"What says “summer” to you? Maybe it’s feeling the sun on your skin, tasting the first ice cream cone of the season, or catching a glimpse of the first firefly in your backyard. As parents, it’s sometimes hard to notice the simple joys of summer when juggling the demands of working, carting kids to various activities, and general parenting duties. Summer reading can give us all a chance to slow down, soak in the moments, and make new memories—whether we’re lounging with a beach read (the dream!) or helping our kids hit their summer reading goals with the perfect summer books.
To help jumpstart summer reading, we gathered some of our favorite children’s books that just scream “summertime” and are fun for kids and parents to enjoy together. Whether your family is filling their summer with a fun road trip, or hitting the pool as much as possible, summer books make a great companion no matter the occasion. From new releases to old favorites and some special ones in between, here are 30 of our favorite books that celebrate summer. Added Bonus: The covers would all look adorable on a summer-themed bookshelf!
Any child who is fascinated by the shimmery and mystical lives of mermaids will totally enjoy uncovering the secret key to meeting one themselves in this brightly colored tale.
Summer is an exciting time to tune into your five senses and feel how warm and alive everything is. This story shows children how to pay attention to the colorful sights, curious sounds, sweet smells, and unique sensations of this precious season.
The Little Blue Cottage waits for a little girl to return every summer in this sweet story. If your family has a special spot you return to each year or you love the feeling you get from watching the Toy Story movies or reading The Giving Tree, this one’s for you.
This gorgeous picture book celebrates one of the mainstays of summer: a trip to the community pool.
Crocodile loves watermelon, but one day, he begins to worry that he’s swallowed a watermelon seed. This award-winning story is told with bold illustrations and comedic timing both little ones and parents will love.
Anyone who has had the delight of trying to build an epic sand castle will appreciate Lola’s dedicated efforts to bring her dream sand castle to life. What’s more, she makes a tribe of new friends along the way. Your child’s next sand castle undertaking is sure to be filled with new creative approaches and connections.
If your kids can’t get enough of the hit series Bluey, then they’re going to have the best time joining Bluey and Bingo as they head to their local pool for some fun in the sun… and perhaps the splash of a snafu or two!
This beautifully illustrated story celebrates the anticipation of all the fun summer brings—from staying up later to hearing the ice cream truck’s jingle through the neighborhood to watching Fourth of July parades and fireworks.
A perfect read for middle schoolers, in this touching book, a young girl helps save her aunt’s failing pie shop.
Children are going to have compassion for the poor hot dog who is overwhelmed by the heat of summer. When he finally gets the chance to cool off and adventure freely at the beach, he feels like a fresh new dog. Overall, it’s a heartfelt story that teaches children how to find their summer happy place and bottle it up so it’s with them whenever they’re overwhelmed and need it.
A gorgeous celebration of nature in the summer, this book follows a young girl and her grandfather as they walk down a wild path toward the coast, taking in nature along the way. The pair passes through several habitats and the girl’s grandfather teaches her about how summer affects a meadow, a stream, sandy heathland, pine woods, fossil-rich cliffs, and a rocky cove. It’s a beautiful story showing both the connection between grandchild and grandparent as well as the special environment that surrounds us in summer.
This classic and charming story set in the sea inspires children to be their bravest selves. Swimmy is a courageous fish who motivates his friends to come together and embrace the enchanting ocean they live in. Despite its potential dangers, Swimmy shows them how their unity can lead to wonderful discoveries.
This darling board book is an interactive way to get your little one animated about ice cream, and even more so over how much you love them. With a soft finger puppet, a rhyming story, and cute illustrations, they’ll probably ask you to read them the “ice cream book” all summer long.
While the beach and pool are popular summer venues, the forest is glimmering with all kinds of summer magic, too. With this engaging lift-a-flap board book, littles get to befriend new animals and learn all about tree climbing, blueberry picking, and other forest pleasures.
A lighthouse is so much more than its impressive appearance alone. Join a cozy family who lives inside of one and encounter the true wonder of what makes these seaside structures so comforting and alluring.
Your child doesn’t have to have seen the Llama Llama series to be entertained by Llama Llama’s memorable camping adventure. While the unknowns of camping can seem scary at first, this story is a nice introduction to the joys of camping, from building a tent, to outdoor cooking and s’mores, to the beauty of nature, and more.
Books from the Elephant and Piggie series are great practice for beginning readers and are fun for parents to read aloud. In this book, Gerald gets his own ice cream cone on a hot day, but then he goes back and forth on whether or not to share his ice cream with his best bud, Piggie.
Fletcher is a sweet little fox who lives in the woods. In this story, Fletcher finds a very small rabbit who feels sad because the rabbit has nothing to contribute to the sounds of summer. Fletcher always wants to help, so the two new friends go in search of something to cheer up the rabbit.
A little girl explores the smells of summer when her grandmother (Lola) comes to visit—from smelling the melting cherry ice cream cones to the mango jam Lola’s making in the kitchen.
To put it simply, this book celebrates all there is to love about school being out for the summer!
Bugs are just a part of summertime, and in this classic story, we meet a clever and resourceful inchworm who measures everything from a robin’s wing to a flamingo’s neck. But what will happen when a nightingale asks the inchworm to measure his song? Kids will love the bright illustrations and unexpected ending to this Amazon Teacher’s Pick and Calecott Honoree.
A must-read for young entrepreneurs! When a little girl realizes too many other kids on her street have her same idea of selling lemonade on a hot summer day, she has to get creative. Of course, she meets some unique characters along the way.
S’mores are a quintessential part of summer, but who knew we could learn so much from them? Pick up this book to help kids learn about diversity and uniqueness.
For another lively Llama Llama journey, take a trip to the beach with everyone’s favorite llama and his mama in this flip-and-feel board book.
Just because school’s out doesn’t mean we can’t learn a thing or two! This book is the perfect beginner’s guide to some basic science themes.
Dads and daughters will especially love this read about a girl and her dad who experience the bliss of summer together.
We know this will quickly become your little one’s favorite board book about two mice enjoying a summer picnic.
Follow along as a fluffy caterpillar experiences life in the tall grass on a sunny afternoon.
Babies and little kiddos will love the fun colors in this book. Read along as Ruby learns about not taking too much or too little, but finding what is just right.
