Ah, it's here at last. As the summer season officially kicks off this weekend, we're all a little itchy to grab some sunshine, hit the road or water and just unwind. And after the economic winter we've had, who doesn't need a break?

But surviving the recession entails getting smart advice. So whether you're packing for vacation – or simply contemplating some backyard time to stretch out with a good book – here are some personal finance reads to add to your list:

"10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget," from Wisebread.com, Skyhorse Publishing – A great pick-up-anytime read. Gathering the collective wisdom of Wise Bread's personal finance bloggers, it's got upbeat, money-saving ideas on traveling, cooking, entertaining, working and schooling. Here's just one: "25 Great Gifts for $5 or Less." Basically, it's how to live frugally without feeling you did.

"Career Building: Your Total Handbook for Finding a Job," by editors of Careerbuilder.com, HarperCollins – This book is a Bible on searching for work: how to perk up your résumé, ace the interview (including the awkward questions), finesse your workplace blemishes, craft compelling cover letters and thank-yous. And yes, it advises where/how to look for jobs other than its own Web site. Whether you're an unemployed job hunter or contemplating a career change, this go-to-guide is packed with practical tips.

"Investing 101" by Kathy Kristof, Bloomberg Press – You've read her Sunday personal finance column in these pages for years; here's her updated how-to book on wise investing, based on tips from her personal life and her professional interviews with hundreds of investing gurus for the Los Angeles Times. Kristof covers all the basics: what to buy and when, investments to avoid, specifics like Roth IRAs and 529 college savings plans. Aside from the practical, we especially liked this advice: "Vow to spend more time with your family and friends than you spend with your portfolio. … It's not going to matter if you have $10 million when you die, if you have no one you care about to leave it to."

"The Richest Kids in America," by Mark Hansen, Hansen House – That's richest as in passion, creativity and entrepreneurial enthusiasm. As co-creator of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series, author Hansen keeps an ear out for good stories. He's filled this book with short snippets by some remarkable kids and teens who launched their own startup businesses, ranging from podcasts to greeting cards. Among them, you'll meet Allyson Ames, who started baking as a Newport Beach teen and now owns a Southern California business, Wonderland Bakery; Jason O'Neill, the 12-year-old creator of Pencil Bugs, a series of fuzzy pencil toppers; and Maryanne Barrott, who created her own line of body-care products, Maryanne's Own. As kids who went far beyond the summer lemonade stand, their stories are not so much about making money but making dreams come true.

"Seuss-isms for Success (Insider Tips on Economic Health from the Good Doctor)," Random House – In true Dr. Seuss-ical style, this tiny tome delivers rhymed commentary on all things economic. Such as "Innovation": "The places I've hiked to! The roads that I rambled. To find the best eggs that have ever been scrambled! If you want to get eggs you can't buy at a store, You have to do things never thought of before." More a gift book than a bookshelf keeper, it's a mere 26 pages of light-hearted fun.

"I Will Teach You to Be Rich," by Ramit Sethi, Workman Publishing Co. – He's young, he's hip, he's a Stanford grad who's preaching money sense to the college-age generation. Written in an irreverent but spot-on style, it's a spinoff of Sethi's personal finance blog of the same name. Too many people – of any age – get paralyzed by excuses for not managing their money, he says. His retort: "Do you need to be the Iron Chef to cook a grilled-cheese sandwich? No … the single most important thing to getting rich is getting started, not being the smartest person in the room."

Added bonus: The 26-year-old author is a former Sacramentan, a Bella Vista High School grad and former writer for The Bee's teen pages (where we like to think he honed his savvy writing style).

"Get a Financial Life (Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties)," by Beth Kobliner, Simon & Schuster – Less hip but no less informative than Ramit Sethi, Kobliner talks to young, post-college professionals about saving and investing, paying taxes, choosing insurance, buying a home and, yes, digging out of debt. The longtime financial writer has updated her book with real-life anecdotes and recession-proofing tips, whether "you're financially flush or living paycheck to paycheck." While aimed at a particular age bracket, both this book and Sethi's have basic principles that are ageless.

"1,001 Things They Won't Tell you (An Insider's Guide to Spending, Saving and Living Wisely)," by Jonathan Dahl, Workman Publishing – As editor-in-chief of SmartMoney, Dahl assembles a consumer's guide based on the magazine's popular "Ten Things Your (Pick-a-Profession) Won't Tell You." It's word-to-the-wise advice involving dozens of daily life encounters with everyone from plumbers to physicians, wedding planners to veterinarians.

"Undress for Success," by Kate Lister and Tom Harnish, Wiley – If you've ever wondered about working from home, this book's for you. It lays out the perils (online scams, bogus jobs) and potential (freelance and home-based businesses) of working in your fuzzy slippers. And it's written by a Carlsbad-based couple who've been successfully doing that for years.

Have a personal finance question? Contact The Bee's Claudia Buck at (916) 321-1968.