My Favorite Books I Read this Summer

Each summer, I try to read a lot of new books for children so I can recommend them in the fall when the school year begins.  I have a "New Books" basket that I regularly add to and love to keep up with all the great new books that are being published.  
I am usually asked questions from my colleagues and former students such as, "So what did you read this summer that I should read? What were your favorites?" 
I organize all of my books on Goodreads and always have a list for my summer reading each year so I can answer these questions with ease and of course keep track of all my reading! :)

Below, are my top 6 favorite books that I read this summer, in no particular order.  

Click on the title to read the post I wrote this summer about Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff . 

Click on the title to read the post I wrote this summer about Dash by Kirby Larson which comes out today!  

Click on the title to read the post I wrote this summer about Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin which comes out on October 7th.  

Click on the title to read the post I wrote this summer about The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires.  

The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L.Holm is out today - yay! This was the last book that I read this summer and I loved it! This is a fascinating story about an eleven year old girl named Ellie who misses her most recent goldfish.  One day, a young boy shows up with her mother who reminds her a lot of her grandfather, but it can't be...or can it?? Did her Grandpa Melvin, a famous scientist, actually discover how to return to a younger age? Read to find out and discover more about Ellie and her Grandpa Melvin or should I say the young Melvin! 

Fish in a Tree is Lynda Mullaly Hunt's newest book will be published on February 5th...I know it is a ways out, but definitely mark your calendar because this is a must read book!!! I had the honor and privilege of getting an ARC in my hands to read and I devoured it in one day! I am reading aloud this book to my new 5th grade class at the beginning of the year and can not wait to have them experience this book.  My class two years ago also had the big honor of not only meeting Lynda, but also listening to a couple chapters of this book and naming chapter 25! We are also in the acknowledgments in the back of the book which is very cool! Stay tuned to hear more about this book as I read it aloud to my class.  Thank you Lynda for writing another fabulous book and bringing Ally into our lives! :) 

Hope you all enjoyed your summer and read lots of great books too! 
Melanie Swider