Teen & Tween Summer Reading 2026

Webpage header. "Summer Reading 2026".


Welcome to your Summer Reading headquarters! Find everything you need for summer reading for the Sawyer Free Library and other Gloucester organizations here.

Section header reading "So how does this work?" It starts the section explaining how Teen & Tween Summer Reading will work and how participants will win prizes.

Summer Reading runs from July 6, 2026 to August 14, 2026

Get Ice Cream for Signing Up!

We’ve partnered with Holy Cow for an amazing reading incentive! Read any book and turn in the brochure form or fill out the online form here to receive a FREE half-pint of Holy Cow ice cream!

Don’t worry if ice cream isn’t your thing. We have other prizes available! Just ask Annalise at akraines@sawyerfreelibrary.org. Pick up your prizes at the Teen Room Service Desk.

(Only one promo code available per participant. Participants in grades 6-12 or ages 11-19 only.)

Read & Earn Raffle Tickets!

Every book you read gets you a raffle ticket. Complete special missions to get bonus raffle tickets!

SPECIAL MISSIONS:

  • TECH MISSIONS
    • Spend 1 hour in Digital Learning Lab: 1 ticket for every hour
    • Set a project goal in Digital Learning Lab and tell Annalise or Joella: 2 tickets
    • Complete a project in Digital Learning Lab: 5 tickets
    • Complete basic orientation in Digital Learning Lab: 3 tickets
  • READING MISSIONS
    • Review a book you read and give it to Annalise: 1 ticket per review. 40 word minimum.
  • TEEN ROOM MISSIONS
    • Attend any official summer reading program: 2 tickets per program
    • Completely clean up after yourself after an activity: 2 tickets

Win an Amazing Prize!

Three gift cards will be raffled off at our pizza party at the end of August. The more raffle tickets you earn, the better your chances are to win!

FIRST PLACE: $100 gift card of your choice

SECOND PLACE: $75 gift card of your choice

THIRD PLACE: $50 gift card of your choice

All raffle winners get to choose their gift card from the following options:

  • 7/11
  • Amazon
  • Barnes & Noble
  • Chipotle
  • Crumbl
  • Lego Store
  • Marshall’s
  • McDonald’s
  • Sephora
  • Target

All gift card options were selected by teen and tween patrons. Additionally, winners can pick the Librarian’s Choice gift card option: Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce, which can be used at many local Gloucester and Cape Ann businesses.

Section header reading "What Should I Read?" It starts the section displaying the teen and tween summer reading lists as selected by the librarian. Gloucester High School and O'Maley Middle School reading lists are also in this section.


TRY SOME OF THESE:

Teen Summer Reading Picks

Flowerheart by Bakewell, Catherine
This Poison Heart by Bayron, Kalynn
Wildblood : A Novel by Blackwood, Lauren
The Hedgewitch of Foxhall by Bright, Anna
House of Roots and Ruin by Craig, Erin A
Into the Bright Open : A Secret Garden Remix by Dimaline, Cherie
Don't Let the Forest In by Drews, C. G
Your Heart, My Sky : Love In A Time of Hunger by Engle, Margarita
Where Darkness Blooms by Hannah, Andrea
The Honeys by La Sala, Ryan
I Am Still Alive by Marshall, Kate Alice
When the Mapou Sings by Pinede, Nadine
Lady of Steel and Straw by Rodgers, Erica IVy
Concrete Rose by Thomas, Angie
Guerilla Green : An Urban Gardening Survival Guide by Kalkair, Cookie
Undergrowth by Lima, Ricky
The Mushroom Knight. Vol. 1 by Bly, Oliver
Pumpkinheads : A Graphic Novel by Rowell, Rainbow
Hazelthorn by Drews, C. G
Three Sisters by Gill, David Macinnis
Biology Lessons by Kantor, Melissa
The Moss by Lueddecke, Lisa
This Book Might Be About Zinnia by Morris, Brittney
Onward: 16 Climate Fiction Short Stories to Inspire Hope by Carpenter, Nora Shalaway
Fireblooms by VIllasante, Alexandra
Falling Like Leaves by Wilson, Misty
Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults : Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Kimmerer, Robin Wall
The Climate Book by Thunberg, Greta
Silent Spring by Carson, Rachel
The Comic Book Guide to Growing Food : Step-by-Step Vegetable Gardening for Everyone by Tychonievich, Joseph
Rebel Gardening : A Beginner's Handbook to Creating An Organic Urban Garden by VItale, Alessandro
Plant Coach : the Beginner's Guide to Caring for Plants and the Planet by Cutsumpas, Nick

Tween Summer Reading Picks

The Last Beekeeper by Cartaya, Pablo
The Girl From Earth's End by Dairman, Tara
Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet by Dee, Barbara
Hamra and the Jungle of Memories by Hanna Alkaf
Hatchet by Paulsen, Gary
Root Magic by Royce, Eden
Stepping Stones by Knisley, Lucy
You Can Change the World : the Kids' Guide to A Better Planet by Bell, Lucy
They Are Here! : How Invasive Species Are Spoiling Our Ecosystems by Smith, Roland
Plants to the Rescue! : the Plants, Trees, and Fungi That Are Solving Some of the World's Biggest Problems by Baliga, VIkram
The Secret World of Plants : Tales of More Than 100 Remarkable Flowers, Trees, and Seeds by Hoare, Ben
Nature's Best Hope : Your Backyard Can Help Save the World by Tallamy, Douglas W

2026 MASS TEEN CHOICE BOOK AWARD NOMINEES

Find the full list of MTCBA award nominees here. The bookshelf below shows the MTCBA nominees available at the Sawyer Free Library:

The Bletchley Riddle by Sepetys, Ruta
America Redux : VIsual Stories From Our Dynamic History by Aberg-Riger, Ariel
Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Àbíké-Íyímídé, Faridah
Call Me Iggy by Aguirre, Jorge Augusto
Red by Cardi, Annie
Looking for Smoke by Cobell, K. A
Gwen & Art Are Not In Love by Croucher, Lex
I Kick and I Fly by Gupta, Ruchira
The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Jackson, Holly
I Will Never Leave You by Kennedy, Kara A
The No-Girlfriend Rule by Randall, Christen
Twenty-Four Seconds From Now. . . : A Love Story by Reynolds, Jason
Happyhead by Silver, Josh
Section header reading "Programs & Events". It starts the section advertising  summer programs for teens and tweens.


We’ve got lots of amazing FREE programs going on this summer. Click on an image to learn more and sign up!


Section header reading "Printables". It starts the section of the webpage with printable summer reading brochures and raffle tickets. There is also a button for an online summer reading sign up.


**If you’re printing at the library, remember that we only offer black & white printing and copying.**

Summer reading brochure with reading form

Preview image of summer reading brochure. Access the printable brochure at https://sawyerfreelibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/PlantaSeedRead_Trifold2026.pdf

Printable raffle tickets (page of 4)

Preview image of summer reading raffle ticket. A full sheet prints 4 raffle tickets. Access the printable raffle tickets at https://sawyerfreelibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/YASummerReadingRaffle_26-1.pdf
Button reading "Sign Up for Summer Reading Online". Clicking this takes the participant to an online Google form where they can sign up for summer reading. Access the form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe60QMij-O_zND4tIyh1jgjeq_O7T6capD96x6PTrScBb6Bbg/viewform

Email Annalise with any questions: akraines@sawyerfreelibrary.org