Summer in Scotland means plenty of extra daylight hours – ideal for getting lost in a good book! Read on to explore our spectacular collection of delicious summer reads, featuring ice cream, floating islands and seaside adventures.

Whether you’re spending summer close to home, heading off on an exotic adventure, or relaxing by the water, Kelpies’ summer reading recommendations for children aged six and up will empower your kids to venture to the limits of their imagination and maybe even learn something new.

Without further ado, let’s dive in!

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Ice Cream Boy by Lindsay Littleson

Age 8-12

Nothing says “SUMMER” like an ice cream cone!

Twelve-year-old Luca loves his family’s ice cream café in Glasgow, but when his aunt announces she’s selling the business, and his gran begins struggling with dementia as Luca prepares to start high school, he feels increasingly lost. Will his dreams of taking over his family’s business melt away?

Ice Cream Boy is a heart-warming novel from Lindsay Littleson, author of Carnegie-nominated Guardians of the Wild Unicorns. Full of authentic dialogue, gentle humour and true-to-life characters, this engaging middle-grade novel explores the thoughts and feelings of children affected by dementia.

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Museum Mystery Squad and the Case from Outer Space
by Mike Nicholson and Mike Phillips

Age 6-8

Weather not good enough for outdoor activities? (We are in Scotland after all…)

How about a trip to the museum with the Museum Mystery Squad and the Case from Outer Space! Someone’s sent the museum a blackmail letter threatening to steal a prized exhibit from the brand-new Space Zone. Can the Squad stop the gravity-defying thief before an out-of-this-world artefact 3,2,1… takes off?

Perfect for little astronauts everywhere!

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The Boy with the Butterfly Mind
by Victoria Williamson

Age 8-12

When its hard to know what’s going on in someone’s mind, a little empathy goes a long way.

Jamie Lee wants to be normal. But his ADHD makes him feel like his brain is full of butterflies.

Elin Watts wants to be perfect. If she can be, surely her dad will come home.

When Jamie and Elin’s families blend, the polar opposites of chaotic Jamie and ordered Elin collide. As their lives spiral out of control, Jamie and Elin discover that they’re actually more alike than they’d admit. Maybe there’s no such thing as normal, or perfect. And perhaps, just like families, happy-ever-afters come in all shapes and sizes.

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Cloudlanders by Christopher Mackie

Age 8-12

Take a trip to a floating island full of magic!

In a far-off flooded future, there is a country that floats above the clouds. But this sparkling magical island is now in deadly danger.

Can Kurt (an eight-foot mushroom with a fear of heights), Flicker (a tiny, tough-talking gemstone faerie) and a brave gang of misfits save their home from crashing into the Endless Sea?

With magic, monsters and mayhem aplenty, Bastion is the perfect holiday destination for adventure lovers!

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The Sky Beneath the Stone by Alex Mullarky

Age 8-12

Sometimes, the greatest adventures start with a small step beyond the garden wall…

Despite the summer weather, adventurer Ivy North is afraid to go outside. But when a sorcerer turns her brother into a bird, Ivy must travel to an enchanted realm to rescue him. Can Ivy face her fear and save her brother?

The Sky Beneath the Stone is the captivating debut from a new voice in children’s fiction. Look out for a brand new book by Alex Mullarky, The Edge of the Silver Sea, available August 2024. Pre-order now!

 

The Amazing Life of Mary Queen of Scots
by Gill Arbuthnott and Mike Phillips

Age 6-8

Forget planes, this summer we’re travelling through time!

Journey back to the sixteenth century for a unique glimpse into the dramatic life of Mary, Queen of Scots. This exciting story, told from the perspective of Mary’s young servant, is combined with fascinating facts, maps and diagrams to help young readers put the tale into historical context.

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Haarville by Justin Davies

Age 8-12

Welcome to Haarville, where instead of fresh seaside air, everything just smells fishy. The dense fog that permanently cloaks the harbour town will be familiar to those used to a Scottish summer!

Manx Fearty is an orphan from Haarville, an island town with a magical secret. Join Manx and his friends on a bizarre quest to solve a murky mystery and save their hometown. A darkly comic adventure, full of heart, from award-winner Justin Davies.

 

The Adventures of Hamish and Mirren
by Moira Miller and Mairi Hedderwick

Age 6-8

Visit Hamish and Mirren in their quiet farmhouse by a beautiful loch in Scotland. Quiet, that is, except for the talking sea urchin, singing sand, hungry fairies, sad bogle and grumpy witch!

This delightful collection of stories is a true Scottish children’s classic. Moira Miller’s characteristic wit and humour shine through, and Mairi Hedderwick’s funny, charming illustrations bring gentle Hamish and his canny wife wonderfully to life for younger readers.

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Use our Find a Kelpie feature to discover the perfect book to match your young readers! Or check out our Kelpies Map of Scotland, where you can browse our books based on their setting to plan your next summer reading adventure! Do we have a story set near you?