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.
The book that almost rhymed
Abed, Omar
Paper Book
Every great adventure needs a hero-or two! This playful take on storytelling and equity proves that two tellers can make a rhyming tale twice as nice. What do you do with an interrupting sibling? Especially when she's stepping all over your story with wild ideas that don't...
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?
What a map can do
Balkan, Gabrielle
Paper Book
An accessible and humorous introduction to maps for budding navigators. A raccoon narrator embarks on a big adventure in this exciting exploration of maps for the youngest readers. Traditional maps of cities, roads, and parks are joined by some less conventional ones such as...
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...
Sabrina Sue loves the moon
Burris, Priscilla
Paper Book
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...
Ra Pu Zel and the stinky tofu
Compestine, Ying Chang
Paper Book
A playful, feminist retelling of Rapunzel with a Chinese-cuisine twist The story of Rapunzel where she's being locked in a tower by a witch is a good one-but it's not totally the truth. The real story is about a young princess in China...
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...
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...
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...
Knight Owl
Denise, Christopher
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * CALDECOTT HONOR AWARD WINNER * USA TODAY BESTSELLER A determined Owl builds strength and confidence in this medieval picture book about the real mettle of a hero: wits, humor, and heart. ...
Loaf the cat goes to the powwow
DeShaw, Nicholas
Paper Book
A Native American boy's cat surprises him at his first powwow-making for a very special dance indeed! Loaf the cat loves to play with her boy, and when she's particularly happy, she'll make the purr sound for him. She also likes to keep tabs on him, so when he disappears one day,...
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...
This land
Fairbanks, Ashley
Paper Book
This engaging story about native landsinvites kids to trace history and explore their communities. "An adorable primer on the history of land."--PEOPLE.com Before my family lived in this house, a different family did, and before them, another family, and another...
Bottle tops : the art of El Anatsui
Goldberg, Alison
Paper Book
The inspiring biography of Ghanaian artist El Anatsui whose handmade sculptures, created from discarded bottle tops, have received international acclaim and been showcased around the world. "If you touch something, you leave a charge on it and anybody else touching it connects...
A Best Friend for Bear
Horacek, Petr
Paper Book
A charmingly earnest pair of bears find a friend where they least expect it in this heartwarming comedy of errors featuring the rich artwork of Petr Horácek. Black Bear is feeling lonely, so he decides to look for a friend. Luckily, he meets Brown Bear, who is in the same...
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?
Ruby René had so much to say
Iman, Ashley
Paper Book
Named one of the Best Kid's Books of 2024 by Good Housekeeping! A debut picture book about a curious student who finds herself in trouble for talking in class--even though she just wants to share all that she's learned. "Did you know that flamingos don't have...
Look! Look!
Krishnaswami, Uma
Paper Book
A girl in India discovers an ancient step well in this companion book to the creators' much-loved Out of the Way! Out of the Way! When a girl discovers a slab of stone on a weedy patch of land, she calls to her friends, "Look! Look!" The children clear away the weeds and garbage and find...
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...
Noodles on a bicycle
Maclear, Kyo
Paper Book
A vibrant historical picture book about Tokyo's bicycle food deliverers, or demae, who balanced towering trays of steaming hot noodles on their shoulders while navigating crowded city streets. A CALDECOTT HONOR BOOK * A Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book * A BOOKPAGE, KIRKUS REVIEWS,<...
George and Martha : the complete stories of two best friends
Marshall, James
Paper Book
George and Martha, those incomparable hippos, will delight readers of all ages in these five funny, warm, and wonderful stories. This 368-page hardcover edition will bring joy and giggles for years and makes an excellent gift. Like all best friends, George and Martha do everything together...
Emergency quarters
Matias, Carlos
Paper 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 spending his precious quarters...
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...
Fish and Wave
Ruzzier, Sergio
Paper Book
Let's read comics! I Can Read Comics is an early reader line that familiarizes children with the world of graphic novel storytelling and encourages visual literacy in emerging readers. When a tiny wave grows bigger and bigger, what's a fish to do Fish and Wave...
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...
111 trees : how one village celebrates the birth of every girl
Singh, Rina
Paper Book
This is the story of Sundar Paliwal, from a small Indian village ruled by ancient customs. As he grows to be a man, Sundar suffers much heartbreak and decides it is time for change to come to his village. Sundar is determined to live in a place where girls are valued as much as boys and where the...
The suitcase
Sosa, Daniela
Paper Book
"A sweet, welcome reminder to kids that the adults in their lives were kids once too" --Bulletin for the Center for Children's Books (starred review) From the author of Friends comes a tender picture book about a boy who gets a new perspective on his grandparents after...
Fox versus fox
Tabor, Corey R.
Paper Book
The clever and hilarious star of the Geisel Award winners Fox at Night, Fox the Tiger, and Fox Has a Problem is back in another I Can Read adventure. There's only one Fox . . . except when there are two! Will Fox outfox this new fox Or will he make a new friend
Born naughty : my childhood in China
Wang, Jin (Yoga instructor)
Paper Book
Share in the joyful, adventure-filled shenanigans of a child growing up in a small mud hut in Inner Mongolia in this charming, illustrated memoir for young middle grade readers. A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR Growing up in Inner Mongolia, Jin Wang was...
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...

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