Article by Layney Keesee, Graphic by Lily Driver

Let’s be real — did anyone ever actually have summer reading assignments in grade school? And more importantly, did anyone ever actually read them? I’ve always been a reader and a goody two-shoes, and even I have no recollection of ever having to read anything over summer break. There’s a singular hazy memory of being given a list, but nothing ever came from it, just like when they tried to teach us the state capitals. Oh, the times are sure a-changin’, aren’t they? 

I want to bring you back to the times of Battle of the Books and reading logs, summer library reading challenges and reading far past your bedtime. Former advanced placement ELA kids, rejoice! We’ve gathered a few unconventional deep cuts to read (and maybe weep over) at your beach of choice. 

“The House of the Spirits” by Isabel Allende

This first pick is hardly an unknown work. As Chilean author Isabel Allende’s most prolific work, “The House of the Spirits” is a classic, often lauded alongside Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude.” While the two works fall under the genre of magical realism and share themes surrounding the effects of colonization in South America through several generations of a singular family, that is where the similarities end. I’m ashamed to say that I hadn’t heard of this book until a good friend of mine recommended it to me after I talked about having to read “One Hundred Years of Solitude” for a class I took a few semesters ago. Antonio, this one is for you, buddy.

Haunting (pun unintended) and poignant, “The House of the Spirits” will have you saying “huh?” one page and sobbing the next. Generational trauma, a matriarch who can commune with the dead and the catastrophic consequences of having monetarial wealth but no empathy, perfectly blend into a heart-wrenching 500-odd-page epic. Brilliantly similar to a train wreck as it is an unstoppable tragedy and yet you can’t look away. 

Do you find yourself asking why I would recommend reading this during what is supposed to be a fun, happy season? I can only say that reading this by the pool might make the tragic storyline more bearable. 

“Butter” by Asako Yuzuki

Okay, so maybe I lied when I said this list was going to be niche recommendations. This thriller, originally written in Japanese, was pretty popular in online reading spaces before book influencers began primarily recommending monster smut. However, this novel is definitely popular for a reason. 

Typically, I like to read books that take place in the season in which I’m reading them. I find it more immersive that way. However, that’s definitely not a hard and fast rule. “Butter” is one such exception, as the bulk of the story takes place in the winter. Between the setting and the chilling narrative, “Butter” is sure to keep you cool when in the middle of a heatwave.

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare

Here we are at our final — and perhaps most on-the-nose — recommendation. This is a play for fans of fairies, hilarious miscommunications, star-crossed lovers and flexing your literary prowess. There’s also a 1990s film adaptation with a young Christian Bale. Honestly, a win-win scenario. 

While this is one of Shakespeare’s most famous works, you can still tell all your friends that you read Shakespeare for fun over the summer. Besides, actually reading plays is becoming a lost art and what says “I’m a true reader” more than reading plays besides picking up an ordinary novel. Additionally, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is a super accessible work, both in terms of how easy it is to get your hands on a copy and in terms of how difficult it is to follow the plot. Compared to other Shakespearean works, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” has a fairly simple plot that is easy to enjoy! And if you still get confused, all you have to do is chalk it up to “fairies meddling” and be on your merry way.

Hopefully these recommendations give you something a little out of the box to read on the long road trips you’re taking this summer!