming, dragon slayer, mischievous prankster… these are the usual role-models boys can encounter in the books they read.
But what if you are the introvert kind? What if you prefer to pick up a book rather than a sword? This book is an extraordinary compilation of 100 stories of famous and not-so-famous men from the past to the present day. Every single one of them a rule-breaker and innovator in his own way, and all going on to achieve amazing things.
The stories are inclusive and all about acceptance of yourself and others.
It is the must-have book for all those boys (and girls) who worry about stuff and all those parents who worry about their boys who worry about stuff. It will educate and entertain, while also encourage and inspire.
There is also the KIDS version if you like.
Teens:
Bookworm: A Memoir of Childhood Reading
In Bookworm, Lucy revisits her childhood reading with wit, love and gratitude.
She brings her favourite characters back to life. It is a charming, heartfelt and gloriously enthusiastic love letter to childhood reading. Beautifully explaining the excitement of discovering a new book and the comfort of re-reading your old favourites.
Cogheart
Murder, mayhem and mystery meet in this gripping Victorian adventure.
There is a lot of action and adventure in this book. Be swept away by airships and flabbergasted by dastardly plots in this extraordinary and wildly imaginative debut, bursting with invention and adventure.
In the end this is a heart-warming, enjoyable and unique tale with some deep philosophical messages about what it is to live and be happy.
Parents:
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
Eleanor Oliphant leads a simple life. She wears the same clothes to work every day, eats the same meal deal for lunch every day and buys the same two bottles of vodka to drink every weekend. She is happy until she is not.
A touching portrayal of loneliness that will get you hooked quickly.
A fascinating character that transforms and shares her experiences with many laugh out loud moments.
Brilliantly written!
A bittersweet read about love, life and friendship that makes you stop and think long after you have finished reading the last page.
Tasmina Perry
The whole point of the book is seizing the day and living life to the full. Well written and emotionally very uplifting.
The smallest things can make the biggest difference.
Have a look at our list with books for strong girls as well.
Happy reading!
