{"id":20460,"date":"2026-06-23T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/?p=20460"},"modified":"2026-06-18T03:04:36","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T10:04:36","slug":"10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Best Books to Read This Summer And Provoking Documentaries to Explore"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"bsf_rt_marker\"><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/10-Best-Books-to-Read-This-Summer-cover.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"809\" height=\"425\" data-attachment-id=\"20578\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-cover\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/10-Best-Books-to-Read-This-Summer-cover.png?fit=1200%2C630&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1200,630\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"10 Best Books to Read This Summer cover\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/10-Best-Books-to-Read-This-Summer-cover.png?fit=809%2C425&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/10-Best-Books-to-Read-This-Summer-cover.png?resize=809%2C425&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"10 Best Books to Read This Summer And Provoking Documentaries to Explore\" class=\"wp-image-20578\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/10-Best-Books-to-Read-This-Summer-cover.png?resize=1024%2C538&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/10-Best-Books-to-Read-This-Summer-cover.png?resize=300%2C158&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/10-Best-Books-to-Read-This-Summer-cover.png?resize=768%2C403&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/10-Best-Books-to-Read-This-Summer-cover.png?resize=810%2C425&amp;ssl=1 810w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/10-Best-Books-to-Read-This-Summer-cover.png?resize=1140%2C599&amp;ssl=1 1140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/10-Best-Books-to-Read-This-Summer-cover.png?resize=571%2C300&amp;ssl=1 571w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/10-Best-Books-to-Read-This-Summer-cover.png?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 809px) 100vw, 809px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Summer reading has always had a particular fantasy to it. A linen shirt, an iced drink sweating beside you, and a coastal breeze if life is feeling particularly generous. Stories where people spiral a little, reinvent themselves dramatically, or stare out windows contemplating the meaning of existence. There\u2019s just something about summer that magnifies emotion. Maybe it\u2019s the longer days, or nostalgia, or the way everyone collectively loses their minds the second the temperature rises above 30\u00b0C. These are reads for the high school crowd and beyond. So whether you\u2019re looking for sharp literary fiction, chaotic coming-of-age stories, or something emotionally devastating, these are the books to read this summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<nav aria-label=\"Table of Contents\" class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents\"><ol><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/#recommendations-to-read-this-summer-2026\">Recommendations to Read This Summer 2026<\/a><ol><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/#the-guest-by-emma-cline\">The Guest by Emma Cline<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/#penance-by-eliza-clark\">Penance by Eliza Clark<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/#everything-i-know-about-love-by-dolly-alderton\">Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/#mary-jane-by-jessica-anya-blau\">Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/#summer-by-ali-smith\">Summer by Ali Smith<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/#tell-me-everything-by-elizabeth-strout\">Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/#the-correspondent-by-virginia-evans\">The Correspondent by Virginia Evans<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/#foster-by-claire-keegan\">Foster by Claire Keegan<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/#east-of-eden-by-john-steinbeck\">East of Eden by John Steinbeck<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/#lessons-in-chemistry-by-bonnie-garmus\">Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/#not-much-of-a-reader-we-ve-got-you-covered-too\">Not Much of a Reader? We\u2019ve Got You Covered Too<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"wp-block-table-of-contents__entry\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/#let-summer-reading-begin\">Let Summer Reading Begin<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/nav>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"recommendations-to-read-this-summer-2026\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Recommendations to Read This Summer 2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"the-guest-by-emma-cline\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/61986136-the-guest?from_search=true&amp;from_srp=true&amp;qid=iyGA8Nvkq8&amp;rank=5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>The Guest<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong> by Emma Cline<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Guest-by-Emma-Cline.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"809\" height=\"425\" data-attachment-id=\"20579\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/the-guest-by-emma-cline\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Guest-by-Emma-Cline.png?fit=1200%2C631&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1200,631\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"The Guest by Emma Cline\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Guest-by-Emma-Cline.png?fit=809%2C425&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Guest-by-Emma-Cline.png?resize=809%2C425&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Recommendations to Read This Summer 2026\" class=\"wp-image-20579\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.9014878477035395;width:506px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Guest-by-Emma-Cline.png?resize=1024%2C538&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Guest-by-Emma-Cline.png?resize=300%2C158&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Guest-by-Emma-Cline.png?resize=768%2C404&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Guest-by-Emma-Cline.png?resize=810%2C426&amp;ssl=1 810w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Guest-by-Emma-Cline.png?resize=1140%2C599&amp;ssl=1 1140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Guest-by-Emma-Cline.png?resize=571%2C300&amp;ssl=1 571w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Guest-by-Emma-Cline.png?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 809px) 100vw, 809px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">If summer had a slightly sinister undercurrent, it would probably look like <em>The Guest<\/em>. Emma Cline writes the kind of tension that feels deceptively calm until you realize your shoulders have been clenched for 200 pages. What unfolds is a hazy, unsettling spiral through privilege, performance, and survival. It\u2019s sticky with heat, discomfort, and the particular weirdness of trying to reinvent yourself before everything catches up to you. Perfect for readers who enjoy morally questionable characters making increasingly stressful decisions while the sun blazes overhead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"penance-by-eliza-clark\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/62898932-penance?from_search=true&amp;from_srp=true&amp;qid=C18e3bMV2o&amp;rank=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>Penance<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong> by Eliza Clark<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Penance-by-Eliza-Clark.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"809\" height=\"425\" data-attachment-id=\"20581\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/penance-by-eliza-clark\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Penance-by-Eliza-Clark.png?fit=1200%2C631&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1200,631\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Penance by Eliza Clark\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Penance-by-Eliza-Clark.png?fit=809%2C425&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Penance-by-Eliza-Clark.png?resize=809%2C425&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Recommendations to Read This Summer 2026\" class=\"wp-image-20581\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.9014878477035395;width:506px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Penance-by-Eliza-Clark.png?resize=1024%2C538&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Penance-by-Eliza-Clark.png?resize=300%2C158&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Penance-by-Eliza-Clark.png?resize=768%2C404&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Penance-by-Eliza-Clark.png?resize=810%2C426&amp;ssl=1 810w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Penance-by-Eliza-Clark.png?resize=1140%2C599&amp;ssl=1 1140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Penance-by-Eliza-Clark.png?resize=571%2C300&amp;ssl=1 571w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Penance-by-Eliza-Clark.png?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 809px) 100vw, 809px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">If your ideal summer read involves internet obsession, true crime culture, and realizing humanity may actually be doomed, <em>Penance<\/em> is for you. Structured like a pseudo true-crime investigation, the novel examines the murder of a teenage girl and the media frenzy surrounding it. Darkly funny, unsettling, and painfully online, this is the kind of book that makes you put it down every few chapters just to stare at a wall for a moment. Which is sometimes exactly what summer reading should do (in our humble opinion).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"everything-i-know-about-love-by-dolly-alderton\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/46041465-everything-i-know-about-love?from_search=true&amp;from_srp=true&amp;qid=pQfk7ZbyF5&amp;rank=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>Everything I Know About Love<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong> by Dolly Alderton<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Everything-I-Know-About-Love-by-Dolly-Alderton.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"809\" height=\"425\" data-attachment-id=\"20582\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/everything-i-know-about-love-by-dolly-alderton\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Everything-I-Know-About-Love-by-Dolly-Alderton.png?fit=1200%2C631&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1200,631\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Everything-I-Know-About-Love-by-Dolly-Alderton.png?fit=809%2C425&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Everything-I-Know-About-Love-by-Dolly-Alderton.png?resize=809%2C425&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Recommendations to Read This Summer 2026\" class=\"wp-image-20582\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.9014878477035395;width:506px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Everything-I-Know-About-Love-by-Dolly-Alderton.png?resize=1024%2C538&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Everything-I-Know-About-Love-by-Dolly-Alderton.png?resize=300%2C158&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Everything-I-Know-About-Love-by-Dolly-Alderton.png?resize=768%2C404&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Everything-I-Know-About-Love-by-Dolly-Alderton.png?resize=810%2C426&amp;ssl=1 810w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Everything-I-Know-About-Love-by-Dolly-Alderton.png?resize=1140%2C599&amp;ssl=1 1140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Everything-I-Know-About-Love-by-Dolly-Alderton.png?resize=571%2C300&amp;ssl=1 571w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Everything-I-Know-About-Love-by-Dolly-Alderton.png?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 809px) 100vw, 809px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Despite the title, this is not your standard \u201clove story\u201d involving grand gestures in the rain or dramatically running through an airport. In fact, romantic love is almost beside the point. Dolly Alderton\u2019s memoir is really about friendship, the ones that shape your youth more than any relationship ever could. Terrible decisions, cramped flatshares, growing apart, growing up, and eventually realising that the people who witnessed your most embarrassing phases are often the great loves of your life. It\u2019s funny, warm, and more cathartic than you&#8217;ll expect.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"mary-jane-by-jessica-anya-blau\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/54870208-mary-jane?from_search=true&amp;from_srp=true&amp;qid=OdDAhXPL32&amp;rank=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>Mary Jane<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong> by Jessica Anya Blau<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Mary-Jane-by-Jessica-Anya-Blau.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"809\" height=\"425\" data-attachment-id=\"20584\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/mary-jane-by-jessica-anya-blau\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Mary-Jane-by-Jessica-Anya-Blau.png?fit=1200%2C631&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1200,631\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Mary-Jane-by-Jessica-Anya-Blau.png?fit=809%2C425&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Mary-Jane-by-Jessica-Anya-Blau.png?resize=809%2C425&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Maru Jane - Jessica Anya Blau\" class=\"wp-image-20584\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.9014878477035395;width:506px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Mary-Jane-by-Jessica-Anya-Blau.png?resize=1024%2C538&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Mary-Jane-by-Jessica-Anya-Blau.png?resize=300%2C158&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Mary-Jane-by-Jessica-Anya-Blau.png?resize=768%2C404&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Mary-Jane-by-Jessica-Anya-Blau.png?resize=810%2C426&amp;ssl=1 810w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Mary-Jane-by-Jessica-Anya-Blau.png?resize=1140%2C599&amp;ssl=1 1140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Mary-Jane-by-Jessica-Anya-Blau.png?resize=571%2C300&amp;ssl=1 571w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Mary-Jane-by-Jessica-Anya-Blau.png?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 809px) 100vw, 809px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">No, unfortunately, we are not talking about the shoes. Nor the Puma Speedcats. Set in 1970s Baltimore, this coming-of-age novel follows fourteen-year-old Mary Jane as she begins nannying for a household that is significantly cooler, louder, and more chaotic than her own conservative family. There\u2019s rock music, emotional honesty, and enough culture shock to completely alter the trajectory of her summer.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Warm and charming without feeling overly sentimental, <em>Mary Jane<\/em> captures that strange teenage moment where you\u2019re hit with the realisation that adults are just people making things up as they go. A perfect summer coming-of-age story for anyone who enjoys nostalgic chaos and found-family dynamics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"summer-by-ali-smith\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/52842705-summer?from_search=true&amp;from_srp=true&amp;qid=Sn9oOlN4ZG&amp;rank=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>Summer<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong> by Ali Smith<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Summer-by-Ali-Smith.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"809\" height=\"425\" data-attachment-id=\"20585\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/summer-by-ali-smith\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Summer-by-Ali-Smith.png?fit=1200%2C631&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1200,631\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Summer by Ali Smith\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Summer-by-Ali-Smith.png?fit=809%2C425&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Summer-by-Ali-Smith.png?resize=809%2C425&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Recommendations to Read This Summer 2026\" class=\"wp-image-20585\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.9014878477035395;width:506px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Summer-by-Ali-Smith.png?resize=1024%2C538&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Summer-by-Ali-Smith.png?resize=300%2C158&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Summer-by-Ali-Smith.png?resize=768%2C404&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Summer-by-Ali-Smith.png?resize=810%2C426&amp;ssl=1 810w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Summer-by-Ali-Smith.png?resize=1140%2C599&amp;ssl=1 1140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Summer-by-Ali-Smith.png?resize=571%2C300&amp;ssl=1 571w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Summer-by-Ali-Smith.png?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 809px) 100vw, 809px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">It would feel almost illegal to make a summer reading list without including this one. The final instalment of Ali Smith&#8217;s Seasonal Quartet, Summer, blends politics, memory, art, and human connection into something fragmented yet hopeful. The prose feels both urgent and dreamlike. An accurate portrait of recent years and how intertwined our personal lives are with the world lurching along around us. This is less \u201clight beach read\u201d and more \u201csit quietly under a tree contemplating humanity\u201d type of summer book. Which, to be fair, is also an important seasonal activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"tell-me-everything-by-elizabeth-strout\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/204811915-tell-me-everything?from_search=true&amp;from_srp=true&amp;qid=XimrVn0T84&amp;rank=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>Tell Me Everything<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong> by Elizabeth Strout<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Tell-Me-Everything-by-Elizabeth-Strout.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"809\" height=\"425\" data-attachment-id=\"20586\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/tell-me-everything-by-elizabeth-strout\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Tell-Me-Everything-by-Elizabeth-Strout.png?fit=1200%2C631&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1200,631\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Tell-Me-Everything-by-Elizabeth-Strout.png?fit=809%2C425&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Tell-Me-Everything-by-Elizabeth-Strout.png?resize=809%2C425&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Books to read this summer - Tell Me Everything\" class=\"wp-image-20586\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.9014878477035395;width:506px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Tell-Me-Everything-by-Elizabeth-Strout.png?resize=1024%2C538&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Tell-Me-Everything-by-Elizabeth-Strout.png?resize=300%2C158&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Tell-Me-Everything-by-Elizabeth-Strout.png?resize=768%2C404&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Tell-Me-Everything-by-Elizabeth-Strout.png?resize=810%2C426&amp;ssl=1 810w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Tell-Me-Everything-by-Elizabeth-Strout.png?resize=1140%2C599&amp;ssl=1 1140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Tell-Me-Everything-by-Elizabeth-Strout.png?resize=571%2C300&amp;ssl=1 571w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Tell-Me-Everything-by-Elizabeth-Strout.png?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 809px) 100vw, 809px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pulitzer.org\/winners\/elizabeth-strout\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pulitzer Prize\u2013winning<\/a> author Elizabeth Strout has a remarkable ability to make ordinary conversations feel monumental. <em>Tell Me Everything<\/em> follows Bob Burgess, a small-town lawyer in coastal Maine, who gets pulled into defending a man accused of murdering his own mother. In between, Bob has fallen into a deep friendship with writer Lucy Barton, who lives down the road in a house by the sea. They go on walks, talk about their lives, their regrets, and what might have been. Lucy, meanwhile, strikes up an unlikely friendship with Olive Kitteridge, and the two spend afternoons trading stories about people they&#8217;ve known. It&#8217;s a book about what holds people together. And as Lucy puts it: &#8220;Love comes in so many different forms, but it is always love.&#8221; Perfect for readers who want a reflective summer read that still lingers long after the final page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"the-correspondent-by-virginia-evans\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/217425012-the-correspondent\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>The Correspondent<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong> by Virginia Evans<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Correspondent-by-Virginia-Evans.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"809\" height=\"425\" data-attachment-id=\"20587\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/the-correspondent-by-virginia-evans\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Correspondent-by-Virginia-Evans.png?fit=1201%2C631&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1201,631\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"The Correspondent by Virginia Evans\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Correspondent-by-Virginia-Evans.png?fit=809%2C425&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Correspondent-by-Virginia-Evans-1024x538.png?resize=809%2C425&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Winner of the Women's Prize for Fiction 2026\" class=\"wp-image-20587\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.9014878477035395;width:506px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Correspondent-by-Virginia-Evans.png?resize=1024%2C538&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Correspondent-by-Virginia-Evans.png?resize=300%2C158&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Correspondent-by-Virginia-Evans.png?resize=768%2C404&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Correspondent-by-Virginia-Evans.png?resize=810%2C426&amp;ssl=1 810w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Correspondent-by-Virginia-Evans.png?resize=1140%2C599&amp;ssl=1 1140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Correspondent-by-Virginia-Evans.png?resize=571%2C300&amp;ssl=1 571w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/The-Correspondent-by-Virginia-Evans.png?w=1201&amp;ssl=1 1201w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 809px) 100vw, 809px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Winner of the<a href=\"https:\/\/womensprize.com\/prizes\/womens-prize-for-fiction\/#:~:text=The%202026%20Women's%20Prize%20for,in%20Bedford%20Square%20Gardens%2C%20London.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> 2026 Women&#8217;s Prize<\/a> for Fiction, <em>The Correspondent<\/em> explores connection, loneliness, and the relationships we build entirely through words. There\u2019s something timeless about epistolary (meaning: involving or consisting of letter writing) storytelling in summer. Maybe it\u2019s because letters and emails feel more reflective and suited to afternoons where time stretches lazily. A lovely pick for readers who enjoy character-driven fiction and emotional subtlety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"foster-by-claire-keegan\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/60797399-foster\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>Foster<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong><em> <\/em>by Claire Keegan<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Foster-by-Claire-Keegan.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"809\" height=\"425\" data-attachment-id=\"20589\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/foster-by-claire-keegan\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Foster-by-Claire-Keegan.png?fit=1201%2C631&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1201,631\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Foster by Claire Keegan\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Foster-by-Claire-Keegan.png?fit=809%2C425&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Foster-by-Claire-Keegan.png?resize=809%2C425&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Books to read this summer - Foster\" class=\"wp-image-20589\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.9014878477035395;width:506px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Foster-by-Claire-Keegan.png?resize=1024%2C538&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Foster-by-Claire-Keegan.png?resize=300%2C158&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Foster-by-Claire-Keegan.png?resize=768%2C404&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Foster-by-Claire-Keegan.png?resize=810%2C426&amp;ssl=1 810w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Foster-by-Claire-Keegan.png?resize=1140%2C599&amp;ssl=1 1140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Foster-by-Claire-Keegan.png?resize=571%2C300&amp;ssl=1 571w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Foster-by-Claire-Keegan.png?w=1201&amp;ssl=1 1201w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 809px) 100vw, 809px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Set during the summer of 1981 in the rural Irish countryside, <em>Foster<\/em> follows a young girl sent away to live with relatives while her overwhelmed parents try to manage at home. What begins as a temporary arrangement unfolds into something far more tender about absence and the life-changing power of being truly seen. Claire Keegan accomplishes more in just over 100 pages than some novels do in 500. Originally published in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/10\/30\/books\/review\/claire-keegan-foster.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>The New Yorker<\/em><\/a> before becoming a standalone novella, <em>Foster<\/em> earned widespread acclaim for good reason. It\u2019s brief, devastatingly beautiful, and the kind of story that stays with you long after you finish it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"east-of-eden-by-john-steinbeck\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/883438.East_of_Eden\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>East of Eden<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong> by John Steinbeck<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/East-of-Eden-by-John-Steinbeck.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"809\" height=\"425\" data-attachment-id=\"20590\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/east-of-eden-by-john-steinbeck\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/East-of-Eden-by-John-Steinbeck.png?fit=1201%2C631&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1201,631\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"East of Eden by John Steinbeck\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/East-of-Eden-by-John-Steinbeck.png?fit=809%2C425&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/East-of-Eden-by-John-Steinbeck.png?resize=809%2C425&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Books to read this summer\" class=\"wp-image-20590\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.9014878477035395;width:506px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/East-of-Eden-by-John-Steinbeck.png?resize=1024%2C538&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/East-of-Eden-by-John-Steinbeck.png?resize=300%2C158&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/East-of-Eden-by-John-Steinbeck.png?resize=768%2C404&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/East-of-Eden-by-John-Steinbeck.png?resize=810%2C426&amp;ssl=1 810w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/East-of-Eden-by-John-Steinbeck.png?resize=1140%2C599&amp;ssl=1 1140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/East-of-Eden-by-John-Steinbeck.png?resize=571%2C300&amp;ssl=1 571w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/East-of-Eden-by-John-Steinbeck.png?w=1201&amp;ssl=1 1201w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 809px) 100vw, 809px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">How could we not include a true classic? Set in California\u2019s Salinas Valley, <em>East of Eden<\/em> feels drenched in heat and sunlight from the very first pages. Steinbeck famously contrasts the bright eastern mountains with the darker western range, creating a landscape that feels both beautiful and oppressive under the summer sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">The novel itself is expansive, emotional, and deeply human. Family conflict, morality, inheritance, love, cruelty, identity. It\u2019s the kind of novel people spend years saying they\u2019ll eventually read, only to finish it and immediately wonder why they waited so long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"lessons-in-chemistry-by-bonnie-garmus\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/242528917-lessons-in-chemistry?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_21\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>Lessons in Chemistry<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong> by Bonnie Garmus<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Lessons-in-Chemistry-by-Bonnie-Garmus.png?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"809\" height=\"425\" data-attachment-id=\"20591\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/10-best-books-to-read-this-summer-and-provoking-documentaries\/lessons-in-chemistry-by-bonnie-garmus\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Lessons-in-Chemistry-by-Bonnie-Garmus.png?fit=1201%2C631&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1201,631\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Lessons-in-Chemistry-by-Bonnie-Garmus.png?fit=809%2C425&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Lessons-in-Chemistry-by-Bonnie-Garmus.png?resize=809%2C425&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Books to read this summer\" class=\"wp-image-20591\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.9014878477035395;width:506px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Lessons-in-Chemistry-by-Bonnie-Garmus.png?resize=1024%2C538&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Lessons-in-Chemistry-by-Bonnie-Garmus.png?resize=300%2C158&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Lessons-in-Chemistry-by-Bonnie-Garmus.png?resize=768%2C404&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Lessons-in-Chemistry-by-Bonnie-Garmus.png?resize=810%2C426&amp;ssl=1 810w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Lessons-in-Chemistry-by-Bonnie-Garmus.png?resize=1140%2C599&amp;ssl=1 1140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Lessons-in-Chemistry-by-Bonnie-Garmus.png?resize=571%2C300&amp;ssl=1 571w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Lessons-in-Chemistry-by-Bonnie-Garmus.png?w=1201&amp;ssl=1 1201w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 809px) 100vw, 809px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Elizabeth Zott might be one of the most compelling protagonists in recent fiction. Brilliant, stubborn, unintentionally hilarious, and completely unwilling to shrink herself for anyone. Set in the 1960s, <em>Lessons in Chemistry<\/em> follows a chemist forced out of academia who unexpectedly becomes the host of a cooking show. It\u2019s a sharp exploration of sexism, ambition, grief, and resilience. There\u2019s also the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.apple.com\/tv-pr\/originals\/lessons-in-chemistry\/trailers-videos\/\">adapt<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.apple.com\/tv-pr\/originals\/lessons-in-chemistry\/trailers-videos\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.apple.com\/tv-pr\/originals\/lessons-in-chemistry\/trailers-videos\/\">tion<\/a> if books aren\u2019t entirely your thing. However, this is also your sign to try the book anyway (because, respectfully, books are almost always better \ud83d\udc40).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"not-much-of-a-reader-we-ve-got-you-covered-too\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Not Much of a Reader? We\u2019ve Got You Covered Too<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Summer reading sounds lovely in theory, but sometimes, after a long day, committing to an entire novel feels ambitious. Or perhaps you\u2019re more of a \u201cone episode turns into five\u201d kind of person (no judgment here). So in the spirit of keeping this list accessible to everyone, we\u2019ve also included a few documentaries worth watching this summer.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/teach\/articles\/z4k2kmn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">David Attenborough<\/a> turned 100 this year, and somehow his documentaries only seem to get more essential with time. If summer for you means slowing down, appreciating nature, or briefly fantasizing about disappearing into the countryside for a month, these are a few classics worth revisiting:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hbomax.com\/my\/en\/shows\/planet-earth\/43bcd380-b62e-4c46-a140-e2682c10a3ce?utm_source=universal_search\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Planet Earth<\/a> \u2014 a true classic and still one of the most breathtaking documentary series ever made.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.netflix.com\/my-en\/title\/80049832\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Our Planet<\/a> \u2014 beautifully filmed and perfect for a slower summer evening.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.netflix.com\/my-en\/title\/80216393\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">A Life on Our Planet<\/a> \u2014 part documentary, part reflection on climate change, humanity, and the future we\u2019re shaping together.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">And then there\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.netflix.com\/my-en\/title\/81045007\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>My Octopus Teache<\/em><\/a>r, which has technically been around for a while, but if you missed it, now might be the perfect time to finally watch it. The film follows filmmaker Craig Foster as he develops an unlikely connection with a wild octopus living in a South African kelp forest. What begins as curiosity slowly unfolds into something surprisingly moving, thoughtful, and emotional. Plus, it\u2019s visually stunning in that calming, almost meditative way nature documentaries do so well. Fair warning, though: you may come away emotionally attached to an octopus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">And speaking of octopuses, did you know <a href=\"https:\/\/www.netflix.com\/my-en\/title\/81911351\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Remarkably Bright Creatures<\/em><\/a> (which we featured in our <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/2025\/03\/21\/top-20-ebook-and-audiobook-recommendations-for-spring-2025\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Spring 2025<\/a> reading list) has been adapted? We already know what we\u2019ll be watching this summer!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"let-summer-reading-begin\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Let Summer Reading Begin<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-justify wp-block-paragraph\">Whether you\u2019re reading by the pool, hiding from the heat indoors, or commuting with an audiobook, we hope one of these books finds its way into your season. And if there\u2019s a book that feels undeniably like summer to you, the kind you&#8217;d press into someone&#8217;s hands and say \u201c<em>just trust me<\/em>\u201d, we want to hear about it!<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized has-lightbox\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickschools.com\/quickschools\/free-trial?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=cta+button&amp;utm_campaign=10_best_books_to_read_this_summer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"809\" height=\"359\" data-attachment-id=\"20123\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blog.quickschools.com\/how-great-teachers-build-a-learning-culture-that-lasts\/design-3-02-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/DESIGN-3-02-1.png?fit=1025%2C455&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1025,455\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Subscribe to QuickSchools Blog\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/DESIGN-3-02-1.png?fit=809%2C359&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/DESIGN-3-02-1.png?resize=809%2C359&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Subscribe to our blog\" class=\"wp-image-20123\" style=\"aspect-ratio:2.252765672142139;width:500px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/DESIGN-3-02-1.png?w=1025&amp;ssl=1 1025w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/DESIGN-3-02-1.png?resize=300%2C133&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/DESIGN-3-02-1.png?resize=768%2C341&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/DESIGN-3-02-1.png?resize=810%2C360&amp;ssl=1 810w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.quickschools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/DESIGN-3-02-1.png?resize=676%2C300&amp;ssl=1 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 809px) 100vw, 809px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Looking for books to read this summer? Whether it&#8217;s literary fiction, coming-of-age stories, or something devastating, we&#8217;ve got you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":196568902,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"{title}\n\n{excerpt}\n\n{url}","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[651],"tags":[727023648],"class_list":["post-20460","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles","tag-reading-recommendations"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>10 Best Books to Read This Summer And Provoking Documentaries<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Looking for books to read this summer? 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