Post-Winter Reading Lists, or Why Summer Can't Arrive Soon Enough

Typical Scarletta Employee Behavior

Winter has battered us all this year. Intense storms, bad road conditions, record lows... but I digress. This post is an ode to Summer, and the delicious books that we gobble up on our summer reading lists. This post is about why summer should already be here! Denzel has talked about book diets, the PW blog talked about vacation reading, and now as a publisher, it's time for us to start talking about summer reading.

Summer reading is important on so many levels. The majority of libraries create FANTASTIC reading programs designed to engage kids of all ages (we highly recommend you enroll your kids in one). Publishers come out with great lists for varying tastes (seriously, every publisher has summer recommendations). More people choose to read for fun - to engage themselves in books while on summer vacation (honestly, who doesn't enjoy a good book while getting a tan?).

So before you cover yourselves in books, here are our recommendations - a few books from the Scarletta catalog to add to the lists of our voracious readers...

The Shark Whisperer - We've mentioned this one before as a great pick, but honestly, what's better than a fantasy/adventure read to kick off your summer? Geared toward middle-grade readers, this one is sure to get kids excited about the ocean, summer camp, and maybe even spike their interest in marine sciences. This is the first book in the Tristan Hunt and the Sea Guardians series by Ellen Prager, and in it Tristan discovers he has rare talents when it comes to the ocean. But his talents will be put to the test when he and his friends get called in on a mission in the Bahamas.

If An Armadillo Went to a Restaurant - For our youngest readers, what better part of summer is there beside going to the zoo or spending time in nature? Well, now that adventure comes right to story time, or nap time, or bed time... the charming illustrations of Laura Wood brings to life the animals of Ellen Fischer's picture book. Available July 2, little ones will munch and crunch their way to the end.

Betsy's Day at the Game - There are many family traditions in the summer, but what better one comes to mind than enjoying a day at the ball park? Greg Bancroft's award-winning story book brings us right to the park in this story of baseball and family tradition. Plus, this book has the added bonus of learning how to keep score, and you could even get it with a tote bag.

The Mighty Quinn - Yeah, we know school is out when it comes time for summer reading, but this humorous book will have keep readers of the Wimpy Kid books or other realistic fiction books occupied. Author Robyn Parnell is both comical and poignant as we witness Quinn and his new friend Neally solve a mystery, thwart a bully, and learn how to belch the entire alphabet at Turner Creek School.

Garden to Table - The only nonfiction on this list, the cookbook and gardening how-to will get kids active in the yard this summer. With six different plants and over 30 recipes, Katherine Hengel's book is perfect for getting your kids interested in fresh and sustainable food. Kids love playing in the dirt...so let them!

My Brother's Name - Recently announced as a Finalist in the 26th Annual Lambda Literary Awards for LGBT Debut Fiction, Laura Krughoff's debut novel is absolutely thrilling for adult summer lists. This psychological fiction tackles gender identity and familial love with a light dusting of romance and mental instability. It's sure to keep you on your toes. Plus, we all love a good fiction with our summer relaxing.


So get hungry my fellow book lovers, because summer is almost here, and there are just so many books to enjoy this year.