Engaging Books for Families | 2026 Summer Reading

August 10, 2026

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I remember getting lost in books as a kid. I lived the stories right along with the characters.

Summer is a time for adventure and exploration—not only outside in the wide world but within the imaginative pages of a story. While we parents don’t particularly want our kids getting lost, we do want them to get lost—in a good book!

Finding good books is perhaps the hardest battle for motivating our children (and ourselves) to read.

Today I want to share some engaging books for families. These books are not necessarily about summer, but we happened to read them this summer!

Books for the Younger (or Young at Heart)

Gone Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright —A forgotten world of once-posh summer homes beckons Portia and Julian to begin their own summer adventures.

The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill —Braving the harsh Alaskan climate, Miss Agnes helps the young people of a remote village embrace the joys of learning in non-traditional ways.

Grandma’s Attic Series by Arleta Richardson —Childhood antics of years gone by on a Michigan farm still delight and fascinate young readers of today.

Billy and Blaze series by C. W. Anderson —A boy and his horse set out on adventures—the kind only read about in books nowadays.

Missionary Stories with the Millers by Mildred A. Martin —Youngsters can travel around the world in whirlwind fashion with these punchy narratives about God’s working in distant and dangerous lands.

Books for Young Adults

Ida Scudder: Healing Bodies, Touching Hearts by Janet and Geoff Benge —Promising never to return to India, the strong-willed Ida Scudder did indeed return as a doctor and eventual founder of the first all-female medical school. Ida influenced countless lives for Christ while forever changing the once hopeless medical situation of many Indian women.

Sir Knight of the Splendid Way W. E. Cule —Rich syntax woven deeply with Christian truths carves a path through life’s journey, reminiscent of the Pilgrim’s Progress.

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Well, friends, I hope you are having a wonderful summer! As you live the story of your life, I hope that you are enriched by the stories of others.

-Ashley

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