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Summer Reads For Kids And Teens From The Johnson County Librarians

Dial Books

Summer vacation has officially started and for many parents, that means a lot of free time to fill for their kids.

How about a trip to the ancient Martial Empire or to a faraway desert island? These summer reading picks will take your young ones to some of the most remote edges of the earth.

Johnson County Librarians Dennis Ross and Kate McNair and retired librarian Debbie McLeod selected some titles to keep kids and teens reading all summer long.

Recommendations for ages 3-10

  • Smick! By Coreen Cronin, illustrated by Juana Medina. Ages 3 – 6.
  • Princess and the Pony by Kate Beaton, Ages 4 - 8.
  • Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson, Ages 5-10.
  • Billy’s Booger: a Memior (Sorta) by William Joyce and his younger self. Ages 5 – 10.
  • Princess In Black by Shannon Hale, Ages 6-9. 

Recommendations for ages 8-13

  • The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Ages 8-12.
  • Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo, Ages 8-12.
  • Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood by Nathan Hale, Ages 8-12.
  • Lucky Strike by Bobbie Pyron. Ages 8 – 12
  • Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord. Ages 8 - 12
  • Island of Dr. Libris by Chris Grabenstein. Ages 8– 12
  • Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin, Ages 9-14.
  • Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson. Ages 10 – 13.

Recommendations for middle and high schoolers:

  • An Ember In the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir, middle school and high school.
  • I Am Her Revenge by Meredith Moore, middle school and high school.
  • Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, middle school and high school.
  • The Alex Crow by Andrew Smith, high school.
  • The Lost Marble Notebook of Forgotten Girl and Random Boy by Marie Jaskulka, high school.
  • Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman, high school.
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