Growing up I used to love watching Arthur, the television show based on the popular book series by Marc Brown. I distinctly remember watching an episode where Arthur was upset as most of his friends were traveling for vacation while he was stuck at home. Throughout the episode we see Arthur reading in different locations and it isn’t until the end of the episode that he realizes he did travel that summer, to all the places his books took him to.
This episode still resonates with me today, although I don’t have a whole summer off like I did in elementary school, I still travel across the globe, even when I’m working in the office. Below are some great Scholastic summer reads which you can enjoy on the beach, on the subway, or even in your own living room. These reads will take you to the glamorous Los Angeles, the tropical rainforest, the city of love (Paris!), and to a small town in California. And, if you have time to travel this summer, you should check out the places Maggie Stiefvater plans on visiting for the launch of her book, Sinner, which is out today!
Sinner
By Maggie Stiefvater (Ages 14 and Up)
Sinner is based in Los Angeles and follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole’s story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole’s darkest secret – his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel’s life. Can this sinner be saved?
Fire & Flood
By Victoria Scott (Ages 14 and Up)
In Fire & Flood, brave teen Tella Holloway is willing to do whatever it takes to save her dying brother.
After a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong with her brother, Tella’s parents decide to move to their family to the middle of nowhere for the fresh air. Tella has lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying, and she's helpless to change anything—that is until she receives instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. Now Tella must compete in an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain. It’s a race that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the cure for her brother’s illness and a return to her normal life. The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can’t trust the allies she makes.
Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer
By Katie Alender (Ages 12 and Up)
Paris, France: a city of fashion, chocolate croissants, and cute boys. Colette Iselin is thrilled be there for the first time, on her spring break class trip in Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer. But a series of gruesome murders are taking place around the city, putting everyone on edge. And as she tours the sights, Colette keeps seeing a strange vision: a pale woman in a ball gown and powdered wig, who looks like Marie Antoinette. Colette knows her status-obsessed friends won't believe her, so she seeks out the help of a charming French boy. Together, they discover that the murder victims are all descendants of people who ultimately brought about Marie Antoinette’s beheading. The queen’s ghost has been awakened, and now she's wreaking her bloodthirsty revenge. And Colette may just be one of those descendants...which means she might not make it out of this trip alive.
Catch a Falling Star
By Kim Culbertson (Ages 12 and Up)
In Catch a Falling Star, Carter Moon is planning on a low-key summer in her small town located in California. She plans on stargazing with her best friends and wo
rking at her parent’s restaurant—and avoiding even thinking about life after her senior year. But when Hollywood arrives to film a movie starring former child-star turned public-relations-mess Adam Jakes, everything changes. Utterly annoyed, Carter feels like the only person in town not buying what Hollywood’s selling. Then Carter gets an offer she can’t refuse: play the part of Adam’s girlfriend. Instead of the simple summer she had envisioned, Carter begrudgingly poses for the tabloids. Soon she finds that Adam isn’t who she thought. Worse yet, she might actually be falling for him. As they grow closer, their relationship walks a blurry line between what’s real and what’s fake, and Carter must op
Which books are you most excited to read this summer?en her eyes to the scariest of unexplored worlds—her future.
