6 books to read this summer, according to Philly librarians

A good book is an essential summer accessory for many, perfect for trips down the Shore or sipping margaritas al fresco. Whether you’re into quick-read sci-fi or slow-burn romance, books provide a quick escape from reality.

And who better to recommend summer reading than Philly’s knowledgeable librarians? (BookTok, we love you, but we’re asking the experts.)

We spoke to the Free Library of Philadelphia to help get that TBR (to be read) list in order. Their recommendations cover a wide range of interests — proving there’s no single definition of a “summer book.”

“It’s about going on vacation, even if it’s from your own life,” said Link Ross, librarian at the Fumo Family Library in South Philly. The story follows an unnamed narrator who decides to take a solo cross-country road trip and ends up staying at a local motel, unbeknownst to her family. “Some of her encounters are a little unusual, and they give you a different perspective on mundane interactions,” Ross said. “It’s incredibly funny, and she always has great insights about different kinds of relationships and inner dialogs.”

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Ever wondered how our brains experience the world? Andy Clark explore new advances in cognitive sciences It’s a psychology book that breaks down the information in an accessible way that “a lot of people will get a lot out of reading,” said Shelley Rosen, adult and teens services librarian at the Independence Library. Pick up this over-300-page nonfiction book to learn about how the brain sculpts human experiences.

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Cows are jumping, dancing, and wiggling on their friend Chicken’s tiny sofa, and Chicken is not happy about it. Wyatt Beelier, the children’s librarian at Lillian Marrero Library, recommends Jan Thomas’ picture book for parents to read with their kids. “It’s a call and response book, so it encourages the kids to reenact what the cows are doing — jumping up and down, dancing to and fro, and back and forth. I read it for story time [at the library], so it’s a lot of fun to get parents and kids doing it together.”

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A fan of Steph Cha, Haverford Library branch manger Jessica Walker picked up the author’s modern day-noir mystery for her summer read. Set in early ‘90s L.A. in the wake of police brutality, the book follows a Korean American and an African American protagonist as they grapple with the effects of a shocking crime. “I was interested in reading a book by her [Cha] that dug more into real historical issues in L.A.,” Walker said. “She’s a really good mystery writer.”

The West Philly librarian also recommends diving into The Old Guard graphic novel series by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernández. Join the adventures of a group of immortal soldiers for a “really fun read [and] really interesting concept” before the next Netflix movie releases.

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Library supervisor Tim Horras at Lillian Marrero Library and Widener Library suggests The Death of Ivan Ilyich for those looking to get into the classics. This Tolstoy novella follows a high-court judge who becomes ill and begins questioning his mortality and values. While not a beach read, Horras said, it’s a shorter piece for people who don’t want to tackle Tolstoy’s War and Peace or Anna Karenina.

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