Growing readers and storytellers

Midsummer Recommends: September Kids’ Book Recommendations

September Kids’ Book List: Back-to-School, Fall, & Spooky Reads

September is nearly here. Already I am grabbing my sweatshirt in the mornings as we head out the door for school drop offs. Before you...

Lindsay Li

Introducing Midsummer Book Clubs for Kids: Tweens & Teens!

Announcing teen and tween book clubs starting fall 2025

Lindsay Li

Find your BFF: Books for Tweens that Celebrate Freindships

Why tween friendships matter, and the books that help celebrate them

Friendship is everything in the tween years. Discover why middle grade books about best friends help kids build empathy, confidence, and strong social skills, plus curated reading picks they’ll love.

Lindsay Li

Check out our Shelf Picks of the Week!

Early Readers: Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea! by Ben Clanton
A silly, heartwarming graphic novel that’s perfect for kids starting to read on their own.

Middle Grade: Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston
A magical mystery adventure full of courage, friendship, and imagination.

Teen: The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
A twisty thriller with puzzles, secrets, and just enough drama to keep teens hooked.

Want to see these books (and so many more) in person? Come visit us at our Midsummer Books Pop-Up this Saturday 📍 right here in Fishtown.

We’ll have shelves full of adventures, mysteries, and big feelings...all handpicked for Philly kids and teens. Stop by, say hi, and find your next great read!

#ShelfPick #BookstoreLove #MidsummerBooks #FishtownPhilly #PhillyParents #PhillyKids #YAReads #MiddleGradeBooks #EarlyReaders #BookstagramKids #KidLit #ReadPhilly #IndieBookstore

While we believe there is no such thing as too many books, sometimes you do run out of room. Let us help you make space on the shelf for your next great read!

At our Sept 6 Pop-Up, both Midsummer Books and @books.and.bakes.philly will be accepting donations of any and all books.

And we’re piloting something new!

Our Buy Back Program gives you the chance to turn your extra reads into a little cash:
🔹 Drop off up to 20 titles
🔹 We’ll review them against our stock
🔹 We’ll buy the ones we need (expect $1–$4 per title depending on quality & popularity)
🔹 We’ll donate the rest—unless you’d like them back

It’s a win-win: declutter your shelves, give books a second life, and maybe even walk away with a few dollars toward your next favorite story.

📍 See you September 6 at the pop-up!

We have an exciting series of pop-ups planned for this fall! Here are the first three, so mark your calendars and join us, alongside Our Mutual Friends: @books.and.bakes.philly and @gusandrubyresale

Backpacks packed, pencils sharpened, but what about their bookshelves?

Here are a few of our top Back-to-School Reads by age group:
Early Readers:
- Dragon Masters: An adventurous series perfect for building reader confidence
- Narwhal: Unicorn of the sea: We love these books by Ben Clanton that pack a humorous punch while showing off the joys of friendship.

Middle Grade:
- Mysterious Benedict Society: An adventure full of puzzles as a group of smart kids set out to save the day.
- A Wolf Called Wander: This emotional, survival-driven adventure was inspired by a real wolf's journey to find home.

Young Adult:
- Difficult Girls: A teen girl’s attempt at social reinvention takes a deadly turn when a co-worker disappears—and she learns she may have been the last person to see the missing girl—in this razor-sharp, murderously funny thriller debut.
- Adultolesence: the illustrated poetry by Gabbie Hanna captures the funny, messy feeling of being a teen

Start the school year with stories that make learning fun (or at least survivable).

#backtoschool2025📚✏️ #kidlit #buildyourbookshelf #earlyreaders #middlegrade #yabookstagram

As August winds down, we are looking forward to all things fall. So we are jumping ahead a bit by pulling together our September book list for kids, tweens, and teens. We have selections that are perfect for back-to-school, cozy nights, and the start of spooky season.

Check out the full list on our blog + shop online through Bookshop.org to support Midsummer Books!

#BackToSchoolReads #KidsBookRecommendations #SpookySeasonReads #PhillyParents #BookshopOrg #MidsummerBooks

From Dog Man to Wings of Fire, Amulet to Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants—we’ve added something for every reader across ages and genres. 🐾🐉📖👖

📅 Back-to-School Pop-Up
Sat, Aug 23 – Midsummer Books

Come early, leave with a stack. We’re also rolling out bundled pricing so you can add more to your pile!

#MidsummerBooks #BookPopUp #DogMan #WingsOfFire #Amulet #SisterhoodOfTheTravelingPants #BackToSchoolReads #Bookstagram #YAreads #MiddleGradeMagic #GraphicNovels

Back to school days are around the corner, so if you're trying to get back into the bedtime routine with your soon to be kindergartner (or other preK-early elementary kiddo) here are some sweet reads for sweet dreams.

A Little Like Magic by Sarah Kurpiel - A tender story of pushing past your comfort zone and finding inspiration in art and natural beauty.

Dream Animals by Emily Winfield Martin -"You only have to close your eyes
And when you snuggle in….
You’ll be carried to your dream tonight
On wing or paw or fin"

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson - A brave beautiful tale for kids who may be a little anxious about starting school.

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak - A classic story for a reason, a fantastic land with mythical beasts on a magical journey.

Blueberries for Sal - Robert McCloskey - a favorite from my childhood, featuring the delight of unexpected friends while picking blueberries.

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen - A soothing, poetic picture book that lovingly depicts the relationship of a young child and her father alongside our relationship to the natural world.

#bedtimestories #readaloud #backtoschool2025📚✏️ #kidlit #midsummerbooks

Impossible Creatures was the first book my 8-year-old daughter truly fell in love with, and I loved it just as much. The story swept us into a world full of wonder, heartbreak, and bravery. Even in the toughest moments, she couldn’t stop reading and cheering on the characters and asking for just one more chapter every night. We’re counting down the days until the next book comes out!

We already pre-ordered our copy…and if you loved the first one too, now’s the perfect time to do the same! Pre-orders are a big deal for authors, they help show booksellers there’s demand and give books the momentum they deserve right out of the gate. Let’s support great storytelling and help this magical series reach more readers! Pre-order your copy and bookshop.org and choose Midsummer Books as your bookshop of choice so you can support our little indie bookstore.

#impossiblecreatures #kidlit #indiebookshop #magicalreads

Fancy term, powerful stories. A bildungsroman is that book that grows up with you.
Think classics like Little Women or The Outsiders. Kids today might lean more toward books like The Hate U Give, The Book Thief, and Wonder.

#WordNerd #BookishWords #kidlitbooks #TweenReads #comingofage

Save the date - our next pop up is only a few weeks away. Join us alongside @gusandrubyresale and @books.and.bakes.philly for a back to school pop up! Our collection of gently used books for babies to teens includes great titles to fit the interests of every young reader so they can build their collection of pleasure reads, explore new worlds and meet new characters!

#kidlitbooks #popupbookshop #fishtown #phillybookstore

We’ve picked up a TON on books since our pop up last month! See you at 1219 Frankford Ave today with our friends @gusandrubyresale @books.and.bakes.philly!

Running our first batch of stickers for the pop up Friday!

Want to get your kid into reading this summer? ✨
Whether they’re just learning to decode or deep in their graphic novel era, reading doesn’t have to feel like homework. It can be joyful, weird, hilarious, and even addictive (in a good way).

#kidswhoread #summerreading #midsummerbooks #bookstagramkids #raisingreaders #mgbooks #yabooks #readmorebooks #phillybooks #booktokkids #booktokparents #mglit #yalit

Our top picks for screen-free entertainment for your middle grade readers this week:
The Last Last-Day-of-Summer by Lamar Giles 
A time-freezing camera, wild adventures, and cousin-powered heroics. A fast favorite.

The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez Zines, punk music, and a strong-willed kid discovering how to speak up and stay true.

Measuring Up by Lily LaMotte A graphic novel about cooking, connection, and honoring heritage while learning something new.

A Rover’s Story by Jasmine Warga Science meets soul in this Mars mission tale told partly through letters and log entries.

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown A stranded robot learns to live in the wilderness—and what it means to belong.

From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks A mystery, a recipe box, and a letter that changes everything—this one’s hard to put down.

New Kid by Jerry Craft Graphic novel excellence with real heart and humor. A thoughtful summer read about race, identity, and new beginnings.

Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies Siblings, summer, and a high-stakes lemonade stand competition? Yes, please.

Which of these will you grab at our pop-up this Friday with @books.and.bakes.philly and @gusandrubyresale ?

#SummerReading #FishtownReads #KidsBookstagram #PhillyMoms #BookishSummer #MiddleGradeMagic #BooksAndSunshine

YA readers, we see you.
This week’s picks are for when you’re feeling all the things—love, loss, power, rebellion, identity, and friendship that sticks. These are the books that stay with you. That say what you’re thinking. That remind you you’re not alone.

The Maze Runner – James Dashner
🏃 Goodreads: 4.09 Anxiety? Check. High stakes? Check. Group survival and dystopian chaos? Absolutely. Add this to your shelf if you like your stories fast, twisty, and addictive.

Everything Sad Is Untrue – Daniel Nayeri
🌀 Goodreads: 4.2 A boy, a story, and a thousand years of Persian myth and memory. Bold, funny, deeply moving—it’ll break your brain in the best way.

The Hate U Give – Angie Thomas
🔥 Goodreads: 4.09 A raw, powerful must-read about speaking up and standing strong. Starr’s voice is unflinching, real, and unforgettable—this book will rattle your heart and stay there.

The Fault in Our Stars – John Green
💔 Goodreads: 4.14 If you somehow haven’t sobbed through this one yet—now’s your time. A love story with bite, brains, and beautiful heartbreak.

#YAReads #BookTok #EmotionalReads #FierceHeroines #YAfiction #TBR #TeenLit #ComingOfAge #midsummerbooks

Baby’s first book club? Yes, please. Sometimes the best way to start a love of reading is with a good belly laugh. These picture books deliver the kind of giggles that kids crave and grown-ups don’t mind reading 100 times. These picks are perfect for reading on repeat, whether you're home, at the beach, or under a shady tree.
We will have gently used copies of these at our pop up later this month, but you can always shop new and support us on @bookshop_org via https://bookshop.org/shop/midsummer

#ReadToYourBaby #BoardBooks #PhillyParents #BooksForBabies #PictureBookLove #FishtownFamilies #kidlit #kidsbookshop #recommendations

Mark your calendars! Our next pop up is only a few weeks away. Join us alongside @gusandrubyresale and @books.and.bakes.philly for great reads for the whole family as well as cute threads for your kids.

#popupbookshop #booksbooksbooks #kidlit

Exciting collection of gently used kid and teen books today!I’m going to be collecting lots of great titles in time for our next pop-up mid July, specific dates coming soon! Let me know in the comments what your reader wants and I’ll be sure to be on the lookout for their favorite authors series and genres. #kidlitpicks

Poppin up with summer reads for all ages!

Our next pop up is Friday, from 12-6. What better way to beat the heat and summer boredom than with a good book?

We have hundreds of gently used books from picture books and early reader through middle grade and YA on hand, plus our friends from @gusandrubyresale will have plenty of cute summer gear for your little one!

While you're at it, pick up a good read for yourself with @books.and.bakes.philly

#kidlit #popupbookshop #screenfreefun

Our little pop up is growing! Thanks for all who came out today! We will be back at it again in 2 weeks with our pals @gusandrubyphilly! In the meantime, we will be filling our shelves with more great used youth books. Have a favorite we should stock up on? Let us know in the comments

#kidlitshop #kidsbooks #popupbookshop #fishtownphilly #middlegradebookstagram

We are popping up today at 1222 Frankford ave from 11-5 with a selection of hundreds of gently used books for kids of all ages to get summer reading ready!

#fishtown #popupbookshop #kidlit

Excited to announce you can support us when you buy books on bookshop.org! Whether you are shopping for your kid or yourself, shop any title or ebook and you can support Midsummer Books.

And just in time for you to enjoy a sale on summer reads!

#shopindie #booksfortweens #booksforteens

Things are starting to feel real!! First official pop up this Saturday 10-5 on Frankford ave next to Two Robbers

Prepping for our first real pop-up on May 17 in Fishtown!! We have hundreds of gently used YA, middle grade chapter books, and picture books!! Our pop-ups will be rolling through the summer and into the fall as we prep to open up a full-time bookshop by 2026

Building up a collection of great early reader books by carefully curating books kids love to read

#chapterbooksforkids #usedbookstore #kidsbooks

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@midsummer_books

Shop our curated lists on bookshop

Stop by our pop-up sales!

Learn about our book clubs

Book clubs for age and interest will start this fall!

Middle Grade Reading Club

Send your middle grader on an adventure with a new story every month. We will meet and discuss what we loved, what we would change and share our love of reading together!

Ages 8-10

More Info

Mostly YA Book Club

A chance for bookworms to get together and talk all things book! Y/A books or advanced middle grade titles will be chosen based on club member interest.

Ages 11-14

More Info

Teen Book Club

A chance for bookworms to get together and talk all things book! We will delve into plot, theme, do some analysis and see what else there is to discover in a story that is also a great read.

Ages 14+

More Info

September Kids’ Book List: Back-to-School, Fall, & Spooky Reads

Introducing Midsummer Book Clubs for Kids: Tweens & Teens!

Why tween friendships matter, and the books that help celebrate them

​

Follow us on Instagram

Shop our curated lists on bookshop

Stop by our pop-up sales!

Learn about our book clubs

Middle Grade Reading Club

Mostly YA Book Club

Teen Book Club