Looking for a great book to read with your kids this summer? This list will help you transition from illustrated kids books to books your kids will love to read independently. Read one, or read ‘em all – post your thoughts in the comments. Or, if we missed your favorite book, tell us in the comments!
Ages 2-7:
Shark vs. Train by Chris Barton, Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
Who do you think will win, Shark or Train?
Blackout By John Rocco
A summer blackout can actually be a great party!
Dog and Bear: Two Friends, Three Stories By Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Read about the adventures of best friends, Dog and Bear.
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems
What happens when a pigeon volunteers to drive a bus? An engaging story in question and answer format where you can decide his fate.
Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen
Turns out that an ordinary box with ordinary yarn isn’t ordinary at all.
No, David! By David Shannon
What happens when little David does everything that his mother tells him not to do?
Caps for Sale By Esphyr Slobodkina
A timeless classic about the ways in which a peddler tries to outwit a band of monkeys.
Doctor De Soto By William Steig
Doctor De Soto is a great dentist and treats only gentle animals. But what happens when the fox has a toothache? Will kindhearted Doctor De Soto turn him away?
Horton Hatches the Egg By Dr. Seuss
The whole jungle is talking about Horton the elephant, who’s just hatched an egg.
Ages 6-9:
Pirate vs. Pirate: The Terrific Tale of a Big, Blustery Maritime Match by Mary Quattlebaum
The biggest boy pirate and the maddest girl pirate face-off in a series of competitions and then find themselves falling in love!
Bad Kitty Gets a Bath (Bad Kitty series) by Nick Bruel
When you give a bath to Bad Kitty, you need, among other things, soap, a towel and a suit of armor.
Amelia Bedelia By Peggy Parish; illustrated by Fritz Siebel
Learn and laugh over housekeeper Amelia Bedelia’s attempts to understand her employer’s instructions. Don’t be surprised if she gets her sketchbook out to draw a picture of the drapes when her employer asks her to “draw the drapes”!
Grin and Bear It by Leo Landry
Bear wants to be a comedian so bad and his jokes are funny too – but will his stage fright hold him back?
The Houdini Box By Brian Selznick
Victor meets his idol – Harry Houdini – who gives Victor a mysterious box as the answer to all his questions.
Scooter in the Outside by Anne Bowen, illustrated by Abby Carter
Scooter loves the outside. So one day when he sees the door ajar, he goes out all by himself. But the outside can be a scary place.
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith
Popular fairy tells retold in a hilarious spoof of the fairy tale genre.
The Stories Julian Tells by Ann Cameron
Read about the adventures of Julian Bates, his little brother Huey and his best friend Gloria.
The Talented Clementine (Clementine series) By Sara Pennypacker, Illustrated by Marla Frazee
Third grader Clementine was doing just fine till her teacher announced a talent show. Clementine is in a state of panic because she thinks she doesn’t have a talent. Find out how her unexpected talent surprises everyone including herself.
Adventures in Cartooning: How to Turn Your Doodles into Comics By James Sturm, Andrew Arnold, and Alexis Frederick-Frost
You know you have fun when you read comics – now have fun making them too!
Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman by Marc Tyler Nobleman
The extraordinary story of two ordinary boys who created Superman.
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The ReadKiddoRead program features bestselling author James Patterson’s picks for the summer. Find reviews of these books and more in the Illustrated Reads section of ReadKiddoRead.com.
Did you have fun reading these books with your kids? Were your kids engaged with the stories? Are there other books that should make it to the list? Share your reading experiences with us and post a comment below!
