# The Dead of Summer (Book 1)

**Author:** Ryan La Sala
**Grade range:** Grades 3–10
**First published:** 2025
**Page count:** 435
**Genre:** Children's
**ISBN-13:** `9781546125891`
**ISBN-10:** `1546125892`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/the-dead-of-summer
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

A heart-pounding thriller told in a mix of narrative voices and found documents from the bestselling author of The Honeys, perfect for fans of Tiffany D. Jackson, E. Lockhart, Karen McManus, and Rory Powers! Two Days Before Ollie Veltman is finally coming home to the quaint island of Anchor's Mercy after a year away while his mom battled cancer. It should be a celebration -- his mom is cancer free, and she's determined to have the best summer ever -- but Ollie's (now ex) best friends think he abandoned them, and he's returning with a lot of questions. Because for a place that's perfect on the surface, a secret rots below the waves. A secret that could explain his mom's illness, and the illness of so many other locals. Ollie's desperate search for the truth turns life or death when a storm 

## Where this book is assigned

### Odyssey Award (Best Audiobook)

- **recommended** · 3rd grade — [source: Odyssey Award (best audiobook) winners + honors, via Wikipedia — 2026 Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey_Award)
- **recommended** · 4th grade — [source: Odyssey Award (best audiobook) winners + honors, via Wikipedia — 2026 Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey_Award)
- **recommended** · 5th grade — [source: Odyssey Award (best audiobook) winners + honors, via Wikipedia — 2026 Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey_Award)
- **recommended** · 6th grade — [source: Odyssey Award (best audiobook) winners + honors, via Wikipedia — 2026 Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey_Award)
- **recommended** · 7th grade — [source: Odyssey Award (best audiobook) winners + honors, via Wikipedia — 2026 Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey_Award)
- **recommended** · 8th grade — [source: Odyssey Award (best audiobook) winners + honors, via Wikipedia — 2026 Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey_Award)
- **recommended** · 9th grade — [source: Odyssey Award (best audiobook) winners + honors, via Wikipedia — 2026 Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey_Award)
- **recommended** · 10th grade — [source: Odyssey Award (best audiobook) winners + honors, via Wikipedia — 2026 Honor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey_Award)

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