Your old friend, a REAL book
By Katelyn Cole
Thinking about my favorite summer activities, the things at the top of my list are
traveling somewhere sunny and sandy, enjoying live entertainment in Sundance
Square, exploring new restaurants with friends, and reading. Reading has always been
one of my top priorities. It keeps me sane. It brings me back to center. It forces me to be
still.

With the recommendations to stay home, this summer is probably not going to look how
we pictured it. Flights have been cancelled, live entertainment has been postponed, and
social gatherings with friends and family are limited. The one constant that remains is
reading.
Whether you’re a scorned reader from a book you were forced to read 100 years ago, a
hustling mom who has killed the online learning game and needs a little “me” time, or a
desperate parent in need of ways to fill their kid’s suddenly open schedule, I would like
to reintroduce you to your old friend: the book.
“Reading gives us a place to go when we have to stay where we are.” -Mason Cooley
This summer, I invite you and your family to get back to the basics by picking out a
summer read! Let’s find renewed joy in being at home and getting lost in a book. Let’s
make personal connections with characters that build empathy in us and our children.
Let’s open up opportunities for discussion and connection. I encourage you to make a
memorable experience without having to leave your home!
Below are some of my five-star reads in 2020 for adults, along with highly-rated reads
for children in each age range.
Adult Five-Star Reads:
The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James
The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré
In Five Years by Rebecca Serle
Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager (publishes 6/30)
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
Teenage Novels and Series:
The Selection series by Kierra Cass
The Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyers
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
Ages 10-13:
The Winterhouse series by Ben Guterson
Hazardous Tales series by Nathan Hale
Smile by Raina Telgemeier
Refugee by Alan Gra
Ages 7-9:
I Survived series by Lauren Tarshis
The 13-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths
Ivy and Bean series by Annie Barrows
My Weird School series by Dan Gutman
Ages 4-6:
Elephant and Piggie series by Mo Willems
Pete the Cat series by Eric Litwin
The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak
Katelyn Cole is an elementary educator in Roanoke and an avid reader. She maintains
a social media platform, where she reviews upcoming releases and builds community
through reading! You can reach out to her and find more recommendations on her
Instagram page @bookcasebeauty