2025 Teacher Summer Reading List: Books for Growth, Joy & Escape

5 Min Read  •  Professional Development

Summer break is the sweet spot when lesson plans are (mostly) finished, sleep is plentiful, and you finally have time to read something you choose. Whether you’re craving fresh classroom strategies, mind-stretching non-fiction, or a can’t-put-down beach read, this year’s list has you covered.

Professional Development

1. The AI-Powered Classroom by Andy Douglas
   Step-by-step playbook for weaving generative-AI tools into lesson design while keeping equity and ethics front-and-center.

2. Grading for Equity (2nd ed.) by Joe Feldman
   Research-backed framework for fair, bias-resistant grading that’s catching fire in districts nationwide.

3. Rigor by Design, Not Chance by Karin Hess
   14 practical moves that push students from surface knowledge to deep, transferable thinking across subjects.

4. What Can I Take Off Your Plate? by Elizabeth Brezovich & Jessica Hannigan
   Systems-level strategies (not just self-care tips) for beating teacher burnout through smarter workflows and shared leadership.

5. Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics by Peter Liljedahl
   A teacher-favorite math guide that turns any room into an active problem-solving lab; the new supplement shows tweaks for every setting.

6. Powerful Teaching: Unleash the Science of Learning by Pooja K. Agarwal & Patrice Bain
   Retrieval, spacing, and feedback—evidence-based techniques you can embed in under a minute.

Non-Fiction Inspiration

7. Hidden Potential by Adam Grant
   Shows students (and us) that grit isn’t everything—smart practice and good systems unlock growth.

8. Burn Book: A Tech Love Story by Kara Swisher
   A punchy history of Silicon Valley to fuel media-literacy chats about power, ethics, and AI.

9. Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg
   Concrete tools for deeper classroom circles, tougher parent calls, and any high-stakes conversation.

10. Slow Productivity by Cal Newport
    Argues that “do fewer, do better” beats the multitask hustle—perfect mindset for curriculum planning.

11. How Big Things Get Done by Bent Flyvbjerg & Dan Gardner
    Fascinating megaproject case studies double as a blueprint for school-wide initiatives and PBL units.

Fiction for Leisure

12. The Women by Kristin Hannah
    Sweeping Vietnam-era tale of friendship, duty, and finding your voice—great for fans of The Nightingale.

13. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
    A widowed janitor and a mischievous octopus team up to solve a mystery—quirky, heart-warming, unforgettable.

14. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
    Pulitzer-winning re-spin of David Copperfield set in Appalachia; gritty realism meets hope.

15. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
    Dragon-riding academy + enemies-to-lovers romance = the “it” fantasy teachers devour poolside.

16. None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
    A podcaster meets her sinister birthday twin—twists worthy of your next true-crime unit.

17. First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
    Reese’s Book Club thriller starring a con-artist chameleon—perfect plane-ride page-turner.

18. Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
    A mother recounts her summer-stock romance to her grown daughters—lyrical, cozy, unforgettable.

19. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
    Time-travel spy romp plus sharp commentary on identity; long-listed for the 2025 Women’s Prize.

20. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
    Disappearances at an elite summer camp unravel privilege and family secrets—think Dark Academia meets Camp.

Need even more ideas? Browse our past round-ups from 2024, 2022, and 2021 to build a truly binge-worthy TBR pile.

Here’s to a restorative, imagination-fueling summer—and to heading back in August brimming with new ideas!