6 Children’s Books Good For Summer Reading

Reading is so important for the development of children’s imagination and knowledge. Here are some children’s books good for summer reading.

Now that school is out and summer is in full swing, it’s still very important to keep those little brains working.  My daughter is heading into the 2nd grade and has such a love for reading.  I attribute that to my husband reading to her just as he does our other children.  Here are 6 books we have personally read and recommend.

1. the Three Little Pigs
ISBN: 0-8109-8941-7
$18.95

In this quirky, artsy retelling of “The Three Little Pigs,” the pigs and their homes are nods to three famous architects—Frank Gehry, Phillip Johnson, and Frank Lloyd Wright—and their signature homes. Each house is filled with clever details, including furnishings by the architects and their contemporaries. Of course, not all the houses are going to protect the pigs from the wolf’s huffing and puffing. Which one will? The wolf, and readers, are in for a clever surprise ending.

2. Ballroom Bonanza
ISBN: 0-8109-8842-9
$16.95

In this colorfully and flamboyantly illustrated large-format alphabet book, animals from around the globe have gathered for a dance contest in the world-famous Tower Ballroom. Who will win? The camels dancing the conga? The flamingos dancing flamenco? Or the penguins doing the polka? And what are those mischievous monkeys up to? Turns out they’ve stolen the band’s instruments—twenty-six in all! Once the reader finds all of them hidden within the artwork, the grand finale can begin. Ballroom Bonanza is an ideal primer to teach children about some of the most popular styles of dance, while offering a look at musical instruments to inspire young Mozarts—all while helping teach ABCs to aspiring readers and writers.

3. My Friend Maya Loves to Dance
ISBN: 0-8109-8328-1
$16.95

A young narrator tells readers about her friend Maya, who absolutely loves to dance. In this rhyming picture book, Maya attends a lively dance class. She can’t get enough of dance: the costumes, the grand entrances, the pirouettes, the music, the final bow, and the magic of recitals. She even loves the hard work of practice. But why doesn’t her friend dance, too? The pages themselves seem to dance, thanks to the charming verse of Cheryl Willis Hudson and the vibrant colors and motion of Eric Velasquez’s paintings.

4. Mama, Is It Summer Yet?
ISBN: 0-8109-8468-7
$17.95

Young children see the passage of time through the seasonal changes to the world around them in this charming book, illustrated with Nikki McClure’s extraordinary cut-paper art. A little boy who can’t wait for summer keeps asking his mama, “Is it summer yet?” Mama says, “Not yet, little one,” then points to the signs that spring is turning to summer—the softening of the earth, the nest-building of squirrels, the singing of birds—and encourages her son to savor the beauty of spring.

5. Because I Am Your Daddy
ISBN: 0-8109-8392-3
$15.95

How much do fathers love their children? Enough to fly them to school in a plane? Enough to dig for the biggest dinosaur the world has ever known? From exploring dark caves to leading a marching band to even being a space alien, a father’s love is unconditional, and he will do anything to make sure all of his child’s dreams come true.

6. Just Like Mama
ISBN: 0-8109-8393-1
$15.95

Just Like Mama is a beautiful testament to the love between mother and daughter, and especially how, in a child’s eyes, a mother does everything perfectly, from cooking to playing to simply loving. There are some things that no one can do as well as a mom. “With a pile of pancakes shaped like moons, and cocoa with a cloud of cream, no one can cook breakfast just like Mama.” Nor garden, host tea parties, cook supper, or tuck her child into bed. No one does it just like Mama can. And in the end, nobody loves Mama just like her little girl does.

All of these books are good for young readers and are filled with bright, colorful illustrations. Some of the books are more advanced than others, but then that gives daddy a reason to read 🙂