Kids Summer Reads at the NLPL

This year, the TD Summer Reading Club's theme is "Dive In!" Explore a summer full of books at the library with these titles.

Updated June 19, 2026
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Ahoy!
Blackall, Sophie.
Paper Book
Join a child captain and parent first mate as they embark on a wild high seas adventure...all without leaving the living room! This imaginative romp of a picture book is filled with glorious illustrations from a beloved Caldecott Medalist and New York Times bestselling creator.
Aniana del Mar jumps in
M endez, Jasminne
Paper Book
Pura Belpre Author Honor Award ** Four starred reviews!** A powerful and expertly told novel in verse, by an award-winning poet, about a twelve-year-old Dominican American swimmer who is diagnosed with Juvenile Arthritis. Aniana del Mar belongs in the water...
Autumn Peltier, water warrior
Lindstrom, Carole
Paper Book
From New York Times bestselling author Carole Lindstrom and illustrator Bridget George comes a must-read companion to the powerful, award-winning picture book We Are Water Protectors. Telling the story of reall-ife water protectors, Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior celebrates...
Bella and Bean
Bradley, Sandra
Paper Book
"Little ones with big dreams of their own will be inspired by Bella's persistence....Bradley's appended note encouraging them to follow their passions, no matter how far-fetched."--Kirkus Reviews For hippos, becoming big is...
Chip Gets Swimmer Shivers
Frost, Maddie
Paper Book
Chip, the little penguin, tries to get out of swim lessons in this hilarious Level Two I Can Read Comic by Maddie Frost. Chip is starting swim school and he really isn't looking forward to it. Join Chip as he navigates this first-time experience with imagination and...
Dinosaur's Day: Spinosaurus Makes a Splash
Bedia, Elizabeth Gilbert
A series of picture books that teach children about dinosaurs through a narrative story, plus additional facts, and information about what they just learned. These picture books will teach children about dinosaurs through a story! Marie Bollmann's beautiful illustrations are...
Don't trust fish
Sharpson, Neil
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER * An absurdly laugh-out-loud funny picture book about the villainy of fish, illustrated by National Book Award-winning creator Dan Santat "A ribald and uproarious warning to those unschooled in fishy goings-on." --Kirkus, starred review ONE OF...
The girl in the lake
Brown, India Hill
Paper Book
For fans of Small Spaces, Doll Bones, and Mary Downing Hahn, a truly chilling (and historically inspired) ghost story from the award-winning author of The Forgotten Girl. Celeste knows she should be excited to spend two weeks at her grandparents' lake house with her...
Gracie under the waves
Park, Linda Sue
Paper Book
An empowering story from #1 New York Times bestseller and Newbery medalist Linda Sue Park starring a young snorkeling enthusiast who draws inspiration for fighting climate change from interacting with her pesty little brother. A Green Earth Book Award Honor Book Inspired...
Growing Home
Ferry, Beth
Paper Book
An instant New York Times bestseller! "A meditative, charming delight." --School Library Journal (starred review) An unlikely team of talkative plants, a curious spider, and a grumpy goldfish use their newfound magical abilities to defend their...
Hex Vets: the River Guardian
Ebook
A seemingly normal day at the clinic turns strange when a magical creature begins making wild prophecies, when he usually just predicts the weather and helps find lost household items! Meanwhile, a mysterious magic in the water makes river creatures, both magical and normal, behave in odd ways....
House That Floated
Paper Book
A stunningly beautiful picture book from a critically acclaimed artist that follows a family who lives in a house by the sea as water levels start to rise. A BOOKPAGE AND HORN BOOK BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR In this gorgeous, wordless story, a family makes...
How the Sea Came to Be : And All the Creatures in It
Berne, Jennifer.
Paper Book
***THREE STARRED REVIEWS*** A New York Public Library Best Book for Kids  A Chicago Public Library Kids Best of the Best Book Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year List - STEM & Outstanding Merit <...
It Bears Repeating
Paper Book
Beginning with 1 proud polar bear standing tall and ending with 10 bears waving goodbye, this delightful counting book shows polar bears in all their forms: slippery and fast, crafty and cool, hungry and proud. Tanya has created a story meant to be read aloud, incorporating simple Inuktitut words...
Kwesi and Nana Ruby Learn to Swim
Paper Book
A 2026 Charlotte Huck Award Honor Book A 2026 Children's Africana Book Awards Best Picture Book Winner A Bank Street College Best Book of the Year for 2026 ★ "A wonderful story to show how it is possible to overcome our fears of doing something...
Murray out of water
Tracy, Taylor
Paper Book
Perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead, Natalie Lloyd, and Jasmine Warga, this beautiful novel in verse explores one girl's struggle to regain her magic after a hurricane forces her to move away from her beloved ocean that, she believes, has given her special powers. Bighearted...
Narwhal's Sweet Tooth (a Narwhal and Jelly Book #9)
Paper Book
"The most lovable duo since Frog and Toad." --Dav Pilkey, bestselling creator of Dog Man and Captain Underpants The funny and adorable New York Times bestselling kids graphic novel series starring happy-go-lucky, waffle-loving Narwhal and somewhat cynical sidekick,...
A new friend
Lukoff, Kyle.
Ebook
Noisy Puddle : A Vernal Pool Through the Seasons
Paper Book
A lyrical dip into the noisy, magical world of a vernal pool "This book literally has everything you would want in a science and nature title for younger readers ... Beautiful from tip to tail and back again." --Betsy Bird, A Fuse 8 Production In this vibrant and poetic...
Ocean Calls : A Haenyeo Mermaid Story
Cho, Tina.
Paper Book
A breathtaking picture book featuring a Korean girl and her haenyeo (free diving) grandmother about intergenerational bonds, finding courage in the face of fear, and connecting with our natural world. Dayeon wants to be a haenyeo just like Grandma. The haenyeo dive off the coast...
Ocean meets sky
Fan, Terry.
Paper Book
"Young readers will be captivated." --The Washington Post From the creators of the gorgeous bestseller The Night Gardener comes a stunning new picture book about a young boy who sets sail to find a place his grandfather told him about...the spot where the ocean...
Off the Map
Hashimoto, Meika.
Paper Book
From Meika Hashimoto, author of The Trail, comes an action-packed adventure about doing what it takes to survive--and realizing you can't do it alone. Amos and Marlo have always been best friends. From hiking trips to backyard camp-outs, from playing soccer at the park to sitting...
Our Pool
Cummins, Lucy Ruth
Paper Book
On a hot day, people come from all over the city to spend the day at the pool in this joyful picture book that's a love song to summer, the city, community, and staying cool! Today is a pool day in the city! The sun is shining, so what are you waiting for? Friends and family....
Pond, a Poet, and Three Pests
Paper Book
A funny new fable about artistic creation and chasing fame, imagined by award-winning author Caroline Adderson, and inspired by one of Japan's most famous haikus, "The Old Pond." Bashō, a 17th-century poet on an evening walk, stops to rest next to a murky old pond. Here, readers may...
Red Canoe Shows up at Two!
Paper Book
"Eye-catching images help kids master time and colors....Useful and attractive introductions to several important concepts." --Kirkus Reviews I spent the day On the dock And who zoomed up At six o'clock? A purple speedboat. A day on the...
Rising seas : flooding, climate change and our new world
Thomas, Keltie
Paper Book
2019 Silver Birch Non-fiction Honour Book "This is an important book but we don't have time for its young readers to replace those in power. So read this book and then give grown-ups hell and demand something be done. It's your future that's at stake." -- David Suzuki<...
Safe Harbor
Venkatraman, Padma.
Paper Book
An uplifting novel in verse about an immigrant girl adjusting to life in the US through her love of nature, music, and poetry, by the award-winning author of The Bridge Home When Geetha and her mom move from India to Rhode Island after her parents' divorce, they leave...
Sea Swept
Cypess, Leah
Paper Book
The Sisters Ever After series concludes with a captivating Little Mermaid retelling about a younger sister who journeys from the sea to the human world to save the sister who risked everything for love. Daria grew up in Serema, an underwater city where merfolk and humans...
Sejal Sinha Swims with Sea Dragons
Prasad, Maya
Paper Book
This second book in the chapter book series about a young Indian American girl who loves science and has a big imagination introduces readers to an incredible sea creature--perfect for fans of The Magic School Bus and Over the Moon! Sejal and her brother, Abu, are...
Shark girl
Beaton, Kate
Paper Book
An Indie Bestseller! A laugh-out-loud picture book from bestselling comics creator Kate Beaton about a brave shark girl bent on revenge after a greedy fishing captain messes with her waters - perfect for fans of We Don't Eat Our Classmates. ...
Spooky lakes : 25 strange and mysterious lakes that dot our planet
Rutherford, Geo
Paper Book
Dive into the most mysterious waters around the world (if you dare) in Spooky Lakes, an illustrated nonfiction book from TikTok star and educator Geo Rutherford Some of Earth's strangest--and creepiest--wonders lie deep below the surface. There's Lake Natron, a...
Surfin' sharks
Chanani, Nidhi
Paper Book
"This sweet early reader comic can be read simply as an enjoyable story, or it can be a catalyst for discussion with younger readers about their sense of self." -School Library Journal Surf's up! Another fin-tastic graphic novel adventure awaits with your favorite shark...
Together, a Forest : Drawing Connections Between Nature's Diversity and Our Own
MacLean, Roz
Paper Book
"An affirming and introspective look at how differences are natural and vital in creating a thriving community." --Booklist, starred review Explore a forest with a curious classroom in this breathtaking new picture book by the author of the beloved More Than Words...
Welcome, Rain!
Paper Book
We all love rain--until we are ready for some sun! This joyful ode to rain for kids 2 to 6 explores a child's many emotions when it comes to wet weather. In this charming picture book, a young child's conversation with the rain poetically captures the ever-shifting...
What Goes in the Ocean? : A Seek-And-Find Book
Elys, Dori
Paper Book
Dive into various ocean habitats to find what should go in and what should stay out in this nonfiction board book sure to make a splash with curious young minds! Soaring manta rays wave hello. Schools of fish, clams, and grazing turtles. A puffer fish...

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