Teacher Summer Reading List
One of the best ways to un-wind in the summer, in my humble opinion, is to READ! And not just reading the professional development books you’ve been eyeing all year…but to read simply for fun. There’s something about reading just for simple entertainment that can feel so indulgent for a teacher. We are public servants, after all. The entire school year is centered around the needs of our students and families, which is great. That’s exactly what we signed up for. But in the summer. we get to fill ourselves back up so we can handle another 10 months of service.
So today, in support of Teacher Summer Reading, I have compiled my own summer reading list. Some of these books are books I have read already that I usually skim again, some are books I just recently finished that I want to share, and others are books that are sitting in my To Be Read pile, and I’m anxious to dig in. Hopefully, you can pull one title from this list that will give you a long, lazy summer day of reading…which is exactly what the doctor ordered after a school year like this one, isn’t it?
First up, I have five books that are totally just for fun! No professional development will be found in these pages, but that’s always how I like to start my summer.
This the book I’m currently reading! It has everything I want for a light, fun escape for summer. Instagram influencers, lifestyles of the rich and famous, and a girl finding who she really is. I’m not finished with it yet, but I am devouring it.
This one is from my actual summer reading list, which means I haven’t read it yet. But, everyone I trust online says it’s FANTASTIC, so I’m excited to read it myself.
From what I can gather, it’s a romantic comedy that mimics real life a little better than a standard Hallmark rom-com. There are some heavier themes, but it’s not too dark.
Our heroine is a writer who escapes to her family’s beach house to write her next book. She finds that the guy next door, who is trying to do the same thing, was her rival from college. Sparks fly, things get real, and I’m hoping it sucks me in.
A book by Jessica Simpson probably feels very out of left field. You probably haven’t thought about Jessica Simpson in a decade. I hadn’t either. But this memoir is pure gold. It’s riveting. It pulls you in and won’t let you go from beginning to end. I highly recommend the audio book, because something about hearing her tell her own story really takes you through all of the highs and lows as she felt them.
I read this one early this past Spring…right at the start of quarantine, actually, and it was the PERFECT escape from the world around me. It’s fun, full of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, and has one of the most fascinating literary heroines I’ve read in a while. It’s fiction, but it’s written in the style of a giant interview, so it feels like nonfiction. The vibe is very “Almost Famous”. If you liked that movie, you will love Daisy Jones.
Similar to Daisy Jones, this is a book I read earlier this year (and it’s also not a new release), but it fits so well with summer time. This particular book feels like glitter. Set in the 1920s, a girl from a very traditional upbringing finds herself living out the summer with her aunt in a theatre playhouse in New York City…so she’s exposed to a totally different way of life. It’s a coming of age story that I couldn’t put down.
Alright, after you’ve escaped into some frothy, bubbly, books for a few weeks, you may turn your attention towards bettering yourself for the school year. Here’s my take on a Summer PD book list for teachers!
This is my personal summer project: to pour over this book. It’s on my bedside table (along with Big Summer right now), and I’m looking so forward to reading it all the way through and gleaning some new ideas. I know this is a big seller, so many have already read it. Summer is a great time to skim back through books you’ve already read and remind yourself of the good information tucked away in them!
This makes me sad to write: but our nation needs to bridge some racial gaps. We need to heal some wounds. I think a great place to start that journey is in schools, with kids. Teachers really are on the front lines of racial relations. The way that we talk to, think about, and feel towards our students of color is important. We push messages along (even unintentionally) that our students internalize and carry with them. What messages are you sending that you may not even be conscious of? This book is a really interesting look at race, and how it stems all the way to a child’s school days.
I read this book every year. If you’ve read it before, I recommend you go back through it. If you’ve never read it, get ready to have your reading life and teaching life changed for the better. This book will set your soul on fire about literacy instruction, and you will really start looking forward to next year!
Two warnings here: this is a faith-based book. There are other books on the Enneagram that do not prescribe to a faith tradition. I think this book does a good job of being written for all groups of people, but there are definitely references to the Bible and to Jesus. So if that’s distracting to you, you may want to look at other titles.
Another warning: This book is not directly related to teaching. Not even a little bit.
But this is why I think teachers need to read this: if you believe in the idea that every child is internalizing messages about the world around them through their every day experiences…then what the Enneagram teaches us about how people cope with those messages, is super helpful. The Enneagram is not who people are, it’s how they’ve learned to deal with life…the good and the bad. Being somewhat aware of this can be so powerful for a teacher. That kid who’s frantically avoiding the work that they don’t feel they are good at…are they a Seven who avoids pain? Are they a Nine who avoids struggle? Are they a One who needs to understand it more deeply before even trying it? Are they a Three who needs some serious praise before they’ll move forward?
Having these things in the back of our heads not only helps us understand ourselves better, making us better teachers, but can also help us understand our students…also making us better teachers!
This is another oldie but a goodie. I have reread this one a few times, and I always pull something new out of it about how I relate to students, showing mutual respect, setting high expectations for success, and more. All of Ron Clark’s books are great, but if you’re looking for a place to start, I recommend The Essential 55.
So that’s my dream summer reading list, shared with you! I’d love to hear what’s on your list. What classics are you going to dust off and reread? What new titles are you going to try? Anything on this list strike your fancy? My hope is that every single one of you has a refreshing, re-charging summer break! You can grab a free Summer Reading Checklist below by signing up for my email list! There, you will get weekly tips, classroom inspiration, and at least one new freebie added to the library every month!
Connect with me on Instagram to share your own Summer Reading with me!
