School's Out! Beach Reads are IN!

School's almost over and the kids are ready to "chillax."  Living near the Atlantic Ocean, one of our favorite activities is of course...the beach!  Relaxing, catching sunshine, swimming, and of course, the best beach reads make for a perfect trip.  What's on our summer reading list?

4-8 Years Old

"Hair Twins" by Rakhee Mirchandani is perfect for 4-8 year olds.  A sweet story about a little girl and her father celebrating their Sikh heritage using their hair as common ground.

"Dancing in Thatha's Footsteps"  by Srividhya Venkat.  A heartwarming story about a little boy and his grandfather figuring out together whether boys can dance Bharatanatyam!

8-12 Years Old

"Vanished" by Sheela Chari is a terrific upper elementary/middle grade book for 8-12 years old kids.  This is the perfect book for kids into music and mysteries.  It's about an 11 year old girl Neela who is an aspiring musician, wowing crowds with her traditional Indian string instrument.  But the instrument goes missing!  Neela finds clues that take her to India as she follows a trail that hopefully leads to her instrument.

"Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi.  A Rick Riordan Presents hit, the middle grade book for 9-12 year olds  (part of The Pandava Series) takes the reader on an epic journey with the 12 year old Aru Shah, as she finds a way to unfreeze her classmates and her mother in a race against time.  From finding the reincarnations of the five legendary Pandava brothers, heroes of the Hindu epic poem, the Mahabharata, and traveling through the Kingdom of Death. 

Coming soon from Tulsie!

This post isn't complete without a self-serving shoutout!  We will release "Happy Birthday Ganesha! and other festival stories from India" by Mrudula Govindaraju this summer!  Perfect for 4-9 year olds, this collection of short stories introduces little ones to various Indian festivals and the gods and goddesses that are celebrated during these festivals.  From how Ganesha was born to the goddess behind Diwali, "Happy Birthday Ganesha!" is a fun introduction to Indian festivals.

We want to hear from you!  Did you like these beach reads? Were they part of your summer reading list from school?