Even though summer means pencils down, it doesn’t mean your students have to put books down! You can encourage your students to keep up with their reading routine during the summer by stocking up on these summer-themed books for under $5. 

Whether you’re refreshing your classroom library or sending your students home with books (or both!), these highly engaging reads will open up their imagination and help them hone their reading skills while school’s out of session.

Browse the best summer reads by grade! Jump to: 

• Grades K-2
• Grades 3-5
• Grades 6-8

Grades K-2

Younger elementary school students love picture books and early chapter books for their easy-to-decode text and simple sentence structure. 

Take the widely adored Scholastic Branches book, Diary of a Pug #7: Pug's Road Trip. Your students will follow along as Bub and Bella search for the perfect souvenir on their road trip to bring back for their friend, Jack. The easy-to-follow text and engaging plot will grasp your student's attention and encourage them to read more! 

Grades 3-5

Many upper elementary students spend their summers at camp and might feel anxious about making new friends and joining activities. Reading books about similar experiences will help your students feel seen and give them the tools to troubleshoot tricky social situations. 

Adventure is out there, and summer is the perfect time to explore national parks. In I Survived the Attack of the Grizzlies, 1967 , Eleven-year-old Melody Vega is camping with her family and encounters a fearsome grizzly bear. This thrilling book is a great reminder of how unpredictable nature can be. 

Meanwhile, growing readers will love Summer Vacation from the Black Lagoon —  a hilarious chapter book centered around Hubie's plans to survive a boring summer vacation. Students will not only improve their literacy skills, but also get a good laugh in about relatable experiences.

Grades 6-8

Chapter books are a great way to boost vocabulary and build critical reading skills in middle schoolers. 

Theory, Practice, and Destructive Properties: Liar, Liar is a thought-provoking story about Kevin, one of the best liars out there. Kevin lies not to get in trouble, but to make things easier for everyone. But when he finds his lies starting to snowball, Kevin's life is turned upside-down, and he must finally do the most difficult thing he can think of: tell the truth. 

Meanwhile, Finding Someplace takes readers along thirteen-year-old Reesie Boone's journey to become a fashion designer. But when Hurricane Katrina destroys Reesie's city, her journey back home has only just begun after the waters recede. 

Shop the best summer reading books under $5 below! You can find all books and resources at The Teacher Store.