Level Up Your Summer With Materials about Games!

This summer, Worcester Public Library is running a game themed summer program called SummerQuest from June 1st to September 1st. We are challenging you and your family to visit our branches, attend events, and read throughout the summer. Participants in our fun and games are eligible for prizes. To celebrate, here is a list of game themed books and resources!

Board Books

Play Games with Me by Kat Chen 

The narrator of this interactive board book discusses his favorite game and asks readers to play games like hide and seek with him and his best friend, Rex.

Bluey. What games should we play? by Tallulah May 

This book lets us play games with Bluey through lifting its fun and interactive flaps.

Rosa Plays Ball: A Rosa Le Encanta Jugar a la Pelota by Jessica Spanyol 

Let's read about what toys Rosa and her friends will play with today in this English-Spanish bilingual book.

Hide-and-seek with Little Hippo by Geraldine Elschner 

Little Hippo is playing hide-and-seek, and we can help find him!

Picture Books


Mr. Fox's Game of "No!" by David LaRochelle

This is a hilarious and interactive picture book where readers play a game, answering “No” to all of Mr. Fox’s questions.

Clack, Clack! Smack!: a Cherokee Stickball Story by Traci Sorrell 

This beautiful story introduces us to a game, stickball, and a language, Tsalagi, that we might not be familiar with while emphasizing the importance of working together.

Do Not Eat the Game by Matthew McElligott 

What happens when you try to play a game with monsters? This book shows us that games aren’t fun unless we play by the rules.

The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by  Drew Daywalt 

This laugh-out-loud tale tells the origin story of the game Rock, Paper, Scissors.

Graphic Novels


Just Roll with It by Veronica Agarwal and Lee Durfey-Lavoie

Maggie Sankhar is worried about starting sixth grade, but things start well when she joins a club for her favorite role playing game and makes a new friend. However, she also discovers new struggles, like bullies and fears of making mistakes. 

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

What happens when Astrid dives head first into the world of Roller Derby, but her best friend, Nicole, doesn't want to do the same? Even readers who are not familiar with Roller Derby will find this book relatable and heartwarming following Astrid as she learns about a new sport and juggles new and old friendships.

Buzzing by Samuel Sattin

This graphic novel follows Isaac, a middle schooler who was recently diagnosed with OCD, as he starts playing a Dungeons-and-Dragons-like role playing game while juggling his home and school life with his mental health.

The Beautiful Game by Yamile Saied Méndez

Twelve-year-old Valeria is having a hard summer: she bled through her shorts when she got her first period, she was kicked off her soccer team, and she is experiencing a familial loss. Grappling with these struggles, Valeria joins an all-girls soccer team, makes new friends, and works through new family dynamics. This is a beautiful graphic novel about resilience, teamwork, and family.

Chapter Books


Dungeon Academy series by Madeleine Roux 

This series is great for both fans and newcomers to tabletop games. This book follows Zelli, a student at a Dungeons & Dragons monster training school. Zelli is a human secretly adopted by her minotaur mothers, so she wears fake horns and a tail to blend in. This funny and adventure-packed book also has themes of family and belonging.

You Go First by Erin Entrada Kelly

Charlotte and Ben meet playing scrabble online. They are both tackling their own struggles, from bullying to sick parents and divorced parents. Ben and Charlotte are complex and relatable characters finding their own voice and learning to communicate well with one another.

Minecraft Novels

These standalone novels follow incredible adventures in the same world as Minecraft, the videogame.

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

This novel-in-verse follows twins, Josh and Jordan, who adore basketball. It is a tender story about basketball, love, and family. This award-winning book is perfect for both fans and newcomers to basketball and poetry, and it is sure to touch all who read it. 

Parenting


Well Played: the Ultimate Guide to Awakening Your Family's Playful Spirit by Meredith Sinclair 

This collection of activities encourages a family's sense of adventure and reminds readers that while childhood is short, playfulness can be a lifelong endeavor.  

How to Raise a Healthy Gamer: End Power Struggles, Break Bad Screen Habits, and Transform Your Relationship with Your Kids by Alok Kanojia

Harvard-trained psychiatrist Alok Kanojia offers a proven and nurturing plan to set and enforce healthy boundaries between children and video games, especially helping children struggling with video game addiction.

I Can Play It: Music Games and Activities to Help Your Child Learn by Patricia Shehan Campbell

Patricia Shehan Campell, a college music professor, encourages parents to have their children explore and play with their environment through musical sounds.

Library of Things

Worcester Public Library's adult patrons can check out objects from our Library of Things! This includes outdoor games, like Spikeball and Cornhole, and indoor games, like Giant Jenga and Exploding Kittens.

I hope this list helped you find something great to explore!
- Alyssa





































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