6 Books to Read this Summer
Written by Richard Booth’s Bookshop, June 2024
Sometimes it’s hard to pick which book to read next, we get it! So why not minimise the stress and choose a title from our handy list instead? Made up from some favourites throughout the bookshop, we are confident you will find something to read this summer! Whether you plan to get a few chapters in whilst you wait for the kids’ summer club finishes, or you’ve booked a sunny holiday and need something for the plane- we’ve got you covered! Make sure to tag us on social media as you go on your literary journey, and check out our other articles too.
Click on the images below to find more information or to reserve a book.
What you are looking for is in the library by Michiko Aoyama
What are you looking for? So asks Tokyo’s most enigmatic librarian, Sayuri Komachi.
But she is no ordinary librarian.
Sensing exactly what someone is searching for in life, she provides just the book recommendation to help them find it.
Can she help them find what they are looking for?
Birdsplaining by Jasmine Donahaye
A wren in the house foretells a death, while a tech-loving parrot aids a woman’s recovery.
Crows’ misbehaviour suggests how the ‘natural’ order, ranked by men, may be challenged.
A blur of bunting above an unassuming bog raises questions about how nature reserves were chosen.
The nightjar’s churring brings on unease at racism and privilege dividing nature lovers, past and present.
The skin of a Palestine sunbird provokes concern at the colonial origins of ornithology.
Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie
A quiet English village.
A shocking murder.
An unlikely detective.
Nobody liked Colonel Protheroe. So when he’s found dead in the vicarage study, there’s no absence of suspects in the seemingly peaceful village of St Mary Mead.
In fact, Jane Marple can think of at least seven.
Alexandra’s Garden Flowers: 30 Crochet Flower Patterns by Kerry Lord
A book for crafters and gardeners alike, from hugely popular author Kerry Lord.
Thirty super-cute yarn flowers are yours to crochet, complete with step-by-step instructions and tips on all the techniques you need to make and finish off.
‘Cro’ your own garden from winter Snowdrop to summer Rose.
All the projects are based on a simple bulb shape, allowing you to get started easily.
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil by J.R.R. Tolkien
One of the most intriguing characters in The Lord of the Rings, the amusing and enigmatic Tom Bombadil, also appears in verses said to have been written by Hobbits and preserved in the ‘Red Book’ with stories of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins and their friends.
This special edition has been expanded to include earlier versions of some of Tolkien’s poems, a fragment of a prose story with Tom Bombadil, and comprehensive notes by acclaimed Tolkien scholars Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond.
Welsh Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends by Claire Fayers
Enjoy Wales’s rich heritage of myth and fairy tales, re-told for young readers.
From magical Welsh dragons that destroy a castle night after night, to a princess made out of flowers and a fairy changeling bother; from loyal hunting hound Gelert, to a boy who asks questions and goes on to become the greatest Welsh bard ever known…
This book includes traditional favourites and classic myths and legends from Welsh folklore.
“I can feel indefinitely alive curled up on the sofa reading a book”
Benedict cumberbatch