Summer in the library — it's a time of great busy-ness, for readers and library workers alike. Kids are working on summer school assignments; staff are creating displays for summer events, and readers of all ages are participating in community-wide reading programs. Naturally, you don’t want the busy-ness to get in the way of providing your readers with great service, but “great service” means something different to every reader. It’s tough to find book recommendations for everyone, but with NoveList, you’ll be ready for the challenge.
And let’s not forget that there’s more to NoveList than databases. LibraryAware customers (and their patrons) get an extra readers’ advisory boost with NextReads newsletters. Check out some of these summer reads hand-picked by NextReads bibliographers:
Here are a few highlights from this summer’s NextReads selections:
Captivating historical fiction
- The Intrigue by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- A Pair of Aces by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
- Land by Maggie O'Farrell
Coming-of-age stories
- Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer
- Ghalen by Walter Mosley
Notable nonfiction for adults
- To Catch a Fish: Essays on the Joy, Frustration, Curiosity, and Allure of Fishing by Mark Kurlansky
- On Witness and Respair: Essays by Jesmyn Ward
- True Crime: A Memoir by Patricia Cornwell
Notable nonfiction for youth
- The Fight of Our Lives: AIDS in America by David Levithan and Gabriel Duckels
- Diamond Fever! A True Crime Story in the Wild West by Steve Sheinkin, illustrated by Jon Chad
- Reading the Bones: Homo Naledi and the Mysteries of Human Evolution by Marc Aronson and John S. Mead
New books from Newbery Medalists
- Styx and Stones by Gary D. Schmidt and Ron Koertge
- The Second Life of Snap by Erin Entrada Kelly
- Wombat Waiting by Katherine Applegate
Writing across age groups
- The Take by Kelly Yang (adult debut by middle grade author)
- Seek the Traitor's Son by Veronica Roth (author writes for teens and adults)
- A Fortune of Sand by Ruta Sepetys (adult debut by young adult author)
- The Haunted Playground by R.J. Palacio, illustrated by Brett Helquist (picture book debut by middle grade author)
Can’t-miss young adult reads
- Breakout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon
- Medicine Wheels by Byron Graves
- Change of Plans by Sarah Dessen
Funny Genre Fiction
- Kill All Wizards by Jedediah Berry
- The Devil and Mrs. Gooch by Oliver Darkshire
- Sex on Murder Island by Jo Firestone
- Killer Vibes by Jack Friday
- The MASH Up by Laura Marie Meyers
Big names for little readers
- Dad by Christian Robinson
- Story Rug by Sophie Blackall, illustrated by Phoebe Wahl
- The House with Nobody in It by Jon Klassen
Rebecca Honeycutt is the Content Development Coordinator for NoveList, which includes creating NextReads newsletters for kids and teens. They are currently reading Hell's Heart by Alexis Hall.
