2025 Summer Reading Program: Grades K-2

Updated January 22, 2025
Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.
Don't swap your sweater for a dog
Applegate, Katherine.
Paper Book
A trophy for Roscoe? It seems like everyone has an award of some kind. Except Roscoe. But a pet-trick contest is coming up, and first prize is a big, shiny trophy. Roscoe really wants that trophy--would he even borrow someone else's dog to win?
Puffin and Penguin
Becker, Helaine
Paper Book
On his first day at his new school, Puffin is thrilled when Penguin is assigned to be his buddy - Penguin's the coolest kid in the school! But Puffin quickly learns that the coolest kid is also the busiest kid, especially with Penguin starring as King Midas in the school play. Puffin realises he's...
Scorch, hedgehog of doom
Berry, Cate
Paper Book
Scorch the hedgehog is determined to be ferocious. The doomsy-est, most menacing class pet ever known. She's not just Scorch, she's... Scorch, Hedgehog of Doom! There's just one problem--Scorch is kind of adorable. So adorable, in fact, that it's all anyone ever notices. With each swirl of her cloak...
I miss you most
Cheng, Charlotte
Paper Book
A girl remembers her grandfather fondly in this heartwarming, comforting picture book about coping with loss. The memories of a beloved grandpa bring sadness but also solace to the young girl in this glowing and nourishing book. We see the close and lively relationship they...
Animal superpowers
Cherrix, Amy E.
Paper Book
This fascinating nonfiction picture book companion to Animal Architects introduces the amazing natural superpowers animals use to survive in the wild: adaptations! Did you know that many of Earth's animals have superpowers? These behaviors and physical traits are called...
Dalmartian : a Mars Rover's story
Cummins, Lucy Ruth
Paper Book
From the bestselling creator of Stumpkin and Vampenguin comes a whimsical picture book about the unexpected friendship that blooms between a boy and a dog of intergalactic origins. A visitor from outer space comes to Stephen's yard one night. It may look like...
Loop de loop : circular solutions for a waste-free world
Curtis, Andrea
Paper Book
Get loopy with this playful introduction to the hopeful, transformative possibilities of circular systems! Nature works on a cycle, where everything in the loop has value and nothing is wasted. But modern humans have created a different kind of system: it's less like a circle and more like...
Flamingos are pretty funky : a (not so) serious guide
Cushman, Abi
Paper Book
Flamingos Are Pretty Funky introduces young readers to flamingos and their fantastic and (truly) fabulous traits. A companion to Wombats Are Pretty Weird, this funny, reader-friendly narrative nonfiction picture book about the natural world features sidebars, comic panels, and extensive back...
The storm whale
Davies, Benji
Paper Book
Every day, in a house by the sea, a little boy watches his father leave for a long day's work. One night, a great storm washes a small whale onto the beach. The boy discovers the whale is a good listener. The father discovers the boy is lonely. Together, they return the whale to the sea. And from...
Tiny creatures : the world of microbes
Davies, Nicola
Paper Book
Find out how the smallest things on the planet do some of the biggest jobs in this intriguing introduction to the world of microbes. All around the world -- in the sea, in the soil, in the air, and in your body -- there are living things so tiny that millions could fit on an ant...
Knight Owl /
Denise, Christopher,
Paper Book
A star shines through
Desnitskaya, Anna
Paper Book
Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Books About Families List (2024) "Straightforward, heartfelt words and thin-lined, fully imagined drawings from Desnitskaya (On the Edge of the World) give tender voice to one child's refugee experience." -- Publishers...
Ayo's adventure : across the African diaspora from Afro to Zulu
Drew, Ain Heath
"As a lifelong literacy advocate, I seek out children's books that help kids explore the world around them. Ayo's Adventure is a journey through the sights and sounds of the African diaspora. I loved hanging out with Ayo on his adventure. I learned so much" - LeVar Burton, actor and children's...
Lailah's lunchbox : a Ramadan story
Faruqi, Reem
Paper Book
Lailah solves her problem with help from the school librarian and her teacher and in doing so learns that she can make new friends who respect her beliefs. This gentle, moving story from first-time author Reem Faruqi comes to life in Lea Lyon's vibrant illustrations. Lyon uses decorative...
Sunken ship
Hevron, Amy
Paper Book
A Junior Library Guild Selection Discover the tiny, fascinating world of sunken-ship reefs in this latest book in an illuminating nonfiction picture book series that explores how even the smallest habitats play big roles in nature. Long ago, a grand...
Bunny hop
Hwang, Sarah
Paper Book
Follow a curious bunny's adventures in the kitchen in this sweet and playful Pre-Level 1 Ready-to-Read. Bunny hop! Bunny munch! Bunny chomp! Bunny crunch! What will Bunny eat?
A crocodile should never skip breakfast
Larmour, Colleen
Paper Book
Croc is running late for his shift as the river ferry. No time for breakfast. He'll pick up some donuts at the Hippo Hut. Only, Hippo's sold out! Good thing Croc has an emergency snack. Except, his banana has gone bad! Croc is going to have to work on an empty stomach, with loads of animals on his...
Mr. Pei's perfect shapes : the story of architect I. M. Pei
Leung, Julie
Paper Book
In this stunning picture book about renowned architect I. M. Pei, award-winning author Julie Leung and captivating illustrator Yifan Wu unite to tell the story of the man who changed architecture forever with his forward-thinking shapes. As a boy in Shanghai, Ioeh Ming Pei was awestruck by...
There's no such thing as vegetables
Lukoff, Kyle
Paper Book
A hilarious new picture book that exposes vegetables for what they truly are--leaves, roots, flowers, and stalks--by National Book Award Finalist and Newbery Honor winner Kyle Lukoff, perfect for fans of the Our Universe series. Chester plans to have a salad for lunch, but in...
Emergency quarters
Matias, Carlos
Paper Book
An Ezra Jack Keats Award Honor Book Author Carlos Matias and Ezra Jack Keats Award-winning illustrator Gracey Zhang deliver a stunning picture book based on a finalist in the New York Times Metropolitan Diary "Best of the Year," about a young boy in the city who tries his best to avoid...
Pizza! : a slice of history
Pizzoli, Greg
Paper Book
From Geisel Award-winning author Greg Pizzoli comes a hilarious and mouth-watering history of pizza. Do YOU like PIZZA? Because right now, somewhere in the world, someone is eating it. Did you know that in the United States we eat 350 slices of pizza every second? Or that in...
The Plant Rescuer
Rivera, Matthew
Paper Book
Manny harnesses love, determination, and a visit to the library to care for his first plant and make his gardener father proud. Manny comes from a long line of gardeners, and to him, the greatest gardener of all is his dad. Dad always knows what plants need. Even with no yard to...
Hello, puddle!
Sanchez, Anita
Paper Book
A nonfiction picture book exploring a deceptively simple but unexpectedly crucial resource for wildlife: puddles! This lyrical, gorgeously illustrated nonfiction picture book is perfect for young science learners and nature lovers. Hello, puddle! Who's here...
Tana cooks to say thanks
Wells, Stacy
After a happy day of handing out thank-you treats to the teachers at school, Tana realizes she's made a mistake. All the school workers deserve thanks, and Tana has a plan to make sure the custodian and lunchroom workers feel appreciated too. Best of all, she is going to get help from Leo, the new...
Up, up, ever up! : Junko Tabei : a life in the mountains
Yasuda, Anita
Paper Book
**A CALDECOTT HONOR BOOK!** **A New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year!** Anita Yasuda's evocative picture book biography about Junko Tabei, the first woman to summit Everest, is equal parts grit and grace. Dazzlingly illustrated by...

Library staff! You can create and contribute to lists. Contact your catalog administrator or log in here.