During the school year, many find it hard to find time to pick up a book (that isn’t required curriculum) and dedicate themselves to reading it all the way through. Because of this, they don’t have the opportunities such as improving memory, attention span, and vocabulary that readers have. Throughout summer vacation however, many have more downtime allotted to them and along with that, the ability to pick up a good book and become engrossed in it. Here are seven must read books for students this summer vacation that can draw readers with all different types of interests:
- And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
This captivating mystery follows the stories of ten contestants (each with secrets and things they are hiding) as they are trapped in an island mansion with one killer amongst them. As they reveal their secret pasts and stories, they continue to perish until only one is left. Hingham High sophomore Megan Buckley recommends this book as a summer read proclaiming that “my favorite genre of book is mystery. I really enjoy reading books like And Then There Were None. It is a great book, highly recommended.”
2. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
This book takes place during the summer in a New England beach town. The young adult novel explores the lives of Belly Conklin, her brother Steven, and their family/friends Conrad and Jeremiah. Recently, there has been a hit TV series adaptation of this book series – with its third season coming out this summer. The book is followed up by two others in a three part series and tackles themes such as love, loss, and teenage woes making it a perfect light read for summer.
3. Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
This book is the fifth in the hit series “The Hunger Games” by Suzane Collins. With its release this spring, this book has already jumped to the top of the New York Times best seller list within the first few weeks of its release. Though it is necessary to have the context of the past few books, it still is a great summer read.
4. The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
This New York Times Bestseller and engaging mystery has been described to take readers on a wild journey as they slowly unfold the mystery of an eccentric billionaire who leaves his entire fortune to a woman he had never met. Readers describe this book as enthralling due to the large amounts of puzzles, riddles, and confusing stories that allow the reader to interact and form opinions on the mystery as the book progresses.
5. Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welsh
Love and Gelato, a summer romance novel set in Tuscany Italy, not only incorporates aspects of classic romance novels, but it also tackles larger themes such as grief after a death in the family and abnormal family dynamics. This book has been described by readers as one that “keeps them on the edge of their seat” and is impossible to put down. For long beach days, bonfire nights, or even just lounging in your house during summer vacation, this book will transport readers to Italy and keep them turning pages.
6. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice is a classic piece of English literature that explores several themes such as love, societal expectations, and class. The book has been described as timeless with its slow-burn romantic aspect, but also as valuable due to its inner meaning and incentive to reflect on one’s own personal growth. Taylor Ferrante, Hingham High School sophomore, recommends this book to anyone looking for a summer or beach read. She proclaims, “My favorite book genre is Jane Austen books and I like to read them in the summer when I am at the beach or tanning.”
7. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
A tree grows in Brooklyn tells the story of Francie Nolan as she grows up in early 20th Century New York City. This classic book originally published in 1943 has been described to encapsulate America’s turn of the century and make the reader feel as if they were acquainted with 20th century Brooklyn as well.
Even though many students during the summer are busy with their jobs, vacations, summer work, and other activities, reading during downtime can be a great way to broaden interests and stimulate intellectual thought during this time without structured learning. As the school year comes to a close and days become longer, these books will be sure to effectively hook in readers to pass time on long car rides, beach trips, and any other activities Summer 2025 might hold.
