Summer Reading List for Teachers
Teachers, you have MADE it through the 2020-2021 school year! Summer break is ahead of you…hopefully that means no alarms, some time by the pool, and lots of resting and recharging after a very hard school year.
Summertime for me has always meant catching up on some reading. Reading is something I love, but have always struggled to find time for during the school year. But to me, there I nothing better than reading a good back at the pool or the beach. I’ve compiled a summer reading list for you full of some of my latest favorites, followed by a few that are in my own “To Be Read” pile!
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TEACHER SUMMER READING LIST
People We Meet on Vacation, Emily Henry
So, in last year’s summer reading list, I suggested that you all read Beach Read. If you didn’t read that one…please do! Despite being a summer romance, that book ended up being one of my top 5 favorite books in all of 2020!
People We Meet on Vacation is Emily Henry’s latest novel…and it’s JUST AS GOOD. Poppy and Alex are long-time friends who have a tradition of taking an annual trip together. It’s obvious to everyone (but them) that they are destined to be. But they take the very long road to get there.
What I love about Emily Henry’s books is that, yes, they are frothy, fun rom-coms. But, she develops characters so beautifully, that you feel like you really know these people. It’s not all rainbows and unicorns in the slightest. So, if you like romance with some depth…she is your author.
Young Jane Young, Gabrielle Zevin
I recently read Young Jane Young, and I could not.put.it.down.
Let me take you all back to the days of Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinski. Young intern caught in a scandal with a married, much older (and more powerful) politician. What happened to Bill? His career went on. We criticized, but he ultimately rebounded just fine. What happened to Monica? That story is a little less clear.
Now, take that same situation and apply it to a community in South Florida. A young intern gets caught in an illicit affair with the state congressman. He’s married and is on the up and up in his political career. He also has a very fancy PR team. He takes a bit of an image hit, but ultimately his career survives.
The intern? Her life is ruined. She’s blacklisted from ever working in politics again. Even worse: her story doesn’t just affect her life…it creeps into the lives of the women she’s closest to. Her mother, her grandmother…even her future daughter can’t escape her reputation.
Guyyyssss. This book is so good. Filled with themes of pulling yourself out from under crushing circumstances and starting over. It’s the perfect summer read.
Black Buck, Mateo Askaripour
You may know this book already, if you’re a fan of The Today Show. It was a ‘Read with Jenna’ book club pick at the beginning of 2021. This book follows a young black man (Darren) living in New York as he is plucked from a sea of Starbucks baristas to be a future sales exec at a fancy start-up.
The book is full of laugh-out-loud moments when you read about the absurdity of the work culture Darren finds himself in. But it also reveals some raw truths about how difficult it can be for young, black men to succeed. Sometimes the thing standing in your way is racial inequity, which Darren faces plenty of. Other times, it’s the people you’re trying to leave behind holding you back. And other times, you stand in your own way.
This book made me think as often as it made me laugh. It’s a great one if you’re looking to get swept up in a story that takes you out of your own life and into someone else’s.
Professional Development Picks
Because Summer is a great time to read for both pleasure and professional growth, I have three picks for you today that can be used as professional development!
Growing Boldly, Emily Ley: NOT a book for educators. But certainly a book for self-development if you’re looking to be bolder in your dreams for your life!
The First Days of School, Harry Wong: Ok. There’s very little chance you haven’t already read this one. But, I recommend combing back through it every year or so to get new ideas. It’s so densely packed with wisdom, I find something new every time I read through it!
Patterns of Power: Inviting Young Writers into the Conventions of Language, Jeff Anderson & Whitney LaRocca: I read this one during my last year in the classroom, and I was so struck with the strategies suggested for pulling grammar and writing instruction into single lessons. Really great, practical ideas in the pages here!
Summer Self-Care Challenge
To pair nicely with the idea of reading for pleasure and growth, I created a FREE Summer Self-Care Bingo Challenge! Share with your team, or email to the staff at your school to encourage them to do some things just for themselves this summer!
Or, print it for yourself, and see how many boxes you can complete in the next couple of months! I promise, if you make time to take care of yourself, your teaching will be so much stronger next year! To get your copy of the challenge, sign up with your email below!
