Stories by Storie

Everyone has a story to tell. What is yours?

  • Stories by Storie
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
    • Book Activities
    • Book Lists by Topic
    • Classroom Management
    • Freebies
    • Math
    • Reading Tips
  • Free
  • Shop
    • Teachers Pay Teachers
    • Amazon
    • Bookshop
  • Subscribe
  • Contact

Children’s Books about Summer

June 8, 2020

When you think about summer, what comes to mind? For my kids, it’s swimming, running barefoot through the grass, a trip to the amusement park, and eating popsicles before they melt. Here are some great children’s books about summer that help capture those moments and memories.

Here are some of my favorite children's books about summer. You'll find books about the beach, family vacations, ourdoor adventures, and more!

You can click on any of the covers below to learn more about each book or find all of these Summer Books for Kids on my Amazon page.

we are a participant in the amazon services llc associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliated sites.

 

Children’s Books about Summer

And Then Comes Summer

by Tom Brenner

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.

How to Code a Sandcastle

by Josh Funk

All summer, Pearl has been trying to build the perfect sandcastle, but out-of-control Frisbees and mischievous puppies keep getting in the way! Pearl and her robot friend Pascal have one last chance, and this time, they’re going to use code to get the job done. Using fundamental computer coding concepts like sequences and loops, Pearl and Pascal are able to break down their sandcastle problem into small, manageable steps. If they can create working code, this could turn out to be the best beach day ever!

Goldfish on Vacation

by Sally Lloyd-Jones

H, Little O, and Baby Em are stuck in the city for the summer with only their pet goldfish—Barracuda, Patch, and Fiss—for company. It’s looking like it might be a pretty boring vacation, but one day, something exciting happens. Someone starts fixing up the old fountain down the street—the one Grandpa says horses used to drink from before everyone had cars—and a sign appears: “Calling All Goldfish Looking for a Summer Home.” H, Little O, and Baby Em can’t wait to send their goldfish on vacation, and the fish, well, they seem pretty excited too.

 

Roller Coaster

by Marla Frazee

Clickity, clackity. Clickity, clackity. The roller coaster car is going up, up, up to the highest spot. And at least one of the people in the car has never ridden on a roller coaster before . . . ever. Wheeeeeeee!

The Relatives Came

by Cynthia Rylant

In a rainbow-colored station wagon that smelled like a real car, the relatives came. When they arrived, they hugged and hugged from the kitchen to the front room. All summer they tended the garden and ate up all the strawberries and melons. They plucked banjos and strummed guitars. When they finally had to leave, they were sad, but not for long. They all knew they would be together next summer.

Fireflies!

by Julie Brinckloe

A young boy is proud of having caught a jar full of fireflies, which seems to him like owning a piece of moonlight, but as the light begins to dim he realizes he must set the insects free or they will die.

 

There Might Be Lobsters

by Carolyn Crimi

Lots of things at the beach scare Sukie. Lots. Because she is just a small dog, and the stairs are big and sandy, and the waves are big and whooshy, and the balls are big and beachy. And besides, there might be lobsters.

A Moment in Time

by Jennifer Butenas

A fun loving story in rhythm and rhyme about a family of four and their moment in time. It’s a balmy, summer Cape Cod day and this visiting family is savoring every moment. Experience the delight, the joy and exhilaration a mindful moment can bring!

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

by Mark Teague

Most kids go to camp over the summer, or to Grandma’s house, or maybe they’re stuck at home. Not Wallace Bleff.  He was supposed to visit his Aunt Fern. Instead, Wallace insists, he was carried off by cowboys and taught the ways of the West–from riding buckin’ broncos to roping cattle. Lucky for Aunt Fern, he showed up at her house just in time to divert a stampede from her barbecue party!

 

Jabari Jumps

by Gaia Cornwall

Jabari is definitely ready to jump off the diving board. He’s finished his swimming lessons and passed his swim test, and he’s a great jumper, so he’s not scared at all. “Looks easy,” says Jabari, watching the other kids take their turns. But when his dad squeezes his hand, Jabari squeezes back. He needs to figure out what kind of special jump to do anyway, and he should probably do some stretches before climbing up onto the diving board.

Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream Of Inventions

by Chris Barton

You know the Super Soaker. It’s one of top twenty toys of all time. And it was invented entirely by accident. Trying to create a new cooling system for refrigerators and air conditioners, impressive inventor Lonnie Johnson instead created the mechanics for the iconic toy.

Cam Jansen and the Summer Camp Mysteries

by David Adler

Mysteries follow super-sleuth Cam Jansen everywhere she goes…even to summer camp. Cam and her best friend, Eric, are spending three weeds at Camp Eagle Lake. It’s a summer filled with swimming, sports, canoeing, making new friends, and…solving mysteries! This is a chapter book with three mysteries in one. You can find resources to pair with this book here.

 

The Night Before Summer Vacation

by Natasha Wing

A little girl and her family are getting ready to go on vacation . . . or at least they are trying to. In the effort to pack everything that will be needed, there’s bound to be something overlooked, and what that is provides a funny ending to this meter-perfect “twist” on Clement Moore’s classic.

The Night Before Summer Camp

by Natasha Wing

The first day of summer camp is almost here, and one little camper doesn’t know what to expect. For a while everything is hunkydory . . . until rest time rolls around and he gets a bad case of nervous butterflies. But an unlikely friend appears out of the crowd and reassures him that the best cure for the summertime blues is tons of summertime fun!

 

The Raft

by Jim LaMarche

Nicky is convinced that his summer with his grandmother in the Wisconsin woods is going to be the worst summer ever. She cooks food that he doesn’t like, there’s an art studio where her living room should be, and he’s expected to do chores—including fishing, the most boring chore ever. But one afternoon, while Nicky is trying to catch their dinner, a raft drifts down the river towards him. The raft has a calming magic about it, affecting both Nicky and the wildlife of the river and woods. Through the raft and the adventures it brings him on, Nicky finds new common ground with his grandmother, a fellow river rat, who encourages him to explore his newfound talent for art.

The Summer Visitors

by Karel Hayes

Told primarily through illustration, with only a few dozen words in the book, this story follows the interactions between a family of bears and a human family during their summer stay at a lake cottage.

Weslandia

by Paul Fleischman

Now that school is over, Wesley needs a summer project. He’s learned that each civilization needs a staple food crop, so he decides to sow a garden and start his own — civilization, that is. He turns over a plot of earth, and plants begin to grow. They soon tower above him and bear a curious-looking fruit. As Wesley experiments, he finds that the plant will provide food, clothing, shelter, and even recreation. It isn’t long before his neighbors and classmates develop more than an idle curiosity about Wesley — and exactly how he is spending his summer vacation.

 

The Little Red Fort

by Brenda Maier

Ruby’s mind is always full of ideas. One day, she finds some old boards and decides to build something. She invites her brothers to help, but they just laugh and tell her she doesn’t know how to build. “Then I’ll learn,” she says. And she does! When she creates a dazzling fort that they all want to play in, it is Ruby who has the last laugh.

The Sandcastle That Lola Built

by Megan Maynor

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?

Blackout

by John Rocco

One hot summer night in the city, all the power goes out. The TV shuts off and a boy wails, “Mommm!” His sister can no longer use the phone, Mom can’t work on her computer, and Dad can’t finish cooking dinner. What’s a family to do? When they go up to the roof to escape the heat, they find the lights–in stars that can be seen for a change–and so many neighbors it’s like a block party in the sky! On the street below, people are having just as much fun–talking, rollerblading, and eating ice cream before it melts. The boy and his family enjoy being not so busy for once. They even have time to play a board game together. When the electricity is restored, everything can go back to normal . . . but not everyone likes normal. The boy switches off the lights, and out comes the board game again.

 

Summer Days and Nights

by 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.

Flotsam

by David Wiesner

A bright, science-minded boy goes to the beach equipped to collect and examine flotsam–anything floating that has been washed ashore. Bottles, lost toys, small objects of every description are among his usual finds. But there’s no way he could have prepared for one particular discovery: a barnacle-encrusted underwater camera, with its own secrets to share . . . and to keep.

Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach

by Mélanie Watt

Even though the sun is shining and it’s time for a vacation, Scaredy does not want to go to the beach — that vast, frightening place where a squirrel could get stranded. (Not to mention other hazards such as sea monsters, falling coconuts, seagulls, pirates and lobsters.) Instead, Scaredy builds his own safe beach getaway under his nut tree, complete with germ-free inflatable pool, artificial beach scenery, a flashlight and a plastic flamingo. Still, the lure of the genuine beach is strong — even a dedicated homebody such as Scaredy can’t resist it forever. Can his back-up plans save him from its perils? Will his No.65 sunscreen protect his delicate complexion?

 

CeCe Loves Science and Adventure

by Kimberly Derting and Shelli R. Johannes

Cece loves being an Adventure Girl almost as much as she loves science, which is why she can’t wait for her troop’s camping trip. Nature is full of science for Cece to explore! Along with her friends, her mom, and her dog, Einstein, Cece learns how to pitch a tent, set up a campsite, and document landmarks on the trail. Then thunder booms in the distance! Working together, the girls use meteorology and math to determine the location of the storm; engineering to build a shelter; and technology and math to calculate the length of the trek back to the campsite. After all that teamwork, Cece’s mom gives them an Adventure Girl surprise!

See the Ocean

by Estelle Condra

Driving through mountain fog to the beach, two young brothers compete to see who will catch the first glimpse of the ocean, but it is their blind sister Nellie who senses it first.

The Watermelon Seed

by Greg Pizzoli

This book follows a crocodile who has one big fear: swallowing a watermelon seed. What will he do when his greatest fear is realized? Will vines sprout out his ears? Will his skin turn pink? This crocodile has a wild imagination that kids will love.

 

Under Alaska’s Midnight Sun

by Deb Vanasse

In the far northern parts of the world, near and above the Arctic Circle, summer days are very long. In Barrow, Alaska, for example, the sun rises in May and sets 83 days later, in early August. During this time, the sun shines all through the night. People call it the midnight sun. When the midnight sun is shining, people and animals stay active even at night.

Bats at the Beach

by Brian Lies

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.

The Night is Yours

by Abdul-Razak Zachariah

This story follows Amani as she plays an evening game of hide-and-seek with friends at her apartment complex. The moon’s glow helps Amani find the last hidden child, and seems almost like a partner to her in her game, as well as a spotlight pointing out her beauty and strength.

 

The House Takes a Vacation

by Jacqueline Davies

After the Petersons leave for vacation, their house decides it wants to take a holiday, too! But the different parts of the house can’t agree on where to go. Finally, the sunporch suggests the house go to the beach. The basement refuses “to rise to the occasion,” but the rest of the house follows the front door as it leads the way—and the house has a vacation that it will never forget!

A Beach Tail

by Karen Lynn Williams

“Don’t go in the water, and don’t leave Sandy,” warns Dad. But the sandy lion grows a tail that gets longer and longer—and soon Gregory is lost on the beach. This wonderful read-aloud book brings to life a summer experience that is all too familiar for young children.

One Hot Summer Day

by Nina Crews

An effervescent city child dances through a hot summer day until a thunderstorm brings welcome relief.

 

Do you have any children’s books about summer that you love to share with kids? I’d love to check them out!

You might also enjoy these book lists:

Camping Books for Kids

Ice Cream Books for Kids

 

Happy Reading!

Here are some of my favorite children's books about summer. You'll find books about the beach, family vacations, ourdoor adventures, and more!

signature

Related posts:

Summer is right around the corner, which means I have been loading up my Kindle with new books to read. My summer reading list includes a lot of thrillers, books with twists and turns, and tragedy. It's not for the faint of heart, but reading in the warm sunshine and fresh air definitely balances it all out. I may not finish them all this summer, but here are a handful of the books I've had my eye on to read next!Summer Reading List 2019 Groundhog Day Books for KidsGroundhog Day Books for Kids Picture books are a great tool to help you teach just about any topic you can imagine. Here are some great books to help introduce and celebrate Presidents' Day in the classroom. And who knows, one of these books may just inspire one of your students to run for POTUS in the future!Presidents’ Day Books for Kids April Fools’ Day Books for Kids Ice Cream Books for Kids
«
»

Filed Under: book lists, reading Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe Via Email

Search

Categories

Latest on Instagram

I’m bored!⁣ ⁣ How many times a day do you he I’m bored!⁣
⁣
How many times a day do you hear that? In a world where kids are constantly going from one activity to the next, it can be hard for some kids to know what to do when they DO have some down time. But guess what? Creativity and imagination come alive when kids are bored. And if that creativity doesn’t come naturally, grab a book to help ignite that spark. I just put together a list of books to help inspire creativity and have shared it on my blog. Just follow the link in my bio or send me a DM for more info.⁣
Even though National Library Week is almost over, Even though National Library Week is almost over, it’s not too late to celebrate because April is also School Library Month. I want to share a book that celebrates the magic of a reader falling in love with books thanks to a little help from a school librarian.⁣
⁣
The new school library is finally open. Everyone in Mr. Tiffin’s class is excited...everyone except Jake. He is a slow and careful reader and often feels left behind on library day. When the new librarian notices that Jake shows more interest in the wooden bookshelves than the books, Librarian Beck introduces Jake to a book about woodworking. Suddenly, Jake has something he wants to read and checks it out over and over again.⁣
⁣
But, when Librarian Beck announces that books must be returned for the summer, Jake realizes he isn’t ready to say goodbye to the book. As he reads about woodworking again, he has the perfect gift idea for the librarian who changed his entire outlook on books and reading. And it’s one that will keep kids reading all summer long.⁣
⁣
Do you have any little free libraries in your area or at your school? ⁣
⁣
#thelittlelibrary⁣
#margaretmcnamara⁣
@randomhousekids⁣
@gbriankaras
Roland lives a quiet life doing the things he love Roland lives a quiet life doing the things he loves, but it can get lonely. While walking in the forest, he finds a friend. Milton might only be a pinecone, but to Roland, he’s the perfect companion for drawing, listening to music, and drinking tea. Suddenly, life isn’t so lonely.⁣
⁣
Not long after, Roland sees posters all over the forest. Someone is looking for their lost pinecone. That’s when he realizes that his new best friend already belongs to someone else. Will losing his new best friend send Roland back to his lonely days, or will this open the door for a new friendship to blossom?⁣
⁣
This beautifully illustrated book shares an important message about friends, both real and imaginary. Readers will root for Roland as he endures loneliness, joy, sadness, compassion, empathy, and more. Swipe to take a peek inside this book.⁣
⁣
Thank you to @peachtreepublishing for sharing this book with my family! My kids had so much fun creating a few new forest friends that were inspired by Milton. Check out my stories to see their creations.⁣
⁣
⁣
@sandrasalsbury #bestfriendinthewholeworld #peachtreepublishing #friendshipbooksforkids #booksaboutfriendship #kidlit #storytime #readaloud #picturebooks
Be Kind⁣ ⁣ We hear, read, and say those words Be Kind⁣
⁣
We hear, read, and say those words all the time, but what does it really mean to be kind? Do our kids really get it? When our words and actions aren’t getting the message across clearly, books can help.⁣
⁣
🪁 Kindness is a Kite String uses rhyming text, similes, and metaphors to show how one small act of kindness can start a ripple effect that quickly spreads through a community. “Kindness is contagious. Once you catch it...pass it on!” ⁣
⁣
I love that this book includes simple ways that kids can show kindness in their everyday lives. The discussion tips that you can use before, during, and after the story are also an added bonus. Swipe to take a peek inside this book or check out my stories to learn more! Thank you to @cardinalrulepress @schaubwrites and @clairelaforte for sharing this book with my family.❤️⁣
⁣
#kindnessisakitestring #cardinalrulepress #kindnessbooksforkids #selbooksforkids
I think I finally found the perfect books to give I think I finally found the perfect books to give to my children’s teachers at the end of the year! 💕 ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Have you read either of these books yet?⁣⁣
⁣⁣
#ateacherlikeyou⁣⁣
#dearteacher
A Poem in Your Pocket is a great story to share as A Poem in Your Pocket is a great story to share as you kick-off National Poetry Month! ⁣
⁣
When Mr. Tiffin announces that an author will visit the class for Poem in Your Pocket Day, the kids are excited. Since Elinor always gets the best grades, everyone is sure she will have the best poem to share. ⁣
⁣
All through April, the students read poetry books and learn poems by heart. Mr. Tiffin introduces similes and metaphors along with haikus and concrete poems. When it’s time to start writing poems, everyone dives write in....everyone except Elinor. The pressure to write the perfect poem keeps her from writing anything at all. ⁣
⁣
Can Elinor let go of perfection and start getting creative? Or will she be the only student without a poem to share when the author finally arrives?⁣
⁣
What are some of your favorite poetry books for kids?⁣
⁣
⁣
#apoeminyourpocket⁣
#margaretmcnamara⁣
@gbriankaras⁣
@randomhousekids
When it comes to picture books, the line between n When it comes to picture books, the line between need and want becomes blurry.

Anyone else have this problem? 🙋🏼‍♀️📚

Copyright © 2021 · Website Design By Jumping Jax Designs