Summer Reading 2023
Welcome to GDS’s suggested summer reading lists! Note the word “suggested.” At GDS, we believe students should choose their own free reading whenever it’s possible. We highly recommend browsing in, borrowing from, and participating in programs at your local public libraries during summer months when the school libraries are closed.
If you’d like to read what Kirkus Reviews, a great book review publication, says about the books on this list, simply click the title. Where possible, we’ve also included links to the e-books and audio books on the DC Public Library’s Overdrive shelf. Looking for physical books? Search the DCPL catalog here.
Some of these titles contain challenging ideas, concepts, and language. See this Hopper Effect blog post to learn more about GDS’s thoughts around this.
Happy Reading!
Did You Know? GDS students, regardless of where they live, can get a card for the DC Public Libraries. GDS also encourages participation in DCPL’s Discover Summer program.
PK–2nd Grade
Suggested Summer Reading List for PK-2nd Grade
By Sheetal Sheth, illustrated by Jessica Blank
By Kat Zhang
By Mitali Banerjee Ruths, illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel
By Meggie Ramm
By Alice B. McGinty
By Harshita Jerath, illustrated by Chloe Burgett
By Elissa Boxer, illustrated by Susanna Chapman
By Terry Catasús Jennings,
illustrated by Fatima Anaya
By Charity Matthews
By Marni Fogelson and Mahani Teave, illustrated by Marta Álvarez Miguéns
By Elaine Vickers, illustrated by Ana Aranda
By Nina Crews
By Tami Charles, illustrated by Jemma Skidmore
By Ibtihaj Muhammad and S.K. Ali, illustrated by Hatem Aly
By Ja-Nay Brown Wood, illustrated by Samara Hardy
By Fran Pintadera, illustrated by Raquel Catalina, translated by Lawrence Schimel
By Jackie Azúa Kramer and Jonah Kramer, illustrated by Zach Manbeck
By Nathan Hale
By Brian “Smitty” Smith, illustrated by Chris Giarrusso
By Fred Bowen
By Beatrice Alemagna
By Katherine Applegate
By Patricia Polacco
By Janet Costa Bates, illustrated by Gladys Jose
By Kelly Starling Lyons, Illustrated by Niña Mata
By Kelly Fritsch, Anne McGuire, and Eduardo Trejos
By Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Leo Espinosa
By Hanh Bui, illustrated by Minnie Phan
Summer Reading Challenge.
Submit a photo of a PK–8th grade student reading a book to library@gds.org. We love to see photos of LMS summer readers! We will use all the photos for a joyful collage of reading at the beginning of the school year.
Did You Know?
GDS students, regardless of where they live, can get a card for the DC Public Libraries. GDS also encourages participation in DCPL’s Discover Summer program.
Need more summer reading in your life?
Try these lists as well: ALSC Summer Reading Lists, Horn Book Summer Reading List, Scholastic Summer Reading, Barnes and Noble Summer Reading, Loyalty Books: Kids’ Indie Next List
3rd–5th Grade
Suggested Summer Reading List for 3rd–5th Grade
By Meggie Ramm
By Brian Selznick
By Karuna Riazi
By America’s Test Kitchen Kids
By Traci Sorrell, illustrated by Arigon Starr
By Ryan North and Erica Henderson
By Stephanie Rodriguez
By Leah Johnson
By Brie Spangler
By Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin, illustrated by Giovanni Rigano
By Marcus Stroman
By Traci Todd, illustrated by Shannon Wright
By Matt Tavares
By Naomi Klein, adapted by Rebecca Stefoff
By Andy Seed, illustrated by Gareth Conway
By Sara Pennypacker, illustrated by Matthew Cordell
By Jarrett Pumphrey and Jerome Pumphrey
By Wendy Mass, illustrated by Gabi Mendez
By Whitney Gardner
By Kiara Brinkman, illustrated by Sean Chiki
By Nathan Hale
By K. O’Neill
By Douglas W. Tallamay
By Fred Bowen
By Katherine Applegate
By Heather Alexander, illustrated by Alan Berry Rhys
By Betty C. Tang
By Rafella Della Donne, Anthony SIlverston, and Willem Samuel
By Sarah Sax
By Questlove and S. A. Cosby
By Jasmine Warga, illustrated by Matt Rockefeller
By Jerry Craft
By Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter
By Sarah L. Thomson, illustrated by Vin Vogel
By Stacey Lee
Get on DCPL Overdrive: audio
By Marissa Moss
By Esperanza Habinger, illustrated by Sole Sebastián
Summer Reading Challenge.
Submit a photo of a PK–8th grade student reading a book via email. We love to see photos of LMS summer readers! We will use all the photos for a joyful collage of reading at the beginning of the school year.
Did You Know?
GDS students, regardless of where they live, can get a card for the DC Public Libraries. GDS also encourages participation in DCPL’s Discover Summer program.
Need more summer reading in your life?
Try these lists as well: ALSC Summer Reading Lists, Horn Book Summer Reading List, Scholastic Summer Reading, Barnes and Noble Summer Reading, Loyalty Books: Kids’ Indie Next List
6th–8th Grade
Suggested Summer Reading List for 6th–8th Grade
By Kyrie McCauley
By Daniel José Older
By C.M. Surrisi
By Rod Pulido
By America’s Test Kitchen Kids
By Ryan North and Erica Henderson
By Akim Aliu with Greg Anderson Elysée, illustrated by Karen De La Vega and Marcus Williams
By Sher Lee
By Thein Pham
By Dan Santat
By Brie Spangler
By Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin, illustrated by Giovanni Rigano
By Dahlia Adler
By Dan Nott
By Matt Tavares
By Naomi Klein, adapted by Rebecca Stefoff
By Wendy Mass, illustrated by Gabi Mendez
By Whitney Gardner
By Kiara Brinkman, illustrated by Sean Chiki
By Diana Urban
By Carlotta Walls Lanier with Lisa Frazier Page
By Adiba Jagidar
By Ripley Jones
By K. O’Neill
By Douglas W. Tallamay
By Kiyash Monsef
By Heather Alexander, illustrated by Alan Berry Rhys
By Betty C. Tang
By Rafella Della Donne, Anthony SIlverston, and Willem Samuel
By India Hill Brown
By Questlove and S. A. Cosby
By Jerry Craft
By Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter
By Katherine Locke
By Alysa Landry
By Jaha Nailah Avery
By Ella Cerón
By Linda Barrett Osborne
By Gabe Cole Novoa
By Marissa Moss
By Esperanza Habinger, illustrated by Sole Sebastián
Summer Reading Challenge.
Submit a photo of a PK–8th grade student reading a book via email. We love to see photos of LMS summer readers! We will use all the photos for a joyful collage of reading at the beginning of the school year.
Did You Know?
GDS students, regardless of where they live, can get a card for the DC Public Libraries. GDS also encourages participation in DCPL’s Discover Summer program.
Need more summer reading in your life?
Try these lists as well: ALSC Summer Reading Lists, Horn Book Summer Reading List, Scholastic Summer Reading, Barnes and Noble Summer Reading, Loyalty Books: Kids’ Indie Next List
High School
Suggested Summer Reading List for High School
By Don Brown
By Alexandra Petri
By Christine Suggs
By Daniel José Older
By Aisha Abdel Gawad
By Ron Miller
By Emily Monosson
By C.M. Surrisi
By Gloria Dickie
Edited by Lauren Gibaldi and Eric Smith
By Lauren Fleshman
By Rebekah Weatherspoon
By Victoria Ying, coloring by Lynette Wong
By M.R. Carey
By Sarah Beth Durst
By Gabriella Lepore
By Tania James
By Diana Urban
By Ibi Zoboi
By Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris
By Karen M. McManus
By Abdi Nazemian
By Henry Hoke
By Tobias Rose-Stockwell
By Daniel T. Willingham
By Jennie Wood, illustrated by Dozerdraws
By Jessica Parra
By Ari Tison
By Matthew Salesses
By Deena Mohamed
By Chris Paul with Michael Wilbon
By Matthew J. Kirby
By Andi Watson, illustrated by Simon Gane
By Darrin Bell
By Kayla Cottingham
By Jaha Nailah Avery
By Meryl Frank
By Claire Forrest
By Kelly McWilliams
Are you a newspaper reader? Consider participating in the New York Times 14th Annual Summer Reading Contest!
Theatre fans: Watch theatre performances through GDS's Digital Theatre Plus subscription over the summer! See the HS Library Resource Board for log-in credentials or contact Rhona.