Instead of one big summer book post (you all, it takes A LOT of time to collect and write about 100 picture books, see past 100 book lists I've done here and here), I'm aiming to break them into 30 book posts at the end of each month. We'll see how blogging works out for me this summer (traditionally not a time where I get much computer time). But that's the intent! They should start sleeping past 6:45 soon, right?? (My kids picked the LAST full week of school to start getting up BEFORE 7am, instead of my dragging them out of bed past 7, great timing with summer starting.)
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1) Explorers of the Wild by Cale Atkinson
A little boy is out exploring the woods and there is also a bear exploring the woods. They are rather shocked to see the other! Fantastic pictures too.
2) Randy Riley's Really Big Hit by Chris Van Dusen
Our local baseball team is playing again this year and hopefully we'll make a game (they just opened up more capacity so I need to look at schedule and tickets now). We love Chris Van Dusen's books here, we own most of them. This just feels summery, with a boy who is MUCH more interested in robots than in playing baseball UNTIL maybe those two things are combined.
3) When Dinosaurs Came with Everything by Elise Broach, illustrated by David Small
Luke thought this book was HILARIOUS, if dinosaurs came as a free gift with every purchase you made. And then there were dinosaurs all over the place. It would be a lot less funny to find dinosaur sized poop in our yard.
4) The Great Indoors by Julie Falatko, illustrated by Ruth Chan
We happened to read this one after a family camping trip, when coming home really appreciating having our own bathroom again and AC and electricity. Here a forest worth of animals are enjoying their week of "vacation" in someone's house while the family is gone.
5) If You Had Your Birthday Party on the Moon by Joyce Lapin, illustrated by Simona Ceccarelli
This really got Luke dreaming for a birthday party on the moon which I guarantee I am never paying for. It covered all aspects of birthday parties rather well and explained to kids how they might work on the moon, even down to the Earth weight of the moon rock favors.
6) How to Code a Sandcastle by Josh Funk, illustrated by Sara Palacios
We just got our little sandbox out of the garage again and Sam is spending a ton of time playing in there (and getting sand all over the house). This introduces STEM concepts (coding) into a summer activity (sand castle building). Perfect for summer!
7) We are Gardeners by Joanna Gaines, illustrated by Julianna Swaney
We are trying to be gardeners again and this is a beautiful book about showing kids the beauty of that. Really, I could use the reminder besides the thistles and the blisters on my hand.
8) Imagination Vacation by Jami Gigot
This would have been especially appropriate for summer 2020 (sorry), about a girl who has her family imagine vacations all over the world. You can always travel somewhere else in your mind! (And maybe through a computer screen!).
9) Pluto Gets the Call by Adam Rex, illustrated by Laurie Keller
We read a lot of books about space and Luke really liked this one about Pluto getting the call about it not being a planet anymore. I am HERE for planets having human personalities and characteristics in kids books. And Luke feels really bad for Pluto still, he maintains that it's his favorite planet (I personally pick Earth, since it keeps us alive and all).
10) The Great Puppy Invasion by Alastair Heim, illustrated by Kim Smith
Both my boys thought this book was hilarious and great, about a town who is afraid of puppies until one brave boy figures out they aren't that bad. They love asking questions about what I would do if we were invaded by puppies (stay inside my house with a book, that's what I would do. Please keep all dogs away from me.)
11) Little Whale by Jo Weaver
A simple yet beautiful story about the migrations of a Mama and her Baby whale as the Mama keeps the Baby safe from ships and coral reefs and other predators, until they are back home in the icy water.
12) Dandy by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Charles Santoso
One of my all time favorite picture books about a little girl that loves and "befriends" a dandelion her father reallllllllly wants out of his carefully kept yard. And that girl WILL know if he sneaks it out while she is away.
13) You are Home: an Ode to the National Parks by Evan Turk
I grew up visiting many national parks with my family and my boys have been so some but I'd still like to take them to some of the bigger ones when they are a bit older (Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Rocky Mountains). Summer feels like the perfect time to read a book celebrating those parks!
14) Moon's First Friends: One Giant Leap of Friendship by Susanna Leonard Hill
Again, I love the planets and Moon being personified, I like the think that the Moon WAS glad to finally get visitors in 1969, even if they did leave a few things behind.
15) To Live on an Island by Emma Bland Smith, illustrated by Elizabeth Person
Beautifully illustrated book about life on an island in the Pacific Northwest. My kids at least get a lot more freedom in the summer (although not kayaking by themselves, yikes) and this celebrates that even if their freedom looks different than here.
16) Bear Came Along by Richard T. Morris, illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Bear is having fun playing on the river but he'd have MORE fun if some friends join him so gradually some do but then they don't just have fun together but also need each other.
17) I Just Ate my Friend by Heidi McKinnon
This might just appeal to a certain kind of kid, which includes my kids. This alien creature needs a new friend...because he ate his last one. But now WHO would want to be friends with him??? It's a problem.
18) 10 Little Ninjas by Miranda Paul, illustrated by Nate Wragg
Kids never seem to have more Ninja skills than when you are trying to wrangle them for bed. HOW does it happen nearly every night???
19) Blackout by John Rocco
It's a hot summer night in the city when the electricity goes out. The kids don't know what to do without the tv or computer or even lights. But their parents turn it all into a fun adventure (reading about this was a heck of a lot more fun than experiencing it!)
20) Ruby's Sword by Jacqueline Veissid, illustrated by Paola Zakimi
Ruby can never seem to keep up with her big brothers until she comes across some sticks in the grass and decides they are swords. I love the imagination and how she's determined to have fun.
21) How to Hide a Lion by Helen Stephens
We first came across these "hiding a lion" books with a Christmas one and then had to read the rest of the loose series. My boys thought the idea of successfully hiding a lion in the house from mom & dad was HILARIOUS. I can't say I would agree with them.
22) Have you Seen Elephant? by David Barrow
This elephant reallllly wants to play hide and seek but the problem with that is that it's really hard to hide an elephant. But the elephant doesn't know that!
23) The Tiptoeing Tiger by Philippa Leathers
Tigers (besides Daniel Tiger & family) are terrifying but nobody finds THIS little Tiger as terrifying as he wishes he could be. He's tiptoeing through the forest trying to find someone to scare!
24) The Brilliant Deep: Rebuilding the World's Coral Reefs: the Story of Ken
Nedimyer and the Coral Restoration Foundation by Kate Messner,
illustrated by Matthew Forsythe
I am mostly staying away from picture book biographies for these lists (but I have lists of those here and here!) because they are usually a bit more word heavy than I prefer to read in the summer BUT a book about a man trying to save the coral reefs just felt right for summer, especially since I doubt many of us are taking our kids to see them in person.
25) The Bear, the Piano, the Dog, and the Fiddle by David Litchfield
This is a follow-up book to a book about a piano playing bear and this one, as you may have guessed by the title, adds a dog who plays the fiddle. You all, I don't like dogs but I would be greatly entertained by one that could play a fiddle.
26) The Pawed Piper by Michelle Robinson, illustrated by Chinlun Lee
Luke would really like a pet cat but knows his pet-adverse Mom will never let him have one. So Luke really liked this book about a girl would really wants a cat and is able to lure one to her house (Luke DREAMS of an animal accidentally ending up here). It might even speak to your non-cat lovers.
27) Land Shark by Beth Ferry, illustrated by Ben Mantle
The last kid wanted a cat, this kid wants a shark. You know, I'd be hard pressed to pick which pet I'd prefer. Probably a small shark that could be contained? Although I really don't have space for a tank like that but at least it would die if it got loose. A loose cat would just be mayhem. However, this kid gets a dog which would disappoint all of these people.
28) The Fog by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Kenard Pak
Now we have a bird who is a human watcher and is concerned by the fog that is taking over his island home. But the other birds don't seem to notice it. Then the human-watching bird spots a human who can also see the fog. Will they be able to help others see it too?
29) Sunrise Summer by Matthew Swanson, illustrated by Robbi Behr
This was a rare 5 star picture book that I just pulled off the shelf at the library. I was NOT expecting Alaska but it told a wonderful story, based on the illustrator's childhood experience, of spending her summers fishing in Alaska with her family. In a primitive cabin her parents bought with no fishing experience. Now that's a (brave/crazy) adventure!
30) Little Dandelion Seeds the World by Julia Richardson, illustrated by Kristen & Kevin Howdeshell
A story about how dandelion seeds can and have spread to all corners of the Earth. I did NOT believe the claims that there are dandelions on Antarctica but it turns out they even exist there. Sam takes great pride in picking dandelions for me right now and this showed us how they even got to North America!
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