Parents, grandparents and caregivers can use this list as a guide to ensure toddlers through middle schoolers enjoy reading all summer long.
DOWNLOAD PDF FOR EASY PRINTING
BUY THIS YEAR’S COLLECTION AS A BUNDLE
The World Around You
The Little Island
by Margaret Wise Brown
Illustrated by Leonard Weisgard
Reading Level: Youngest Reader
Winner of the 1947 Caldecott Medal, this beautifully moving story centers around a little island in the midst of the wide ocean, and the curious kitten who comes to visit. As the seasons pass, the island and the creatures who call it home witness an ever – changing array of sights, smells, and sounds – proving that, no matter how small, we are all an important part of the world.
Inky the Octopus
by Erin Guedelberger
Illustrated by David Leonard
Reading Level: Elementary Reader
Follow Inky the octopus as he escapes from his tank at the National Aquarium of New Zealand to the open ocean! Based on a true story, this ocean picture book for children ages 4-7 chronicles the adventure that the real-life Inky might have taken on his escape to freedom.
I Loved You First
by Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush
Illustrated by
Reading Level: Elementary Reader
There is nothing more important than the time we spend together, learning to see the world through each other’s eyes. From counting constellations to imagining shapes in fluffy clouds to hiking great canyons or jumping into the ocean, the special moments between a mother or father and their child are some of the most memorable and precious in our lives.
The Moffats
by Elanor Estes
Reading Level: Middle School Reader
Meet the Moffats. There is Sylvie, the oldest, the cleverest, and-most days at least-the responsible one; Joey, who though only twelve is the man of the house…sometimes; Janey, who has a terrific upside-down way of looking at the world; and Rufus, who may be the littlest but always gets in the biggest trouble.
Even the most ordinary Moffat day is packed with extraordinary fun. Only a Moffat could get locked in a bread box all afternoon, or dance with a dog in front of the whole town, or hitch a ride on a boxcar during kindergarten recess. And only a Moffat could turn mistakes and mischief into hilarious one-of-a-kind
adventure.
My Side of the Mountain
by Jean Craighead George
Reading Level: Middle School Reader
Sam Gribley is terribly unhappy living in New York City with his family, so he runs away to the Catskill Mountains to live in the woods – all by himself. With only a penknife, a ball of cord, forty dollars, and some flint and steel, he intends to survive on his own. Sam learns about courage, danger, and independence during his year in the wilderness, a year that changes his life forever.
Stars and Stripes
Pete the Cat: Play Ball!
by James Dean and Kimberly Dean
Reading Level: Youngest Reader
Pete the Cat is ready to play baseball! Pete’s team, the Rocks, is playing the Rolls. But when the game doesn’t go Pete’s way, what will Pete do?
First Ladies Make History
by Anita McBride and Giovanna McBride
Illustrated by John Hutton
Reading Level: Elementary Reader
Who are the first ladies of the United States and what do they do? With this special book, authors Anita and Giovanna McBride explain that this is a big question with many answers.
The Camping Trip That Changed America
by Barb Rosenstock
Illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein
Reading Level: Elementary Reader
In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt joined naturalist John Muir on a trip to Yosemite. Camping by themselves in the uncharted woods, the two men saw sights and held discussions that would ultimately lead to the establishment of our National Parks.
The 4th of July Story
by Alice Dalgleish
Illustrated by Marie Nonnast
Reading Level: Elementary Reader
What happened on the Fourth of July long before there were fireworks and parades? Alice Dalgliesh takes young readers back to revolutionary times, back to the colonists’ desire for freedom and the creation of the Declaration of Independence.
I Survived the American Revolution, 1776
by Lauren Tarshis
Illustrated by Leo Trinidad
Reading Level: Middle School Reader
Nathaniel Fox never imagined he’d find himself in the middle of a blood-soaked battlefield, fighting for his life. He’s only eleven years old! He’s barely paid attention to the troubles between America and England. Instead, he’s been worked to the bone by his cruel uncle.
But when his uncle’s rage forces him to flee home suddenly, Nate finds himself in New York City, in the middle of the American Revolution. He encounters an old friend and joins his army regiment as a camp helper.
Soon the British invade – and nothing goes as planned. Can Nate survive the war’s biggest battle yet?
Friendship for the Ages
The Rabbit Listened
by Cori Doerrfeld
Reading Level: Youngest Reader
When something sad happens, Taylor doesn’t know where to turn. All the animals are sure they have the answer. The chicken wants to talk it out, but Taylor doesn’t feel like chatting. The bear thinks Taylor should get angry, but that’s not quite right either. One by one, the animals try to tell Taylor how to act, and one by one they fail to offer comfort. Then the rabbit arrives. All the rabbit does is listen . . . which is just what Taylor needs.
Poppleton in the Summer
by Cynthia Rylant
Illustrated by Mark Teague
Reading Level: Youngest Reader
Poppleton loves summer! He relaxes on his rooftop. He drives to the country for an adventure with his friend Hudson. And he especially enjoys a summer rain shower!
The Bookshop Mice
by Robert Sterling
Reading Level: Elementary Reader
Astrid is a bookshop mouse, but when she tells her new classmates about her astromouse mom and the incredible adventures she has with her dad, they don’t believe her. Only a visit to The Book Nook will show them what they’re missing!
In a Jar
by Deborah Marcero
Reading Level: Youngest Reader
Llewellyn, a little rabbit, is a collector. He gathers things in jars – ordinary things like buttercups, feathers, and heart-shaped stones. Then he meets another rabbit, Evelyn, and together they begin to collect extraordinary things – like rainbows, the sound of the ocean, and the wind just before snow falls. And, best of all, when they hold the jars and peer inside, they remember all the wonderful things they’ve seen and done. But one day, Evelyn has sad news: Her family is moving away. How can the two friends continue their magical collection – and their special friendship – from afar?
Number the Stars
by Lois Lowry
Reading Level: Middle School Reader
Through the eyes of ten-year-old Annemarie, we watch as the Danish Resistance smuggles almost the entire Jewish population of Denmark, nearly seven thousand people, across the sea to Sweden. The heroism of an entire nation reminds us that there was pride and human decency in the world even during a time of terror and war.
Clubhouse Mysteries: The Buried Bones Mystery
by Sharon M. Draper
Reading Level: Middle School Reader
Ziggy and his friends Rico, Rashawn, and Jerome build a clubhouse in Ziggy’s backyard and decide to bury their secret treasures nearby. But when the boys start digging, they uncover a box of bones and are swept up in a mystery more intriguing—and scary—than anything they could have imagined. Who could have buried a box of bones behind their clubhouse?
