100 Best Beach Books of All Time

We've ranked the best beach books using expert recommendations, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. At Shortform, we know books. Our book guides are the best in the world. Learn why.

Where the Crawdads Sing book cover1

Where the Crawdads Sing

Delia Owens

5.0
A novel about a young woman determined to make her way in the wilds of North Carolina, and the two men that will break her isolation open.

For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. She's barefoot and wild; unfit for polite society. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark.

But
The Beach book cover2

The Beach

Alex Garland

4.8
After discovering a seemingly Edenic paradise on an island in a Thai national park, Richard soon finds that since civilized behavior tends to dissolve without external restraints, the utopia is hard to maintain. (Nancy Pearl)
3

The Beach House (Beach House #1)

Mary Alice Monroe

4.7

Caretta Rutledge thought she’d left her Southern roots and troubled family far behind. But an unusual request from her mother coming just as her own life is spinning out of control has Cara heading back to the scenic Lowcountry of her childhood summers. Before long, the rhythms of the island open her heart in wonderful ways as she repairs the family beach house, becomes a bona fide “turtle lady” a

Along for the Ride book cover4

Along for the Ride

Sarah Dessen

4.6
It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.

A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfec
The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer, #1) book cover5

The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer, #1)

Jenny Han

4.6
Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer—they have been her brother figures, he
The Island book cover6

The Island

Elin Hilderbrand

4.5
A summertime story only Elin Hilderbrand can tell: a family in upheaval after a cancelled wedding fill an island summer with heartache, laughter, and surprises.
Birdie Cousins has thrown herself into the details of her daughter Chess's lavish wedding, from the floating dance floor in her Connecticut back yard to the color of the cocktail napkins. Like any mother of a bride-to-be, she is weathering
The Last Song book cover7

The Last Song

Nicholas Sparks

4.5
Alternate Cover Edition can be found here

Seventeen-year-old Veronica 'Ronnie' Miller’s life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wilmington, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alienated from her parents, especially her father . . . until her mother decides it would be in everyone’s best interest if she spent the summer in
The Blue Bistro book cover8

The Blue Bistro

Elin Hilderbrand

4.5
Elin Hilderbrand, author of the enchanting Summer People and The Beach Club, invites you to experience the perfect getaway with her sparkling new novel.

Adrienne Dealey has spent the past six years working for hotels in exotic resort towns. This summer she has decided to make Nantucket home. Left flat broke by her ex-boyfriend, she is desperate to earn some fast money. When the desirable Thatcher S
Bats at the Beach book cover9

Bats at the Beach

Brian Lies

4.4
Quick, call out! Tell all you can reach: the night is just perfect for bats at the beach!

So pack your buckets, banjos, and blankets—don’t forget the moon-tan lotion—and wing with this bunch of fuzzy bats to where foamy sea and soft sand meet.

Brian Lies’s enchanting art and cheery beachside verse will inspire bedtime imaginations again and again. Come visit a bedazzling world of moonlight, fireli
Flotsam book cover10

Flotsam

David Wiesner

4.4
Winner of the 2007 Caldecott Medal

A bright, science-minded boy goes to the beach equipped to collect and examine flotsam--anything floating that has been washed ashore. Bottles, lost toys, small objects of every description are among his usual finds. But there's no way he could have prepared for one particular discovery: a barnacle-encrusted underwater camera, with its own secrets to share . . .
Chu's Day at the Beach book cover11

Chu's Day at the Beach

Neil Gaiman, Adam Rex

4.4
A new adventure for everyone’s favorite sneezing panda, from New York Times bestselling team Neil Gaiman and Adam Rex.

Chu and his family are going to the beach! Chu is excited. He will get to play in the sand and wade in the water. But what will happen if Chu sneezes at the beach? And what will happen if he doesn’t?

A perfect read-aloud story about a summertime adventure!
When a Dragon Moves In book cover12

When a Dragon Moves In

Jodi Moore, Howard McWilliam

4.4
On a beautiful day at the beach, a young boy brings his bucket, shovel, and imagination, and builds a perfect sand castle. Right away, a dragon moves in. The boy decides to befriend his dragon and they spend time roaming the shore, flying a kite, braving the waves, defying bullies, and roasting marshmallows—all while Dad is busy sunbathing and Mom is engrossed in her book. Unfortunately, no one be
Penguin on Vacation (Penguin) book cover13

Penguin on Vacation (Penguin)

Salina Yoon

4.4
Penguin's tired of the snow and cold--so he decides to go on vacation! But where should he go? And what new friends will he meet along the way?

Seasoned illustrator Salina Yoon's spare text and bright, energetic illustrations bring this favorite character to life, ensuring that readers will be clamoring for more Penguin stories--whether they find their home in the cold or the warm.
Hum and Swish book cover14

Hum and Swish

Matt Myers

4.4
Jamie's day at the beach turns into the perfect place for an artistic adventure.

All Jamie wants is to spend some time alone at the beach and finish her art project in the sand. But everyone around keeps asking her pesky questions she doesn't know how to answer: what are you making? Aren't you clever?

Jamie does her best to tune it all out and focus on her creation . . . until she finds a like-min
Big Little Lies book cover15

Big Little Lies

Liane Moriarty

4.4
Check out the #1 New York Times bestseller Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty, called “a surefire hit” by Entertainment Weekly.

Soon to be a major HBO® series starring Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon!


"The secrets burrowed in this seemingly placid small town...are so suburban noir they would make David Lynch clap with glee...[Moriarty] is a fantastically nimble writer, so sure-footed that the boo
Silver Girl book cover16

Silver Girl

Elin Hilderbrand

4.3
Meredith Martin Delinn just lost everything: her friends, her homes, her social standing - because her husband Freddy cheated rich investors out of billions of dollars.

Desperate and facing homelessness, Meredith receives a call from her old best friend, Constance Flute. Connie's had recent worries of her own, and the two depart for a summer on Nantucket in an attempt to heal. But the island can't
The Beach Club book cover17

The Beach Club

Elin Hilderbrand

4.3
In The Beach Club, the juicy first novel by Elin Hilderbrand, a series of personal dramas are played out during one summer at a Nantucket Beach Club. It's about the love of summer, summer love, and the special feelings we all have for that special summer place--in this case, a hotel and an island.

Mack Petersen, manager of the hotel, has been working at The Beach Club for 12 summers. Only this summ
Pete at the Beach (Pete the Cat: I Can Read) book cover18

Pete at the Beach (Pete the Cat: I Can Read)

James Dean

4.3
Pete the Cat, coolest kitty ever, is ready for another adventure!

In Pete the Cat: Pete at the Beach, Pete is spending the day at the seashore. He has fun collecting shells and building a sand castle. But the beach is very hot. There is a whole ocean for Pete to cool off in, but it looks scary. Pete s brother, Bob, offers to teach Pete to surf. Will that be enough to help Pete get over his fear of
Barefoot book cover19

Barefoot

Elin Hilderbrand

4.3
Visiting Nantucket for the summer, three women seek peace and comfort as they cope with the challenges in their lives--from marriage, infidelity, and the mayhem of motherhood to scandal, tragedy, and illness.
Three women--burdened with small children, unwieldy straw hats, and some obvious emotional issues--tumble onto the Nantucket airport tarmac one hot June day. Vicki is trying to sort through th
A Hundred Summers book cover20

A Hundred Summers

Beatriz Williams

4.3
Memorial Day, 1938: New York socialite Lily Dane has just returned with her family to the idyllic oceanfront community of Seaview, Rhode Island, expecting another placid summer season among the familiar traditions and friendships that sustained her after heartbreak.

That is, until the Greenwalds decide to take up residence in Seaview.

Nick and Budgie Greenwald are an unwelcome specter from Lily’s p
Beach House Memories book cover21

Beach House Memories

Mary Alice Monroe

4.3
Mary Alice Monroe, New York Times bestselling author of the Lowcountry Summer trilogy, returns to her beloved South with Beach House Memories, the sequel to The Beach House!

Autumn brings haunting beauty to the sun-soaked dunes on Isle of Palms, where Olivia “Lovie” Rutledge lives in her beloved Primrose Cottage. As the seasons change, Lovie remembers one special summer…

In 1974, America is changing
If You Ever Want to Bring a Piano to the Beach, Don't! book cover22

If You Ever Want to Bring a Piano to the Beach, Don't!

Elise Parsley

4.3
If your mom says to get ready to play at the beach, she means with a boat, or a Frisbee, or a shovel. She is NOT talking about the piano. But Magnolia is a little girl with a big idea, determination, and one very heavy upright piano that, she insists, she needs to take with her. What's the worst that can happen? In a riotous series of mishaps, Magnolia quickly learns that--not surprisingly--a pian
Crazy Rich Asians (Crazy Rich Asians, #1) book cover23

Crazy Rich Asians (Crazy Rich Asians, #1)

Kevin Kwan

4.3
When New Yorker Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home and quality time with the man she hopes to marry. But Nick has failed to give his girlfriend a few key details. One, that his childhood home looks like a palace; two, that he grew up riding in more private planes than cars; and three, that he just happens to be
Summer of '69 book cover24

Summer of '69

Elin Hilderbrand

4.3
Welcome to the most tumultuous summer of the twentieth century! It's 1969, and for the Levin family, the times they are a-changing. Every year the children have looked forward to spending the summer with their grandmother in Nantucket: but this year Blair, the oldest sister, is marooned in Boston, pregnant with twins and unable to travel. Middle sister Kirby, a nursing student, is caught up in the
And Then There Were None book cover25

And Then There Were None

Agatha Christie

4.3

The World's Bestselling Mystery

"Ten . . ."
Ten strangers are lured to an isolated island mansion off the Devon coast by a mysterious "U.N. Owen."

"Nine . . ."
At dinner a recorded message accuses each of them in turn of having a guilty secret, and by the end of the night one of the guests is dead.

"Eight . . ."
Stranded by a violent storm, and haunted by a nursery rhyme counting down one by one . . . o

Outlander (Outlander, #1) book cover26

Outlander (Outlander, #1)

Diana Gabaldon

4.3
Claire Randall is leading a double life. She has a husband in one century, and a lover in another...

In 1945, Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she innocently touches a boulder in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach an 'outlander' in a Scotland torn by war and raid
Summer Rental book cover27

Summer Rental

Mary Kay Andrews

4.3
Sometimes, when you need a change in your life, the tide just happens to pull you in the right direction…

Ellis, Julia, and Dorie. Best friends since Catholic grade school, they now find themselves, in their mid-thirties, at the crossroads of life and love. Ellis, recently fired from a job she gave everything to, is rudderless and now beginning to question the choices she's made over the past decad
We Were Liars book cover28

We Were Liars

E. Lockhart

4.3
A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from New York Times bestselling author, National Book Award finalist, and Printz Award honoree
29

Duck & Goose Go to the Beach

Tad Hills

4.3
In this delightful follow-up to the New York Times bestselling Duck & Goose and Duck, Duck, Goose, Duck wants to go on an adventure. Goose doesn't. He doesn't see the point. After all, why would they go anywhere when they're happy right where they are? But then Goose sees the ocean and loves it. Who doesn't? Well, Duck, for one!
It's Not Summer Without You (Summer, #2) book cover30

It's Not Summer Without You (Summer, #2)

Marley Valentine

4.3
Belly finds out what comes after falling in love in this follow-up to The Summer I Turned Pretty from the New York Times bestselling author of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (soon to be a major motion picture!), Jenny Han.

Can summer be truly summer without Cousins Beach?

It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer, until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not
Dude! book cover31

Dude!

Aaron Reynolds, Dan Santat

4.3
Aaron Reynolds, the author of Nerdy Birdy and Creepy Carrots! teams up with Dan Santat, the Caldecott–winning illustrator behind The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend to create the hilarious, gnarly summer adventure picture book, Dude!

Dude! You have to read this book.

It's totally about this platypus and this beaver who are friends. They want to go surfing but dude, there's this shark wh
The Rumor book cover32

The Rumor

Elin Hilderbrand

4.3
Madeline King and Grace Pancik are best friends and the envy of Nantucket for their perfect marriages, their beautiful kids, their Sunday night double dates with their devoted husbands. But this summer, something's changed, and if there's anything Nantucket likes better than cocktails on the beach at sunset, it's a good rumor.

And rumor has it...

...that Madeline, a novelist, is battling writer's bl
Ten Beach Road (Ten Beach Road, #1) book cover33

Ten Beach Road (Ten Beach Road, #1)

Wendy Wax

4.3
Another perfect beach read from the author of The Accidental Bestseller.

Madeline, Avery, and Nikki are strangers to each other, but they have one thing in common. They each wake up one morning to discover their life savings have vanished, along with their trusted financial manager- leaving them with nothing but co-ownership of a ramshackle beachfront house.

Throwing their lots in together, they tak
Beach House for Rent (Beach House #4) book cover34

Beach House for Rent (Beach House #4)

Mary Alice Monro

4.2
New York Times Bestseller!
Bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe returns to her beloved Isle of Palms to tell the poignant, charming story of two women, one summer, and one very special beach house.

When Cara Rutledge rents out her quaint beach house on Isle of Palms to Heather Wyatt for the entire summer, it’s a win-win by any standard: Cara’s generating income necessary to keep husband Brett’s eco
35

The Identicals

Elin Hilderbrand

4.2

From New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand, a summertime story about identical twins who couldn't be any less alike.

Nantucket is only two and a half hours away from Martha's Vineyard by ferry. But the two islands might as well be worlds apart for a set of identical twin sisters who have been at odds for years. When a family crisis forces them to band together — or at least appear to —
The Sandcastle That Lola Built book cover36

The Sandcastle That Lola Built

Megan Maynor, Kate Berube

4.2
A modern, summery spin on the classic The House That Jack Built, in which Lola’s day at the beach leads to new friends and a giant sandcastle.

Lola is building her dream sandcastle–one with a tall, tall tower and sea glass that sends signals to mermaids. But the beach is crowded, and soon enough, a boy steps on her castle. Not to worry! Lola recruits him to build a wall. When a toddler with a bulld
The Castaways book cover37

The Castaways

Elin Hilderbrand

4.2
Greg and Tess MacAvoy are one of four prominent Nantucket couples who count each other as best friends. As pillars of their close-knit community, the MacAvoys, Kapenashes, Drakes, and Wheelers are important to their friends and neighbors, and especially to each other. But just before the beginning of another idyllic summer, Greg and Tess are killed when their boat capsizes during an anniversary sa
Beachcombers book cover38

Beachcombers

Nancy Thayer

4.2
Abbie Fox hasn’t seen her father or two younger sisters in almost two years. But now Lily, the baby of the family, is sending Abbie urgent emails begging her to return home. Their middle sister, Emma, has taken to her bed, devastated after losing her high-powered job and breaking up with her fiancé. Also, Lily is worried that the beautiful, enigmatic woman renting their guesthouse has set her sigh
Sea Rex book cover39

Sea Rex

Molly Idle

4.2
What could that be down in the sea?

Is it a fish?

A snail?

A mermaid’s tail?

No, it’s bigger than that . . .

a LOT bigger . . .

it’s Sea Rex!


Join Cordelia and her crestacious companions as they spend a memorable day at the beach, as only dinosaurs can do!
Beach House book cover40

Beach House

Deanna Caswell, Amy June Bates

4.2
A long, long drive.
It's been a year
of dreaming, waiting.
Now, summer's here.

A celebration of family, vacations, and the joy of the sea.
When We Believed in Mermaids book cover41

When We Believed in Mermaids

Barbara O'Neal

4.2
From the author of The Art of Inheriting Secrets comes an emotional new tale of two sisters, an ocean of lies, and a search for the truth.

Her sister has been dead for fifteen years when she sees her on the TV news…

Josie Bianci was killed years ago on a train during a terrorist attack. Gone forever. It’s what her sister, Kit, an ER doctor in Santa Cruz, has always believed. Yet all it takes is a fe
Heat Wave book cover42

Heat Wave

Kate Riordan

4.2
Lyrical, emotional, dramatic, and packed with Nancy Thayer’s trademark warmth and wisdom, Heat Wave tells the moving story of a woman who, after her seemingly perfect life unravels, must find the strength to live and love again.

After her husband’s sudden death, Carley Winsted is determined to keep her two daughters in their beloved home on Nantucket. To ease the family’s financial strain, she deci
On Folly Beach book cover43

On Folly Beach

Karen White

4.2
Now in mass market—New York Times bestselling author Karen White’s novel of old wounds and second chances set in the small South Carolina town of Folly Beach.

To most people, Folly Beach is simply the last barrier island before reaching the great Atlantic. To some, it’s a sanctuary for lost souls...

When Emmy Hamilton’s mother encourages her to buy the local book store, Folly’s Finds, she hopes it
Twenty Yawns book cover44

Twenty Yawns

Jane Smiley, Lauren Castillo

4.2
Featuring lyrical text and beautiful illustrations, this bedtime tale from Pulitzer Prize winner Jane Smiley and Caldecott Honor recipient Lauren Castillo evokes the splashy fun of the beach and the quietude of a moonlit night, with twenty yawns sprinkled in for children to discover and count.

As her mom reads a bedtime story, Lucy drifts off. But later, she awakens in a dark, still room, and every
Where'd You Go, Bernadette book cover45

Where'd You Go, Bernadette

Maria Semple

4.2
Bernadette Fox has vanished.

When her daughter Bee claims a family trip to Antarctica as a reward for perfect grades, Bernadette, a fiercely intelligent shut-in, throws herself into preparations for the trip. But worn down by years of trying to live the Seattle life she never wanted, Ms. Fox is on the brink of a meltdown. And after a school fundraiser goes disastrously awry at her hands, she disapp
Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach book cover46

Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach

Melanie Watt

4.2
We know by now that Scaredy Squirrel only feels safe when he's at home in his nut tree, with his defenses, his emergency kit and his back-up plans at the ready. So even though the sun is shining and it's time for a vacation, Scaredy does not want to go to the beach --- that vast, frightening place where a squirrel could get stranded. (Not to mention other hazards such as sea monsters, falling coco
The Summer Girls (Lowcountry Summer #1) book cover47

The Summer Girls (Lowcountry Summer #1)

Mary Alice Monroe

4.2
From New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe, the heartwarming first installment in the Lowcountry Summer trilogy, a poignant series following three half-sisters and their grandmother.

Three granddaughters. Three months. One summer house.

In this enchanting trilogy set on Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe captures the complex relation
Beautiful Day book cover48

Beautiful Day

Elin Hilderbrand

4.2
The Carmichaels and Grahams have gathered on Nantucket for a wedding. Plans are being made according to the wishes of the bride s late mother, who left behind the notebook: specific instructions for every detail of her youngest daughter s future nuptials. Everything should be falling into place for the beautiful event but in reality, things are far from perfect. While the couple-to-be are quite ha
Harry by the Sea book cover49

Harry by the Sea

Gene Zion, Margaret Bloy Graham

4.2
A classic picture book featuring the beloved Harry the Dirty Dog!

When Harry goes on a visit to the beach, he is mistaken for a sea creature when a big wave covers him with seaweed. Harry also has to hunt for his family beneath all the similar beach umbrellas. Children will relate to Harry's funny misadventures.

This is an irresistible story featuring a classic picture book character, especially per
The Matchmaker book cover50

The Matchmaker

Elin Hilderbrand

4.2
A touching new novel from bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand in which a woman sets out to find love for those closest to her - before it's too late.

48-year-old Nantucketer Dabney Kimball Beech has always had a gift for matchmaking. Some call her ability mystical, while others - like her husband, celebrated economist John Boxmiller Beech, and her daughter, Agnes, who is clearly engaged to the wron
Gift from the Sea book cover51

Gift from the Sea

Anne Morrow Lindbergh

4.2
In this inimitable, beloved classic—graceful, lucid and lyrical—Anne Morrow Lindbergh shares her meditations on youth and age; love and marriage; peace, solitude and contentment as she set them down during a brief vacation by the sea. Drawing inspiration from the shells on the shore, Lindbergh’s musings on the shape of a woman’s life bring new understanding to both men and women at any stage of li
Beach Read book cover52

Beach Read

Emily Henry

4.2
A romance writer who no longer believes in love and a literary writer stuck in a rut engage in a summer-long challenge that may just upend everything they believe about happily ever afters.

Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast.

They're polar opposites.

In fact, the only
On the Island (On the Island, #1) book cover53

On the Island (On the Island, #1)

Tracey Garvis Graves

4.2
When thirty-year-old English teacher Anna Emerson is offered a job tutoring T.J. Callahan at his family's summer rental in the Maldives, she accepts without hesitation; a working vacation on a tropical island trumps the library any day.

T.J. Callahan has no desire to leave town, not that anyone asked him. He's almost seventeen and if having cancer wasn't bad enough, now he has to spend his first su
How Will We Get to the Beach?/Como Iremos a la Playa? book cover54

How Will We Get to the Beach?/Como Iremos a la Playa?

Brigitte Luciani, Eve Tharlet

4.2
Roxanne is headed to the beach with a turtle, an umbrella, a book, a ball, and her baby. But the car won't start and whenever Roxanne comes up with a new way to get to the beach, she discovers she must leave something behind. Spanish-speaking children will delight in guessing just what's missing each time in this sunshine-bright romp of a book.
This Beach Is Loud! book cover55

This Beach Is Loud!

Samantha Cotterill

4.2
Patience, understanding, and a soothing exercise saves the beach day when excitement turns to sensory overload.

Going to the beach is exciting. But it can also be busy. And loud. Sand can feel hot or itchy or sticky...and it gets everywhere! In This Beach Is Loud!, a sensitive boy gets overwhelmed by all the sights, sounds, and sensations at the beach. Luckily, this kiddo's dad has a trick up his s
Sullivan's Island (Lowcountry Tales, #1) book cover56

Sullivan's Island (Lowcountry Tales, #1)

Dorothea Benton Frank

4.2
The New York Times bestseller—in paperback for the first time!Set in the steamy, stormy landscape of South Carolina, Sullivan's Island tells the unforgettable story of one woman's courageous journey toward truth.

Born and raised on idyllic Sullivan's Island, Susan Hayes navigated through her turbulent childhood with humor, spunk, and characteristic Southern sass. But years later, she is a conflicte
Wave book cover57

Wave

Suzy Lee

4.2
In this evocative wordless book, internationally acclaimed artist Suzy Lee tells the story of a little girl's day at the beach.


New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book 2008
Beach Day book cover58

Beach Day

Karen Roosa, Maggie Smith

4.2
In this charming picture book, a cheerful family tumbles out of the car and onto the beach, ready for a perfect day. Buoyant verse just right for reading aloud and bright, playful illustrations capture the singular feeling of a hazy, lazy day by the ocean, complete with a ball game with new friends, water-skiers and sailboats, and a picnic lunch of fried chicken and deviled eggs. This book is a ca
Ladybug Girl at the Beach book cover59

Ladybug Girl at the Beach

David Soman, Jacky Davis

4.1
Lulu loves the beach. Well, she’s never been there before, but she knows she will love it. And then she sees the ocean and it is big and loud and rough. That’s okay—Lulu wanted to build sand castles and fly her kite with Bingo anyway. But while they are building their sand castle, the sneaky ocean comes in and tries to steal Lulu’s favorite pail. This is a job for Ladybug Girl!

Lulu conquers her f

Summer People book cover60

Summer People

Elin Hilderbrand

4.1
Every summer the Newton family retreats to their beloved home on Nantucket for three months of sunshine, cookouts, and bonfires on the beach. But this summer will not be like any other. When Arch Newton, a prominent New York attorney, dies in a plane crash on his way home from a business trip, his beautiful widow Beth can barely keep things together. Above all, though, she decides that she must co
Just Grandma and Me (A Golden Look-Look Book) book cover61

Just Grandma and Me (A Golden Look-Look Book)

Mercer Mayer

4.1
Celebrate Mother's Day - and your Grandma - with this classic Little Critter book! Mercer Mayer's Little Critter is spending a day at the beach with his grandma in this classic, funny, and heartwarming book. Celebrating the special bond between a grandparent and grandchild, this beloved story is the perfect gift for Mother's Day . . . or any day!
62

Florida's Living Beaches: A Guide for the Curious Beachcomber

Blair Witherington

4.1
The first edition of Florida's Living Beaches (2007) was widely praised. Now, the second edition of this supremely comprehensive guide has even more to satisfy the curious beachcomber, including expanded content and additional accounts with more than 1800 full-color photographs, maps, and illustrations.

It heralds the living things and metaphorical life along the state's 700 miles of sandy beaches.
The Perfect Couple book cover63

The Perfect Couple

Elin Hilderbrand

4.1
It's Nantucket wedding season, also known as summer-the sight of a bride racing down Main Street is as common as the sun setting at Madaket Beach. The Otis-Winbury wedding promises to be an event to remember: the groom's wealthy parents have spared no expense to host a lavish ceremony at their oceanfront estate.

But it's going to be memorable for all the wrong reasons after tragedy strikes: a body
The Weekenders book cover64

The Weekenders

Mary Kay Andrews

4.1
Some people stay all summer long on the idyllic island of Belle Isle, North Carolina. Others come only for the weekends-and the mix between the regulars and “the weekenders” can sometimes make the sparks fly. Riley Griggs has a season of good times with friends and family ahead of her on Belle Isle when things take an unexpected turn. While waiting for her husband to arrive on the ferry one Friday
How to Code a Sandcastle book cover65

How to Code a Sandcastle

Josh Funk, Sara Palacios

4.1
From the computer science nonprofit Girls Who Code comes this lively and funny story introducing kids to computer coding concepts.

Pearl and her trusty rust-proof robot, Pascal, need to build a sandcastle before summer vacation is over, and they’re going to do it using code. Pearl breaks the big we-need-a-sandcastle problem into smaller steps, then uses conditionals, loops, and other basic coding c
Porch Lights book cover66

Porch Lights

Dorothea Benton Frank

4.1
When Jimmy McMullen, a fireman with the NYFD, is killed in the line of duty, his wife, Jackie, and ten-year-old son, Charlie, are devastated. Charlie idolized his dad, and now the outgoing, curious boy has become quiet and reserved. Trusting in the healing power of family, Jackie decides to return to her childhood home on Sullivans Island.

Crossing the bridge from the mainland, Jackie and Charlie e
Moon Shell Beach book cover67

Moon Shell Beach

Nancy Thayer

4.1
New York Times bestselling author Nancy Thayer delighted readers with her sparkling Hot Flash Club series. Now she has written a vibrant new novel set within a tight-knit island community, where two women struggle to rekindle a childhood friendship damaged by harsh words, betrayal, and the passing years.

Lexi Laney and Clare Hart grew up together swimming in the surf, riding remote bike trails, and
The High Tide Club book cover68

The High Tide Club

Mary Kay Andrews

4.1
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Weekenders comes a delightful new novel about new love, old secrets, and the kind of friendship that transcends generations.

When ninety-nine-year-old heiress Josephine Bettendorf Warrick summons Brooke Trappnell to Talisa Island, her 20,000 acre remote barrier island home, Brooke is puzzled. Everybody in the South has heard about the eccentric mill
Beach House Reunion (Beach House, #5) book cover69

Beach House Reunion (Beach House, #5)

Mary Alice Monroe

4.1
Whisking you back to the shores of her bestselling Beach House series, Mary Alice Monroe weaves together a tale of the struggles and triumphs of the historic Rutledge family of Charleston, South Carolina. Beautifully wrought and rich with keen insight, this is an illuminating tale of new beginnings, resilience, and one family's enduring love.

Cara Rutledge returns to her Southern home on the idylli
Nantucket Blue (Nantucket, #1) book cover70

Nantucket Blue (Nantucket, #1)

Leila Howland

4.1
For Cricket Thompson, a summer like this one will change everything. A summer spent on Nantucket with her best friend, Jules Clayton, and the indomitable Clayton family. A summer when she’ll make the almost unattainable Jay Logan hers. A summer to surpass all dreams.

Some of this turns out to be true. Some of it doesn’t.

When Jules and her family suffer a devastating tragedy that forces the girls a
The Summer's End (Lowcountry Summer, #3) book cover71

The Summer's End (Lowcountry Summer, #3)

Mary Alice Monroe

4.1
In the powerful and heartwarming conclusion to her bestselling Lowcountry Summer trilogy, "New York Times" bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe brings her readers back to the charm and sultry beauty of Sullivan s Island, South Carolina, to reveal how the pull of family bonds and true love is as strong and steady as the tides.

It is summer s end, and Sea Breeze, the family s beloved estate on Sulliv
Gone Girl book cover72

Gone Girl

Gillian Flynn

4.1
On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. As the police begin to investigate, the town golden boy parades a series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he's definitely bitter - but is he re
A Summer Affair book cover73

A Summer Affair

Elin Hilderbrand

4.1
Claire Danner Crispin, mother of four young children and nationally renowned glassblower, bites off more than she can chew when she agrees to co-chair a huge benefit concert on Nantucket. Claire is asked to chair the Nantucket Children Summer Gala, at least in part, because she is the former high school sweetheart of world famous rock star, Max West. Max agrees to play the benefit and it looks lik
Surf's Up book cover74

Surf's Up

Kwame Alexander, Daniel Miyares

4.1
Surf's up! Not yet, Dude! Books are boring! Not this one! Bro and Dude have very different ideas about how to spend the day at the beach. But as Bro continues to gasp and cheer as he reads his book (Moby Dick), Dude can't help but get curious. Before you can shout 'Surf's up!' both frogs are sharing the same adventure, that is, until they get to the beach. Newbery Medal Winner, Kwame Alexander, an
Pig Kahuna book cover75

Pig Kahuna

Jennifer Sattler

4.1
Fergus and his little brother, Dink, love collecting the things that wash up on the beach, especially if it means that Fergus doesn't actually have to go in the water. Then one day, they spy the greatest treasure of all-an abandoned surfboard. When no one comes to claim it, they make it the star of their collection and name it "Dave." But when Dave accidentally (on purpose?) gets cast back into th
Sea, Sand, Me! book cover76

Sea, Sand, Me!

Patricia Hubbell, Lisa Campbell Ernst

4.1
Uncovering seashells...
jumping in the waves...
It's a perfect beach day!
And what better way to spend it
than with a new beach friend?

Patricia Hubbell's light verse skips merrily along, while Lisa Campbell Ernst's playful scenes picture a sea that is justwaiting to be splashed in!
We'll Always Have Summer (Summer, #3) book cover77

We'll Always Have Summer (Summer, #3)

Jenny Han

4.1
It's been two years since Conrad told Belly to go with Jeremiah. She and Jeremiah have been inseparable ever since, even attending the same college—only, their relationship hasn't exactly been the happily ever after Belly had hoped it would be. And when Jeremiah makes the worst mistake a boy can make, Belly is forced to question what she thought was true love. Does she really have a future with Je
Here's to Us book cover78

Here's to Us

Elin Hilderbrand

4.1

An emotional, heartwarming story from New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand about a grieving family that finds solace where they least expect it.

Celebrity chef Deacon Thorpe has always been a force of nature with an insatiable appetite for life. But after that appetite contributes to Deacon's shocking death in his favorite place on earth, a ramshackle Nantucket summer cottage, his (me
Same Beach, Next Year (Lowcountry Tales, #11) book cover79

Same Beach, Next Year (Lowcountry Tales, #11)

Dorothea Benton Frank

4.1
New York Times bestselling author Dorothea Benton Frank returns to her magical Lowcountry of South Carolina in this bewitching story of marriage, love, family, and friendship that is infused with her warm and engaging earthy humor and generous heart.

One enchanted summer, two couples begin a friendship that will last more than twenty years and transform their lives.

A chance meeting on the Isle of P
Summer House book cover80

Summer House

Nancy Thayer

4.1
After years of wandering from whim to whim, thirty-year-old Charlotte Wheelwright seems to have at last found her niche. The free spirit enjoys running an organic gardening business on the island of Nantucket, thanks in large part to her spry grandmother Nona, who donated a portion of land on the family’s seaside compound to get Charlotte started. Though Charlotte’s skill with plants is bringing h
The Shell Seekers book cover81

The Shell Seekers

Rosamunde Pilcher

4.1
Artist's daughter Penelope Keeling can look back on a full and varied life: a Bohemian childhood in London and Cornwall, an unhappy wartime marriage, and the one man she truly loved. She has brought up three children - and learned to accept them as they are. Yet she is far too energetic and independent to settle sweetly into pensioned-off old-age. And when she discovers that her most treasured pos
82

Beach Music

Pat Conroy

4.1
An American expatriate in Rome unearths his family legacy in this sweeping novel by the acclaimed author of The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini

A Southerner living abroad, Jack McCall is scarred by tragedy and betrayal. His desperate desire to find peace after his wife’s suicide draws him into a painful, intimate search for the one haunting secret in his family’s past that can heal his anguis
The Light Between Oceans book cover83

The Light Between Oceans

M. L. Stedman

4.0
A captivating, beautiful, and stunningly accomplished debut novel that opens in 1918 Australia - the story of a lighthouse keeper and his wife who make one devastating choice that forever changes two worlds.

Australia, 1926. After four harrowing years fighting on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns home to take a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day's journey from th
The Husband's Secret book cover84

The Husband's Secret

Liane Moriarty

4.0
At the heart of The Husband’s Secret is a letter that’s not meant to be read

My darling Cecilia, if you’re reading this, then I’ve died...


Imagine that your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret—something with the potential to destroy not just the life you built together, but the lives of others as well. Imagine,
The Summer Wind (Lowcountry Summer #2) book cover85

The Summer Wind (Lowcountry Summer #2)

Mary Alice Monroe

4.0
The Summer Wind is the second book in Monroe’s Lowcountry Summer trilogy, following the New York Times bestselling The Summer Girls. This series is a poignant and heartwarming story of three half-sisters and their grandmother, who is determined to help them rediscover their southern roots and family bonds.

It’s midsummer and Eudora, nicknamed Dora, is staying at Sea Breeze, the family’s ancestral h
Fetch book cover86

Fetch

Jorey Hurley

4.0
Experience the simple joy of a dog’s day at the beach in this vibrant picture book from the acclaimed author-illustrator of Nest, which the New York Times Book Review said was “certain to please aesthetically minded children and adults” and that Shelf Awareness called “a quiet masterpiece.”

As with her debut picture book, Nest, “Hurley lets her bright, clean illustrations do her storytelling, limit
A Beach Tail book cover87

A Beach Tail

Karen P. Williams, Floyd Cooper

4.0
Gregory and his father are spending a day at the beach. When Greg finds a stick and draws a lion in the sand, his father says, "Don't go in the water, and don't leave Sandy." The little boy follows his father's advice. But he still manages to travel down the beach quite a way before realizing he can no longer see the blue umbrella where Dad is waiting. Greg's journey takes him past such landmarks
Every Breath book cover88

Every Breath

Nicholas Sparks

4.0
In the romantic tradition of The Notebook and Nights in Rodanthe, #1 New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Sparks returns with a story about a chance encounter that becomes a touchstone for two vastly different individuals -- transcending decades, continents, and the bittersweet workings of fate.

Hope Anderson is at a crossroads. At thirty-six, she's been dating her boyfriend, an orthopedic su
Nantucket Nights book cover89

Nantucket Nights

Elin Hilderbrand

4.0
The ties between women can run as deep as the ocean-but so can the secrets.

For 20 years, Kayla, Antoinette and Val have performed their own special summer ritual. Once a year, the old friends put aside their daily, separate lives to drink champagne, swap stories and swim naked under the Nantucket stars. But on one of those bonding nights, one of their trio swims out from the shore and doesn't retu
Sea Glass Summer book cover90

Sea Glass Summer

Michelle Houts, Bagram Ibatoulline

4.0
Author Michelle Houts and illustrator Bagram Ibatoulline explore the magic of one of the seaside's greatest wonders and the bonds that link us through time.

One summer, a boy named Thomas visits his grandmother at her seaside cottage. She gives him a magnifying glass that once belonged to his grandfather, and with it Thomas explores the beach, turning grains of sand into rocks and dark clamshells i
Firefly Lane (Firefly Lane, #1) book cover91

Firefly Lane (Firefly Lane, #1)

Kristin Hannah

4.0
From the New York Times bestselling author of On Mystic Lake comes a powerful novel of love, loss, and the magic of friendship. . . .

In the turbulent summer of 1974, Kate Mularkey has accepted her place at the bottom of the eighth-grade social food chain. Then, to her amazement, the “coolest girl in the world” moves in across the street and wants to be her friend. Tully Hart seems to have it all--
Grains of Sand book cover92

Grains of Sand

Sibylle Delacroix

4.0
On the last day of a family vacation, a little girl is as blue as the sea, and her shoes are filled with sand. What should she do with all of this sand? Together, she and her brother decide to plant the grains of sand, and imagine what will grow. A field of beach umbrellas, to wave hello to the sun? Or a forest of windmills, to fill the sails of a boat? Before drifting off to sleep, the girl has h
The Seashore Book book cover93

The Seashore Book

Charlotte Zolotow, Wendell Minor

4.0
"A young boy, who has never seen the sea, asks his mother to describe it. From there, Zolotow carefully chooses her words to create a poem full of the colors, sounds, and sights of a day at the beach. Minor's softly detailed renderings reinforce the gentle mood." 'SLJ. "[Zolotow's] words have a special lilt that lingers long after the book is closed." 'NYT. Notable 1992 Children's Trade Books in S
Worth the Fall (The McKinney Brothers, #1) book cover94

Worth the Fall (The McKinney Brothers, #1)

Claudia Conno

4.0
The McKinney Brothers, Book 1

They meet on a beach. . . . Abby Davis isn’t wearing a skimpy bikini or sipping umbrella drinks, not when she’s busy chasing around four little ones. And Matt McKinney isn’t looking for fun—he’s a Navy SEAL, a grown man with a long list of missions . . . and fallen brothers.

They only have a week. . . . Abby has brought her children to this beach to start over, to give
Beach Feet book cover95

Beach Feet

Kiyomi Konagaya, Masamitsu Saito

4.0
The story of a boy's visit to the beach, Beach Feet opens with a small boy feeling the heat of the sand and then running towards the ocean. Free and independent despite his young age and the tube around his waist, the boy gives himself over to the ocean and the pleasures to be had at water’s edge. Throughout, the boy's connection to the beach through his feet—the feel of sand, shells, water—is nev
Isle of Palms (Lowcountry Tales, #3) book cover96

Isle of Palms (Lowcountry Tales, #3)

Dorothea Benton Frank

4.0
Anna Lutz Abbot considers herself independent and happy, until one steamy summer when she must find a way to deal with the secrets of her unpredictable family-and her past.
97

The Summer House

Jenny Hale

4.0
From this USA Today bestselling author comes a delightful summer read about friendship, family, and the healing power of love.

Callie Weaver and her best friend, Olivia Dixon, have finally done it: put their life savings into the beach house they admired through childhood summers, on the dazzling white sand of North Carolina's Outer Banks. They're going to buff the salt from its windows, paint i
Cottage by the Sea book cover98

Cottage by the Sea

Debbie Macomber

4.0
A seaside town helps one young woman rediscover hope and healing in a brand-new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.

After tragedy strikes, Annie moves in to the summer cottage where her family vacationed when she was a child. Soon Annie finds herself making new friends, even developing a romance with a quiet and mysterious painter. And as she becomes part of the communi
Beach Town book cover99

Beach Town

Mary Kay Andrews

4.0
Greer Hennessy needs palm trees.

As a movie location scout, picture-perfect is the name of the game. But her last project literally went up in flames, and her career is on the verge of flaming out. Greer has been given one more chance, if she can find the perfect undiscovered beach hideaway for a big-budget movie. She zeroes in on a sleepy Florida panhandle town called Cypress Key. There's one mote
Sandy Feet! Whose Feet?: Footprints at the Shore book cover100

Sandy Feet! Whose Feet?: Footprints at the Shore

Susan Wood and Steliyana Doneva

4.0
When a family spends a day at the beach, the children investigate various footprints to see what type of creatures live along the shoreline. Rhyming text turns a sandy beach into an outdoor classroom. The tracks and habits of local wildlife, including hopping sandpipers, scuttling crabs, and burrowing turtles, are identified and explained for young ecology detectives. Even Daddy's feet make an app