5 Wacky Middle Grade Novels About Summer Vacation

Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown, by Jarrett Krosoczka
Part of a series featuring that much-maligned character of the cafeteria known to children everywhere simply as the “lunch lady,” this graphic novel follows one heroic Lunch Lady and her reliable sidekick Betty as they take on a slimy swamp monster that’s been haunting Camp Fun Times. Krosoczka’s energetic artwork, imaginative details and age-appropriate humor make this book a standout novel that your kids will want to read again and again.

Camp Babymouse, by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm
Another edition of a delightfully funny graphic novel series, Camp Babymouse follows the adventures of Babymouse at summer camp, where she somehow always seems to find herself in trouble. Illustrated in pink, black and white, this book is packed with sassy humor that makes it a great read, even for reluctant readers. Although the series is clearly aimed at girls, don’t be surprised if your sons (or husband) take a liking to these books, too.

Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little, by Peggy Gifford
The first book in the Moxy Maxwell series, this hilarious novel follows Moxy throughout her summer vacation as she seemingly does everything but her summer reading, from going swimming, to training her dog, to lounging in the hammock. She really does try to read, carting Stuart Little around with her, but she’s just not that into it, and before she knows it, it’s the day before school starts (uh-oh!) and she has to finish that book! This is a great book that any kid who’s struggled through a boring required summer reading list will be able to relate to (and actually want to read).

Summer Reading is Killing Me, by Jon Scieszka
For a different take on the dreaded summer reading list theme, this book follows the Time Warp Trio as characters from their summer reading list come alive, with sometimes disastrous—and often hilarious—consequences. The boys soon discover that the only way to escape their predicament is to find “The Book,” a search that leads them through a series of zany adventures. Kids will love the nonstop action and silly humor, particularly if they recognize some of the characters that come alive in the book. And who knows, if you’re lucky, it may even inspire them to find out more about the ones they don’t.

The Long Haul, by Jeff Kinney
If you’ve ever taken a family vacation that didn’t quite go as planned, you will easily relate to this book, which follows everyone’s favorite wimpy kid as his family heads out on a rather disastrous road trip. Spurred by an article in Family Frolic magazine about wholesome family road trips, the Heffley family runs into one mess after another—including crazed seagulls, gas station bathrooms (ew!), a car accident and a runaway pig—with uproarious consequences. This is another one of those books your kids will want to read over and over because it really is laugh out loud funny.
What books are your kids fighting over this summer?