Whimsical Reading Ideas for a Bookish AF Summer!
Bingo Card! Plus, Top 3 Books to Celebrate Pride Month!
Hi, my bookish friend!
There’s something special about reading in the summer. As a kid, summer meant freedom for many things … most especially freedom to choose where, when, and what I wanted to read!
Books by Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, and Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time just naturally fit into those leisurely days that also included riding my bike around my neighborhood and occasional trips to a pool. (Oh, the nostalgia of life before phones!)
Here at Bookish AF, I wanted a way to inspire this same whimsical sense of freedom and easy enjoyment of summer reading. So, this week I’m kicking off the “Bookish AF Summer of Reading 2026!”
Each week, I’ll feature a new idea to bring more joy and whimsy to your reading habit this summer. I’ll also provide a Bingo card so you can keep track of these mini-challenges and revel in the satisfaction of marking them off as you accomplish them.
So, today’s newsletter includes lots of new and exciting reading inspo:
All about the Bookish AF Summer of Reading 2026
The first mini-challenge: Go on an Audiobook Walk!
Bookish Updates:
3 New books to celebrate Pride Month!
Katie Couric Book Club’s Pick for June!
Happy Summer Reading!
Your friend,
Audry
P.S. My mom and a very good friend both read, enjoyed, and recommend Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth. I featured this book in my Mother’s Day post, as perfect for moms (or anyone!) who are obsessed with mysteries and thrillers. I’m definitely reading it this summer!
Bookish AF Summer of Reading 2026!
A recent New York Times Opinion article spotlighted Brian Bannon, the chief librarian of the New York Public Library (see the Instagram summary of it here). Bannon warned that reading for fun, especially among young people, has plummeted in America. It’s a concerning trend because reading books is not only good for your individual wellness, but it also uplifts your community and beyond.
Bookish AF readers are already enthusiastic book lovers! But it’s always helpful to find ways to keep the bookish fun going and perhaps inspire others through your example to start their own reading habit!
So, from starting now in June through August, join all the Bookish AF Summer of Reading fun! Each week, I’ll feature one or two of the mini-challenges of reading inspiration ideas to help you make the most of your summer reading life!
You don’t have to complete every square. The goal is simple: have fun, discover great books, and create a summer full of memorable reading experiences.
Bookish AF Summer Reading Bonus!
Become an paid member during the challenge and save 25% on your first year! All annual and founding members will also be entered to win a $50 Bookshop.org card when we celebrate the end of Summer Reading Bingo on August 26.
BONUS: All PAID subscribers can download a PDF of the Bookish AF Summer Reading Bingo Card, plus more helpful resources!
Bookish AF Summer Reading Challenge #1: 🎧 Take an Audiobook Walk
I chose to start with this Summer Reading Mini-Challenge first because of two events happening now:
Saturday, June 13th, is National Get Outdoors Day, which celebrates spending time outside and enjoying nature. I’m hoping to attend an audiobook walk event at a local library this Saturday! Find an audiobook walk near you here!
It’s also Audiobook Appreciation Month! I’ve recently become an audiobook fan for many reasons, most especially that listening while I’m doing other mundane tasks has doubled how many books I’ve read!
What’s an Audiobook Walk?
An audiobook walk is exactly what it sounds like. Put on an audiobook, lace up your shoes, and head outside!
If you’re new to audiobook walks, here are a few quick tips:
Choose a simple route so you can focus safely on your audiobook.
Wear comfy headphones or earbuds that stay in securely
Double the fun and bring a friend to walk with you!
For more audiobook tips and recs, check out these Bookish AF posts:
Share what book kept you company on your audiobook walk!
Bookish AF News Updates
Top 3 Books to Celebrate Pride Month
I love the power of books, especially fiction, to provide representation and opportunity for empathy. As a reader, you live the life of the characters in your mind. Sometimes that means you resonate with their experiences, and sometimes that means you understand others a little better. During Pride Month, this benefit of reading takes on even greater meaning!
For the ultimate Pride Month book list, Bookshop.org asked “booksellers at local, LGBTQIA+-owned bookstores to share the books they’re recommending this Pride Month.”
Here are the top three books on their list:
John of John by Douglas Stuart
Maybe because Oprah selected it as her June book club pick, or because early reader reviews rate it sooo highly, but this novel tops every Pride book list this year!
In this deeply emotional story, both father and son hold on tightly to the secret that they are both gay. They keep this secret from the world, and more importantly, from each other. Listen to Douglas Stuart discuss (in his lovely lilting accent) his novel in this fascinating NPR interview! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
We Burned So Bright by TJ Klune
You may well recognize the author, TJ Klune, from The House in the Cerulean Sea (I haven’t read it yet, but it’s high on TBR!).
In this novel, we follow Don and Rodney, who have shared a life for forty years. Sadly, time is running out as Earth is about to be gobbled up by a black hole! With unfinished business motivating them, Don and Rodney hop into a mobile home for a road trip from Maine to Washington State. The reviews are stellar, and it may be the end of the world if I don’t read it soon! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Let’s keep our eyes cast upward to the rainbow-filled heavens above, for another novel that is beautifully written and worthy of praise during Pride Month and all year long! Taylor Jenkins Reid rarely disappoints (why oh why haven’t I read one of her books yet?!), and Atmosphere is among her most beloved.
The story follows Joan Goodwin, who ventures into the 1980s Space Shuttle mission. While training for the mission, Joan befriends her fellow astronauts and finds an unlikely love. Then, on a mission, things go wrong. You'd better block out time to read this last section because you won’t want to put it down! (Amazon | Bookshop.org)
View the booklist on Bookshop.org! (Save 15% off the books on this list until June 30th with code: Pride26 and know that local independent bookstores, LGBTQIA+-owned, benefit from your purchases!)
June Book Club Selections
Katie Couric Book Club (KCBC) June 2026 Book Pick: Whistler by Ann Patchett
I’m so excited Katie selected this book (read more about it here) because now I can look forward to watching her interview Ann Patchett on her Substack. Save the date: June 29 at 8:30 p.m. While you wait, check out this fascinating interview with Elle Magazine where Ann Patchett discusses Whistler and more!
Bookish Quote of the Week
“One benefit of Summer was that each day we had more light to read by.”
― Jeannette Walls, The Glass Castle
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love an audiobook walk!!
This is so fun!