Recommended Reading
Recommended Summer Reading 2023
Prepared by Christopher Bradt, LS Librarian
Below is a list of recommended lower school summer reading for 2023 covering picture books, chapter books, middle grade fiction, and graphic novels. Please note that while there is sometimes overlap between chapter books and middle grade books in terms of reading and/or interest level, middle grade titles are generally written for students in grades three through six. Picture books can vary in reading level but generally can be appreciated by a variety of ages. Graphic novels, which draw heavily on pictures to tell the story, can serve as a wonderful reading supplement.
For more summer reading ideas, see the New York City Public Library’s summer reading lists, as well as the Association for Library Services for Children’s list:
NYPL Recommendations | The New York Public Library
2023 ALSC Summer Reading Lists | Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) (ala.org)
*Book descriptions are taken from publisher websites.*
RECOMMENDED READING LISTS
Picture Books
Picture books are for everyone! They often contain more sophisticated language than chapter books and because they are intended for fluent readers to read aloud, not for beginning readers to sound out, they can be more challenging than beginning chapter books.
Biographies
These picture book biographies are great choices for ALL levels – for sharing aloud or independent reading!
Early Readers
The books on this list are for readers ages five to eight years old. Vocabulary is limited and illustrations give clues to more challenging words that help the reader understand the text.
Chapter Books
Chapter Books help students transition from easy readers to longer novels. They contain more complex vocabulary and sentence structure, lengthier texts broken into easy-to-digest chapters, and illustrations that add detail and help to hold interest.
Middle Grades
This list is for the more advanced reader and is geared to children between the ages of eight and twelve.
Graphic Novels
Graphic novels have become increasingly popular. They may appeal to the reluctant reader and can be a good choice for avid readers as well, affording higher level vocabulary and practice with inferencing. Summer is a great time for students to enjoy this genre. This list is geared to children between the ages of eight and twelve.
Contact Us
Christopher Bradt, ECC & Lower School Librarian
Naomi Ickovitz, ECC & Lower School Library Assistant