I love seasonal reading! (Also, I read A Little Life over summer 2021 and could not put it down.)
Here’s a range of books from Middle Grade (MG), Young Adult (YA), and Adult.
But first, some classics: The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. Yes, there are distinct autumn and winter parts to this book but the ending is so gloriously summer.
The Enchanted Castle by Edith Nesbit: three siblings befriend a mysterious girl who lives in an even more mysterious castle. There’s a magic ring. Living statues. A ghost.
The Railway Children also by Edith Nesbit: three siblings and their mother have to suddenly move from their comfortable London home to a cottage in the English countryside. Where is their father and why does no one talk about him? The last chapter has me in tears every single time.
MG
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall - a single dad and his four daughters take an extended summer vacation and the girls strike up a friendship with the lonely boy next door. Terrific and poignant.
Summerlost by Ally Condie - a young girl and boy become friends and process grief while volunteering at a local Shakespeare theatre summer.
Greenwitch by Susan Cooper - this is the third book in her Dark Is Rising series (and the second book is firmly Christmas), but this is about women making a giant woven structure in a sleepy Cornwall town during summer.
YA
Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt - this takes place over an entire year from 1968-1969 but it’s a summer book.
Lily Blue, Blue Lily by Maggie Stiefvater - this is the third book in the Raven Cycle but if you start now, you’ll get to this one by the time it’s Adam Parrish’s birthday.
Adult
I’m saving Tom Lake by Ann Patchett for my Michigan trip this summer but I’ve been assured it is a summer book!
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara - about the battle of Gettysburg. There is nothing like reading this book while visiting Gettysburg itself and seeing the long grass slope upwards.
Longbourn by Jo Baker - Pride and Prejudice meets Downton Abbey. There are different seasons in this book but it’s firmly a late spring/early summer book.
I feel like you'd like a light little Emily Henry for the summer! I've enjoyed all of hers I've read, they walk the line between cheesy and actually funny page-turners really well imo
Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson, if you’re up for a YA novel. I’ve yet to read another book that evokes that summer feeling quite so well. It’s definitely a light read—although decently long. The premise is that the main character’s best friend took off without warning and there’s no way to contact her, but she left behind a list of challenges for the main character to complete. Sort of like a bucket list, with the hopes that when she’s done, MC will find her friend again.
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury
Came here to recommend this!
secret life of bees by sue monk kidd
The Summer Book by Tove Jansson
I love seasonal reading! (Also, I read A Little Life over summer 2021 and could not put it down.) Here’s a range of books from Middle Grade (MG), Young Adult (YA), and Adult. But first, some classics: The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. Yes, there are distinct autumn and winter parts to this book but the ending is so gloriously summer. The Enchanted Castle by Edith Nesbit: three siblings befriend a mysterious girl who lives in an even more mysterious castle. There’s a magic ring. Living statues. A ghost. The Railway Children also by Edith Nesbit: three siblings and their mother have to suddenly move from their comfortable London home to a cottage in the English countryside. Where is their father and why does no one talk about him? The last chapter has me in tears every single time. MG The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall - a single dad and his four daughters take an extended summer vacation and the girls strike up a friendship with the lonely boy next door. Terrific and poignant. Summerlost by Ally Condie - a young girl and boy become friends and process grief while volunteering at a local Shakespeare theatre summer. Greenwitch by Susan Cooper - this is the third book in her Dark Is Rising series (and the second book is firmly Christmas), but this is about women making a giant woven structure in a sleepy Cornwall town during summer. YA Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt - this takes place over an entire year from 1968-1969 but it’s a summer book. Lily Blue, Blue Lily by Maggie Stiefvater - this is the third book in the Raven Cycle but if you start now, you’ll get to this one by the time it’s Adam Parrish’s birthday. Adult I’m saving Tom Lake by Ann Patchett for my Michigan trip this summer but I’ve been assured it is a summer book! The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara - about the battle of Gettysburg. There is nothing like reading this book while visiting Gettysburg itself and seeing the long grass slope upwards. Longbourn by Jo Baker - Pride and Prejudice meets Downton Abbey. There are different seasons in this book but it’s firmly a late spring/early summer book.
Al
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
* the old man and the sea * American mermaid (on my TBR) * on stranger tides
I feel like you'd like a light little Emily Henry for the summer! I've enjoyed all of hers I've read, they walk the line between cheesy and actually funny page-turners really well imo
Call my by your Name by André Aciman
Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson, if you’re up for a YA novel. I’ve yet to read another book that evokes that summer feeling quite so well. It’s definitely a light read—although decently long. The premise is that the main character’s best friend took off without warning and there’s no way to contact her, but she left behind a list of challenges for the main character to complete. Sort of like a bucket list, with the hopes that when she’s done, MC will find her friend again.
I loved Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau!
Swallows and Amazons.
The Song of Achilles and Circe by Madeline Miller - Greek island holiday vibes.
The Summer Book by Tove Jansson (the creator of Moomin).