Summer Reading
Traveling Pants and Cozy Mysteries
I kick-off my summer reading with ‘Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants’ by Ann Brashares. When I re-read this four-book series, I visualize the characters as the actresses from the movie version. The ‘Traveling Pants’ books and movies are almost twenty years old with a timeless story of teen girls coming of age: figuring out school and work, reacting to boy troubles, and resolving their role in family. Re-reading the books has been a tradition to kick-off my summers for many years. Coming back to the story of the pants represents a certain nostalgia, a longing for such good friends, a wish to have a symbol, like the shared pants, of the bond of my friendships. I remind myself the book itself is a symbol of stories that make me feel good.
Reading the ‘Traveling Pants’ makes me think of other feel-good movies from decades ago – ‘The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood’ and ‘Now and Then’ – that also feature four girls. Perhaps I enjoy these stories because I didn’t have a group of girl friends when I was young. I was a quiet introverted girl who, like ‘Anne of Green Gables’ had one bosom friend to share my innermost dreams.
I’m pulled into the sisterhood, each girl with their own personality and strengths, as if I was one of the quartet. I know which of the girls I would be. I daydream about having three best friends at my side during the good times and the bad. In the story, the friends are faithful to each other, and, in reading about their trials and tribulations, I am comforted by their loyalty, their sisterhood.
Summer Cozies
Books that make me laugh out loud and feel good are on my summer reading list. I enjoy reading about characters who get themselves into kooky situations. Mystery adventures set in cute (book or cafe) shops, with extraordinary cats, and quirky lead characters are my favorites. I imagine that my friends would take similar (nosy) actions to help the (handsome) local police detectives - if we were zany madcaps and murders (repeatedly) happened in our neighborhood, and (coincidently) one of our friends was a suspect. Stacked at the ready are cozy mysteries by Jenn McKinlay, Miranda James, Victoria Hamilton, and Eva Gates. If I love a series, I will binge. If I really love a series, I will read it again next summer.
During summer, I don’t want to read books that are intellectual, complex, and make a statement - those types of books I save for the winter. Summer reading is about being light and carefree. Summer is about feeling warmth - in the sun and in the heart. Summer is for laughter.
Go find one of your favorite books and pull it off the shelf. It is time to re-read it! Take the afternoon off, and go outside into the sun with a great book.
Summer is time to re-connect with your friends.
What are you reading this summer? Tell me in the comments…