Children's 2021 Summer Reading Challenge Book Suggestions
The 2021 Summer Reading Challenge is here! Below are a few books for each category as well as links to other articles with book recommendations in case you are looking for suggestions. Remember that you can read any book that meets the criteria for a specific category and each book can only be used for one category. We encourage you to be creative.
Suggestions are broken down by age group under each category.
Click here for the Summer Reading Challenge card and official information. If you are looking for suggestions for the Adult Summer Reading Challenge, click here.
Art, an Artist, or Crafts
Younger Children
Frida Kahlo by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Action Jackson by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan
The Arabic Quilt by Aya Khalil and Anait Semirdzhyan
Amy Wu and the Patchwork Dragon by Kat Zhang
Draw What You See: The Life and Art of Benny Andrews by Kathleen Benson
Middle Grade
Henri Matisse Meet the Artist by Patricia Geis
Me, Frida and the Secret of the Peacock Ring by Angela Cervantes
Teen
Almost American Girl by Robin Ha
The Urban Sketcher: Techniques for Seeing and Drawing on Location by Marc Taro Holmes
Vincent and Theo by Deborah Heiligman
More Suggestions:
20 Best Middle Grade Books About Art, Crafting, and Photography
13 Children's Books About Famous Artists Kids Will Love to Read
10 Inspiring Children’s Books for Budding Little Artists
The best drawing books in 2021 | Creative Bloq
10 New Books You Need in Your Classroom Library
27 Incredible Books for the High School Art Room
70 Children's Books About Famous Artists
By an Asian or Asian-American Author
Younger Children
Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao by Kat Zhang
I Dream of Popo by Livia Blackburne
Super Satya Saves the Day by Raakhee Mirchandani
Asian-Americans Who Inspire Us by Analiza Quiroz Wolf
Middle Grade
Front Desk by Kelly Yang
The Emperor’s Riddle by Kat Zhang
When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller
Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi
The Memory of Forgotten Things by Kat Zhang
Warcross by Marie Lu
Teen
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
Anna K: Away by Jenny Lee
More Suggestions:
20 Amazing Kids' and YA Books by Asian Authors
15 Asian American Books for Kids to Read Right Now
A Book with a Blue Cover
Younger Children
The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
LOVE by Matt de la Pena
Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
Sneezy the Snowman by Maureen Wright
The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Middle Grade
Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
That Summer by Sarah Dessen
Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Teen
Lu by Jason Reynolds
Parachutes by Kelly Yang
Anna K by Jenny Lee
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
More Suggestions:
A Mystery
Younger Children
Nancy Clancy Secret of the Silver Key by Jane O'Connor
Nate the Great and the Halloween Hunt by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
The Clubhouse Mysteries Series by Sharon Draper
Middle Grade
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson
A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee
The Girl in the Picture by Alexandra Monir
Teen
Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus
More Suggestions:
50 Must-Read Mystery Books for Kids
12 Best Mystery Books For Kids & Teens, According To Moms
50 Must-Read Middle School Mystery Books | Book Riot
17 Mystery Books That Will Keep You Guessing - Penguin Teen
24 of the Best Mystery Books That'll Keep You Guessing Until the Very End
About Love, Managing Emotions, or Mindfulness
Younger Children
Mango, Abuela, and Me by Meg Medina
Mindful Me by Whitney Stewart
Already a Butterfly by Julia Alvarez
Big Feelings by Alexandra Penfold
Breathing Makes it Better by Christopher Willard
Mama, Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joosse
Meditate with Me. A Step-by-Step Mindfulness Journey by Mariam Gates
Crafting Calm: Art and Activities for Mindful Kids by Lauren Kukla and Aruna Rangarajan
Middle Grade
What to Do When You Worry Too Much: A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Anxiety by Dawn Huebner
Stuff that Sucks by Ben Sedley
Be More Yoda by Christian Blauvelt
Teen
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Mindfulness for Teens in 10 Minutes a Day by Jennie Marie Battistin
Green Angel by Alice Hoffman
More Suggestions:
Best Kids' Books About Meditation
Picture Books That Introduce Mindfulness and Meditation to Kids
20 Of The Best Mindfulness Books For Kids (Of All Ages)
15 Books To Teach Kids About Mindfulness - We Are Teachers
Top 10 Children's Books to Help Kids with Stress and Anxiety
A Book with a Fairy, Dragon, Witch, Wizard, or Vampire
Younger Children
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri
Dragon Masters “Rise of the Earth Dragon” by Tracey West
Ruby the Red Fairy by Daisy Meadows
My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett
Fairy Wings by Lauren Mills
Middle Grade
Dactyl Hill Squad by Daniel Jose Older
The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente
Teen
Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Furyborn by Claire Legrand
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Season of the Witch (The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) by Sarah Rees Brennan
More Suggestions:
6 Vampire Books Any Kid Would Sink their Fangs Into
10 of the Best Dragon Books for Kids
12 Super Magical Fairy Books for Kids
10 Books About Witches and Wizards
The Best Dragon Books for Teens
13 Witchy Fiction Books For Teens | The New York Public Library
By a Black Author
Younger Children
Chase is Ready for Takeoff by Cousin John
This is the Rope by Jacqueline Woodson
Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes
Middle Grade
Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson
Miles Morales Spider Man by Jason Reynolds
Blended by Sharon Draper
Clean Getaway by Nic Stone
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
Teen
Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas
SLAY by Brittney Morris
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
More Suggestions:
children's books by Black authors — the conscious kid
19 Black Children's Books by Black Authors | Book Riot
31 YA Books By Black Authors That You Can't Miss This Year
Set in Another State or Country
Younger Children
Maui Hooks the Islands by Gabrielle Ahulii
Juana and Lucas by Juana Medina
Who Pooped in the Park.. Series by Gary D. Robson - Yellowstone, Smoky Mountains, Rocky Mountains, Northwoods, Grand Canyon
Middle Grade
Paloma and the Dust Devil at the Balloon Festival by Marcy Heller
The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Perez
I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson
Teen
Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith
The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton
The Lies They Tell by Gillian French
More Suggestions:
Around The World in 80+ Children's Books | The New York Public Library
Destinations: Children's books organized by Country
50 States of YA: Young Adult Books Set In Each U.S. State
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)
Younger Children
The Girl with a Mind for Math by Julia Finley Mosca
Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed
How to Code a Sandcastle by Josh Funk
Middle Grade
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind Young Readers Edition by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
Calling All Minds: How to Think and Create Like an Inventor by Temple Grandin
Teen
Atoms Under the Floorboards: The Surprising Science Hidden in Your Home by Chris Woodford
Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
Satellite Space Mission by AnneMarie Anderson
Space Chronicles by Neil DeGrasse Tyson
More Suggestions:
Best Kids' Books About Astronomy
27 Fun Outer Space Books for Kids
18 STEM Books That Make Science and Technology Fun for Kids
Helpful STEAM Books for Teachers, Teens, and Kids
50 STEM Books to Update Your Collection
A Biography, Memoir, or Autobiography
Younger Children
The Cat Man of Aleppo by Irene Latham, Karim Shamsi-Basha, and Yuko Shimizu
Shining Star: the Anna May Wong Story by Paula Yoo and Lin Wang
Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa by Veronica Chambers
Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library by Carole Boston Weatherford
Counting on Katherine by Helaine Becker
Dinosaur Lady by Linda Skeers
Middle Grade
Courage to Soar by Simone Biles
Who is Gretta Thunberg? by Jill Leonard
Who is Sonia Sotomayor? by Megan Stine
Never Caught: The Story of Ona Judge by Erica Armstrong Dunbar and Kathleen Van Cleve
Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton
Teen
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth by Col. Chris Hadfield
The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism by Naoki Higashida
The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande
Being Jazz by Jazz Jennings
More Suggestions:
11 Inspiring Biographies That Introduce Kids to Diverse Heroes
15 Great Diverse Picture Book Biographies for Your TBR
Best Biographies for Teens, as Chosen by Educators
A Poem or Poetry
Younger Children
Haiku Baby by Betsy E. Snyder
My Village: Rhymes from Around the World edited by Danielle Wright
Hip Hop Speaks to Children: A Celebration of Poetry with a Beat edited by Nikki Giovonni
Soccerverse: Poems About Soccer by Elizabeth Steinglass
Ice! Poems About Polar Life by Douglas Florian
Middle Grade
The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai
The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
Bravo!: Poems About Amazing Hispanics by Margarita Engle
Teen
Daydreaming by Cydney Brown
The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country by Amanda Gorman
Poetry Speaks Who I Am: Poems of Discovery, Inspiration, Independence and Everything Else edited by Elise Paschen
Poems from Homeroom: A Writer’s Place to Start by Kathi Appelt
Please Excuse This Poem: 100 New Poets for the New Generation by Brett Lauer and Lynn Melnick
More Suggestions:
Best Poetry Books for Kids in Grades K-12, Recommended by Teachers
25 Of The Best Poetry Books For Teens
Poems for Kids | Academy of American Poets
Poetry for Teens | Academy of American Poets
50 of the Best Poetry Books for Kids Of All Ages To Enjoy
Law or Social Justice
Younger Children
We the Kids. The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States by David Catrow
If You Were a Kid During the Civil Rights Movement by Gwendolyn Hooks
Thanks to Frances Perkins: Fighter for Workers’ Rights by Deborah Hopkinson and Kristy Caldwell
All the Way to the Top: How One Girl’s Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything by Annette Bay Pimentel, Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins, and Nabi H. Ali
Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop: The Sanitation Strike of 1968 by Alice Faye Duncan and R. Gregory Christie
Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag by Rob Sanders
Stonewall: A Building. An Uprising. A Revolution by Rob Sanders
Middle Grade
Mighty Justice: The Untold Story of Civil Rights Trailblazer Dovey Johnson Roundtree by Dovey Johnson Roundtree and Katie McCabe
Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March by Lynda Blackmon Lowery
Stonewall: Our March Continues by Olivia Higgins
Kids on Strike! by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
A Long Hard Journey: The Story of the Pullman Porter by Patricia and Fredrick McKissack
Teen
Loving vs. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case by Patricia Hruby Powell
March by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin
Stonewall Riots: Coming Out in the Streets by Gayle E. Pitman
Lift as We Climb: Black Women’s Battle for the Ballot Box by Evette Dionne
Amazons, Abolitionists, and Activists: A Graphic History of Women’s Fight for Their Rights by Mikki Kendall
A More Beautiful and Terrible History: The Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights History by Jeanne Theoharis
More Suggestions:
Best Kids' Books About Women's Suffrage
Books to Teach Kids About Our American Government
25 Fun and Engaging US Government Books for Kids
Best Children's Books to Read on Labor Day
16 Civil Rights Books for the Whole Family
15 LGBTQ History Books to Share with Kids During Pride Month
Magazine - Online or In Print
Younger Children
Ladybug
Highlights
Ranger Rick, Jr.
ASK (Art and Science for Kids)
Middle Grade
Sports Illustrated Kids
Ranger Rick
Faces: People, Places, and Cultures
Teen
Youth Runner
Teen Vogue
Real Simple
The Economist
Cooks Illustrated
Travel + Leisure
More Suggestions:
22 of the Best Magazines for Kids to Add to Your Classroom Library
About the Ocean
Younger Children
Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea by Ben Clanton
Shark Lady by Jess King
One Tiny Turtle by Nicola Davies
Wild Orca: The Oldest, Wisest Whale in the World by Brenda Peterson
Middle Grade
Tracking Trash: Flotsam, Jetsam, and the Science of Ocean Motion by Loree Griffin Burns
The New Ocean: The Fate of Life in a Changing Sea by Bryn Barnard
National Geographic: The Ultimate Book of Sharks by Brian Skerry
Teen
Exploring Under the Sea by Mary K. Pratt
Voyage of the Turtle: In Pursuit of the Earth's Last Dinosaur by Carl Safina
Listening to Whales: What the Orcas Have Taught Us by Alexandra Morton
Teen
More Suggestions:
11 Books About the Sea that Kids Will Love - Ocean Conservancy
Best Ocean Books for Kids, as Chosen by Educators
18 Resources for Teaching Ocean Science
A Book About Food or Try Cooking a New Recipe
Younger Children
Follow the Recipe: Poems About Imagination, Celebration & Cake by Marilyn Singer
Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao by Kat Zhang
Guacamole by Jorge Argueta
What’s on Your Plate?: Exploring the Food of the World by Whitney Stewart
Lights, Camera, Cook! Next Best Junior Chef by Charise Mericle Harper
Stef Soto, Taco Queen by Jennifer Torres
Middle Grade
Measuring Up by Lily Lamotte
A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
Recipe for Disaster by Aimee Lucido
MasterChef Junior Cookbook: Bold Recipes and Essential Techniques to Inspire Young Cooks by MasterChef Junior
Teen
The How-To Cookbook for Teens: 100 Easy Recipes to Learn the Basics by Julee Morrison
Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley
Gran Cocina Latina: The Food of Latin America by Maricel E. Presilla
Black Girl Baking: Wholesome Recipes Inspired by a Soulful Upbringing by Jerrelle Guy
Food-Related Stories (Pocket Change Collective) by Gaby Melian
More Suggestions:
31 Delicious Food Books for Kids
10 of the Best Middle Grade Novels About Cooking and Baking
Graphic Novel, Comic, or Manga
Younger Children
*For children under 6, read a picture book.
Pepper and Boo: A Cat Surprise by Cherise Mericle Harper
Little Robot by Ben Hatke
Dog Man by Dav Pilkey
Allergic: A Graphic Novel by Megan Wagner Lloyd
Middle Grade
Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani
Marble Season by Gilbert Hernandez
New Kid or Class Act by Jerry Craft
Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi
When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed
Teen
Almost-American Girl by Robin Ha
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell
Shuri: The Search for Black Panther by Nnedi Okorafor and Leonardo Romero
More Suggestions:
30 Best Graphic Novels for Elementary Students K-6
20 High School and Middle School Graphic Novels