Ranging from toddlers, pre-readers and early readers, up to middle elementary and into tween and teens, here are some great recommended summer reads from local librarians, authors and bookstore owners:
To Learn About Travel:
Scrambled States of America by Laurie Keller – The states become bored with their positions on the map and decide to change places for a while.
How Big is the World? by Bitta Teckentrup – Little Mole asks each animal he meets how big the world is, and they all give progressively larger answers, ranging from the size of a spider’s web to an endless ocean.
To Learn About Culture:
Fiesta Babies by Carmen Tafolla – Babies enjoy the colorful fiesta with singing, dancing, hugs, and kisses.
Mung-Mung: A Fold-Out Book of Animal Sounds by Linda Sue Park – A lift-the-flap guessing game challenges young readers to match the sounds made in languages around the world, such as “bo bo” in Hindi and “gav-gav” in Russian, to the appropriate animal.
What the World Eats by Peter Menzel – A photographic collection exploring what the world eats featuring portraits of twenty-five families from twenty-one countries surrounded by a week’s worth of food
Baby Loves Gravity by Ruth Spiro, illustrated by Irene Chan. The Baby Loves Science series is a welcome addition to the category of STEM books, which celebrate diversity along with the value of science.
Mixed by Arree Chung
Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho
Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai
We are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom
To Learn About Citizenship:
Ryan and Jimmy: and The Well in Africa That Brought Them Together by Herb Shoveller – Presents the true story of a six-year-old named Ryan Hreljac who built a well halfway around the world and how it created a life-changing friendship with the Ugandan boy whose village benefitted from Ryan’s generosity.
Every Human Has Rights: A Photographic Declaration for Kids by National Geographic – Based on the thirty rights listed in the “United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” explores the basic freedoms of human beings, especially children, with examples of how these rights have been implemented around the world.
All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon. – Following a circle of family and friends through the course of a day from morning until night, this book affirms the importance of all things great and small in the world, from the tiniest shell on the beach, to warm family connections, to the widest sunset sky.
The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis. The Watsons are headed to Birmingham to visit their grandmother. During their visit, their Grandmother’s church is bombed. Taking place at the time of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, this book is a different view on a tragedy that shook the entire nation.
Other Stories:
Hush! A Thai Lullaby by Minfong Ho – A lullaby that asks animals such as a lizard, monkey, and water-buffalo to be quiet and not disturb the sleeping baby.
Fairy Tale Feasts: A Literary Cookbook for Young Readers and Eaters by Jane Yolen – Short fairy tales mentioning or involving food are followed by recipes for the foods mentioned in the story.
My Mama Had a Dancing Heart by Libby Moore Gray
Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry
Positive Ninja by Mary Nhin
March by John Lewis
Good Stories for Pre-Readers :
Over in … series by Marianne Berkes
Bye-Bye Binky, written and illustrated by Maria van Lieshout
Baby Dance, written by Ann Taylor and illustrated by Marjorie van Heerden
The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
For Beginning Readers:
Who Says Woof? by John Butler
Go, Dog, Go! by P.D. Eastman
Flap Your Wings by P. D. Eastman
For New Readers:
The Grouchy Lady Bug by Eric Carle
Biscuit series by Alyssa Capucilli
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin
Puppy Place series by Ellen Miles
Alvin Ho series by Lenore Look
Never Smile at a Monkey by Steve Jenkins
How the Elephant Got its Trunk: a Retelling of a Rudyard Kipling Tale by Jean Richards
Dog Man series by Dav Pilkey
Juvenile Fiction
Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan
Superfudge! By Judy Blume (Also, Double Fudge and Fudge-A-Mania)
Listening for Lions by Gloria Whetan
Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey
Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney
The Baby-sitters Club series by Ann M. Martin
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
Wonder by R.J, Palacio
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Matilda by Roald Dahl
For Tweens & Teens
The Red Pyramid (book 1 of the Kane Chronicles) by Rick Riordan
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
