Summer Reading List 2026
Jump to:
Board Books | Picture Books | Early Readers | Chapter Books
Young Teens | Teens
Adult Fiction | Adult Non-Fiction
Where will your summer reading journey take you? The theme this year is, “Plant a Seed Read.” Here’s hoping your reading takes you to new heights.
Looking for some summer reading recommendations? Take a look at some ideas below. Need help getting one of these titles? You can reserve a copy by placing a hold at lincc.org or give us a call (503-783-3455), and we’ll be glad to help. For even more ideas, just ask your librarian!
Also, have you joined us for our summer reading program? Book lovers of all ages are eligible.
Want even more summer reading ideas? Check out these booklists
Board Books
Sturdy books to share with littles.
Pan Dulce by Aaron Bowersock
Conchas, empanadas, churros–it’s pan dulce time for babies with this high-contrast board book.
Muddy Farm! by Carolina Buzio
Explore the farm with this sweet little book designed to support language development in toddlers.
How We Love by Kati Douglas and Ashley Jefferson
Celebrate how love can be shown and enjoyed between friends, between siblings, and within many kinds of families.
H is for Hiking by Greg Paprocki
Invite young children into the joys of hiking and connecting with nature with this A to Z all about the outdoor world.
Picture Books
Illustrated books to read aloud to young children . . . or book lovers of any age.
Bing’s Cherries by Livia Blackburne; illustrated by Julia Kuo
Weaves a tall tale about Ah Bing, a Chinese immigrant to Oregon, who is the namesake for the Bing cherry.
Every Peach is a Story by David Masumoto and Nikiko Masumoto; illustrated by Lauren Tamaki
Midori asks her grandfather if the peaches on her family’s farm are ripe yet. He asks,” Does it taste like a story? That’s when you know it is ripe.”; he then tells her about their Japanese American heritage and family’s connection to this land.
Hold by Randy Ribay and Zeke Pena
A dad’s request that his toddler hold their water bottle while he looks for his keys turns into an adventure when the child decides holding is fun and wants to hold EVERYTHING!
Spendin’ Time by Gary R. Gray Jr.
In this joyful tale a young boy spends the day with his grandfather, running errands, picking berries and fishing.
The Newest Gnome by Lauren Soloy
Grolly Maru arrives at The Pocket and learns about many things found in nature; plus various games, songs, and snacks in this gorgeous, imaginative picture book.
Early Readers
Beginning readers, short chapters, and lots of fun
Sports are Fun! By Zaila Avant-Garde
A young girl tries out sports of all kinds.
Momo Sees the Sea by Avani Dwivedi
Momo embarks on an imaginative underwater adventure after his ball falls into the water, inspired by original sketches by Dr. Seuss.
The Monster and the Puppet Show! By Kate Micucci
Hijinks ensue when Monster meets Puppet and they decide to put on a show.
Cranky Versus the Cat by Phuc Tran; illustrated by Pet Oswald
A cat is causing mayhem as Cranky and the crew are building a new playground, and Cranky is feeling, you guessed it, cranky.
Ember the Fire Dragon by Tracey West
Ember the Fire Dragon and Gus the Mushroom Dragon work together to find the missing magic jewel that protects Dragon Hill.
Chapter Books
Just right for grade schoolers
The Missing Magic of Sparrow Xia by Leia Ham
While Sparrow battles to master her talents at Zenith Academy for Magical Development, a strange illness begins to seep into the school, draining students of their magic.
Korobá: The Case of the Missing Kolo by Alaba Onajin
Join Korobá and friends on their thrilling chase for the culprit in the case of the missing piggy bank.
The Ghost in Cabin 13 by J.C. Phillips
Leah contends with mean girls, ghosts, a possessed doll and a seance gone wrong at Camp Cottontail.
The Shrew Detective: The Case of the Pilfered Pearls by Margie Preus; illustrated by Junyi Wu
When a string of pearls goes missing, the human owner is sure a “dreadful rodent” has pilfered them–and now the lives of all Minerva’s friends are at risk! Will Minerva find the true culprit before the exterminators arrive?
A Potion, A Powder and Little Bit of Magic by Phillip Stead
A plucky goat keeper named Bernadette embarks on a chaotic quest to retrieve a runaway goat, and with help from a forgetful wizard and a Boat That Does Not Grant Wishes, in an out-of-order tale narrated by an author scrambling to finish it in this delightful adventure.
The Unlikely Tale of Chase and Finnegan by Jasmine Warga
Finnegan, a rescue dog mourning the loss of his previous life, is paired with Chase, a young orphaned cheetah, and together the two learn to trust again while discovering friendship and family.
Middle School
Just right for 6th-8th graders
Phoenix by Kimberly Brubaker
Harper, struggling after her parent’s separation, finds connection and healing with an abused horse and new friends in a group of kids training at the stable next door.
The Ordinary and Extraordinary Auden Greene by Corey Ann Haydu
Auden swaps places with a princess from the magical realm of Sorrowfield, a world that Auden herself created.
The Inbetweens by Faith Hicks
Twin sisters Ash and Sloane head to animation camp–where their courage, drive, and sisterly bond will be put to the test!
Auntie Q’s Golden Claws Nail Salon by Van Hoang
Twelve-year-old Domi is forced to spend the summer working in her aunt’s nail salon to repay her parents for a costly mistake, but after learning the salon is at risk of closing, she fights to save the business.
Spirit Hunters by Ellen Oh
Harper has heard rumors that their new house is haunted. Is that why her little brother Michael is acting so strangely?
Stream by Aida Salazar
Two teens are sent to Mexico for the summer and forced to unplug from their devices in this hilarious and heartwarming dual narrative in verse.
Styx and Stones by Gary D. Schmidt and Ron Kortege
After centuries trapped in Hades, the horrific underworld of Greek mythology, Simon courageously crosses the River Styx and emerges from a middle school bathroom stall in St. Paul, Minnesota, where new trials await.
High School
Fantasy, romance, and finding your voice
The Heirs by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
The five heirs of the illustrious billionaire Leontes Button have all been viciously trained with their father’s infamous “Button Method” to prove his hypothesis for creating child geniuses. When their father is murdered at his annual Prodigy Ball, all who attend the ball must stay in the Button Manor while the police investigate, but the officers have their work cut out for them–each of the Button siblings has something to hide.
Young World by Soman Chainani
A viral video leads to 17-year-old Benton Young being elected President of the United States, and before long, all of the G8 countries are being led by minors in this political thriller by the author of The School for Good and Evil.
Forgive-me-not by Mari Costa
On the eve of her 18th birthday, Princess Aisling is kidnapped at knife point and discovers that she is a changeling who was swapped at birth with the true princess, named Forgive-Me-Not in this romantic graphic novel fantasy.
Change of Plans by Sarah Dessen
After a sudden breakup and unexpected change in summer plans, Finley embarks on a summer of self-discovery.
Behind Five Willows by Jane Hur
Haewon, the dutiful second-eldest daughter of a poor family works as an illegal book transcriber in a time of government censorship and book banning, while Seojun, the son of a wealthy nobleman, navigates the mounting pressure of being his father’s only son while writing in secret in this engaging homage to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice set in historical Korea.
Ichi the Witch, Vol. 1 by Osamu Nichi; illustrated by Shiro Usazaki
Ichi is a reclusive hunter who knows nothing of witches, but he does have a particular obsession for hunting– when that instinct leads him to interfere in a battle between the great Witch Desscaras and the horrifying King Majik Uroro, against all odds, he acquires the destructive magic of Uroro, making him the only male Witch in the world.
Adult Fiction
Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune
Best friends have one week in paradise to fix their friendship or fall apart in this heart-stopping, utterly romantic new novel.
The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer
From Marcus Kliewer comes a supernatural horror about a young woman who accepts a caretaking job from Craigslist, only to discover the position has consequences far greater–and more dangerous–than she ever could have imagined.
Ghalen by Walter Mosley
Mosley spins magic once again in this beautiful novel that explores the lives of Black characters and one remarkable family through a lens both universal and unique. It touches on the lives of those whose deepest thoughts and motivations are seldom explored–including the neurodivergent, the incarcerated, and the immigrant tortured by their past–characters who will stay with you and change how you see the world.
Land by Maggie O’Farrell
The award-winning, bestselling author of Hamnet returns with a soaring historical novel set in Ireland in the years before and after the Great Hunger.
Whistler by Ann Patchett
The acclaimed, prize-winning, bestselling writer returns with a moving, luminous novel that reminds us of the sweetness and impermanence of life and the power of connection to defy time.
The Last Mandarin by Louise Penny and Mellissa Fung
The Last Mandarin is an electrifying study of absolute power and voracious greed, political terror and personal conviction. But it is also an intimate examination of choice, of sacrifice, of memory and myths, both cultural and personal.
Just Friends by Haley Pham
Told in dual timelines that unravel the magic and pain of first love, Just Friends is a moving, romantic story about second chances, the weight of dreams, and finding your way back to the people who feel like home.
Daughters of the Sun and Moon by Lisa See
From beloved bestselling author Lisa See, comes the story of three Chinese women whose unexpected friendship helps them survive and, despite the odds, thrive, in the turmoil of post-Civil War Los Angeles.
John of John by Douglas Stuart
From the Booker Prize-winning and New York Times bestselling author of Shuggie Bain and Young Mungo comes a vivid, moving novel following a young man returning to his Hebridean island home, a portrait of a father’s expectations and a son’s desires.
Adult Non-Fiction
Homeschooled by Stefan Merrill Block
At once a novelistic portrait of mother and son, and an illuminating window into an overlooked corner of the American education system, Homeschooled is a moving, funny and ultimately inspiring story of a son’s battle for a life of his own choosing, and the wages of a mother’s insatiable love.
The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness by Arthur C. Brooks
“What is the meaning of my life?” is not an unanswerable question, but rather the start of a pilgrimage into unexplored corners of your consciousness. The Meaning of Your Life is your handbook for this journey.
True Crime by Patricia Cornwell
Patricia Cornwell is best known for her international bestselling thriller series about forensic pathologist Dr. Kay Scarpetta. Every story comes from somewhere, and Scarpetta’s began when Patricia Cornwell embedded herself in a morgue.
American Rambler: Walking the Trail of Johnny Appleseed by Isaac Fitzgerald
A moving blend of memoir, history, and travelogue, American Rambler is at once an ode to the American heartland, a meditation on escaping the breakneck pace of modern life, and a clear-eyed look at the myths–often violent, sometimes hopeful, frequently romanticized–at the very core of American identity and history.
Screen People: How We Entertained Ourselves Into a State of Emergency by Megan Garber
From an award-winning staff writer for The Atlantic, an eye-opening look at how the current media landscape conditions us to see everyone as characters in ongoing entertainment–and how we can fight back.
When the Forest Breathes: Renewal and Resilience in the Natural World by Suzanne Simard
Animated by wonder for our forests and the intricate practices of caretaking that have long sustained them, When the Forest Breathes is a vital reminder of all the natural world has to teach us about adaptability, resilience, and community.
