Cozy Cottage Books for Summer Days

Cozy Cottage Books.

The midsummer heat invites a dreamy laziness to steal in that puts me in a state of repose. It’s the kind of mood that sends me looking for a book to get lost in while sitting outside in the garden or tall grass somewhere listening to the sound of nothing but heat in my ears. There are certain books that fit this mood. They are books filled with flights of fancy and wonder and I call them cozy cottage books for summer days. These are the books that inspire fanciful dreaming beyond the known. They are books that make me wish to dash with Mr. Mole out of the house on an adventure or dive into the ocean and look for a mermaid. Most of the year they sit on my shelves collecting dust, but when the summer sun is heating the land, I find myself drawn to them.

The following books picks are those I am drawn to in such a mood and most are beloved classics. They have the power to transport you to another time and dream away. They are books that surpass age and suspend our reason. Imaginary characters come to life and invite us to their world. Those who love these books never grow old in spirit because they keep their childish wonder about them rather than toss it aside when they are grown up.

Cozy Cottage Books

anything by Lucy Maude Montgomery

I have read nearly every published work she has and love all of it. And yes, it’s technically young adult/kids’ reading, but that is of no matter. I will continue to read LM Montgomery at 50 as well as 90. It is a time travel back to cottage core land with its simple stories of life on Prince Edward Island. Montgomery is a woman who knew her writing craft and audience and did it well. Her Anne of Green Gables is just lovable, but I would encourage you to meet her other young heroines as well as read her many short stories. You will find yourself in a different time. The Blue Castle is one of my favorites!

The King of Elfland’s Daughter by Lord Dunsany

This gorgeous read is highly unknown in the popular segment and it’s a shame. I still remember bringing it home from the library when a slip of paper fell out of the book that said, “This book is so beautiful. It changed my life.” That moment for me felt like a scene in a movie. And whoever wrote the note was right. It was a beautiful work of literature that took my breath away. The lord of a pastoral land commands his son to marry an elf princess. What follows is the story of her unhappiness in the human realm and her return home. Missing her, her husband and son follow to try and find her only to be wandering and lost. Lord Dunsany knew his writing craft well, and his prose is stunningly beautiful.

Wind in the Willows

I have no shame that some of my favorite books are kids’ books. Wind in the Willows is an ageless tale of animal friendship that continues to endure. The creekside adventures of Mole, Rat, and Toad are just the thing for a breezy summer day. People both old and young will love this.

Andersen’s Fairy Tales

If you want to get lost in a good fairytale book this is it. Complete with the original little mermaid, these gorgeous and highly visual stories are the stuff dreams are made of. I remember the first day I discovered this book in grade school. Every chance I got I was poring over the elaborately spun magical tales by Anderson that have endured through time. Everyone should read these.

Brambleberry Hedge

This is an incredibly sweet, pastoral book about a little mouse village. Written in the 80s this book will be a classic for children for years to come. The illustrations are also charming and detailed, and you feel as if you right there living with all these wonderful mice. There is no badness in these simple collection of Brambleberry Hedge stories. These are just nice stories about nice mice who help each other. If you like Wind in the Willows, you will love this.

Have a beautiful day!