Summer is coming, and even though it’s a time to have less structure and more downtime, you may want to make sure your kids’ brains are still working to some degree!

You don’t need to have them do workbooks all summer long, but what about encouraging reading? Reading builds vocabulary, attention span, and problem solving without actually seeming like work—especially if the book is a good fit for them.

I’ve compiled a list of 100 books for kids to read this summer, but this list also doubles as a potential list of read alouds if you have younger kids. You can get almost all of them on Amazon for $10 or less, but make sure to check out your library or even your own bookshelf to see if you already own them! (See how to save money by using the library!)

I’ve even made a FREE printable for your kids to use to choose which books from the list they’d like to read. There are usually 10-11 weeks in the summer between when school starts and ends, so have them look through the list and choose 10 books. They can then track their progress on the printable. Kids are more likely to read books that they have a say in choosing!

Don’t forget about all the summer reading programs that offer fun rewards to kids!

Download the free printable here!

Note: Of course, make sure to check to see if that book is appropriate for your kids before they start reading!

100 Books for Kids to Read This Summer

This is a long list, so I’ve also got it as a printable PDF. You can print it and use it as a checklist, and the PDF is also linked to the books on Amazon, so if you save it to your computer, you can access it easily if you need to buy a book. I’ve noted in this post and on the PDF which books are part of a series, so if one of your kids really loves the book, see if you can get the other books in the series, too!

Download the printable!

Now, on to the books!

A Long Way From Chicago (series) by Richard Peck

Read More→