List

Category
Audience

Summer Wonders

Bob Raczka

A book that celebrates all things summer--from playing at the park to swimming at the pool to catching fireflies. Children will delight in the rhymes that captures summertime fun.

"Divers, swimmers, flat rock skimmers.

Joggers, walkers, sidewalk chalkers.

Marchers, pipers, stars and stripers."

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Summer Is for Cousins

Rajani LaRocca

From Newbery honor author Rajani LaRocca and illustrator Abhi Alwar comes a celebration of extended family and summertime fun expressed in a picture book full of joyful, color art.

Summer is for cousins.
Mom and Dad,
Two uncles, two aunties,
Thatha and Pati,
Seven cousins,
All of us are together.

Ravi can't wait to spend summer vacation at the lake house with his family--especially his cousins! Summer vacation is for days at the beach, long hikes, paddleboarding, and--of course--ice cream. Ravi and his oldest cousin, Dhruv, had the same favorite flavor last year, but everything feels different now.

Dhruv's much taller and his voice is deeper. Ravi's worried that Dhruv won't be interested in spending time with him, the little cousin. The ice cream shop doesn't even have their favorite flavor this year. But on the last night of vacation, the cousins decide to make dinner, and Ravi's in charge of dessert. He only has one special thing in mind!

This picture book all about summertime fun celebrates the resilient bond between extended family members.

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Summer

Cao Wenxuan

Summer is a poetic, inspirational picture book about the power of kindness from two of China's most acclaimed creators—and children will discover a surprise as they turn the pages!

During a hot summer day in the grasslands, a group of animals race to claim the single spot of shade—under one tiny leaf that clings to a branch. The animals fight until they are inspired by an act of love to offer shade to one another.

Through lyrical text from Hans Christian Andersen Award winner Cao Wenxuan, the story comes alive with bright, delicate art from award-winning illustrator Yu Rong and provides a vivid introduction to animals. In the middle of the book, pages grow shorter and then longer to emphasize each selfless action and to remind children of the importance of sharing and being kind.

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Summer Days and Nights

Wong Herbert Yee

On a hot summer day, a little girl finds ways to entertain herself and stay cool. She catches a butterfly, sips lemonade, jumps in a pool, and goes on a picnic. At night, she sees an owl in a tree and a frog in a pond, and hears leaves rustling. Before long, she's fast asleep, dreaming about more summer days and summer nights.

As with his earlier books featuring this spunky little girl, Wong Herbert Yee's focus is on appreciating the small but special details that define a season.

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Summer Is Summer

Phillis Gershator

School is out and it's the perfect time to explore the magic of summer!

What is summer? For so many children summer is lemonade and salty air, baseball and ice cream, fireflies and starry nights, and much, much more. Join four friends as they explore the outdoor world of summer and all its sensory pleasures. Phillis and David Gershator's evocative language and Sophie Blackall's imaginative pictures celebrate this fun-filled season.

 

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Beach Bummer

Michele Jakubowski

Everyone is having fun at the beach except Poppy. Who knew the sun could be so hot? But watching the other kids play while she sits under the umbrella is boring, Poppy must devise a plan to beat her beach day blues.

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Summer Is Here

Renée Watson

New York Times bestselling creators Renée Watson and Bea Jackson offer a picture book ode to a picture-perfect summer day, from sunrise to sunset.

Summer is here!
No dark clouds in the sky,
it's a perfect day for play.
What joy will summer bring me today?


Summer is finally here, and she's bringing the most perfect day! From sunup to sundown, there's so much to do on this lovely summer day. With summer comes fresh fruit, sweet and tangy, jump ropes for leaping and dancing, and friends at the pool swimming and floating. Summer brings family cookouts under shady trees, gardens overflowing, and the familiar song of the ice-cream truck. This beautiful ode to all the season's sensations follows one girl's perfect day in an exploration of joy, family, friendship, sunshine, and wonder.

Her stars shimmer like spilled glitter across the sky.
I whisper a wish and say goodbye to the day.
I wish summer would stay.

Renée Watson celebrates iconic childhood joys in this love letter to summer featuring bright, sun-drenched art from Bea Jackson.

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And Then Comes Summer

Tom Brenner

A joyful, sun-drenched tribute to the anticipation and adventures of the warmest season of the year.

When the days stretch out like a slow yawn, and the cheerful faces of Johnny-jump-ups jump up . . . then it’s time to get ready for summer! From flip-flops and hide-and-seek to fireworks and ice-cream trucks, from lemonade stands and late bedtimes to swimming in the lake and toasting marshmallows, there’s something for everyone in this bright and buoyant celebration of the sunny season. Tom Brenner’s lovely, lyrical ode to summers spent outdoors will strike a chord with anyone who’s ever counted down the days until school gets out, and Jaime Kim’s jubilant, nostalgia-soaked illustrations leave little doubt that summer is indeed a time unlike any other.

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Driftwood Days

William Miniver

Under autumn leaves, a boy watches a beaver build a dam. One of the branches slips away, carried downstream by the river. Through the changing seasons, the branch makes a long, epic journey to the sea, before finally getting tossed back onto shore. Changed by the elements, the branch--now driftwood--lies patiently on the beach, until the boy discovers it once again.

Featuring breathtaking artwork by Charles Vess, Driftwood Days offers readers a beautiful, multilayered story about nature, science, childhood, and change.

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The Sandcastle That Lola Built

Megan Maynor

A modern, summery spin on the classic The House That Jack Built, in which Lola's day at the beach leads to new friends and a giant sandcastle.

Lola is building her dream sandcastle--one with a tall, tall tower and sea glass that sends signals to mermaids. But the beach is crowded, and soon enough, a boy steps on her castle. Not to worry! Lola recruits him to build a wall. When a toddler with a bulldozer starts digging too close the walls, Lola decides he can be in charge of digging the moat. As the sandcastle grows, so does Lola's friendly group of helpers. There's only one thing that Lola doesn't want near the sandcastle: a wave! Will the new friends be able to salvage the mermaids' castle when their hard work is washed away?


"Dig into this playful, beachy read."--Kirkus

"The delightful text, coupled with nondogmatic examples of intent cooperation, make this a wonderful choice for group sharing and a great vehicle for launching the beach season."--SLJ

"The collage and mixed-media illustrations make the shoreline landscape and the chill vibe of a beach vacation feel very close at hand. In an age of adult-organized play, this book offers a fun but pointed reminder that children are more than capable of organizing themselves."--Publishers Weekly

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The Great White Man-eating Shark

Margaret Mahy

Norvin has just two talents: acting and swimming. But there's a problem--he looks like a shark! He devises a fiendish plan, and soon has the water to himself; or does he? A perfect beach book for all year round. Illustrated.

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Bats at the Beach

Brian Lies

FromCaldecott honor-winning and New York Times best-selling author-illustrator Brian Lies, a charming and lyrical beachy read perfect for summertime--or anytime. The first of many nighttime adventures with the award-winning Bat Book series.

Quick, call out! Tell all you can reach: the night is just perfect for bats at the beach!

So pack your buckets, banjos, and blankets--don't forget the moon-tan lotion--and wing with this bunch of fuzzy bats to where foamy sea and soft sand meet.

Brian Lies's enchanting art and cheery beachside verse will inspire bedtime imaginations again and again. Come visit a bedazzling world of moonlight, firelight, and . . . bats!

Check out brianlies.com for more escapades with these zany bats.

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The Camping Trip

Jennifer K. Mann

Ernestine has never been camping before, but she’s sure it will be lots of fun . . . won’t it? An endearing story about a girl’s first experience with the great outdoors.

My aunt Jackie invited me to go camping with her and my cousin Samantha this weekend. I’ve never been camping before, but I know I will love it.

Ernestine is beyond excited to go camping. She follows the packing list carefully (new sleeping bag! new flashlight! special trail mix made with Dad!) so she knows she is ready when the weekend arrives. But she quickly realizes that nothing could have prepared her for how hard it is to set up a tent, never mind fall asleep in it, or that swimming in a lake means that there will be fish — eep! Will Ernestine be able to enjoy the wilderness, or will it prove to be a bit too far out of her comfort zone? In an energetic illustrated story about a first sleepover under the stars, acclaimed author-illustrator Jennifer K. Mann reminds us that opening your mind to new experiences, no matter how challenging, can lead to great memories (and a newfound taste for s’mores).

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Sandy Feet! Whose Feet?

Susan Wood

When a family spends a day at the beach, the children investigate various footprints to see what type of creatures live along the shoreline. Rhyming text turns a sandy beach into an outdoor classroom. The tracks and habits of local wildlife, including hopping sandpipers, scuttling crabs, and burrowing turtles, are identified and explained for young ecology detectives. Even Daddy's feet make an appearance! And at day's end, it's time for tired feet to make their way home. STEM-based back matter includes information on how clues like footprints can identify the type of wildlife inhabiting any given habitat.

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All the World

Elizabeth Garton Scanlon

All the world is here.

It is there.

It is everywhere.

All the world is right where you are.

Now.

Following a circle of family and friends through the course of a day from morning till night, this book affirms the importance of all things great and small in our world, from the tiniest shell on the beach, to warm family connections, to the widest sunset sky

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Pool Party

Amy Duchêne

From authors Elisa Parhad and Amy Duchêne and illustrator Anne Bentley, Pool Party is a splashy story picture book celebrating a fun-filled day at a public pool.



Splash, dash! It's time for a pool bash! Grab your swimsuits, inner tubes, noodles, and floats, and jump, belly flop, or dive into this wet and wild ode to swimming pool fun.

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Ana and the Sea Star

R. Lynne Roelfs

A young girl finds a starfish on the beach and wants to show it to her mother at home, but doesn't want to take it from its home. With encouragement from her dad and a little imagination, Ana is able to let the sea star go and yet keep it with her at the same time.

This beautiful picture book celebrates the power of imagination and an appreciation of the natural world.

Back matter invites children into the lives and experiences of a jellyfish, stingray, loggerhead turtle and other sea creatures.

 

"The sea star waited as the sand settled around it.

Then slowly, slowly it crept home to the sea grass meadow

on hundreds of tiny tube feet."

 

"Ana watched a snowy plover grab its dinner from the surf.

Then the tiny bird skittered across the sand.

Ana and Papa followed their shadows home."

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Sandcastle

Einat Tsarfati

Step inside a sumptuous sandcastle packed with amazing and amusing visual details for a beach day that’s fit for royalty.

A young girl loves building sandcastles. But not just any sandcastles. She builds one so big and grand and lovely that all the royals of the world come to visit. There are banquets and balls and tournaments, a greenhouse for cacti, a staircase for skateboarding, and ice cream around the clock. Everyone seems to be having fun, until they discover sand in the royal almond strudel . . . and the fig milk bath . . . and everywhere! With a keen eye for the absurd, author-illustrator Einat Tsarfati invites readers beyond the crocodile moat to explore the intricately detailed, increasingly wild festivities that echo the arc of a day at the beach, from euphoria to gritty discomfort. The diverse cast of regal guests, from a Rapunzel-esque princess in pj’s and unicorn slippers to a pair of knights playing badminton, is just as inspired. A visual treat of a tale, Sandcastle opens the doors to a world by the sea where wit and imagination reign.

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