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Maggie & Julie’s Top 20 – 2025 Summer Reading List
Summer is finally here, and you know what that means — longer days, less structure, and more time to finally read for you. Whether you’re a beach reader, a hammock lounger, or someone who enjoys reading a few pages between naps and iced coffees, we’ve got something for you. Maggie and I teamed up to create our 2025 Summer Reading List — a thoughtful mix of page-turning fiction, inspiring professional reads, and bucket-list books we’ve been waiting all year to devour.
Our 2025 Summer Reading List was crafted with teachers in mind — because we know your time is precious, your interests are diverse, and let’s be honest… you earned this time to relax and reset. This isn’t just a list; it’s a celebration of your well-deserved break, full of titles that uplift, challenge, and entertain.
Maggie’s Top 10 2025 Summer Reading List
As curriculum director of The Teacher’s Academy and full-time high school Social Studies teacher, I am counting the days to summer! Like all teachers it’s time to wake up with the sun, sip our morning coffee, and pee whenever we want to! (It’s the little things, right?!) I am keenly aware that not everyone understands the “summers off” concept but I am a firm believer that we need this time to recharge and plus, we already worked these hours! For every Sunday afternoon spent grading papers or writing letters of recommendations, for every late-night last-minute lesson plan addition, for all the conversations cut short with your own family to take care of your students in some way, this summer is yours- you earned it! And this top 10 reading list is also for you. Happy Summer!
Curating this 2025 summer reading list for teachers was a blast. I asked a few teacher-friends and did a little of my own research which culminated in a blend of my personal favorites, must-reads, and bucket-list reads for me! I hope you find something to enjoy over the summer!
Maggie’s Favorites
As a life-long student, I’m a big fan of historical fiction. Like most readers, I am drawn to the page-turners that capture my attention even when I’m not reading! Add a time period and a few factual events as the backdrop and I’m sold. Here is a list of my personal favorite historical fiction page-turners…
10. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet
If I told you The Pillars of the Earth is an epic tale about the building of a cathedral— you might scroll right past this title, but trust me… It opens with a scene you can’t forget and doesn’t stop until you finish. At the forefront, the story is about ambition, resilience, power, love, and revenge. It spans several decades and intertwines the lives of multiple characters from different social classes, all centered around the fictional town of Kingsbridge. It’s a standout on this year’s 2025 summer reading list, especially for fans of historical fiction. BONUS TRACK: If you loved Pillars of the Earth, read Follet’s Century Trilogy, beginning with The Fall of Giants.
9. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
I love a book whose main character is not someone you’ve ever heard of but actually did exist. Martha Ballard was an 18th century midwife and her journals were the inspiration for this mystery- thriller. In Lawhon’s interpretation, Ballard finds herself at the heart of a murder investigation. She finds herself struggling to he heard in the patriarchal court system relies on her keen wit, midwife journals and strong bonds she’s made with other women to solve this mystery.
8. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
I would pause reading this book just to re-read the sentences and marvel at the craftmanship. Verghese is not only a master story-teller, but a poet. Verghese is a medical doctor who draws on his experience in the Aids epidemic to add authenticity and vivid imagery to his novels. In Cutting for Stone, a mother of twins dies in childbirth and their father vanishes, leaving them to be raised by two loving, eccentric Indian doctors. As the boys grow, they become fascinated with medicine and begin to follow in their adoptive parents’ footsteps.
However, their bond is tested by betrayal, political upheaval, and romantic rivalry—especially when both fall in love with the same woman. It’s the type of book where the closer you get to the end, the slower you read.
7. The Women by Kristen Hannah
Fair warning, as a daughter of a Vietnam veteran, this book was difficult to read. My dad wasn’t very forthcoming when it came to talking about “the war” and so I took to finding books and movies that could give me a glimpse into his world. Born a year after the end of this conflict, Vietnam is a story in a history book to me, but Kristin Hannah brings the harsh realities to life through likeable characters and page-turning drama. Like Hannah’s other novels, it’s easy to fall in love with the protagonist, Frankie McGrath, an army nurse forced to confront the brutal realities of combat, emotional toll of caregiving under fire, and her own sense of identity and purpose. Once home, she finds her service is neither acknowledged nor respected — especially as a woman. She struggles with PTSD, societal rejection, and the loss of her fellow soldiers. This was also a “must read” recommendation from my teacher friends!
Must-Read (Teacher Picks)
6. The Gifts of Imperfection by Berne Brown
This is an “oldie but goodie” by one of my favorite authorities on human vulnerability, and mindfulness, Berne Brown. If you haven’t googled her yet, please do! Her Ted Talks are hilarious, informative and inspiring. She is a gift to anyone who wants to feel good about themselves… because of their imperfections. Teachers often feel pressure to be everything to everyone. This book offers a freeing perspective: you don’t have to be perfect to be impactful. It encourages authenticity, boundary-setting, and self-care—essentials for avoiding burnout and staying connected to your “why.”
5. The Coddling of the American Mind by Johnathon Haidt and Greg Lukianoff
I’m not sure how things are going in your district, but in mine, there’s been a shift in how we teach our students and how they learn. As an educator, I believe that learning can be difficult and even messy. Yet, today’s youth struggles with struggling. Sometimes, learning is hard and the struggle is real, but some students are better at struggling than others. The effort-part of the learning process builds resilience. If you are concerned about the over-protection of our youth during the learning process, this book is for you. It is packed with science- backed data on educational trends stemming from too much coddling and not enough struggling! This book argues that well intention-ed efforts to protect young people—particularly in schools and universities—have inadvertently harmed them by encouraging emotional fragility, avoidance of discomfort, and a culture of safety-ism (prioritizing emotional safety over resilience and intellectual challenge). This 2025 summer reading list pick has been a tool to help educate our school community about the dangers of too much coddling!
4. What Great Teachers do Differently: 17 Things that Matter Most
There are a lot of best practices books for teachers on the market, but this highlights 17 key traits that make great teachers stand out. It’s not about having Pinterest-perfect lessons or being a tech wizard — it’s about how you approach your students and your work.
Here are some of the takeaways:
- Focus on what you control — Great teachers don’t waste time blaming kids, parents, or the system. They put energy into what they can change.
- Make every student feel important — They make sure every kid feels seen, respected, and like they belong.
- Be clear and consistent — They set fair expectations and follow through. Kids know what to expect, and that creates trust.
- Show respect, no matter what — Even when things get stressful, they stay calm and professional.
- Always be learning — Great teachers reflect, adapt, and keep working to improve, no matter how long they’ve been in the game.
At the end of the day, if you’re looking for a little summer inspiration before heading back to the classroom, this book is a great, easy read.
Bucket List- Books I Haven’t Read Yet… but I will this summer!
3. Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall
I am so excited to dive into a novel set in the English countryside in the 1950s and 60s. It’s a historical backdrop featuring suspense, love, mystery and twists until the end (according to the summary on Audible!) The story follows Beth, a woman whose life is upended when her first love, Gabriel, returns to her village with his young son. This reunion stirs up memories and secrets, especially as Beth grapples with the loss of her own child and the complexities of her current marriage to the steadfast Frank. The narrative weaves between past and present, unraveling a tale of love, loss, and the choices that define us. As tensions rise, a mysterious death prompts a courtroom drama that keeps readers guessing. It’s a poignant exploration of how our pasts can resurface, challenging the lives we’ve built.
2. Talking to Strangers- Malcolm Gladwell
The Amazon summary sounds promising, especially since I have loved and devoured Gladwell’s Tipping point and David and Goliath. Talking to Strangers takes a look at notorious moments in history and society and attempts to answer questions like: How did Fidel Castro fool the CIA? Why did Neville Chamberlain trust Adolf Hitler? Why are campus sexual assaults on the rise? Do television sitcoms teach us something about the way we relate to one another that isn’t true? The Amazon summary reads, “Talking to Strangers is a challenging and controversial excursion through history, psychology, and scandals taken straight from the news. In it, Malcolm Gladwell revisits the deceptions of Bernie Madoff, the suicide of Sylvia Plath, and the death of Sandra Bland—throwing our understanding of these and other stories into doubt.” I’m in!
1. What will people think? Sara Hamdan
It’s a comedy, romance, mystery, coming of age story and a summer release date? I’m in! According to Goodreads (where I get the best recommendations!) the novel is set in 2011 New York City, and follows Mia Almas, a Palestinian-American woman leading a double life: by day, she’s a media fact-checker; by night, she’s secretly performing stand-up comedy. Her conservative grandparents, who raised her after her father’s death on 9/11, would never approve of her comedic pursuits or her growing feelings for her boss.
Mia’s world begins to unravel when a viral video exposes her secret life, threatening her family’s reputation and unearthing a long-buried scandal from 1940s Palestine.
Sounds like the perfect balance of culture, life, family and discovery that will be the perfect compliment to my summer reads!
Julie’s Top 10 Picks for Summer Reading List
Hi All! Teachers pack a whole years worth of work in 9 months so these 3 quick summer months are necessary for our survival. Time to sleep in, do yoga, head to the beach and eat ice cream. (Well, that’s what I’m going to anyway.) However you spend your summer, remember that these long days and warm nights have been earned by your hard work throughout the year. There is no guilt! Only guilt-free fun in the sun times with family and friends. I’m also super excited to share my favorites for the 2025 summer reading list with all of you! Hopefully, some of the books from both of our lists will appeal to you and make it into your hands.
Julie’s Favorite’s
10. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Before The Women, Kristin Hannah wrote The Nightingale, which was based on a true story. This tear-jerking novel follows two sisters who find themselves working for the French Resistance during German-occupied war torn France. One sister guides allied soldiers to safety through the Pyrenees Mountains and the other hides Jewish children from Nazi soldiers. Their family has been torn apart and yet they show resilience, strength and bravery during the darkest and most dangerous times of WWII. Have a box of tissues close for this one!
9. The Secret Life of Sunflowers by Marta Molner
This historical fiction novel is a hidden gem on the 2025 summer reading list. It mixes current day fiction with historical truth. I actually became a fan of Vincent van Gogh a few years ago when I saw an interactive museum based on his works then watched Loving Vincent, a beautiful short film about his life as an artist made entirely of his artwork and drawings. So I’m recommending both here! A lot of what you think you know about Vincent van Gogh is not exactly as it seems. He was a tortured man, but also, kind and loving. The novel intertwines past and present and wraps up in an unexpected but awesome way.
8. The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate
This story tells the perilous journey of 3 very different women who leave Louisiana to find their families after the Civil War has ended. It also tells the story of a first year teacher sent to a small poverty stricken town in Louisiana, approximately one hundred years later, trying to find ways to connect with her students. Run down plantation homes and gnarled live Oak trees reveal a forgotten history of slavery, war, love and loss and how the resurrected journey of these 3 women, have a direct impact on the teacher and her students.
Must Read Teacher Picks:
7. 180 Days of Physical Wellness for Busy Teachers by Tina H. Boogren
Using accountability tools, reflections, and 36 weeks’ worth of invitations, Tina H. Boogren gives K–12 teachers and administrators the structure and ideas they need to improve their well-being. Boogren dives deep into the physical wellness aspect of self-care, inviting readers to engage in a new series of activities centered on the routines of physical wellness: food, hydration, movement, sleep, and rest.
All educators can use this book to:
- Determine how they want to feel
- Get ideas for how to pair tasks to help form healthy habits
- Learn to tell the difference between hunger and appetite
- Discover sensory rest and various ways to adopt it
- Address revenge bedtime procrastination head-on
In The Anxious Generation, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt lays out the facts about the epidemic of teen mental illness that hit many countries at the same time. He then investigates the nature of childhood, including why children need play and independent exploration to mature into competent, thriving adults. Haidt shows how the “play-based childhood” began to decline in the 1980s, and how it was finally wiped out by the arrival of the “phone-based childhood” in the early 2010s. He presents more than a dozen mechanisms by which this “great rewiring of childhood” has interfered with children’s social and neurological development, covering everything from sleep deprivation to attention fragmentation, addiction, loneliness, social contagion, social comparison, and perfectionism. He explains why social media damages girls more than boys and why boys have been withdrawing from the real world into the virtual world, with disastrous consequences for themselves, their families, and their societies.
5. The Reignited Educator by Mandy Froehlich
Many teachers experience a shift in their professional career from joy to burnout, and often are unprepared to address it. Author Mandy Froehlich takes readers on her search to uncover educators’ emotional disengagement. In her findings, she provides practical strategies and research-backed guidance for teachers to heal and reengage in the profession, rediscovering self-care, well-being, and healing in their purposeful work.
Educators will:
- Investigate various factors that contribute to educator burnout, disengagement, and attrition
- Consult the continuum of educator engagement
- Explore research and science that validate the importance of educator engagement
- Gain many strategies for healing professionally and pursuing the process of reengagement
- Access worksheets, checklists, and detailed instructions to help them implement the book’s strategies
4. More Ramped Up Read Alouds by Maria P. Walther
Backed by the latest research, this indispensable guide equips educators with the knowledge and tools to make read alouds a cornerstone of their teaching practice. More Ramped-Up Read Alouds includes lessons focused on foundational reading concepts like phonological awareness and decoding along with a new chapter on integrating literacy with STEAM.
Bucket List Reads – Quick reads for the Beach!
3. Tending Roses by Lisa Wingate
When Kate Bowman temporarily moves to her grandmother’s Missouri farm with her husband and baby son, she learns that the lessons that most enrich our lives often come unexpectedly. The family has given Kate the job of convincing Grandma Rose, who’s become increasingly stubborn and forgetful, to move off her beloved land and into a nursing home. But Kate knows such a change would break her grandmother’s heart. Just when Kate despairs of finding answers, she discovers her grandma’s journal. A beautiful handmade notebook, it is full of stories that celebrate the importance of family, friendship, and faith. Stories that make Kate see her life—and her grandmother—in a completely new way….
2. Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo
Truth be told – I LOVE Kate DiCamillo and when I saw the cover of this book I realized I used to have the SAME bunny rabbit barrett! Definitely a 70s/80s child that I’m already connecting with!
When Louisiana Elefante’s granny wakes her up in the middle of the night to tell her that the day of reckoning has arrived and they have to leave home immediately, Louisiana isn’t overly worried. After all, Granny has many middle-of-the-night ideas. But this time, things are different. This time, Granny intends for them never to return. Separated from her best friends, Raymie and Beverly, Louisiana struggles to oppose the winds of fate (and Granny) and find a way home. But as Louisiana’s life becomes entwined with the lives of the people of a small Georgia town — including a surly motel owner, a walrus-like minister, and a mysterious boy with a crow on his shoulder — she starts to worry that she is destined only for goodbyes.
1. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
When a terrible drought struck William Kamkwamba’s tiny village in Malawi, his family lost all of the season’s crops, leaving them with nothing to eat and nothing to sell. William began to explore science books in his village library, looking for a solution. There, he came up with the idea that would change his family’s life forever: he could build a windmill. Made out of scrap metal and old bicycle parts, William’s windmill brought electricity to his home and helped his family pump the water they needed to farm the land.
Closing Thoughts
Wherever your summer takes you — whether it’s a quiet morning with coffee, a long road trip, or a well-deserved beach day — we hope our 2025 summer reading list adds inspiration, reflection, and a little fun to your time off. These books were chosen with care by educators who understand just how important it is to recharge, reconnect, and rediscover the joy of learning (for ourselves!). Happy reading, and have a wonderful, restful summer!
Maggie and I want wish you all a safe summer filled with many precious, happy moments. Enjoy!
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