Summer Reading for Primary
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PICTURE BOOKS
The Hike
Alison Farrell
The Hike is a plucky and sweet adventure story about three intrepid young female explorers set out to conquer the outdoors in their local forest. Here is the best and worst of any hike: from picnics to puffing and panting, deer-sighting to detours. This spirited picture book is filled with lyrical language that captures the majesty of the natural world, coupled with a fun narrative throughout.
April Pulley Sayre
When spring arrives, flowers of all kinds sprout and grow buds and bloom. Sometimes, they bloom a few at a time. But other times, many will bloom at once in a colorful flower boom! This photographic exploration of flowers goes from the desert to the woodlands and beyond, celebrating their beautiful variety and the science behind these colorful displays.
I AM Perfectly Designed
Karamo Brown
In this empowering ode to modern families, a boy and his father take a joyful walk through the city, discovering all the ways in which they are perfectly designed for each other.
Stormy: A story about finding a forever home
Guojing
In this heartwarming, wordless picture book that's perfect for dog lovers, a woman visits a park and discovers a pup hiding under a bench--scruffy, scared, and alone. With perseverance and patience--and help from an enticing tennis ball--a tentative friendship begins. But it's not until a raging storm forces the two together that a joyous and satisfying friendship takes hold. Guojing poignantly explores how trust doesn't always come easily, but how, over time, and with kindness and determination, forever love can grow.
Hey Water
Antoinette Portis
Join a young girl as she explores her surroundings and sees that water is everywhere. But water doesn't always look the same, it doesn't always feel the same, and it shows up in lots of different shapes. Water can be a lake, it can be steam, it can be a tear, or it can even be a snowman.
Saturday
Oge Mora
In this heartfelt and universal story, a mother and daughter look forward to their special Saturday routine together every single week. But this Saturday, one thing after another goes wrong--ruining storytime, salon time, picnic time, and the puppet show they'd been looking forward to going to all week. Mom is nearing a meltdown...until her loving daughter reminds her that being together is the most important thing of all.
Fly
Mark Teague
It’s a big day up in the tree that Mama bird shares with her baby. Mama bird thinks Baby bird is finally ready to leave the nest and learn to fly so he can migrate south with the rest of their flock. But Baby bird isn’t so sure. Can’t his mother keep bringing him worms in their nest? Can’t he migrate in a hot air balloon instead? Or perhaps a car? This silly wordless picture book will keep young readers giggling.
Fur, Feather, Fin — All of Us Are Kin
Diane Lang
There are so many wild and wonderful animals in our world. Some have fur, some have feathers, some have fins, but all are connected. This fact-filled rhyming exploration of the diversity of the animal kingdom celebrates mammals, birds, insects, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and more! It’s a perfect match for budding naturalists and animal enthusiasts everywhere.
MORE PICTURE BOOKS
Quiet - Tomie dePaola
Press Here - Hervé Tullet
The Whale & the Snail - Julia Donaldson
The Book of Mistakes - Corinna Luyken
Hug - Jez Alborough
Fox in Socks - Dr. Seuss
A Stone Sat Still - Brendan Wenzel
How Do You Dance? - Thyra Heder
Swirl by Swirl - Joyce Sidman
Growing Vegetable Soup - Lois Ehlert
Little Kids First Big Book of Why - Amy Shields
Fry Bread
Kevin Noble Maillard
Told in lively and powerful verse by debut author Kevin Noble Maillard, Fry Bread is an evocative depiction of a modern Native American family, vibrantly illustrated by Pura Belpre Award winner and Caldecott Honoree Juana Martinez-Neal.
Water is Water
Miranda Paul
This spare, poetic picture book follows a group of kids as they move through all the different phases of the water cycle. From rain to fog to snow to mist, talented author Miranda Paul and the always remarkable Jason Chin (Redwoods, Coral Reefs, Island, Gravity) combine to create a beautiful and informative journey in this innovative nonfiction picture book that will leave you thirsty for more.
Dreamers
Yuyi Morales
Dreamers is a celebration of making your home with the things you always carry: your resilience, your dreams, your hopes and history. This lovingly-illustrated picture book memoir looks at the myriad gifts migrantes bring with them when they leave their homes.
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures
Julia Finley Mosca
In this brilliant follow up to Turtle Island, esteemed academic Eldon Yellowhorn and award-winning author Kathy Lowinger team up again, this time to tell the stories of what Indigenous people did when invaders arrived on their homelands. What the Eagle Sees shares accounts of the people, places, and events that have mattered in Indigenous history from a vastly under-represented perspective--an Indigenous viewpoint.
Julián Is a Mermaid
Jessica Love
While riding the subway home from the pool with his abuela one day, Julián notices three women spectacularly dressed up. When Julián gets home, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume: a butter-yellow curtain for his tail, the fronds of a potted fern for his headdress. But what will Abuela think about the mess he makes — and even more importantly, what will she think about how Julián sees himself?
Jabari Jumps
Gaia Cornwall
In a sweetly appealing tale of overcoming your fears, newcomer Gaia Cornwall captures a moment between a patient and encouraging father and a determined little boy you can’t help but root for. 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.
Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can. Gerald and Piggie are best friends. In We Are in a Book! Gerald and Piggie discover the joy of being read. But what will happen when the book ends? Using vocabulary perfect for beginning readers (and vetted by an early-learning specialist), Mo Willems has crafted a mind-bending, interactive story.
Any and all Elephant & Piggie books are great for beginning readers.
Mittens
Lola Schaefer
Fans of MMS-favorite Biscuit and cat-lovers alike will enjoy reading about the adventures of Mittens.
In the first book of the series, Mittens is a small kitten in a big, new house. Everything seems loud and unfamiliar and scary. The little kitten wants a special place all his own. Can a new friend help him find one?
Garden Day
Candice Ransom
It's springtime, and the perfect day to plant a garden! The brother and sister from Pumpkin Day!, Apple Picking Day!, and Snow Day! return and plant peas in their backyard. Read along as they dig holes, water the plants, and build a scarecrow with their parents! Easy-to-follow rhyme ensures a successful reading experience, and bright, fun art enhances the story.
MORE PICTURE BOOKS
Ruby Finds a Worry - Tom Percival
The Seed of Compassion - Dalai Lama XIV
Going Down Home with Daddy - Kelly Starling Lyons
Over and Under the Pond - Kate Messner
Seeds of Change Jen Johnson
The Roots of Rap - Carole Boston Weatherford
Grand Canyon - Jason Chin
Strega Nona - Tomie dePaola
MORE READER SERIES
National Geographic Readers - National Geographic
Narwhal and Jelly - Ben Clanton
Ling & Ting - Grace Lin
Biscuit - Alyssa Satin Capucilli
Frog & Toad - Arnold Lobel