2021 Summer Book Shout Outs
SUMMER BOOK SHOUT OUTS
A peek at some of our summer highlight books from board books to adult.
We hope you are resting some (a lot, please!) and making some summer memories in ways that feel good.
We wanted to do a quick shout-out to some of our favorite summer reads so far in case anyone is searching for what is next, aren’t we are always?! We love that it continues to be such a great time for kiddo books and that some awesome authors and publishers are continuing to work towards books that provide all our kiddos with windows and mirrors. Sometimes we just get so happy that this time continues to shift for our students (and ourselves!) as teachers and humans. More books, about all of us, always.
Board Books
Little Ladybug (interactive finger puppet! silly!)
Press Here (we enjoy the creative take on interactive in this one!)
Grumpy Monkey -- probably best as a picture book, but we’re making the argument for it’s board book edition because… what if you’re really angry and need this book and want to throw it?
Picture (We love all of these for the classroom!)
Milo Imagines the World (relatable, loving, assumptions, twists with plenty to talk about!)
My Bed: Enchanting Ways to Fall Asleep Around the World (reread this one, find it so beautiful every time)
Watercress (it’s just gorgeous).
Over and Under the Pond (We want this entire series! This one with a black mama and child is our current favorite and meets our single mom rep requirements. These are so lovely to celebrate and explore the outdoors with excited toddlers/young humans)
Every Night is Pizza Night (we love food, and we love food from all over!)
Middle Grade
Snapdragon (graphic novel) One of my personal favorites this summer. So queer, so brown, so weird, so loving!
Forever this Summer (Leslie C. Youngblod nailed this sequel to Love Like Sky!)
Under the Whispering Door (A new TJ Klune! Queer, quirky, cast of characters you won’t forget!)
King and the Dragonflies (sparse and packs a punch, queer and POC in the south, death)
Summer of Brave (the voice on this one is so well done)
“Classics” we circled back to: Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (Mrs Frisby could do more and have first name BUT this is still really impressive, fun, immersive), The Mysterious Benedict Society (the TV show is out and we might as well roll with the energy towards it and enjoy the puzzles and this fun cast some more!)
YA
Chlorine Sky. all around STUNNING. That’s all I can say on this short one.
Heartstopper (graphic novels, so wholesome, gay).
Instructions for Dancing (Nicola Yoon’s new one, a little magical realism, a little sweet black love!)
Here the Whole Time. This Brazilian book is one of my favorites of the summer. It just feels like you’re there and it’s so relatble.
We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This (fun and cute with some mental health topics woven in).
Adult
Want reminders about how labels (race, gender, etc) are traps for all of us and a dive into the concept of black fugitivity? What White People Can Do
Life is hard. Want some realistic grounding that is also so loving and affirming? The Comfort Book, by Matt Haig, is one of my all-time favorites and I return to it all of the time.
Want an epic feminist adventure? The Invisible Life of Addie Larue
Want something short, super immersive, and capital W, weird? Piranesi
Making something of your own? Endeavoring in some creative time? Bird By Bird by Anne Lamont (audio book in particular, she’s a hoot reading her own words.. see what I did there? Hoot? Ok, I’ll stop).
Want a sweet happy POC teacher-written escape? Happily Ever Afters
Happy reading!!
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