Teens vary widely in their interests and passions, but one thing they have in common is that they’re busier than ever. Reading must compete with extracurriculars, friends, social media, gaming, family responsibilities, jobs, homework, and more for their attention. For a book to succeed as a just-for-fun summer read, it must offer a compelling hook. Below you’ll find six titles that fit the bill.
Whether you’re actually lounging by a pool or just wish you were, a romance novel is the perfect form of escapism. These two titles about teens who find themselves in intriguing new settings will keep the pages turning:
In Love Craves Cardamom by Aashna Avachat (Joy Revolution, May 3), Archana’s boyfriend breaks up with her, scuppering her dreamy plan of spending a high school semester abroad together in London. But Plan B takes the Washington, D.C., senior to Jaipur, India, where she finds love and connects with her family’s heritage.
Julia Drake’s Lovesick Falls (Little, Brown, June 3), inspired by Shakespeare’s As You Like It, is set in a California redwood forest where a summer theater festival is underway. Ros, Celia, and Touchstone anticipate three fun months of bonding before senior year, but complicated love triangles create unexpected chaos.
Lots of teens, reluctant readers in particular, gravitate toward nonfiction—eager for real-life role models and information that feels relevant to their lives. These two books will get young people fired up and inspired:
Most teens are understandably anxious about their financial futures. In Future Millionaire: A Young Person’s Step-by-Step Guide to Making Wealth Inevitable (Blink, May 6), Rachel Rodgers, a successful Black woman entrepreneur, offers a reassuring, inclusive, socially conscious guide. She calls out the financial harm done to people from “systematically marginalized communities” and provides readers with valuable tools and information.
You don’t need to dream of riding the waves to enjoy Beyond the Board: The Untold Story of the World's Most Daring Big Wave Surfer by Maya Gabeira (Amulet/Abrams, June 10). This Brazilian athlete, who has won championships and twice set the record for the biggest wave surfed by a woman, traces her journey of overcoming obstacles—both human and natural.
Nothing says summer like a road trip with friends—there are the adventures along the way and the fun of anticipating your destination. Armchair travelers will love the bonding that happens in the following stories:
13 Days of Summer by Stephanie Kate Strohm (Running Press Kids, June 3) is the book of Swifties’ dreams. Three Maine BFFs are thrilled to score tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour—even though the show is in Los Angeles. Their cross-country drive comes with some bumps; will the empowering spirit of their idol save the girls’ friendship?
In Becky Albertalli’s latest, Amelia, If Only (Harper/HarperCollins, June 10), four teens drive across New York State to meet a YouTuber. For Amelia, it’s about more than just the online celebrity she has a parasocial relationship with—it’s also a last hurrah before she and her friends go their separate ways for college.
Laura Simeon is a young readers’ editor.
