Summer Stack Club | Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians

Get Ready to Read This Summer

Read all about our Summer Stack Club, GSCSA's own summer reading program where girls can earn a fun patch just for reading!

To earn a Summer Stack Club patch, girls must:

Register for the Summer Stack Club
Read for at least 20 hours between June 1 and August 1
Read at least 2 books from the 2026 Summer Stack Club Reading List (posted below—keep scrolling!) during the June 1 - August 1 timeframe

Registration has CLOSED. Thanks to all who have joined us for this year!

All 350 books have now been claimed! Thank you to all the troops who registered for the SSC. (You can still register for the SSC, we just no longer have books through GELF to giveaway to troops.)

NEW in 2026 for GSCSA Girl Scouts

READ ALL ABOUT IT! For Summer Stack Club 2026, GSCSA is partnering with Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation (GELF). GELF is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to strengthening early literacy in Tennessee by building home libraries and fostering literacy-rich communities for children and families across the state. Through this partnership, we are able to offer A FREE BOOK (one per girl, up to 350 max) to select troops who register ALL their girl members for this year’s Summer Stack Club. These books are a gift from GELF to help build home libraries and inspire a lifelong love of reading for children across Tennessee.

Criteria for troops to qualify for free books:

Be members of Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians
Reside in Tennessee (since GELF’s work focuses on serving children and families across Tennessee, this opportunity is available to in-state, in-council girls only)

All the books for a troop will be mailed to one (1) volunteer in that troop; that person will then be responsible for distributing them to each girl. We will keep you informed on our social media and website of when you can expect to receive your books. Since this is the first year of this partnership, we’re still working out logistics, so please be patient.

There is still a participation fee ($5 per in-council girl, helps cover cost of patch/mailing), but if you register early enough you might also get a free book!

Books will be given out based on a girl’s Girl Scouting level. All titles are featured on this year's SSC Reading List.

Daisies & Brownies: Picture Book
Summer Is Here by Renée Watson, illustrated by Bea Jackson
Juniors: Chapter Book
Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey by Erin Entrada Kelly
Cadettes: Middle Grade Novel
The Witching Wind by Natalie Lloyd
Seniors & Ambassadors: Young Adult Novel
Where You See Yourself by Claire Forrest

We are pleased to partner with Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation on this project!

About Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation
Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation (GELF) is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to strengthen early literacy in Tennessee by building home libraries and fostering literacy-rich communities. GELF’s Home Library work delivers books and resources directly to families and educators through programs like Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, K–3 Home Library, OWL Fest, and Tenn Under 10. GELF’s Community Through Literacy work brings reading beyond the classroom through Storybook Trails, Book Buses, and SELECT, a statewide network uniting partners to expand literacy access and impact. Founded in 2004 by former Governor Phil Bredesen, GELF champions early literacy as the foundation for lifelong learning and success. Learn more at GovernorsFoundation.org or follow along on Facebook (@GovEarlyLiteracyTN), Instagram (@GovEarlyLiteracyTN), and LinkedIn.

2026 SSC Reading List

We curate our list to include titles that reflect the Girl Scout pillars (STEM, Outdoors, Life Skills, Entrepreneurship), feature amazing girl leads, and are just fun to read!

Tip: Check with your local public library to see if they carry any of these titles.

❧ Picture Books {Great for Daisies/Brownies}

The Bakers Dozen by Amy Moore, Illustrated by Andrea Stegmaier

Brilliant Bea by Shaina Rudolph & Mary Vukadinovich, Illustrated by Fiona Lee

Camping is a Terrible Idea by Kirsten Pendreigh, Illustrated by Tiffany Everett

Elinor McGrath, Pet Doctor: The Story of America’s First Female Veterinarian by Jacqueline Johnson, Illustrated by Alette Straathof

Hazel is All That by Chad Otis

Joy Ride by Sherri Duskey Rinker, Illustrated by Ana Ramírez González

The Little Green Swing by Brenda Maier, Illustrated by Sonia Sánchez

My Book and Me by Linda Sue Park, Illustrated by Chris Raschka

The Perfect Plan by Leah Gilbert

The Secret Gardens of Frances Hodgson Burnett by Angelica Carpenter, Illustrated by Helena Pérez García

Summer is Here by Renée Watson, Illustrated by Bea Jackson

The Voice That Won the Vote: How One Woman’s Words Made History by Elisa Boxer, Illustrated by Vivien Mildenberger

**❧ Chapter Books* {Great for Brownies/Juniors}**

Girl Scouts: The Amazing Daisies, Illustrated by Tiffany Everett

Hilde Cracks the Case by Hilde Lysiak & Matthew Lysiak, Illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff

King & Kayla by Dori Hillestad, Illustrated by Nancy Meyers

Marisol Rainey by Erin Entrada Kelly

Mermaid Tales by Debbie Dadey, Illustrated by Tatevik Avakyan

*Any book read from a chapter book series counts as being a book read from this list.

❧ Middle Grade Novels {Great for Juniors/Cadettes}

The Enemy’s Daughter by Anne Blankman

The Girl and the Robot by Oz Rodriguez & Claribel A. Ortega

The Green Kingdom by Cornelia Funke & Tammi Hartung, Illustrated by Melissa Castrillon

Just Right Jillian by Nicole D. Collier

Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina

Shiny Misfits by Maysoon Zayid, Illustrated by Shadia Amin

We Still Belong by Christine Day

The Witching Wind by Natalie Lloyd

❧ Young Adult Novels {Great for Cadettes/Seniors/Ambassadors}

Descendant of the Crane by Joan He

The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick by S. Isabelle

House of Yesterday by Deeba Zargarpur

Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

Where You See Yourself by Claire Forrest

Here is a printable version of the Reading List for easy reference.

Print this handy log sheet to help you keep track of your reading (this is only for your own records; it does not need to be turned in to us).

Click to Read Picture Book Synopses toggle arrow

The Bakers Dozen
by Amy Moore, Illustrated by Andrea Stegmaier

The work at The Bakers Dozen bakery goes like clockwork--all twelve bakers have a job to do, and the jobs are completed without a hitch. When a new chef shows up looking for a spot on the team, and with a tempting treat too, the bakers insist The Bakers Dozen is "twelve, no more!" Even if the doughnuts do look delicious... Luckily, the new chef knows something surprising about a baker's dozen.

Brilliant Bea
by Shaina Rudolph & Mary Vukadinovich, Illustrated by Fiona Lee

Despite her struggles with reading and writing, Beatrice is a natural and brilliant storyteller. With the help of a kind-hearted teacher, Beatrice uses an old-fashioned tape recorder so she can speak her words and then play them back, as a technique for learning in whole new way. With her new approach, Beatrice is able to show her classmates who she really has been all along.

This book is set in EasyReading, a dyslexia-friendly font.

Camping is a Terrible Idea
by Kirsten Pendreigh, Illustrated by Tiffany Everett

Cammie likes routines. She likes schedules. She likes things to happen on time and when she expects them. She likes order in her city life, her classroom, and at home with her family. When life is predictable, it is perfect. Then one day her father says that he has planned a weekend camping trip for their family. Camping? Oh no! Camping means messes and mishaps. Camping means chaos and calamity. No, no, no, Dad, warns Cammie. Camping is a terrible idea!

But her father doesn't change his mind and off they go. And sure enough, camping is chaos. There are trees with roots that trip, pesky biting mosquitoes, and campfire smoke that blows in one's face. Cammie wants to go home. But, as it turns out, Mother Nature has her own set of rhythms and routines, from sunrises and sunsets to ocean tides rolling in and out. There are calming nighttime sounds and reassuring orderly patterns in the night sky. Will Cammie find out that perhaps camping isn't as terrible as she expected?

Elinor McGrath, Pet Doctor: The Story of America’s First Female Veterinarian
by Jacqueline Johnson, Illustrated by Alette Straathof

I can do this! Elinor rolled up her sleeves. She was smart enough. She was strong enough. When Elinor McGrath decided she wanted to be a veterinarian, the world told her no. It was 1907, and that job was not considered suitable for women. Even after she was accepted into veterinary school, the 137 male students in her class made it clear she was not welcome. Yet despite constant criticism, Elinor persevered. She could see that the future was changing and was determined to show the world of veterinary medicine that accepting women wasn't the only change the profession needed.

Written by a small-animal veterinarian, Elinor McGrath, Pet Doctor tells the true story of the first woman veterinarian in the US. Backmatter highlights Elinor's career as well as other pioneering women vets from around the world.

Hazel is All That
by Chad Otis

Hazel has things all figured out—she is one clever girl. So, when she encounters a snarling dog in the park, she knows that dog is mean. And as her walk continues, she identifies a sweet dog, a sad dog, a naughty dog, and many more. But then something happens that leads Hazel to experience all kinds of different reactions herself, and she takes a second look at the dogs. Soon she sees that dogs—and people!—are not just one thing. We're each our own special mix of all sorts of emotions and behaviors. We're all that—and more. And what of the snarling dog? A surprise is in store for Hazel and the reader!

With whimsical, vibrant illustrations and easy-to-read text, Hazel Is All That is a beautiful reminder that a little bit of understanding makes a world of a difference.

Joy Ride
by Sherri Duskey Rinker, Illustrated by Ana Ramírez González

When a girl and her grandfather put their hearts into sprucing up an old bike by hand, neighborhood kids are less than kind in this tender story about bullying, peer pressure, and feeling the freedom to express yourself.

Needing something to fill up her summer days, Joy seeks out her granddad, who also likes to tinker, for something to do. Together they find the perfect project: sprucing up an old bike for Joy. From hardware stores to garage sales, the two find everything they need to transform this bike, little by little, into something that’s truly one of a kind. Ornamented with sparkles, a basket, and a brand-new bell, the bike is finally ready for Joy to ride it all over the neighborhood, filling the air with her own kind of music that exudes JOY.

But when a few kids take notice of Joy’s bike, and not in a good way, Joy makes an impulsive decision that ruins the dazzling bike she and Granddad worked so hard on. Joy realizes quickly, however, that trying to fit in can be boring, and it doesn’t make her feel JOY. Just maybe, with a heartfelt apology and Granddad’s help, she can get back on track to being true to herself. This touching story addresses the moments of uncertainty when trying to fit in with the crowd, and exclaims the joyful exuberance of self-expression.

The Little Green Swing
by Brenda Maier, Illustrated by Sonia Sánchez

Ruby's mind is always full of ideas.

On a windy day, she invites her brothers to help build something stupendous. But her brothers don't want to plan — they only want to play. As the wind huffs and puffs and blows their hasty efforts down, can Ruby prove that patience and persistence pay off?

Loosely adapted from The Three Little Pigs and brimming with pluck and fun, The Little Green Swing will inspire readers everywhere to make their own stupendous creations!

My Book and Me
by Linda Sue Park, Illustrated by Chris Raschka

Meet the child who loves books in this lyrical tribute to the joys of books and reading by Newbery medalist Linda Sue Park and featuring the jubilant illustrations of celebrated Caldecott artist Chris Raschka. My Book and Me invites us to reflect on beloved books which are friends we hold dear; books we read over and again; books that may take us to places afar to experience the world in different ways, and books that comfort and reassure us. This jubilant paean to literature is a celebration of our favorite authors, characters, and stories; those that we cherish the most and are friends for life . . . which books are your favorite?

The Perfect Plan
by Leah Gilbert

Maya dreams of building a fort-a special, comfy, cozy place to hide out and read, to dream and play. So she goes to work drafting plans and gathering all her supplies. But when she gets to the forest, she realizes she needs help. Thankfully, some new friends have just the right skills to make a perfect fort-building team. Will Maya's fort be everything she hopes? Or could it turn into something she never even imagined?

Leah Gilbert's story bursts with inspiration and life, celebrating creativity, leadership, perseverance, and the magic of working together to build a dream.

The Secret Gardens of Frances Hodgson Burnett
by Angelica Carpenter, Illustrated by Helena Pérez García

Frances could not believe her ears. How could Mamma make them move to the city? And how could Frances leave her country garden? Who would see the magic when the sweetbriar bloomed? Who would look for tigers in the rose bushes? Who would pick the strawberries?

Frances Hodgson Burnett―best known for writing The Secret Garden, Little Lord Fauntleroy, and The Little Princess―had a difficult childhood, losing her father when she was very young and moving with her family from England to Tennessee in hopes of a better life.

She’d been making up stories her entire life but didn’t try to write professionally until she was a teenager to help feed her family. Her first submissions to a magazine were published and she eventually became well known all over the world. This is Hodgson Burnett’s life story, told in lyrical prose evoking some of the same magic of her own stories.

Summer is Here
by Renée Watson, Illustrated by Bea Jackson

Summer is finally here, and she's bringing the most perfect day! From sunup to sundown, there's so much to do on this lovely summer day. With summer comes fresh fruit, sweet and tangy, jump ropes for leaping and dancing, and friends at the pool swimming and floating. Summer brings family cookouts under shady trees, gardens overflowing, and the familiar song of the ice-cream truck. This beautiful ode to all the season's sensations follows one girl's perfect day in an exploration of joy, family, friendship, sunshine, and wonder.

The Voice That Won the Vote: How One Woman’s Words Made History
by Elisa Boxer, Illustrated by Vivien Mildenberger

In August of 1920, women's suffrage in America came down to the vote in Tennessee. If the Tennessee legislature approved the 19th amendment it would be ratified, giving all American women the right to vote. The historic moment came down to a single vote and the voter who tipped the scale toward equality did so because of a powerful letter his mother, Febb Burn, had written him urging him to "Vote for suffrage and don't forget to be a good boy." The Voice That Won the Vote is the story of Febb, her son Harry, and the letter than gave all American women a voice.

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Girl Scouts: The Amazing Daisies
Illustrated by Tiffany Everett

Meet the Amazing Daisies, three best friends who work together to accomplish amazing things, in this first Level One I Can Read in the fun-filled series from Girl Scouts!

Ava, Hazel, and Ellie are enjoying a snack at the Daisy Lane playground when they realize there’s no recycling bin in sight! The trio use their creativity, perseverance, and teamwork skills to solve this problem by selling Girl Scout cookies to raise the funds for the bin. What will it take to sell enough boxes to make their neighborhood a better place?

Find out in this Level One I Can Read book perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences. Whether shared at home or in a classroom, the short sentences, familiar words, and simple concepts of Level One books support success for children eager to start reading on their own. This book also includes instructions for making jewelry from recycled materials!

Hilde Cracks the Case #1: Hero Dog!
by Hilde Lysiak & Matthew Lysiak, Illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff

Real-life super-sleuth and media sensation Hilde Lysiak's reporting skills are put to the test in this fun early chapter book mystery series!

Nine-year old crime reporter Hilde Lysiak is starring in her very own early chapter book series — inspired by news stories Hilde wrote in real life! In this first book, there's been a break-in on Orange Street! Cupcakes have been stolen, and soon a pie goes missing, too. Hilde and her sister/photographer, Izzy, must interview witnesses and follow the clues. Can Hilde crack the case in time to post her news story online? Joanne Lew-Vriethoff's personality-filled illustrations appear on every page, bringing Hilde's adventures to life for young readers!

King & Kayla #1: The Case of the Missing Dog Treats
by Dori Hillestad, Illustrated by Nancy Meyers

Kayla made peanut butter treats for Thor, Jillian's new puppy. But now the treats are missing, and King is under suspicion.

Analytical Kayla notices that King's breath doesn't smell like peanut butter, so he didn't eat them. Sensitive King detects the presence of an intruder in their house. Is it Jillian's little brother Adam? Or someone else? Who took the missing dog treats?

With simple, straightforward language and great verbal and visual humor, the King & Kayla series is perfect for newly independent readers. King and Kayla model excellent problem-solving skills, including working as a team, gathering facts, making lists, and evaluating evidence.

Marisol Rainey #1: Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey
by Erin Entrada Kelly

Introducing eight-year-old Marisol Rainey!

Marisol Rainey’s mother was born in the Philippines. Marisol’s father works and lives part-time on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. And Marisol, who has a big imagination and likes to name inanimate objects, has a tree in her backyard she calls Peppina . . . but she’s way too scared to climb it. This all makes Marisol the only girl in her small Louisiana town with a mother who was born elsewhere and a father who lives elsewhere (most of the time)—the only girl who’s fearful of adventure and fun.

Will Marisol be able to salvage her summer and have fun with Jada, her best friend? Maybe. Will Marisol figure out how to get annoying Evie Smythe to leave her alone? Maybe. Will Marisol ever get to spend enough real time with her father? Maybe. Will Marisol find the courage to climb Peppina? Maybe.

Mermaid Tales #1: Trouble at Trident Academy
by Debbie Dadey, Illustrated by Tatevik Avakyan

In this start to a new series starring Shelly the mermaid, a classroom conflict is no fun—even when school is 20,000 leagues under the sea.

It’s MerGirl Shelly Siren’s first day at a new school, and she is nervous from the tip of her head to the end of her sparkling mermaid tail. How will she ever fit in at the prestigious Trident Academy? Everyone there is so smart and so pretty and so rich. At least she and her best friend, Echo, are in the same class, but so is Pearl, a spoiled know-it-all who only wants to make trouble for Shelly; Rocky, a MerBoy who loves to tease everyone; and Kiki, a shy MerGirl who’s new to Trident City.

At first Shelly and Echo have lots of fun: eating lunch together, trying to make grumpy Mr. Fangtooth smile, and joining after-school clubs. But when Shelly and Echo have an argument about their very first school assignment, Pearl gets involved and makes matters worse. Will Shelly and Echo fix their friendship?

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The Enemy’s Daughter
by Anne Blankman

The year is 1915 and the world is at war. Marta and her father are passengers on the Lusitania, desperately trying to get back home to Germany. While aboard, they must keep their identities hidden or risk being mistaken for enemy spies. Then the Lusitania is attacked by a German submarine. They just make it off the sinking ship, but her father is discovered and detained. Marta suddenly finds herself alone in enemy land.

To survive, Marta must draw upon a deep well of bravery she never knew she had. Fortunately, she meets Clare, a young Irish girl who can talk a mile a minute, and her kind family. Believing that Marta is a Dutch refugee, they welcome her into their home. She can't risk letting her new friends know she's actually from Germany—the very nation that the Irish and English are fighting against. But could these people who have shown her nothing but kindness truly be her enemy?

Sweeping from the Irish Sea to a cathedral city in England, this story shows us that friendship, especially in times of war, may be the greatest gift of all.

The Girl and the Robot
by Oz Rodriguez & Claribel A. Ortega

Mimi Perez fixes things. Phones, tablets, speakers, printers. She gets it from her dad—helping him at the family e-repair shop was always one of Mimi’s favorite things to do. But ever since Papi was deported, there’s a lot more than electronics that need fixing in Mimi’s world. Things too big for any twelve-year-old to handle on her own.

Mimi hustles around her Brooklyn neighborhood trying to earn enough money to finally fix her family. There’s no time for school or friends, but Mimi knows it will all be worth it the day Papi comes home. Then her ex-friends approach her with a enter a robotics competition with them, and they could win $50,000. It could be her chance.

Not part of the plan? A mysterious robot crashing to earth. From space. The robot is scared, alone, and broken, and federal agents are after her. Mimi does what any street-smart electronics repair person would she takes the robot home, fixes her up, and in the process, makes herself a friend.

The Green Kingdom
by Cornelia Funke & Tammi Hartung, Illustrated by Melissa Castrillon

Caspia‘s summer is transformed when she discovers a bundle of letters containing ten botanical riddles in this enchanting adventure.

Twelve-year-old Caspia hates big cities, especially one as busy as New York. So she isn’t thrilled by the news that her parents are taking her to stay in Brooklyn. It's summer-devouring bad luck! But everything changes when Caspia discovers a bundle of letters, hidden in an old chest of drawers. They belonged to two sisters who lived there long ago. Each letter contains a ‘green’ riddle, with clues leading to a different plant.

Caspia sets out to solve the riddles and, as she does, she meets friends she could never have imagined and discovers that anywhere can feel like home, if you are just brave enough to put down new roots.

The newest adventure from renowned and award winning author of Inkheart and Dragon Rider, Cornelia Funke weaves magic into every sentence of this new and exciting mystery set in the heart of New York City. The Green Kingdom is perfect for fans of the Greenwild series.

Just Right Jillian
by Nicole D. Collier

In this heartfelt middle grade novel from debut author Nicole D. Collier, fifth grader Jillian must learn to speak and break free of her shell to enter her school's academic competition and keep her promise to her grandmother. Fifth grader Jillian will do just about anything to blend in, including staying quiet even when she has the right answer. After she loses a classroom competition because she won't speak up, she sets her mind on winning her school's biggest competition. But breaking out of her shell is easier said than done, and Jillian has only a month to keep her promise to her grandmother and prove to herself that she can speak up and show everyone her true self. A warm and relatable middle grade debut novel about family, friendship, and finding the confidence to break free from the crowd and be who you truly are.

Merci Suárez Changes Gears
by Meg Medina

Merci Suárez knew that sixth grade would be different, but she had no idea just how different. For starters, as strong and thoughtful as Merci is, she has never been completely like the other kids at her private school in Florida, because she and her older brother, Roli, are scholarship students. They don’t have a big house or a fancy boat, and they have to do extra community service to make up for their free tuition. So when bossy Edna Santos sets her sights on the new boy who happens to be Merci’s school-assigned Sunshine Buddy, Merci becomes the target of Edna’s jealousy. Things aren't going well at home, either: Merci’s grandfather and most trusted ally, Lolo, has been acting strangely lately — forgetting important things, falling from his bike, and getting angry over nothing. And Merci is left to her own worries, because no one in her family will tell her what's going on.

Winner of the 2019 Newbery Medal, this coming-of-age tale by New York Times best-selling author Meg Medina gets to the heart of the confusion and constant change that defines middle school — and the steadfast connection that defines family.

Shiny Misfits
by Maysoon Zayid, Illustrated by Shadia Amin

A hilarious story about fame and friendship, by comedian and disability activist Maysoon Zayid, paired with Shadia Amin's absolutely perfect art!

Bay Ann wants to shine. She's sure her moment in the spotlight has arrived when she wins the school talent show with a showstopping tap routine! But then her classmate and crush, Alyee Maq, causes her to wobble and almost fall. The video of him catching her goes viral, making Alyee an overnight sensation for "helping her." Bay Ann is reduced to her disability and her talent is ignored. Bay Ann doesn't want her classmate to get all the fame, and she is NOT satisfied being anything but the best. She'll do everything in her power to beat Alyee at his own attention-seeking game. With the help of her two best friends, Michelle and Davey Matt, she'll go up against Alyee and his crew to prove she's number one. But as Bay Ann tries to find the thing that really makes her stand out, everything she tries goes disastrously wrong. What if the only way to beat her enemy . . . is to join him? This is a hilarious and one-of-a-kind graphic novel about fame, friendship, and fighting to take back your own story.

We Still Belong
by Christine Day

Wesley is proud of the poem she wrote for Indigenous Peoples’ Day—but the reaction from a teacher makes her wonder if expressing herself is important enough. And due to the specific tribal laws of her family’s Nation, Wesley is unable to enroll in the Upper Skagit tribe and is left feeling “not Native enough.” Through the course of the novel, with the help of her family and friends, she comes to embrace her own place within the Native community.

The Witching Wind
by Natalie Lloyd

Eleven-year-old Roxie was excited to start sixth grade... until a mortifying incident at a pool party turns her into a middle school laughingstock. Roxie can't imagine enduring a full year of bullying and body shaming, so when her country music star Granny invites Roxie to join her on tour, she jumps at the chance to leave her troubles behind. But then Granny--who's been struggling with memory loss--goes missing, leaving Roxie without an escape plan... and without her best friend.

Grayson doesn't mind being sent to yet another foster home. Her older sister, Beanie, is about to turn eighteen, which means she'll be able to become Grayson's guardian. It won't be long until they live in the same house again. It won't be long until they get to be a real family. But when Beanie's birthday finally arrives, she doesn't show up to collect Grayson. She doesn't respond to calls or texts. It's almost like she's just... vanished.

Roxie knows Granny would never leave without saying goodbye. And Grayson is certain Beanie would never abandon her. So when the new friend learn about the Witching Wind that "steals" what people love most, Roxie and Grayson are certain they've discovered the truth. Granny and Beanie didn't just disappear--they were taken. And it's up to Roxie and Grayson to outwit the Witching Wind before it's too late.

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Descendant of the Crane
by Joan He

Princess Hesina of Yan has always been eager to shirk the responsibilities of the crown, but when her beloved father is murdered, she’s thrust into power, suddenly the queen of an unstable kingdom. Determined to find her father’s killer, Hesina does something desperate: she engages the aid of a soothsayer—a treasonous act, punishable by death... because in Yan, magic was outlawed centuries ago.

Using the information illicitly provided by the sooth, and uncertain if she can trust even her family, Hesina turns to Akira—a brilliant investigator who’s also a convicted criminal with secrets of his own. With the future of her kingdom at stake, can Hesina find justice for her father? Or will the cost be too high?

In this shimmering Chinese-inspired fantasy, debut author Joan He introduces a determined and vulnerable young heroine struggling to do right in a world brimming with deception.

The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick
by S. Isabelle

This wildly entertaining YA historical romance follows a young Black woman in 1860s England who yearns for a writing career and independence rather than love and marriage, but an unexpected inheritance forces her into London society and reunites her with the boy who broke her heart. Perfect for fans of The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue and The Davenports.

Eighteen-year-old Stella Sedgwick is a lost cause. While 1860s England offers little opportunity beyond marriage for a sharp-tongued, dark-skinned girl, Stella dreams of a writing career and independence.

When her late mother’s former employer—the wealthy Thomas Fitzroy—summons Stella to London, he bequeaths her one of the family’s great estates on his deathbed. But such an inheritance will precipitate a legal battle, one that would be much easier if Stella were married. Suddenly thrust into lily-white London society with the goal of finding a husband, Stella also reunites with the Fitzroy heir Nathaniel, her childhood best friend, now somewhat of a stranger.

But London presents other opportunities, like picking up her mother’s old advice column, where “Fiona Flippant” anonymously guided readers through upper-class perils. It turns out the dresses and balls aren’t so bad, though the stares and insults sometimes feel impossible to navigate. Things only grow more complicated with the attention of handsome suitors and Stella’s increasingly tempestuous relationship with Nathaniel. As new opportunities arise and old secrets are uncovered, Stella must decide when to play by the rules, when to break them, and when to let herself follow her heart.

House of Yesterday
by Deeba Zargarpur

Taking inspiration from the author's own Afghan-Uzbek heritage, this contemporary YA debut is a breathtaking journey into the grief that lingers through generations of immigrant families, and what it means to confront the ghosts of your past.

Struggling to deal with the pain of her parents’ impending divorce, fifteen-year-old Sara is facing a world of unknowns and uncertainties. Unfortunately, the one person she could always lean on when things got hard, her beloved Bibi Jan, has become a mere echo of the grandmother she once was. And so Sara retreats into the family business, hoping a summer working on her mom’s latest home renovation project will provide a distraction from her fracturing world.

But the house holds more than plaster and stone. It holds secrets that have her clinging desperately to the memories of her old life. Secrets that only her Bibi Jan could have untangled. Secrets Sara is powerless to ignore as the dark truths of her family’s history rise in ghostly apparitions -- and with it, the realization that as much as she wants to hold onto her old life, nothing will ever be the same.

Told in lush, sweeping prose, this story of secrets, summer, and family sacrifice will chill you to the bone as the house that wraps Sara in warmth of her past becomes the one thing she cannot escape…

Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything
by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

It’s been three years since ICE raids and phone calls from Mexico and an ill-fated walk across the Sonoran. Three years since Sia Martinez’s mom disappeared. Sia wants to move on, but it’s hard in her tiny Arizona town where people refer to her mom’s deportation as “an unfortunate incident.” Sia knows that her mom must be dead, but every new moon Sia drives into the desert and lights San Anthony and la Guadalupe candles to guide her mom home.

Then one night, under a million stars, Sia’s life and the world as we know it cracks wide open. Because a blue-lit spacecraft crashes in front of Sia’s car…and it’s carrying her mom, who’s very much alive. As Sia races to save her mom from armed-quite-possibly-alien soldiers, she uncovers secrets as profound as they are dangerous in this stunning and inventive exploration of first love, family, immigration, and our vast, limitless universe.

Where You See Yourself
by Claire Forrest

Where You See Yourself combines an unforgettable coming-of-age tale, a swoon-worthy romance, and much-needed disability representation in this story about a girl who's determined to follow her dreams.

By the time Effie Galanos starts her senior year, it feels like she’s already been thinking about college applications for an eternity—after all, finding a college that will be the perfect fit and be accessible enough for Effie to navigate in her wheelchair presents a ton of considerations that her friends don’t have to worry about.

What Effie hasn’t told anyone is that she already knows exactly what school she has her heart set on: a college in NYC with a major in Mass Media & Society that will set her up perfectly for her dream job in digital media. She’s never been to New York, but paging through the brochure, she can picture the person she’ll be there, far from the Minneapolis neighborhood where she's lived her entire life. When she finds out that Wilder (her longtime crush) is applying there too, it seems like one more sign from the universe that it’s the right place for her.

But it turns out that the universe is full of surprises. As Effie navigates her way through a year of admissions visits, senior class traditions, internal and external ableism, and a lot of firsts--and lasts--she starts to learn that sometimes growing up means being open to a world of possibilities you never even dreamed of. And maybe being more than just friends with Wilder is one of those dreams...

Past Summer Stack Club Reading Lists

View and/or print reading lists from past summers: