What’s on our Makoshey summer reading list? We have gathered these titles from accounts that we follow, our school librarians, and perusing our local bookstore – and look forward to feeling inspired and empowered with these new books! We’ve got some books featuring heroic girls and women, both real and fictional, and other ones that are great reads for Pride month, the summer season, and more! We have also included a grown-up category because we know grown-ups love summer reading too! No matter where these next few months take you, we hope that you have a good book in hand or bag!
Little Kids
When Lola Visits, by Michelle Sterling
Boxitects, by Kim Smith
Milo Imagines the World, by Matt de la Pena
Juneteenth for Mazie, by Floyd Cooper
Fatima’s Great Outdoors, by Ambreen Tariq
Ho’Onani Hula Warrior, by Heather Gale
The Scrambled States of America, by Laurie Keller
Astronaut Training, by Aneta Cruz
The Magic and Mystery of Trees, by Jen Green
And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson
Constellation of the Deep, by Benjamin Flouw
Big Kids
Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid, by Mikaila Ulmer
She Persisted: Sonia Sotomayor, by Chelsea Clinton and Meg Medina
Becoming, Young Reader’s Edition, by Michelle Obama
Wednesday Wilson Gets Down to Business, by Bree Galbraith
Starfish, by Lisa Fipps
Measuring Up, by Lily LaMotte
Piecing Me Together, by Renee Watson
When You Trap a Tiger, by Tae Keller
Born Curious: 20 Girls Who Grew Up to be Awesome Scientists
What was Stonewall? By Nico Medina
Stamped (for kids!), adapted by Sonja Cherry-Paul
Quick History of Math: From Counting Cavemen to Computers, by Clive Gifford and Michael Young
There’s No Ham in Hamburger: Facts and Folklore About Our Favorite Foods, by Kim Zachman
Grown-ups
My Remarkable Journey: A Memoir, by Katherine Johnson
Eleanor, by David Michaelis
The Doctors Blackwell, by Janice Nimura
Justice, Justice Thou Shalt Pursue, by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Amanda L. Tyler
Conversations with RBG, by Jeffrey Rosen
Just as I Am: A Memoir, by Cicely Tyson
She Come by it Natural: Dolly Parton and the Women Who Lived Her Songs, by Sarah Smarsh
House of Sticks, by Ly Tran
Girlhood, by Melissa Febos
Raised a Warrior: A Memoir of Soccer, Grit, and Leveling the Playing Field (releases July 13, 2021), by Susie Petruccelli
Adventuring Together: How to Create Connections and Make Lasting Memories with Your Kids, by Greta Eskridge
Most titles hyperlink to small bookshops. Makoshey did not receive anything of value for adding books to this list. These are genuinely books that we like and recommend because they’re great.
