A version of this article first appears in Kingston Neighbours magazine, July, 2023.)
School’s out, summer’s here, let the relaxing begin!
Reading is a great way for your kids to unplug and unwind after a hectic school year. What better way to while away the lazy, hazy days of summer than curled up with a good book in a Muskoka chair at the cottage, on a picnic blanket at the beach or in a dark tent, reading by flashlight?!
If your kids are looking for suggestions on what to read this summer, the Ontario Library Association (OLA) has them covered. Every year, the OLA’s Forest of Reading Kid Committee meets to discuss the best Canadian books for youth and then put together a few summer reading lists for ages 8+. What is so awesome is that the committees are composed entirely of young people, so the recommendations are by kids, for kids! I guarantee there’ll be something on their lists that will appeal to your kiddos.
The 2023 lists are out now and I am super excited to get started on my own summer reading. Check out a couple of the books from the Kid Committee Lists that I’ll be enjoying this summer!
Ages 8-12
Ghostlight by Kenneth Oppel — Gabe’s summer job as a tour guide on Toronto Island takes a terrifying turn when he awakens a lighthouse ghost and finds himself drawn into a battle to protect the world from “the wakeful and wicked dead” led by a malevolent spirit named Viker. A terrifically spooky book to read around a campfire!
Ages 12-14
Hazel Hill Is Gonna Win This One by Maggie Horne — Labelled a “must-read for tweens and their parents” by the School Library Journal, this novel deftly tackles the difficult topic of online harassment. Quiet seventh grader Hazel Hill learns that her arch nemesis in the annual speech competition is being bullied by the ”golden boy” in their class. Putting their rivalry aside, the two girls unite to do something about it. But when they speak up, no one believes them, which only makes Hazel more determined to expose the perpetrator. A painfully real, but surprisingly humorous, book about friendship, navigating middle school dynamics and finding the courage to speak out.
Here are all the book recommendations from the 2023 Forest of Reading Kid Committee for you to check out:
Until next month, happy reading!
Lisa's Book Corner 
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