The sun is still high in the sky, the days are still long, the pools are still open! Even though school supplies are lining the shopping aisles, there is still time to soak up the last lazy days of summer vacation like the characters in these recent audiobooks for youth recommended by Booklist, ALA’s book review magazine.
It’s officially summer, the perfect time for being outside and enjoying the sun with a good book. It also means that libraries nationwide are celebrating with summer reading challenges. If you’re looking to participate and need some help creating your book list, ALA has you covered with some recommended reads.
The school year is wrapping up for many students, giving them even more time to discover some new favorite books. Thankfully, the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association, has released its 2025 Summer Reading Lists just in time. ALSC’s Summer Reading Lists feature books and digital media options to keep children engaged in reading and exploring throughout the summer. Here are some highlights.
New York City’s public libraries—New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library, and Queens Public library—are giving away 15,000 free books to kids throughout all five of the city’s boroughs this weekend.
Booklist and PBS Books kicked off their new collaboration last week with a perfectly seasonal conversation—about beach reads and summer reading! Heather-Marie Montilla, national director of PBS Books, hosted Susan Maguire, senior editor, collection management and library outreach at Booklist, for a fascinating discussion about the definition of “beach reads,” Booklist-recommended summer-reading faves across multiple genres, their favorite libraries, and more!
