When school is out for summer, it's more important than ever to encourage your children to read and keep their minds engaged. Sometimes that can be hard when there are so many other fun things to do! In Texas, we have quite a few days in the season where we are encouraged to not be outside for too long because of the heat. It can be so easy to turn on the TV, but with great reading choices like these, your kiddos will find they enjoy books!

For your younger kids, here's a great option that you can either read aloud to them, or they can practice their developing reading skills. Dragons Love Tacos is a cute story about a sweet dragon with a favorite snack he just can't get enough of! Written by Adam Rubin and illustrated by Daniel Salmieri, your child is sure to love this hilarious story, and you might be making tacos for dinner.

The second is probably for older kids in terms of reading level, but it is sure to be special if you have a dog — specifically a golden retriever! The Ranger in Time series by Kate Messner chronicles the adventures of a search-and-rescue dog named Ranger that travels to historic periods of time to help people. It has eight installations and offers valuable reading practice that also teaches history.

The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer is also an enthralling series for this reading level. It surrounds two siblings as they fall into a fantastical world and encounter some familiar characters you have probably heard of from age-old fairy tales. Think Mother Goose, Sleeping Beauty, Captain Hook, and more. There are six installations, but another series that seems to combine those two above titles is the classic Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne. You have the magical element combined with true historical events. I remember sitting outside reading for hours when I was a kid; I loved those books! Plus, there are quite a few of them, so odds are your child will be reading them long past summertime.

The last suggestion that is recommended for ages 8-12 is the Stuart Gibbs’ Moon Base Alpha series. It surrounds young, middle school-aged kids that live on the moon, and there are a series of mysterious deaths aboard the base that they take upon themselves to investigate. If you have a child that’s interested in space, there are three books to enjoy!

What are your favorite books for kids? Let us know in the comments!