It’s summertime. And though that means lots of free time, summer camps, and fun in the sun, we have a few suggestions to keep your little ones reading throughout the summer.
Reading for enjoyment is all about finding the types of books that they enjoy to read. I learned this while trying to get my niece to read more. Finally she told me recently, “ You were right, I had to find books I like to read.” Now she likes to read all the time—mysteries seem to be her favorite choice lately. Making it all about what she’s choosing, not what we were getting her makes it a bit more exciting.
Take an afternoon and stroll the bookstore with your kids. Let them pick out something they find interesting. And, for those who might need a little inspiration, I turned to my list of experts—all the kids in my family, my godchildren, niece, and nephew, and of course all the moms who asked their kids on InstaGram for us—thank you. These are the books the kids are reading grouped by age of the kids who suggested them and gender. Some suggested their favorite series or topics—mostly the younger kids, and others gave us their favorite titles. Think about some of these titles for your kiddies when you’re browsing the book aisles. Or, maybe save some for a holiday or birthday wish list.

As an added bonus, if you live in Florida, children’s books are tax free now through August 14. Take advantage of this opportunity and load up on a few books not just for the summer, but that your kids can enjoy all year through.
And keep in mind that kids do what they see us doing. Create a space where reading is fun—a reading nook with a special chair or a tent and blanket can allure them a little more to want spend time reading. Schedule family reading time and set a timer for 30 minutes after dinner or before a movie. I do this a lot with my niece and many times she asks for an extra 10 minutes because she wants to finish a chapter. Pull out your book and read beside them during this time to show them that reading can be enjoyable and done together.
Here are the suggestions from our little reading experts:
Boys & Girls 2 -4 (well this group came from the moms who know their little ones best)
- Night Night Farm by Roger Priddy
- Little Blue Trucks series by Alice Schertle
- Clifford the Big Red Dog series by Norman Bridwell
- Lindie Lobster A Tale of Big Claws by Suzanne Tate
- Super Hero books
- Barbie books
Girls 5-7
- Elephant and Pig series by Mo Willems
- Diary of a Pug series by Kyla May
- Fancy Nancy books by Jane O’Connor
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz adapted by Brooke Jorden
- Ballet, Barbie, and Gymnastics books
Boys 5-7
- Fly Guy series by Tedd Arnold
- National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Space by Catherine Hughs
- National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Dinosaurs by Catherine Hughs
- Pokemon themed books
Girls 8-10
- The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
- The Kicks: Saving the Team by Alex Morgan
- Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
- Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
- I Know Your Secret by Daphne Beneds-Grab
- Baby-Sitters Little Sister: Karen’s – Day by Katy Farina
- The Lemonade Crime Series by Jaqueline Davies
- Dork Diaries series by Rachel Renee Russell
- Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
- Swing It, Sunny by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm
- Sunny Rolls the Dice by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm
- The Baby-Sitters Club graphic novels by Ann M. Martin
Boys 8-10
- Missle Mouse series by Jake Parker
- Dragon Masters by Tracey West
- Super Turbo series by Lee Kirby
- Eerie Elementary series by Jack Chabert
- The Epic Fail by Arturo Zamora
- I Survived series by Lauren Tarshis
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
- Who Was and What series by Megan Stine
- Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer
- Sonic the Hedgehog series by Ian Flynn
Girls 11-12
- Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
- Smile Graphic novels by Raina Telgemeier
- Land of Stories series by Christopher Colfer
- A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicker
- Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick
- 11 Birthdays: A Wish Novel (part of the Willow Falls series—5 books) by Wendy Mass
Boys 11-12