The best kids books about summer evoke days at the beach, in the pool, or lounging in the sun with friends, popsicles and picnics. Check out our favorite summer themed picture books, right here!
The Best Kids Book About Summer
Chlorine clings to their hair. Popsicles drip down their chins. Sandy, tanned toes wiggle deliciously free in flip flops.
School is out, and nothing says a great read-aloud for a warm, sunny day like kids’ books about summer! The end of school and the beloved hot and carefree months mean camp and barbecues, fireworks, and sunglasses, all rolled into one. It is freedom, friendship, and fireflies; drizzly days wearing pajamas until sunset; mid-week sleepovers spent giggling until sunrise.
Kids’ books about summer evoke all of this nostalgia and more.
RELATED: We’ve got a fabulous list of kindergarten read-alouds for you on Happily Ever Elephants, so be sure to check them out!
Kids books about summer convey endless magic!
Summer is a great time to turn towards reading, not away from it. Going to the beach? Grab a great picture book about the ocean or sandcastles to read while you’re there. Having lunch at a picnic? Read a picnic-themed story while your kids are lounging. And if you are taking a popsicle snack break, you get the idea. Pull your kids in for a fun read-aloud while those icy treats drip down their chins.
There are so many fabulous kids books about summer to ring in and celebrate lazy, carefree, sunny days, and these are our favorite summer stories.
Happy reading!
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Our Favorite Kids Books About Summer
For some, summer means swimming, beaches and picnics. For others, it means visits from someone special. In this beautiful story, summer doesn’t begin for one little girl until her grandmother, lola, arrives for her annual visit from the Philippines. When lola comees, the kitchen smells like mango jam, singing in Tagalong fills the home, and the entire family is filled with joy and life. I love this evocative, multi-generational story that so tenderly touches upon the love, learning and laughter shared between a beloved grandmother and her adoring granddaughter.
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“Come here, little mouse, and rest in my shade.” And so it is that one act of kindness and generosity is a starting point for more — and more and more. We absolutely love the way this lyrical book conveys that disagreements are sure to happen, but when we work together and act with kind hearts and gestures, the whole of us will be better than when we started. With themes of sharing, kindness and selflessness, this book is destined to become a classic!
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It’s the last day of school, and temps are hot! With the final words from their teachers being “have a good summer,” the neighborhood kids intend to do just that. They kick off their shoes, dance and run through water spraying from fire hydrants, and jump rope through the streets. While running and playing, the kids know the endless, glorious days ahead belong to them. Summer, after all, is for believing anything is possible, a time for children of all ages to unite as one community. And that community shines through on every page, as readers see kids caring for one another no matter their backgrounds, races, or languages. I love the exuberance of this story, the illustrations, and the way in which the excitement of each and every child for the joyful days of summer is palpable on every page.
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Summer evokes swimming, jumping and playing. But for one child, summer also means the quest to perform the perfect cannonball. Except, every time the boy reaches the end of the diving board, something goes awry. He can never get it right, and everyone has advice for him. Only when the boy learns to listen to his own heart and do things his way does he succeed in his quest… and executes one heck of a cannonball!
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What a gorgeous book this is about a young boy finding calm, dreaming big and fostering curiosity at the edge of the sea. He brings his biggest questions to the sea, and as he grows, we see the boy learning his own answers and continuing to return to the sea for its wondrous inspiration — and to introduce it to his own family. This beautiful book is reminiscent of The Giving Tree, but more modern, sensitive and generous. What a gem!
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When a young girl swims at the community pool, magic and excitement is everywhere. Whether diving deep into the pool or standing on hands, the energy on each page is palpable. But then a storm threatens, and one little boy gets too close to the edge. Will the girl come to the rescue? We love the way the child in this story gives readers an up close and personal tour of the pool — and the way the bubbles always rise up to the water’s surface!
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Welcome to the barrio, where the highlight of summer is cooling off with a delicious paleta! The paleta vendor offers so many delicious flavors, coloring tongues and faces and fingers. So what can you do with a paleta? Slurp it, of course, and sip it and munch it before gobbling it all up! We love the vibrant colors and the sprinkling of Spanish words throughout the text.
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When the days stretch out long and your last class assignment is finished and the bicycles come out to play, it can only mean one thing. Summer has arrived! We love the way this joyful ode to summer celebrates the arrival of warmth with lemonade stands, hopscotch, hide and seek, lake trips and gooey s’mores. It’s a perfect kickoff to the summer season, exciting young readers with the thought of adventure and wondrous days ahead.
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Pearl has been trying to build the perfect sandcastle all summer long, but some things just keep getting in her way. Stray frisbees, puppies, ugh! Eventually, however, Pearl and her trusty friend Pascal have the perfect plan to build their sandcastle. They will use code, of course! Using fundamental coding concepts and manageable steps, Pearl and Pascal figure out how to solve their problem. The result? One awesome sand castle!
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This wacky book about a camping trip gone wild is a family and school favorite! Mr. Magee and his little dog, Dee, are having quite a fun time on their camping trip. But then a big bear comes along, and that’s when the trip gets a little … crazy. From plunging down a mountain to teetering on the edge of a waterfall, will Mr. Magee and Dee find a way out of the chaos? If your family loves summer camping trips, this is a must-have!
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In this wordless masterpiece, two timid kids meet under the water, where they discover a vast new world. When one boy dives into the water to escape the coming crowd of pool-goers, he swims far beneath the surface and inadvertently meets his counterpart. The two kids swim deeper and deeper, where they suddenly encounter a magical world of underwater creatures and glorious experiences, including a giant mythical-like creature! When the two eventually venture back to the surface of the water, they are transformed. And when they pull off their goggles and look each other in the eyes for the first time, the connection between the two is palpable.
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This is the story of what happens when kids find delights below the pier, away from the lights and carousels and dizzying smells of a carnival. It is a reminder that the best things in life are free, that play is a salve for the soul, and that all we truly need are our imaginations and good friends to create magical memories. It’s a perfect reminder that while many of us are still home, longing for the day that we can get back out and into the world safely, we can find magic in everyday wonders, whether in our backyards, our living rooms, or under the pier outside. Gorgeous, dreamy perfection!
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Nothing says summer like apple pie and picnics! And what better way to eat a good meal than to share it? We love this celebratory book that describes all the wonderful things you can share during the hot summer days, like trees and books and balls and time — all as easy to share as pie. The text is simple and lyrical, and the gorgeous illustrations by Caldecott award winner Chin sing with beauty. Perfect for a summer picnic read aloud!
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This is the most darling book for young readers about one little girl who finds her first swimming lesson equal parts exciting and terrifying. There is so much to worry about, like whether you can be sucked into the pool filter, but there’s even more to be excited about. But in this fun and hilarious guide to swimming lessons, little readers will be ready to jump in — and they will be laughing along the way!
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If your kids are hesitant to jump into the water, this story is a must. One little girl happens to get a stomachache every Saturday before her swim lessons. With the help, patience and kindness of a wonderful teacher, the child finds her confidence and realizes she can’t knock something if she doesn’t even try it! Absolutely love this gentle story that is so authentic and accessible for young kids.
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Based on the true story of Hamilton Fountain, this delightful children’s book takes place one special summer in New York City when three kids are convinced the long, hot days will be spent in total boredom with only their goldfish for company. But when someone starts fixing up the fountain down street — and the goldfish are invited to take residence in it for the summer — things begin to look a lot more exciting!
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Jabari and his family hit the city pool, and today is the day Jabari tells dad he will jump off the high diving board. He’s not even scared! Yet, when it is time to climb the ladder, Jabari lets some of the other kids go ahead of him…. and then takes time deciding what kind of jump he wants to do…. and then he feels just a little bit tired. Oh, the excuses! Will Jabari overcome his fear of the board and find his way to take the plunge?
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This fabulous book tells the story of Fatima Khazi who can’t wait for the weekend. Why? Because her family is heading out on their first camping trip! Fatima may not have had the best week at school, but she knows outside she can do anything. From setting up tents to building fires, Fatima happily goes to sleep with the sounds of outside making a beautiful lullaby. We absolutely love the way the family’s experiences in India are interwoven throughout the book! The author is the founder of @brownpeoplecamping, and her debut book is a wonderful ode to family as well as a great effort to diversify outdoor experiences.
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If you have a kid who makes up excuse after excuse to justify her fears, this is the book for you. Poor Sukie is having a rough day at the beach. She’s scared of the ocean because she’s just a small dog and the waves are really big and the sand is really sandy and she might get a shell up her nose and, most importantly, there might be lobsters. One day though, Sukie has to learn the hard way whether she has what it takes to face her fears and save her beloved monkey from the depths of the ocean’s floor. Will you be brave in the face of danger, too?
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In this beautiful wordless picture book, Lee captures the beauty and wonder of a child’s day spent at the beach. With a fIock of seagulls in the air, the girl runs to the shore as it recedes, then away from it as the waves crash against the sand. She jumps in the water, dances, frolics and teases, and every spread evokes the awe-inspiring joy that time on the water evokes in children young and old. This one is such a joy!
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A list of children’s books about summer is not complete without a perfect read to celebrate Independence Day! This book, about the birth of the Statue of Liberty and the everyday Americans helped her rise in the United States, is just fascinating. From its birth in France to the construction of its pedestal in America, this captivating story will inspire children and teach them about the one of the largest statutes of its time that welcomed immigrants to America with the hopes of freedom and opportunity.
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