A Teacher’s Summer Reading Guide

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ah, summertime. A time to take it slow and enjoy the simple things in life. And of course, if you are a teacher, it’s a time to panic and think about all the things you need to do in order to be ready for the upcoming school year!

That being said, I bring you my First Ever Teacher’s Summer Reading Guide! Where not only will I recommend some great educational reads, but I also suggest some of my favorite non-teachery books from this past year for your reading enjoyment!

Educational Reading

• The Daily Five by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser

This book. Y’all this was my own personal book of the year. I fully intend to do an entire blog post, possibly a series, about how I have incorporated Daily 5 into my classroom. Daily 5 really changed my teaching life this year. Can’t wait to reread it this summer and retweek for next year!

• The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller

My favorite teacher book ever. Donalyn Miller completely reworked my reading teacher brain. The main message: self-selected texts and reading conferences. I read it several years before finding The Daily 5 and it goes hand in hand with the program.

• Teach Like a Pirate by Dave Burgess

My principal chose this book for a book study a couple of years ago, but I’ll admit I have already read it. Fun to read and will really lit a fire under you if you find your teacher mojo is dwindling.

• The First Days of School by Harry Wong

The essential must-read for every single first year teacher. This book is AH-MAZE-ING. It is 100% worth going back to even for seasoned teachers and it’s one I find myself turning back to summer after summer in preparation for going back to school in the fall.

• About Teaching Mathematics: A K-8 Resource by Marilyn Burns

Basically, Marilyn Burns is THE queen of elementary and middle school math. This is such a valuable resource for math teachers and discusses teaching not only concepts, but the how and the why. Also a great go-to when you need ideas for teaching those concepts.

• The Essential 55 by Ron Clark

This was a book I read very early in my teaching career and coincidentally the following year, Ron Clark came to our district and was the keynote speaker for our Convocation. This book is not about academics, but about building those relationships and teaching students life skills. I classify this as easy to read, yet it is chock full of great thoughts and advice.

• The Cornerstone: Classroom Management That Makes Teaching Effective, Efficient, and Enjoyable by Angela Watson

Reading For Fun

The next several categories are some of my favorite fun reads from the past year. Not all of them were released in the past year, but I read them in 2020 or 2021.

Saucy Romance

A few years ago, you couldn’t have paid me to read a romance. That all changed when I read How to Walk Away by Katherine Center in 2018. I’ve been hooked ever since. Here are some of my favorites from the past year.

• Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade

I’m a “big girl,” or however you want to say, “not thin” – I’m still trying to figure out which term I prefer because they are all pretty awful, so reading a story where the heroine is not your average svelte damsal in distress is beyond appealing to me. Secret identities, best friends turning into something more, dating a celebrity…all these themes are a part of this charming novel.

• Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore

• Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

I loved this book even more than I thought I would. The U.S. President’s son meets a U.K. Prince. They can’t stand each other. Until one day, they suddenly can. Such a great book!

• Beach Read by Emily Henry

Rivals in college and in the literary scene, after a long series of circumstances, January Andrews ends up next door to Augustus Everett. One day a deal is struck. Friendship ensues. And then some.

• One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

Another romance with an above average sized main character. This time on a Bachelor-esque dating show. Loved this book so much. The characters stayed with me whenever I put it down and I couldn’t wait to pick it back up again!

Thrillery Goodness

• No Exit by Taylor Adams

Trapped at a roadside rest area with a handful of other strangers during a snowstorm, Darby thinks she sees a young girl tied up in the back of a van. She needs to save the girl and herself.

• Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

A ghost story…or is it? Love Riley Sager and this is probably my favorite of all his books so far!

• Almost Missed You by Jessica Strawser

I was hooked from the beginning of this book and could not figure out where it was going, but in the very best way! A love story with lots of twists, turns, and secrets!

• Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson

This was probably my favorite thriller read of 2020. Lots of references to other famous mysteries and Peter Swanson’s thrillers are always a win for me!

• An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena

A guest turns up dead at an inn in the woods during a snowstorm. Think And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie.

Fantasy

• The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

Wow. This book is a big one and covers about 400 years. What would you do if you never aged, could never die, and no one ever remembered you once you left the room?

• The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Clune

This was hands down, my very favorite book of 2020. If you are a Harry Potter fan, think of this as Harry Potter for grown ups. A beautiful cast of characters including some very precious and interesting children, their eccentric caregiver, and the case worker from the Department of Magical Youth. The kids in the story will melt your heart and the romance between Linus and Arthur is one of the most charming I’ve ever read. Absolutely adored this book.

• Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

Soraya has lived her entire life without feeling the touch of another human being, for if she touches you, you die. All this begins to change on the day her brother gets married. Inspired by the lore of Ancient Persia.

Contemporary & Literary Fiction

• All Adults Here by Emma Straub

This was the first Emma Straub novel I’ve ever read. If you enjoy a good modern day, multigenerational family drama, this one is for you.

• The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Twin sisters take very different paths in life and are only reacquainted once their own daughters meet.

• Saints for All Occasions by J. Courtney Sullivan

I loved this family saga spanning years. It was both heartbreaking and hopeful.

• The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd

Here’s a controversial question. What if Jesus had a wife. This novel dares to answer it.

• The Paris Hours by Alex George

Covering the lives of several very different characters in post-World War II Paris, this was another one of my very favorite reads in 2020!

• Normal People by Sally Rooney

This book was recommended to me by my sister when she chose it as her pick for our book club. Marianne and Connell are from very different families and want very different things in life. Their paths keep twisting and crashing into one another from high school through college and beyond.

Want a FREE Checklist of all these titles?

Sign up below and get a easy reference printable checklist to take with you to the bookstore or library!

Whether you still have weeks to go or your summer has already begun, I hope it’s a great one!

See you again (virtually!) soon!

Deedee