In Other Words: Summer Books for Babies, Teens and in Between

Here are seven great summer books for kids and teenagers:

1. Summer by Alice Low (for babies/preschoolers)

Oh, the wonderful things that summer brings swimming at the beach: making sand castles, catching butterflies, eating watermelon, toasting marshmallows, watching fireworks! The simple, timeless activities featured in this classic beginner book Summer make it perfect to share at the shore (or anyplace else!) with young and old alike.

2. Hotter than a Hot Dog by Stephanie Calmenson (for preschool to second grade)

This is a story about what to do when it's hot, hot, hot. The young narrator and her grandmother are sitting on the stoop of their city apartment, sweating it out. Granny is hotter than a hot dog, the narrator feels like a turkey in the oven. So off they go to the beach where the duo dig a couple of holes to sit in, jump into the cool blue ocean, find star fish, and eat ice cream until it’s time to go home.

3. Mr. Sunny is Funny by Dan Gutman (for second- to fourth-graders)

The second book in the My Weird School Daze series, A.J.'s family rented a beach house for the summer where many zany things take place.

4. Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen (fourth- through seventh-graders)

At the beginning of summer vacation, the 12-year-old narrator wonders how he is going to get enough money to buy a new inner tube for his bike. Grandma comes to the rescue when she gives him her late husband's riding lawn mower and he starts mowing a few yards in the neighborhood. Within a month, he has 15 people working for him and more business than he can handle. Gary Paulsen's enjoyable novel includes lots of wacky humor and the inclusion of improbable and unexpected events.

5. Aquamarine by Alice Hoffman (for fifth- through eighth-graders)

Hailey and Claire discover a mermaid at the bottom of the murky pool at the Capri Beach Club. On the edge of growing up, they learn that life is unpredictable, friendship is forever, and that magic can be found in the most unexpected places.

6. Project Sweet Life by Brent Hartinger (for sixth- through 10th-graders)

For most kids, 15 is the year of the optional summer job. Instead of enjoying the lazy days of summer, Dave and his two best friends are being forced by their fathers into a summer of hard labor. The friends have something else in mind, though: Not only will they not work over the summer, but they're determined to trick everyone into believing they really do have jobs. There's only one problem: Dave's dad wants evidence that his son is actually bringing in money. And that means Dave, Curtis, and Victor will have to get some . . . without breaking the law and without doing any work! Project Sweet Life is designed for the funny and lazy bone in all of us.

7. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen (eighth grade and up)

It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live. A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.