Summer break is here! Whether you’re on vacation or it’s too hot to stay outside for long, you need a stack of “beach reads” for your middle grade bookworm. These books aren’t just for the beach, but they’re perfect for reading over the summer break.
Some of these books can be found on my Book Bingo Cards (snag those by signing up for my newsletter in the sidebar), and some of them are unique to this list. I’ve tried to keep these recommendations to books that can be easily found at your local library, so print this list out and go load up!
Middle Grade Beach Reads
The Island of Dr. Libris by Chris Grabenstein
If your child likes to laugh, they’ll love this adventure. Billy and his mom are staying in a lakeside cabin for the summer. When Billy reads from a book he finds there, the characters come to life on an island in the middle of the lake. It would be fun, but characters from different stories don’t always clash well, and they are a lot more frightening in real life. It’s one of those perfect beach reads for kids!
How to (Almost) Ruin Your Summer by Taryn Souders
This is another fun summer romp. It’s about Chloe and her two crazy (literally) weeks at Camp Minnehaha. 
Between the goat attacks, the toilet attacks, and late night excursions to steal underwear, Chloe manages to make a friend, an enemy, and make a goat faint.
Summerlost by Ally Condie
Some books are just beautiful and should be read, no matter how old you are. Summerlost is one of those. It’s about a girl named Cedar, the summer she spends working at the Summerlost Festival, and the friend she makes there. This book deals with some heavy issues such as death and grief, but it does so in a hopeful way. It’s a story about friendship, loss, and healing.
The Lost Twin (Scarlet and Ivy) by Sophie Cleverly
This is the only book on this list that takes place during the school year. Ivy is sent to attend boarding school, but when she gets there, she is forced to impersonate her twin, Scarlet, who recently died. Ivy knows something is amiss, and starts looking for information about what could have happened to her sister. It’s a mystery that will keep kids glued to the page.
A Dragon’s Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans by Laurence Yep and Joanne Ryder
When Winnie inherits Miss Drake (a dragon) as a pet from her great aunt, she doesn’t realize that Miss Drake believes SHE is inheriting Winnie. Soon however, the two of them are on a mission to recover some runaway drawings that came to life when Winnie began sketching in a magical book.
The Battle of Darcy Lane by Tara Altebrando
Life on Darcy Lane feels very ho-hum until the new girl shows up. Suddenly, Julia is in danger of losing her best friend, her crush, and her social standing all at once. It’s a book about growing up, facing challenges, and adapting to the change that inevitably happens as kids mature.
Just Like Me by Nancy J. Cavanaugh
This sweet and funny book is about three girls who have all been adopted from the same orphanage in China. They are now headed to summer camp together to bond. And document their “bonding” in a journal. This book needs to be on your child’s list of beach reads.
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
While this isn’t a new book, it holds up very well and is worth the read. When the small airplane transporting Brian goes down, he ends up stranded and alone, fighting for survival. He has only a few basic supplies, but he struggles through each day, trusting in fate and his own will to survive to pull him through.
The Forget-Me-Not Summer by Leila Howland
The three Silver sisters are excited about summer vacation for different reasons, but their parent drop a bomb on them. They’ll be going to spend the summer in Cape Cod with their aunt, who doesn’t even own a TV. At first, they’re horrified, but as their summer wears on, they find themselves growing closer together and actually having fun.
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2 COMMENTS
Adriana @BooksOnHerMind
9 years agoSo many new books I haven’t heard of! Hatchet is such a classic. I adore that book. There’s a couple I’ll have to see if I can get my hands on like The Lost Twin, A Dragon’s Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans, and The Battle of Darcy Lane. Oh I can’t wait to go to the beach very soon! Thank goodness for summer. Thanks for getting me into the mood to read some beachy reads (: