Summer Reading Recommendations

Early Literacy Picture Books

Updated April 24, 2025
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Wonder walkers
Archer, Micha
Paper Book
A Caldecott Honor winner! Micha Archer's gorgeous, detailed collages give readers a fresh outlook on the splendors of nature. When two curious kids embark on a "wonder walk," they let their imaginations soar as they look at the world in a whole new light. They have...
Acorn was a little wild
Arena, Jen
Paper Book
Jory John's Bad Seed series meets After the Fall by Dan Santat in this charming picture book about a young acorn's grand adventure and the incredible transformation that follows. Acorn is a little wild, and from his oak tree perch, he longs for adventure. When he's the...
Whose toes are those?
Asim, Jabari 1962-
Paper Book
A vibrant, multicultural board book that celebrates a baby's sweet toes, for fans of Ten Tiny Fingers and Ten Little Toes. Parents and children will enjoy this interactive board book that is perfect for celebrating the classic giggle-inspiring game...
Where is my balloon?
Bernstein, Ariel
Paper Book
A Bank Street Best Book of the Year "Fans of Elephant and Piggie will be right at home with the humor and the repartee." --Kirkus Reviews "Vibrant art and a comical text make this a great pick for storytime." --Booklist Owl...
Leyla
Bernstein, Galia
Paper Book
Leyla is sick of her big, loud, overbearing family. They are always chatting, snuggling, and grooming each other (ew!), and-for Leyla-there's no escape from their attention. So, she decides to run away until she can't hear (or smell) her baboon troop anymore. In the middle of her desert habitat, she...
Odd dog out
Biddulph, Rob
Paper Book
AN AMAZON BEST BOOK OF THE MONTH (DECEMBER 2019) SELECTION! A heartwarming and poignant story from award-winning creator Rob Biddulph about the power of embracing your true colors. Perfect for fans of Peter Brown's Tiger Goes Wild. It's a dog's life in the big, busy city, but...
Secret, secret agent guy
Bigwood, Kira
Paper Book
Send little spies to sleep with this hilarious, tongue-in-cheek lullaby set to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Dear Fellow Agents: Your mission--should you choose to accept it--is to join Secret, Secret Agent Guy on his bedtime assignment, code name:...
Shhh! The baby's asleep
Brown-Wood, JaNay
Paper Book
Celebrate the silliness that comes with a big family in this playful read aloud about a big brother, a sleeping baby, and a very noisy family. Baby is finally asleep. But everyone is much too loud! Can Mom, Daddy, Grammy, Pop Pop, Shae, Dante, Rover the dog, and even the...
Truck full of ducks
Burach, Ross
Paper Book
Titanic new talent Ross Burach breathes fresh life into tried and true topics -- trucks and ducks! -- in this laugh-out-loud comedy of errors!"Children will delight in the extreme silliness of this story and will repeatedly pore over the detailed, colorful, and quirky illustrations." --School...
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's forest hide & seek
Carle, Eric
Paper Book
Interactive elements makes this board book ideal for little hands! Who is in the forest where it's bright and sunny? Busy, buzzing bees making tasty honey! Play hide-and-seek with The Very Hungry Caterpillar in this fantastic finger trail lift-the-flap book! With a gentle rhyming...
Go, go, pirate boat
Charman, Katrina
Paper Book
An Amazon Best Book of the Year! Little pirates will have endless fun with this vibrant board book that's set to the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat! Go, go, pirate boat, Across the salty sea, Raise the anchor, hoist the sail,<...
Hornswoggled! : a wacky words whodunit
Crute, Josh
Paper Book
Deer wakes up to find one of his antlers is missing...and there's a tennis racket in its place? One by one his friends also uncover that their important items from glasses to lucky boots have been swapped with silly, useless replacements like donuts and swim flippers. They've been hornswoggled!...
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. ...
We're going on a treasure hunt
DiPucchio, Kelly
Paper Book
Ahoy there! Join this crew of pirates on a high-seas quest for treasure. These salty dogs are off to fetch some gold, and no whale, skeleton, or thunderstorm can stand in their way. But our brave buccaneers best beware--there may be even more trouble ahead! With Kelly DiPucchio's fun, rhyming text...
Nigel and the Moon
Eady, Antwan.
Paper Book
From debut author Antwan Eady and artist Gracey Zhang comes a glowing tale about the young dreaming big. A perfect story to demonstrate how pride in where we come from can bring a shining confidence. When Nigel looks up at the moon, his future is bright. He imagines himself...
Boogie boogie, y'all
Esperanza, C. G.
Paper Book
Author-illustrator C. G. Esperanza delivers a celebratory ode to graffiti and the Boogie Down Bronx through an infectious read-aloud beat and colorful illustrations that leap right off the page! Perfect for fans of Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut and Keith Haring. An NPR Best Book...
Stella keeps the sun up
Ewing, Clothilde
Paper Book
In this incandescently fun, hijinks-filled picture book, a young girl schemes to keep the sun up in the sky so she never has to go to bed. If Stella had her way, she would stop sleeping on her sixth birthday. Because sleep is boring. And there are so many better...
The bold, brave bunny
Ferry, Beth
Paper Book
* An Amazon Best Book of 2020 So Far * A Junior Library Guild Selection * "An enjoyable tale of the marvels of adventuring and the comfort of home." --Kirkus Hop along with Teetu, the bold, brave bunny, as he finds his way in this imaginative tale from New York Times...
The nice dream truck
Ferry, Beth
Paper Book
From the dreams of New York Times bestselling creators Beth Ferry and Brigette Barrager comes this whimsical bedtime story filled with adventure and imagination. Featured by Gayle King on CBS Mornings! When bedtime is near, you might be in luck. You might get a visit from the...
We all play = : Kime?tawa?naw
Flett, Julie
Paper Book
A BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR: New York Times, Washington Post, New York Public Library, Kirkus Reviews, Globe and Mail, Horn Book, and Boston Globe STARRED Reviews in Kirkus, Publisher's Weekly, The Horn...
Early one morning
Fox, Mem
Paper Book
Join a little boy searching the farm for his breakfast one fine morning in this charming picture book from bestselling author Mem Fox and award-winning illustrator Christine Davenier. Early one morning, a little boy sets out to find something for his breakfast. He searches the...
Berry Song
Goade, Michaela.
Paper Book
A Caldecott Honor Book! An Indie Bestseller! Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade's first self-authored picture book is a gorgeous celebration of the land she knows well and the powerful wisdom of elders. On...
The Adventures of Robo-Kid
De Groat, Diane
Paper Book
A comic-book superhero climbs off the page and into the real world. When they get into trouble, his biggest fan is there to save the day. Imagine you could meet your favorite comic-book hero in the real world. What kinds of questions would you ask? Would you go on new and...
The froggies do not want to sleep
Gustavson, Adam
Paper Book
Prepare for a different kind of bedtime book--a zany, imaginative adventure to send your little froggies off to dreamland. Not since David Wiesner's Tuesday have frogs had so much fun! Why go to bed when you can play the accordion, dance underwater ballet, and hold burping...
Field trip to volcano island
Hare, John, (Children's book illustrator)
Paper Book
A wordless picture book adventure takes a group of students to visit a thrilling volcanic island. Perfect for fans of Field Trip to the Moon, Field Trip to the Ocean Deep, and field trips in general! John Hare's rich, atmospheric art invites all...
Mapping Sam
Hesselberth, Joyce
Paper Book
A Bologna Ragazzi Award Special Mention! An adventurous cat named Sam explores her neighborhood at night in this gorgeously illustrated book. Informational, beautiful, and deeply moving, Mapping Sam is both a book about how maps work and an engaging, character-driven story....
Grace and Box
Howard, Kim
Paper Book
A little girl and a refrigerator box go on many adventures as they imagine all the things they can be in this debut picture book from Kim Howard and Megan Lotter, Grace and Box... Grace and Box have become fast friends. Box delivered a refrigerator earlier in the week...
Fox and the box
Ivinson, Yvonne
Paper Book
What can a fox do with a box Have a grand adventure! In this debut picture book, author-illustrator Yvonne Ivinson invites readers on an imagination- and vocabulary-fueled journey. With colorful, engaging paintings; a lively, limited word count; an adorable fox; and a story...
Hudson and Tallulah take sides
Kang, Anna
Paper Book
From an award-winning team, a tale about a cat and a dog who discover that even though they don't look at things the same way, they can still be friends. Hudson and Tallulah may be neighbors, but the fence between their yards isn't the only thing that divides them. They can't see...
Milo is missing something
Kousky, Vern
Paper Book
In this rhythmic, lively read-aloud for the youngest children, a little octopus named Milo is searching the ocean for something he's missing. What could it be? The ocean world is strange and new. The coral reefs so colorful. The deep sea caves are...
EEK! : a noisy journey from A to Z
Larios, Julie Hofstrand
Paper Book
Make some noise for the most fun alphabet book you'll read this year! A lively, engaging read aloud just right for toddlers and preschoolers. Author Julie Larios teams up with award-winning author and illustrator Julie Paschkis to lead young readers on a humorous, boisterous...
Lift
Le?, Minh
Paper Book
From the award-winning and bestselling creators of Drawn Together comes the fantastic tale of a magical elevator that will lift your spirits--and press all the right buttons! Iris loves to push the elevator buttons in her apartment...
The Blur
Le?, Minh.
Paper Book
Meet a child with superhero-like abilities . . . and the parents who are racing to keep up with her in this sweetly funny picture book about the blur of childhood, from the award-winning creators of Drawn Together. A perfect gift to celebrate all of our special milestones--from graduations...
Night animals need sleep too
Marino, Gianna
Paper Book
Daytime brings a whole new set of problems and adventures to the crew of Night Animals Need Sleep Too! It's daytime and night animals are all sleeping soundly. Well, all except for Possum. Skunk tries to be helpful, pointing out a cave, then a tree, then a den. But the...
Sock on the loose
McGlauflin, Conor
Paper Book
In his debut picture book Sock on the Loose, author-illustrator Conor McGlauflin takes you on a fun, sock-filled, adventure about finding yourself and discovering your way back home. Socks come in twos, snuggled up in your shoes. At night they sleep tight...
Not an alphabet book : the case of the missing cake
McLaughlin, Eoin
Paper Book
Follow Bear from A to Z as he hunts for a cake thief in a hilarious alphabet book crossed with a whodunit. There has been a terrible crime, Bear tells us. Someone has STOLEN a delicious chocolate cake! Bear sets off to find the culprit, questioning characters and...
The roar
McLaughlin, Eoin
Paper Book
There were so many things that Tortoise wanted to do. So many games to play and rocks to climb. Oops. Tortoise was stuck. Tortoise was not happy. Tortoise is not having a good day and now he's stuck in a hole...
People are wild
Meganck, Margaux
Paper Book
An inviting and inventive classic-in-the-making about learning to have compassion for every living thing, gorgeously illustrated by a rising star in the picture book world. Wild creatures come in all shapes and sizes. They can be playful or loud or smelly or curious or cute-just...
How to eat a book
Mrs. & Mr. MacLeod
Paper Book
A whimsical picture book for kids written by debut wife and husband team Mrs. & Mr. MacLeod, children's book authors and artists. This irresistible book about books--and the way they make us feel--is set in a world bursting with charm and character. How to Eat a Book is destined to be a...
The suitcase
Naylor-Ballesteros, Chris
Paper Book
A powerful story about immigration, trust, and new beginnings, full of heart and humanity, for anyone who has ever felt unwelcome or out of place. Perfect for fans of Allen Say, Francesca Sanna, and Yuyi Morales.  When a weary stranger arrives one day, with...
One-osaurus, two-osaurus
Norman, Kim
Paper Book
Part counting game, part dinosaur celebration, this energetic romp is a numbers concept book for the ages. One-osaurus, two-osaurus, three-osaurus, four! Look there, in a child's bedroom, where some prehistoric pals are gathered in a counting game. Nine...
Hike
Oswald, Pete
Paper Book
Take to the trails for a celebration of nature -- and a day spent with dad. In the cool and quiet early light of morning, a father and child wake up. Today they're going on a hike. Follow the duo into the mountains as they witness the magic of the wilderness, overcome challenges,...
Pablo
Rascal
Paper Book
Shhh! Pablo is asleep. This is his last night inside the shell. Tomorrow he'll come out. But he's a little shy so will start with just very small hole. Tap tap! With the little chick Pablo, we discover up and down, forward and back, shapes, the noises and smells of the outside, and...
Blue Bison needs a haircut
Rothman, Scott
Paper Book
Blue Bison tries his best to be patient in this humorous picture book from the #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator Pete Oswald. Blue Bison prides himself on always looking clean and neat. But he has a growing problem--his hair. With the barber shops and just about...
Hugo and the Impossible Thing
Smith, Rene?e Felice
Paper Book
Hugo has one goal - to conquer the Impossible Thing. At the edge of the forest stood the Impossible Thing. All the animals in the forest often wondered what was beyond the Impossible Thing, but since everyone said getting through it would be impossible, no animal ever tried.
Tiny T. Rex and the very dark dark
Stutzman, Jonathan
Paper Book
The adorable and indomitable Tiny T. Rex from the critically acclaimed Tiny T. Rex and The Impossible Hug is back in a tale about friendship and overcoming your fears. Meet Tiny T-Rex! He may be a small dino in a BIG world, but that won't stop him from making...
Bearplane!
Underwood, Deborah
Paper Book
Buckle up for a little bear's first flight in this adorable, light-as-air picture book by New York Times bestselling author Deborah Underwood and critically acclaimed artist Sam Wedelich. Follow a bear cub, their grownup, and their beloved stuffie Teddy as they make their...
Outside In
Underwood, Deborah
Paper Book
A 2020 Caldecott Honor Book From the New York Times best-selling author behind The Quiet Book comes a mindful contemplation on the many ways nature affects our everyday lives, even when we're stuck inside. Five starred reviews!
The pigeon will ride the roller coaster!
Willems, Mo
Paper Book
From #1 New York Times best-selling, award-winning author and illustrator Mo Willems!   Buckle up for twists, turns, and emotional loop-de-loops in the most roller coaster-y Pigeon book ever! The Pigeon WILL be ready. Will YOU!?
The adventures of Qai Qai
Williams, Serena
Paper Book
From superstar athlete, record breaker, entrepreneur, philanthropist (and mama) Serena Williams, comes a magical picture book in which a little girl learns to believe in herself with the help of her doll and best friend, Qai Qai. "Don't be scared, Best Friend! I'm right...
Why not you?
Wilson, Ciara
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER . From Grammy-winning pop star Ciara and Super Bowl champion quarterback Russell Wilson comes a picture book to inspire young readers to see the value in themselves, be brave, and go after their biggest dreams! Why not you? Amazing you! You're...
The year we learned to fly
Woodson, Jacqueline
Paper Book
Jacqueline Woodson and Rafael López's highly anticipated companion to their #1 New York Times bestseller The Day You Begin illuminates the power in each of us to face challenges with confidence. On a dreary, stuck-inside kind of day, a brother and sister heed their...
Off-Limits
Yoon, Helen.
Paper Book
For every child who has ever felt that grown-ups have all the fun, here is a vicarious chance to slip behind the office door--and play with all the tempting things that are off-limits. Dad's office is off-limits--which only makes it more intriguing to his curious young daughter....

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