Make Summer Reading Fun Again
Summer can be a magical time for reading! The long, unscheduled days allow kids to rediscover their love for books without the pressure of school work and extracurriculars. The more time they spend lost in a good book, the less time they’ll spend scrolling aimlessly. That’s why I’m inviting kids ages 8-14 to read with me this summer.
BOOK CLUB PICKS
I’ve linked to my full review of each book.
June 2025 Junior Pick
Bodega Cats: Picture Purrfect by Hilda Eunice Burgos
August 2025 Junior Pick
Dogtown by Gennifer Choldenko and Katherine Applegate
June 2025 Senior Pick
The Kate in Between by Claire Swinarski
August 2025 Senior Pick
The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly
July 2025 Junior Pick
Elfie Unperfect by Kristin Mahoney
July 2025 Senior Pick
A Perfect Mistake by Melanie Conklin
Who Am I?
Hi! My name is Afoma Umesi, and I run this website, Reading Middle Grade, where I recommend books that tweens actually WANT to read — not what critics say they should be reading.
What to Know About My Tween Summer Book Club
Here’s how the club will work:
1. Weekly email/chat check-ins
Participants will receive weekly check-in emails from me with 1-2 discussion questions so they can share how their reading is going! Our SENIOR group will have access to a chat platform where they can have spoiler-free conversations every day!
2. Biweekly Zoom meetings
I’ll meet with each group every other week to discuss the book for 30 minutes. This will also allow them to hear from fellow book clubbers. They might even get to meet the book’s author during one of our Zoom meetings!
3. Fun printables and extension activities
A major perk of book club with me is printable resources! From Reader Interest Surveys and activity printables to a FREE copy of my 2025 Summer Reading Guide printable, there’s so much in store.
I’m sure you have many questions! I’ll try to answer as many as I can:
It’s for kids ages 8-14 who like to read and would love to join a virtual book club this summer. We’ll have a JUNIOR (ages 8-10) and SENIOR (ages 10-14) book club, so your kids will be reading age-appropriate material. Younger kids reading at an advanced level are welcome to join the SENIOR club.
Our official schedule will be released in March 2025, but we plan to read ENJOYABLE stories, nothing too dark or controversial, because the goal is to “make reading FUN”! Since it’s my preferred genre, we’ll be reading mostly realistic fiction, with some animal-led options for younger ages and contemporary and historical options for the big kids.
Yes! Each group will have a maximum number of 15 kids.
JUNIORS: Every second and fourth Wednesday of the month at 4:30 PM EST
SENIORS: Every second and fourth Saturday of the month at 3 PM EST
Participation costs $30 per child per month. Attendees receive a complimentary copy of the 2025 Reading Middle Grade Summer Reading Guide. Reading Middle-Grade Patreon members receive 50% off for kids attending this book club. You can join my Patreon community here.
Would you go to book club if you hated reading? 🙂 I want kids to be there by choice! If you’d like to help your child develop a love for reading, I’d be happy to help you find a book your child will love using my Book Matchmaking service. Then once they’re more open to books, we’d be happy to have them join!
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