Happy July, everyone! Summer is officially in full swing and AACPL has all of the books, guides and resources you need for a summer of fun, adventure and relaxation. No matter what your summer interests are, we’ve got you covered. Planning some backyard barbecues? We have cookbooks for all your grilling and refreshing summer sides. Planning to travel, hike or spend some time exploring the outdoors? We have travel guides, hiking guides and online resources to help you plan the perfect trip. Would you like to try gardening? Fishing? Camping? Need a good beach read recommendation? We’ve pooled together some of our best summer resources for you to explore in this easy-access guide.
Cookbooks for Your Summer Barbecue
Master the grill this summer or sharpen your cooking skills by checking out some cookbooks from AACPL. From barbecue to veggie dishes to easy recipes to make with your kids, there are plenty of recipes to try out and explore.
Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ
Grilling: Mouthwatering Recipes for Unbeatable Barbecue
Vegetables Unleashed: A Cookbook
The Tucci Table
Endless Summer Table
Or check out this AACPL book list with cookbooks for children!
Hiking and Travel Guides
Planning to spend some time outdoors exploring nature this summer? Check out some local hiking guides to help choose the best hikes for accessibility, views, location and more. Or, peruse through the travel guides in our catalog to help inspire your next vacation destination.
Hike Maryland: A Guide to the Scenic Trails of the Free State
Hiking Maryland and Delaware: Guide to the States’ Greatest Hiking Adventures
Travel Guides
Camping
Whether you’re in a national park or in your backyard, camping is a great summer activity to help you relax, to enjoy some fresh air, and to make a s’more or two (or 5).
Camping stories For Kids:
The Camping Trip
Flat Stanley Goes Camping
Llama Llama Loves Camping
Biscuit Goes Camping
Beach Reads
How do you define a good beach read? Is it gripping suspense? Engaging dialogue? Heartfelt romance? A good beach read should capture your attention and transport you directly from the sand to the story on the page. Here’s a few books at the top of our beach read list this summer:
Counterfeit
Where the Crawdads Sing
Verity
Meant to Be
The Guest List
Dating Dr. Dil
Ordinary Monsters
The Guncle
By the Book
Go fish!
Did you know you can check out fishing rods from your library? AACPL, in partnership with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, offers fishing poles for loan from the Deale, Eastport-Annapolis Neck, Edgewater and Mountain Road libraries.
Learn more about the program here: AACPL Fishing Rod Program
Gardening
Plant some summer perennials or work on your vegetable garden by learning to grow cucumbers, jalapenos, tomatoes and more!
Gardening hacks: 300+ time and money saving hacks
Gardening for everyone: growing vegetables, herbs, and more at home
Gardening for Beginners
Gardening lab for kids: 52 fun experiments to learn, grow, harvest, make, play, and enjoy your garden
Summer Movie Night!
Did you know you can access Kanopy, an on-demand streaming video platform, for free with your AACPL card? Plan your summer movie night or explore fun and educational content with Kanopy Kids.
Or, if you are someone who loves to read the book before seeing the movie, check out this list of books being adapted to movies and TV shows in 2022:
Books to Movies (and TV): 2022 Screen Adaptations
No matter what you’re interested in trying this summer, AACPL has what you need to dive into all your projects, plans, parties and adventures. Hopefully this guide helps you get started on an excellent summer!