summer reads

Reading has to be one of my ultimate favorite summer pastimes. As a little girl, summer provided an opportunity to re-read all my favorites such as The Secret Garden, Charlotte's Web, Little House on the Prairie series, and of course new titles from our local library.

To this day, summer is still my favorite time to snuggle up with a good book. Some of my favorite past summer selections include (in no particular order):

Playing for Pizza
John Grisham
This is a quintessential summer read -no thinking required. If nothing else, this book will leave you wanting to skip town and head straight to Italy, or your nearest favorite Italian restaurant.

There is No Me Without You: One Woman's Odyssey to Rescue Africa's Children
Melissa Fay Greene
If you feel the need to revive your hope in the human race, reading about this woman's single handed efforts of rescuing and supporting oprhaned African children, this will do it.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Mary Ann Shaffer
This whimsical story will leave you wanting to find a pen pal, or at least revisit your own personal journal.

These Is My Words: The Diary of Agnes Prine 1881-1901
Nancy E Turner
The strong spirit of this main character girl always leaves me feeling strengthen and grateful for the early American settlers.

A Girl Named Zippy: Growing Up in Mooreland Indiana
Haven Kimmel
Having lived in Indiana for a number of years, I could easily imagine the hometown setting of this main character as she recounts memories of her childhood with a mature wit and a laugh out loud perspective.

Animal Vegetable Miracle
Barbara Kingsolver
If there was ever a book to inspire one to garden and eat local -this is it. This book, complete with recipes, will leave you questioning that salad you ate last winter and wanting to make friends with all the farmers at your local market.

More Sex is Safer Sex: The Unconventional Wisdom of Economics
Steven Landsberg
Just because, I tend to like a good nonfiction read. Don't worry -its actually an economics book. If you like Malcolm Gladwell books, this is right up your alley.

Harry Potter -the entire series
JK Rowling
If you have a chunk of time, this series is always fun to read. A constant page-turner, this jv fiction has universal appeal -even for those who tend to shy away from fantasy -I was happily surprised! Just be prepared with the next book in hand, because you will want it the moment you close it's predecessor.

And if your dishes and laundry happen to pile this summer due to reading any of these books, you can blame me. And if they pile up due to another book pass on the title and share!

What have you been reading?

Linked to Centsational Girl