6 summer books for kids and teens
Updated: Aug 27, 2022
Looking for some great summery books to keep the kids entertained during the holidays? Look no further! Although the Mediathèque and Bibliothèque Quentin Blake are closed for August, we still have a stunning range of free eBooks available on Culturethèque! Our children’s librarians have shared their favourites with us here.
Books for the under 6s
C'est quand l'été ?
Romane Lefebvre
Picture book for ages 0-3
Boris the bear loves summer. He loves to put on his swimming costume, and he loves to go for a dip in the lake. But it's still winter, it's snowing, and the lake is still frozen. Boris is very disappointed. He must wait a little longer and be patient because after the winter comes the spring. His neighbour Micheline the rabbit tries to cheer him up and shows him the joys of each season. C'est quand l'été is a funny book about patience and the beauty of the cycle of the seasons. Romane Lefebvre's drawing is refreshing with a vibrant colour palette. A perfect book to enjoy the summer.
Read here.
Les Grrr en vacances
Clémence Sabbagh | Agathe Moreau
Picture book for ages 3-6
Do you know the Grrr? They’re a group of characters who spend their time grumbling about everything. This summer, they are going on vacation to the sea. They'll be able to enjoy the sandy beaches, swimming, hiking, sleeping under the stars and all sorts of fun activities! And yet... they keep complaining. The sand is too hot, there are too many bugs and walking hurts their feet. Eventually, a wild adventure will change their outlook. Les Grrr en vacances is a funny book that everyone can relate to, kids and parents alike. Laughter guaranteed!
Read here.
Dans mon petit jardin
Lenia Major | Clémence Pollet
Documentary picture book for ages 3-6
It's summertime and a little girl is spending the holidays with her grandparents. And her grandad has a wonderful surprise for her: her own garden plot to grow what she likes. Dans mon petit jardin shows the different steps of gardening, from the preparation of the soil to the harvest. We also discover the range of different plants; and the animals - birds, insects, and rodents - that gravitate around them. Between fiction and documentary, this gentle and poetic picture book speaks of our relationship with the earth and is absolutely worth discovering.
Read here.
Ana, Ana (3) : Une virée à la mer
Alexis Dormal | Dominique Roques
Comic book for ages 4+
Ana Ana, Pico Bogue’s little sister, takes all her soft animals to the beach for the first time. For once, the little team of rascals is silent, everyone is enchanted by the sea and the sounds of the waves. That’s until the lively little girl launches the merry troop to attack the beach and go swimming!
Ana Ana is an easy comic-book for kids who are just learning to read by themselves, or for parents to read with them. Toddlers will identify with this funny young girl that brings life to her playful soft toys.
Read here.
Books for ages 6+
Les filles ne montent pas si haut d’habitude
Alice Butaud
Novel for ages 6+
Timoti is a shy boy who lives alone with his father ever since his mum left a couple of years ago. But his life will dramatically change one summer morning when a mischievous girl appears at his window. She tells him to meet her outside at midnight for a night of adventure. She is the opposite of Timoti, so extraverted and seemingly unafraid of everything, but the boy decides to get out of his comfort zone and follow her for a very curious road-trip on a hot summer night.
This novel is full of fantasy and humour and easy for young readers to read. Despite its light-hearted beginning as a fun night-time adventure, it also sensitively discusses more complex family and social issues. And what’s better than a novel that also challenges traditional gender roles and behaviours?
Read here.
J'ai 14 ans et ce n’est pas une bonne nouvelle
Jo Witek
Novel for ages 12+
Returning to her village for the school holidays, Efi is convinced that she is a teenager like any other and that at fourteen the world belongs to her. But that is not what those around her think, they now see her as being of marriageable age. No more freedom, horizons, books or walks with her friends. Her future is now in the hands of her father, then in those of her chosen husband. She has become a commodity, a gift exchanged between two families. Torn from childhood, her dreams trampled, Efi enters the hell of a forced marriage. Despite living in the 21st century, will her destiny be to live forever as an imprisoned servant?
Not all summers are fun. This novel is a touching portrait of a rebellious teenager who embodies the voice of millions of oppressed young girls, and the fight against archaic customs.
Read here.