Kids

Modern Parenting’s Summer Reading List 2023

by Kevyn Gohu
April 24, 2023

Looking for books that kids can read during the summer? Here’s a list they can refer to for some good summer reading.

While a dip in the pool sounds ideal during the summer, it’s also nice to stay inside an air-conditioned room or cafe and read a good book. Besides, reading a book during the summer can help cool those hotheads after kids play a bit too much competitive computer games. In addition, it’ll give gamer kids something to talk about instead of yelling that they’re dying in the middle of their game at night when everyone’s trying to sleep. So, to make sure the summer passes a little more peacefully, here’s Modern Parenting’s Summer Reading List of 2023.

Toddlers

We love encouraging summer reading for kids even as young as toddlers. It helps them develop their language skills and makes it easier for them to handle reading books as they get older. Here are some books we recommend:

How An Otter Became An Author By Ally Sy – Written by 12-year-old Ally, this story is written in couplets for easy reading.
Alamat ng Lumpiang Shanghai by Nina Daza – Kids love magic so why not encourage it with something a bit more local? The legend of the beloved Filipino viand encourages both English and Tagalog language development.
Caillou, Lights Out! – Nothing scares kids more than a brownout — a common occurrence in the Philippines. Caillou, Lights Out! is a story about a kid who finds things to do even in a brownout.
Peter Rabbit: I Love You Little One – Peter Rabbit is a classic among parents as we’re familiar with the artwork of Beatrix Potter. The book is written in couplets as well, making it an easy read that talks about love between parent and child.

Tween

Tweens love something a little more fantastical, but not in those sing-song rhymes anymore. So, here are some books they can read to jumpstart their imaginations.

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry – We will never stop recommending this classic for tweens. It’s a fiction read with a lot of morals and philosophy that encourages critical thinking.
Minecraft: Mob Squad: Don’t Fear the Creeper: An Official Minecraft Novel – For the Tweens that are big fans of Roadblox and Minecraft, this book is just for them.
Howl’s Moving Castle – Some parents are Studio Ghibli fans and this is the novel where the beloved anime came from. If we can’t download the movie, the book is also available in local bookstores.

Teens

For teens, it swings two ways: either a good slice-of-life book or something a little magical for some summer reading. It’s why there’s a genre known as the “Young Adult Genre.” Especially with video games having more elaborate plot lines than books nowadays, it’s hard for teens to find something to tickle their fancy.

Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko – Teens are at a point in their lives where they’re trying to find an identity that they and the rest of the world will love. This book tells them that no matter what they choose, they deserve love, too.
Promposal by RaeChell Garrett – Prom — the most important moment in a teen’s life. But before your teen gets into the drama, reading this book during the summer will at least prepare them for it. Because, for many, prom is either a night they want to remember or to completely block out of their memory.
Lovely War by Julie Berry – For those who want a vintage romance story, this book happens during World War I but with a little magic involved. After all, love cannot happen without the Greek goddess of love: Aphrodite.
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao – This book may actually appeal to boys who are into sci-fi and mechanical suits. Iron Widow spins Chinese history and old dynasty dynamics while mixing it with a bit of sci-fi for some spice.

What makes it hard to encourage summer reading is video games have better plots!

Some video games have better plot lines, coupled with their ability to engage their players better. Some kids find it difficult to read because the book can’t immerse them in the world the same way a video game can. But books are the things video games are made of. It just takes a little digging through the bookstore to make sure they have the title they want available!