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Summer is a time for relaxation and enjoyment — and not only out on the baseball field or at the beach, but also inside the pages of a book. Aleteia’s recommended summer reads for 2024 will take your children to exotic places and distant times, while also exploring the values of curiosity, courage, and kindness.
We also have book lists for adults and teens, so your entire family can enjoy a booktastic summer!
Summer book recommendations for kids
1
Jérôme Lejeune: The Saintly Geneticist
Word on Fire, 2024.
Jérôme Lejeune tells the story of a brilliant Catholic scientist who was also an advocate of every person’s right to life, and who was recently named venerable by Pope Francis. Written by Ana Braga-Henebry and beautifully illustrated by Anita Barghigiani, the book is perfect for the budding young scientist in your family.
2
heart of a shepherd
Yearling, 2010.
When Brother’s dad is sent to war, he is suddenly tasked with helping his grandparents keep their family ranch running. Rosanne Parry’s Heart of a Shepherd is a coming-of-age story in which a boy overcomes adversity to find his true calling.
3
the wingfeather saga AND zita the spacegirl
First Second, 2018 & WaterBrook, 2024.
Aleteia contributor Caitlin Bootsma touts Andrew Peterson’s Wingfeather Saga books as “perfect for fans of Narnia.” She also highly recommends the Zita the Spacegirl series of graphic novels by Ben Hatke, saying that the stories and illustrations are “wonderful.” Kids with active imaginations will surely delight in both series.
4
The Loupio Series
Ignatius/Magnificat, 2021.
An adventurous boy follows in the footsteps of Francis of Assisi, accompanied by his friend “Brother Wolf” on a journey through medieval Italy. Jean-François Kieffer’s Loupioseries of books will remind you of TinTin thanks to their action-packed stories and captivating illustrations. Loupio is a relatable hero who dreams big, makes mistakes, but truly desires to be more like Jesus.
5
The World of Anna Hibiscus
Walker Books, 2021.
For younger readers, Aleteia’s Tess Barber recommends Atinuke’s The World of Anna Hibiscus: “These books are about a little girl who lives in modern-day Africa in one big house with her entire extended family. My daughters (ages 5 and 7) have just fallen in love with this series, and it has such positive values, focused on appreciation for family, generosity, thoughtfulness, obedience, courage, and so many other great messages. I can’t believe I hadn’t heard of it until recently!”
READ Theresa Civantos Barber’s article about Anna Hibiscushere!
6
The Burgess Bird Book AND Animal Book
The final books on our list also came via Tess Barber — but this time from her children. Apparently, they love, love, love the Burgess Bird Bookfor Children and the Burgess Animal Book for Children. They will explain why in an article coming soon.
Check back in the coming days for articles about each of the books and book series on our list. Many will include author interviews, additional resources to explore with your kids, or further reading recommendations.
And today we celebrate...