Need a long weekend beach read? Herewith, our editors' favourite summer page turners.

Summer Sisters by Judy Blume
If Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret was your pre-teen bible, pick up Blume's more mature novel, Summer Sisters. It follows two best friends from grade school to their 30s and blends adolescent whimsy and angst with some very grown up topics. (PS: Check out Judy Blume on Twitter). $10 at Amazon.ca
Maria Tallarico, Managing editor

Angelina: An Unauthorized Biography by Andrew Morton
Members of Team Jennifer will enjoy sinking their teeth into. But we’d never diss Angie—why mess with a gal with a knife collection? $16 at Amazon.ca
Marianne Wisenthal, Montreal editor

The Recessionista by Alexandra Lebenthal
"Too Big to Fail Goes to the Beach," is how New York Magazine's Jessica Pressler described Alexandra Lebenthal's hot summer debut novel, The Recessionistas. A fabulously juicy read. $19 at Amazon.ca
Athena Tsavliris, Toronto editor

Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby
From the author of High Fidelity and About a Boy, Nick Hornby’s Juliet, Naked is the author’s latest look at what happens when love, parenting and relationships get in the way of life. The story of a washed-up musician also deals with one of Hornby’s favourite subjects: music. $21 at Amazon.ca
Malwina Gudowska, Calgary editor

One Day by David Nicholls
Expressed in snapshots of the same day spanning twenty years, this tale of two opposites, Dex and Em, who connect just before graduation, go their separate ways, yet stay in touch, sucked us in right from the start (perhaps because it begins with the pair bantering and snogging). $13 at Amazon.ca
Joy Pecknold, Vancouver editor

In the early '90s grunge era “dirty beauty” meant nonchalance about hair care. In today’s green era, it means caring about toxins in our beauty products.

If 'ignorance is bliss' isn’t your motto, pick up No More Dirty Looks by Siobhan O’Connor and Alexandra Spunt. The former Montrealers and journalists dig into the dirtiest ingredients and their risk factors, recommend less toxic products they’ve tested and provide home recipes for hair, face and bod. They also offer up a slew of sidebar beauty tips, like doing your hair wash routine backwards for better results.

We appreciate that the authors don’t hold back on the bad stuff, but remain even keeled. For instance, while hair dye holds many horrors, they won’t forsake all honey-blonde highlights.

$14.40 at www.amazon.ca
www.nomoredirtylooks.com

If your favourite summer reads include steamy romance novels with a barely-clad Fabio on the cover, put down the paperbacks and pick up Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and the Marriage of the Century.

The story of “Liz and Dick” by Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger reveals the often shocking marriage of the twice married (and twice divorced) couple. Their stormy union—filled with plenty of sex, scandal, fame and fortune—began on the set of Cleopatra in 1962 and spanned over 20 years, making them the most glamorous on-again-off-again duo Hollywood has ever seen.

$18.89 at Amazon.ca

With all the one-liners your kid spouts, sometimes you feel like you have a little Letterman on your hands.

Immortalize their best observations with My Quotable Kid, a journal to help you keep track of who said what, and when. So next time little Tommy decides to tell everyone at the dinner table, "Mommy said Daddy came home late last night and has a headache from drinking too much apple juice," you can take note.

Er, maybe leave that one out of the book.

My Quotable Kid: A Parents' Journal of Unforgettable Quotes, $15 at Amazon.ca

Snooping inside other people’s homes is considered uncouth, but when you’re a photographer with a flock of famous friends you make a blog out of that boorish behaviour and we adore you.

Todd Selby is that lensman-cum-blogger and he’s turned his popular website into a book. The Selby Is In Your Place takes you inside the weird and wonderful homes of muses, models, DJs and fashion designers. We learned all kinds of things about a few of our favourite personalities, like Karl Lagerfeld’s love for books is ceiling-high and Lou Doillon collects taxidermy.

It’s permissible to be a peeping Todd.

$28.53 at Amazon.ca

You don’t need a DeLorean to return to 1969 and rub shoulders with Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix.  Just travel the pages of Patti Smith’s Just Kids.

In the autobiographical book, the poet and “Godmother of Punk” speaks of her life as lover, muse and friend to photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. As a struggling artist in New York City during the Chelsea Hotel’s heyday, Smith recounts her meetings with the rising stars of rock, writing and film now rooted in our cultural lexicon.

From Allen Ginsberg mistaking her for a boy to her affair with a young Sam Shepard, it’s like vintage Page Six made into beautiful prose.

$25.60 at Book Warehouse, www.bookwarehouse.ca

Grab a glass of wine and a spot by the fireplace—these are winter reads worth staying in for.

Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelseaby Chelsea Handler
Comedian Chelsea Handler’s star has risen this year, and her hilarious and outrageous collection of personal essays has her deadpan delivery of intelligence, wit and bawdiness—it’s a perfect dose of Chelsea for those who can’t stay up late enough to watch her talk show. At Amazon.ca.
Maria Tallarico, managing editor

The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
It sounds like the ultimate Slacker’s Handbook, but it’s a great, practical guide for the self-employed (or would-be self-employed) on how to run a more efficient and profitable business while you work hard-on your tan! At Chapters.ca
Sarah Bancroft, editor-in-chief

Foam on the Daze by Boris Vian
A moving tale of unrequited love—simply sublime! Published in 1947, one of the Parisian author's only translated books. At Amazon.ca. Elsa Vecchi, Montreal editor, French edition

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Set aside a weekend for this book. From celebrated Swedish crime writer Stieg Larsson, it is so gripping you won’t be able to put it down. At Chapters.ca
Athena Tsaviliris, Toronto editor

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
Niffenegger’s spooky sophomore novel is a meaty ghost story about sisters, twinship, love and loss. Perfect for tucking up under the duvet on a cold winter’s night. At Amazon.ca.
Marianne Wisenthal, Montreal editor

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
In this literary mash-up, Austen’s beloved cast of characters is faced with an outbreak of undead (politely referred to as “unmentionables”) in addition to the usual courtship and classism. Natalie Portman just signed on to produce and star in the film adaption. At Chapters.ca.
Joy Pecknold, Vancouver editor

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee
by Rebecca Miller
Stuck between her former self and the woman she created, the protagonist is forced to examine her life and decide how to move forward. Miller, the daughter of the famed playwright and wife of our favourite butcher (Daniel Day-Lewis) adapted the novel into a star-studded movie this year but it’s a case of read-the-book-before-you-see-the-movie. At Amazon.ca.
Malwina Gudowska, Calgary editor

Herewith, our gift picks for the gals, from save to splurge.

If your bestie likes books gift her a paperback from Penguin’s Couture Classics series. Famed fashion illustrator Ruben Toledo drew custom covers for the three female-centric titles, Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights and The Scarlett Letter. $20 each at www.penguin.ca

Spruce up the office space of a working girl with Cubicle Art by Vancouver-born artist Talia Shipman. The 4x6 pieces feature photos taken on travels paired with hand-written messages, like “It’s not me, it’s you,” and will mount to a wall or stand upright. $55 at Vancouver Special, www.vanspecial.com

Heat up the cold hands of those warm hearts you know with a pair of leather driving gloves. In patent, snakeskin and other colours, they’re the sexiest we’ve seen and will make her feel like a secret agent. $79 at Club Monaco, www.clubmonaco.com

Road trips with gal pals aren’t the same since Polaroid passed on, so replace hers with the Fuji Instax, a cute instant camera that takes credit card-sized snaps. Joshua Jackson just took one to Mexico to capture holiday pics of his paramour Diane Kruger. $145 at Urban Outfitters, www.urbanoutfitters.com

A Burberry trench is timeless, and with the brand’s recent Art of the Trench collaboration with The Sartorialist, the gal you give it to can street-style it up and submit her photo to be featured on the website. From $1,095 at Burberry, www.burberry.com

Want your little one to always carry a story in their heart?

An Awesome Book by Dallas Clayton is an online children’s book with whimsical illustrations and a dreamy message. Whether they’re playing with your iPhone or poking at your laptop, this tech-friendly tome has an imaginative message.

It’s story time 2.0.

An Awesome Book, read for free or order (US$15) at www.veryawesomeworld.com

If your tot asks “Why? Why? Why?” more than a fourth year Philosophy major, give her something to really ponder with the creatively crafty This Is Not A Book by Kerry Smith.

Unlike traditional “connect the dot” activities, this illustrated guide requires imagination and input from little minds, with brain-tingling tasks like recording time travel and using the book to make an original action sculpture.

You may not have the answer to life’s eternal questions, but now you’ll always have a response to “I’m bored.”

This is Not a Book, from $11.68 at Amazon.ca