5 Great Summer Reads for New Parents

Our picks for five books for parents in search of enjoyable summer reading material
Written by Mia Weber

Planning for some beach time with your family this summer? When you’re packing your beach bag with swim diapers, baby-safe sunscreen, and plenty of snacks and water toys, be sure to pack some engaging reading material for yourself as well. To help you round out your summer reading list, here are five books we love for summer 2021--you’ll find novels, parenting books, and a great memoir.

Novel: Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
This best-selling novel has taken the world by storm since its 2019 release, becoming longlisted for the Booker Prize in 2020 and nabbing a coveted spot on Reese Witherspoon’s “Reese’s Book Club.” Author Kiley Reid tells the tell of a young black woman looking for her place in the world, the affluent white woman she nannies for, a man who impacts their lives in very different ways, and a precocious child's. Themes of race, economics, work, and motherhood converge in this story that’s surprisingly suspenseful.

Novel: Circe by Madeline Miller
A feminist novel from a different perspective, this 2020 best-selling tome is perfect for moms who love mythology and stories stemming from the comings and goings of the Greek Gods. Circe is a lesser known figure in Greek mythology who has a complicated relationship with her parents and siblings, and finds herself blazing her own trail as a feminist hero and, eventually (and to her own surprise) a mother.

Memoir: Live Your Life: My Story of Loving and Losing Nick Cordero by Amanda Kloots and Anna Kloots
Over this past extremely trying year, it was hard to miss the heartbreaking news story of celebrity fitness entrepreneur Amanda Kloots and the loss of her husband, actor and musician Nick Cordero, to COVID-19 last summer. In her new memoir--which she wrote with her sister, Anna--Amanda reflects on love, loss, marriage, and motherhood in a manner that is as raw and honest as it is optimistic for her future with her young son Elvis. You may want to have a box of tissues handy while reading.

Parenting Resource: What to Do When You’re Having Two: The Twin Survival Guide from Pregnancy Through the First Year by Natalie Diaz
For any parents expecting twins, this acclaimed parenting book from twin-mom guru Natalie Diaz is a must-read. Enjoy Natalie’s signature sense of humor while also garnering essential tips on preparing for your twin birth and life with two little ones at home. If Natalie can do it, so can you...and she’ll make you LOL while convincing you that you can!

Parenting Resource: Cribsheet: A Data-Driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting, from Birth to Preschool by Emily Oster
It’s hard to argue with cold, hard data--and thankfully, that leads to some really great parenting advice! Mom, economist, and author (her previous parenting book is Expecting Better) Emily Oster brings lighthearted humor and brilliant intellectual insight into some of parenting’s most pressing questions. Get the irrefutable data on conundrums and myths surrounding topics like breastfeeding, potty training, and early childhood development. We have a feeling that the data will show that Emily reads like the super-brilliant bestie every mama needs in their life when motherhood has them on edge.