Summer is here in every sense of the word. For many families, it is a season with a little less structure and a little more fun. There are many ways to celebrate the joy of summer, and all of these books do just that.
Campingland, opens a new window by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by James Burks
A family sets out on their first camping adventure. It looks so easy, but so much goes wrong. After fleeing the campground they see a sign for an “Indoor Camping Theme Park” and decide this is the kind of camping they need: fun, easy, climate-controlled, clean, no bugs. At first, it is idyllic, but then they start to get bored with fake camping and start remembering how much they all laughed together when they did real camping. They take another go at camping outside, this time doing a better job of packing and preparing--and have a great time.
If You Spot A Shell, opens a new window by Aimée Sicuro
A favorite pastime at the beach is to search for shells. This picture book incorporates these found treasures into fanciful vignettes on each page, embracing children’s natural imagination and love of play and reflecting that back to the reader in the illustrations. A scallop shell becomes a swimming cap, a beach umbrella, and a pirate patch. A starfish shell becomes the center of a ferris wheel; a banded tulip shell becomes a rocket ship and a submarine.
Ready? Set. Rides!, opens a new window by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, illustrated by Derek Anderson
Raymond and Roxy can’t wait to go to the amusement park. Raymond is especially excited about the fast rides. The friends go on giant swings, bumper cars, and a pony ride. All of these are fun, but Raymond wants something that goes really fast. Finally, they get to the wildest roller coaster at the park but Raymond finds out the intense ups and downs and zooming around are not for him, and the slower rides are more his speed.
Sandy Toes: A Summer Adventure, opens a new window by Shauntay Grant, illustrated by Candice Bradley
Spare words and alliteration work together to create a rhythmic, poetic cadence in the text of this simple, celebratory story of a day at the beach. “Beach, Board, Boy” shows a family settling in on the beach. “Flip, Flop, Float” accompanies pages showing a father helping his son get comfortable in the water. “Sun, Sand, Sleep” end the book, with the youngest child collapsing into a nap. Clean, bold illustrations along with the simple text make this a perfect book for the littlest readers.
Summer Is Here, opens a new window by Renée Watson, illustrated by Bea Jackson
A little girl celebrates summer and all the joy that it brings her. Sunshine waking her up in the morning, fresh fruit for breakfast, swimming in the pool with friends, jumping rope, family picnics in the park, and water balloon fights are all part of her day. The illustrations of the little girl show her with a bright smile on nearly every page, conveying all the fun she is having.
Summer Is Here, opens a new window by Will Hillenbrand
Mole pulls out his bat, heads for the baseball diamond, and, with his first swing, declares “Summer is here!” But, with swing after swing, he misses the ball. Even though Mole loves baseball, he struggles with playing because he has terrible eyesight. Bear coaches him to tuck his chin and square up his feet, but he keeps missing the ball. Finally a pair of eyeglasses makes all the difference, and Mole connects with the ball, hitting a home run.
