Summer is a great time to slow down and recharge before another school year begins. It is also one of the best times to discover the enjoyment of reading. Without the pressure of assignments or deadlines, summer reading allows students to explore stories and ideas at their own pace and connect with books in a more personal way. A great book can stay with a reader long after the final page offering lessons that apply far beyond the classroom.

This year, our National English Honor Society chapter is excited to recommend two very different but equally impactful books for students looking to make the most of their summer reading: My Friends by Fredrik Backman and Atomic Habits by James Clear. One is a moving work of fiction and the other is an inspiring nonfiction book focused on growth and self improvement. Together these books offer students the opportunity to enjoy both emotional storytelling and practical life advice during the summer months. Sit back, enjoy one, and be prepared to discuss it in September with your English teacher and classmates.

My Friends

by Fredrik Backman

“Most people don’t even notice them—three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner of one of the most famous paintings in the world. Most people think it’s just a depiction of the sea. But Louisa, an aspiring artist herself, knows otherwise, and she is determined to find out the story of these three enigmatic figures.

Twenty-five years earlier, in a distant seaside town, a group of teenagers find refuge from their bruising home lives by spending long summer days on an abandoned pier, telling silly jokes, sharing secrets, and committing small acts of rebellion. These lost souls find in each other a reason to get up each morning, a reason to dream, a reason to love.

Out of that summer emerges a transcendent work of art, a painting that will unexpectedly be placed into eighteen-year-old Louisa’s care. She embarks on a surprise-filled cross-country journey to learn how the painting came to be and to decide what to do with it. The closer she gets to the painting’s birthplace, the more nervous she becomes about what she’ll find. Louisa is proof that happy endings don’t always take the form we expect in this stunning testament to the transformative, timeless power of friendship and art” (Amazon).

Atomic Habits

by James Clear

“No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving–every day. James Clear, one of the world’s leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.

If you’re having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn’t you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don’t want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Here, you’ll get a proven system that can take you to new heights.

Clear is known for his ability to distill complex topics into simple behaviors that can be easily applied to daily life and work. Here, he draws on the most proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible. Along the way, readers will be inspired and entertained with true stories from Olympic gold medalists, award-winning artists, business leaders, life-saving physicians, and star comedians who have used the science of small habits to master their craft and vault to the top of their field” (Amazon).

In the end, summer reading is about more than simply finishing a book: it’s about discovering new perspectives, reflecting on personal growth, and finding inspiration that lasts long after summer ends. Whether students are drawn to the heartfelt friendships and emotional journey in My Friends or the practical advice and motivation found in Atomic Habits, both books offer meaningful experiences that can shape the way readers think about themselves and the world around them. As the school year approaches, these stories and ideas can help students return not only refreshed, but also more thoughtful, motivated, and ready for the opportunities ahead.

Don’t want to buy the book? Borrow a copy at the Brewster Public Library!