Creating a summer reading list involves balancing fun, light reads with challenging titles, organizing them by theme or genre, and setting achievable goals. Start by curating books based on personal interest, local library recommendations, or themes related to summer travel. Organize your list using tools like a spreadsheet, notes app, or a physical notebook to track progress.
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Steps to Create a Summer Reading List
Define Your Goals: Decide what you want from your summer reading—refreshing, learning, or escaping.
Mix Genres: Include a blend of fiction, non-fiction, mysteries, and thrillers to keep it interesting.
Use Diverse Sources: Look for suggestions from libraries, podcasts, or mentors to discover new authors.
Add Personal Touches: Include books set in places you are visiting or topics you enjoy.
Keep it Flexible: Treat your list as a "pile of possibilities" rather than a rigid schedule to avoid stress.
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Tips for Success
Set Realistic Goals: Don't feel pressured to read a set number of books; focus on quality over quantity.
Involve Kids/Students: Allow children to pick books based on their interests to maintain motivation.
Create a Routine: Make reading a relaxing part of your daily routine, such as in the morning or before bed.
Prepare for Challenges: Mix in one or two "serious" books with lighter, "breezy" choices to avoid burnout.

How to Create a Summer Reading List You’ll Love


Summer reading does not have to be a bore. Although it should be instructive, you should choose books that will also hold your interest.

Follow the advice below to create a summer reading list that will be a pleasure rather than a chore.

1. Explore books by genre

First, think about which genres of books you tend to like the most. Are you intrigued by biographies, historical fiction, fantasies, or mysteries? If you do not know which genres you like, look up a list of common genres and see if any catch your attention based on their descriptions.




Alternatively, you can look up books you have enjoyed in the past to see which genre they fall under and use that information as a jumping-off point. At the end of many books there are suggestions for further reading; you may wish to browse these suggestions to give yourself ideas, as well.

2. Speak to a librarian

Nobody knows books like a librarian does! Librarians are your most valuable resource when it comes to choosing your next read; they have had extensive training in library science, many at the college level.




In addition to knowing how to search for books using databases and catalogues, they also understand how the library is organized. Librarians can point you to new releases, bestsellers, and age-appropriate material. Also, some libraries may already have premade lists of summer reading suggestions for high schoolers.



3. Talk to your English teacher

Your English teacher is familiar with your personal reading and writing level, as well as with your personality and state testing standards. He or she can steer you in the right direction regarding which books will be appropriately challenging and interesting to you.





Remember, summer reading should be both fun and educational. A book that is only fun will not prepare your mind for the upcoming school year, and a book that is only educational might lead you to give up before you finish reading it. Your English teacher can help you find the right balance for summer reading, so be sure you speak before the school year ends.

4. Browse bestseller lists

Another fantastic way to gain ideas for your summer reading list is by browsing bestseller lists.

The New York Times, Amazon, Publishers Weekly, NPR, and Barnes & Noble, for example, are known for the bestseller lists they compile on a regular basis.

Bestseller lists are based on the number of book copies sold, which means they represent the most popular and beloved reads of current times. It is probable you will find a book you love from a bestseller list if so many other people enjoy it, too.

Just be aware that books on bestseller lists may be more interesting than they are challenging. Not all of your summer reading has to be difficult, but you should try to achieve a proper balance between hard and enjoyable.

To create a compelling summer reading list, rely on your own instincts and on the advice of experts. Think about your taste in literature while taking into account what your English teacher and librarian propose. The key to forming the perfect summer reading list is combining intriguing works with works that teach you something.

How to create a summer reading list
Summer is almost here and it’s a great time to come up with your summer reading goals. The kids and I have always loved reading, but there’s just something about sitting out in the summer sunset and enjoying a book or two. Relax by the pool with a glass of lemonade and it’s literally the perfect reading scenario!

If you’re looking for a way to prevent the summer brain slide and keep the kids engaged and reading all summer long, it’s important to find great books that they actually want to read.

how to create a summer reading list for kids
What most parents find difficult about the summer months is that the kids seem to want to put a “hold” on learning and focus on other things during that time. I get it, we’ve all been there.

But this is where reading comes into play. Not only does reading open up their eyes to a world of imagination, but it’s a fun way to destress, slow down, and even calm themselves right before bed.

Reading is one of our favorite activities to do as a family during the year because we get to sit, snuggle, and bond.

If you’re looking for ideas on how to create a summer reading list for your child, here are some of my favorite reading tips!

How to find good summer reading books for your child’s age group
There are so many great resources to find books that your child will love. Here are some options that you can start asap to start gathering books for your summer reading at home.

Ask the local librarian – librarians are a wonderful resource because they are often familiar with the books and know what has been popular in their library. They’ll be able to get recommendations and present new books as well.
Ask friends – If your child’s friends are loving a certain book, it’s likely your child will enjoy the series too given that they will also probably have similar interests. It also gives your kids something to talk about. Who knows – there might even be a fun book club that can happen along the way!
Browse through the Scholastic website – They have a wonderful summer reading section that includes award-winning books, best sellers, etc. Literally all types of books about all types of topics. The website is organized in a way that is easy to navigate and super simple for the kids to explore and find what they’re looking for. I love that the Scholastic website includes age groups and general grade level suggestions under each book as that gives the perfect starting point for them to look at and explore. Here are the book recommendations for children ages 8-9 (my daughter is 8 years old).
Visit your local book store, walk around the aisles and see if anything catches your child’s interest – We don’t judge books by their cover in our house but there isn’t something fun about walking around a book store and discovering a new book!
Look for online reviews of the books – Parents and kids do a great job of adding their own reviews of books that can really help in discovering options.
Those are just a few ideas. I love talking to other parents as well and asking what books that their kids are currently reading.


How to create your summer reading booklist
I like to create a visual reading list for my daughter. Once my daughter and I have come up with the right books I then go online and type in the book title into the search bar. I then copy the image into a word document.

This is a great time to talk about what each book is about and my daughter may even decide which order she will be reading the books in.

I like to include a special reward section so my daughter knows what she is working towards. Reading goals and reading rewards are really fun for the kids and it is a great way to build their reading confidence as well.

Getting a reward after finishing their booklist is always a summer highlight! My daughter’s chosen reward for this year’s booklist is a day at the trampoline park.

My daughter can then tick off which books she has read.

I am including a printable for my visual summer reading list. Once you print it out you will need to print out your chosen book covers and have your child cut and paste them into this page.


Alternatively, you can print out my coloring page reading logs here.


How to get your child excited about reading
If you have a child that just isn’t a huge fan of reading, there are ways that you can get them pumped about it and change their mind frame.

It isn’t a process that will happen overnight, but the more that you encourage reading in a positive manner, the more that they’re going to be excited to read.

Start them with a much-adored book series
If you’ve ever been in a reading slump before, you know that the book choice really does matter. Find a book series that you know they’ll love to get them excited for more. Learn why children’s book series are the best gift to encourage a love for reading.


Pick a book to read together
Kids love doing anything with their parents and reading a chapter book together is a great way to bond! This will give your child and you quality time, encourage a warm feeling around reading, and helps your child learn to pronounce words they may not know. Learn why reading together is the perfect family activity


Keep it simple
Don’t push reading so hard that it’s the last thing that your child will actually want to do. Instead, have a varied list of books that include some age and skill-appropriate reading (at their reading level) and include a book or two just below to encourage reading confidence.

Don’t make your booklist overwhelming for your child. You can start with a smaller list of books and as your child’s confidence in their reading grows you can add more books. I chose to begin with 4 books and then we just add on more from there.

Make sure to only include books that your child is eager to read in the beginning. Let the stories and pictures draw them in and watch how their curiosity for other books expands.

Use reading time to earn tech and gadget time
Many kids would rather watch TV or play games on a gadget than read. Have your child earn their gadget time by doing some reading time. Each reading minute can earn them a minute (or x 2 or x 3 minutes depending on what works for your family.)

Incorporate audiobooks into your reading list
Audiobooks are great for listening when you are in the car driving to swimming lessons or other summer activities. My kids really enjoy audiobooks and we somehow always get to our destination at the best part of the book!

How to Make a Summer Reading List in 4 Easy Steps
Unsure where to begin? Read on for some quick tips (and 1 cheat code which does the work for you).

When I reflect on my childhood summer vacations, I’m surprised by how much I don’t remember. The days flowed together seamlessly, and I gloried in so much freedom. Before I knew it, September arrived, and school resumed for the year.

That’s how it should be. The magic of summer vacation as a child is that it lasts forever and yet flies by in minutes. You aren’t supposed to remember it. It’s an undefinable feeling rather than a memory.

As I grew older, however, and the magic of childhood faded away, all that freedom felt like a mixed blessing. I enjoyed the break from school, but I craved structure and something to work toward. I wasn’t old enough to get a job. My three older siblings were all busy. I just had too much time on my hands.

So I spent hours reading. I made my way through most of Charles Dickens’ corpus (yes, even the 900+ pagers). I read the lesser-known Brontë novels (and can confirm there’s a reason they’re “lesser-known”). As an adult, I’m grateful for that leisure time because it expanded my knowledge and introduced me to many books I would never have the opportunity to read now. But for my teenage self, the summers were a tad listless.

In retrospect, I needed all that reading to be more organized and directed towards a goal. If you have a bookish teen at home with free time this summer, I encourage you to create a summer reading plan now. The process can be as easy or as complex as you wish. But you can make the experience more rewarding with a few simple steps.

(And if it all seems too overwhelming, don’t worry. There’s a cheat code at the end just for you!)

Create summer reading goals—and a reward for their completion.

Does your student love to read? Or do they avoid reading like the plague? The answer doesn’t really matter. Everyone benefits from clearly defined goals and a reward if they are completed. Without the pressure of grades, most students need a carrot to either motivate them or make tasks feel worthwhile. You know your student best, so choose a reward which will be exciting and meaningful. And to avoid any quibbles at the end, make sure everyone is on the same page about their goals.

Decide on a theme for your summer reading list.

This step will be informed by the goals you set. Does your student want to read more heavily in a specific genre (poetry, drama, etc.)? Are you looking to get a jumpstart on reading for next school year? Does your student want to do a deep dive into a particular author? Whatever angle you take, the list should be based on a loose theme which binds everything together.

You’ll have more success if you mix “fun” titles with “serious” ones.

No matter how much you love Shakespeare’s plays, for instance, his writing can be challenging, and most students will get burn out if there’s no variety. If you’re focusing on Shakespeare, intersperse plays inspired by his works (think West Side Story type of thing). Don’t be afraid to include some recent young adult novels on the list. Remember, it’s still summer vacation. The pace should be steady but relaxed.

Going on any trips this summer? Use some titles set in that place!

Reading about a place before you arrive can open it up in a whole new way. When you get there, it’s as if you’re already acquainted. Reluctant readers in particular may be excited by this approach. Consider getting the whole family involved. It’ll make the trip more fun and add to the “delights of anticipation,” as Miss Anne Shirley would say.