Cool Off with a Good Book: Summer Picture Books for Kids
Summertime means gardens, insects, fireflies, sunshine, and much more. I have collected some outstanding picture books celebrating this time of year. All books are picture books for all ages, except for the last three books.
Ant Party, by Ross Montgomery, brightly illustrated digitally by Sarah Warburton, is a fun read with ants everywhere. Reading this book is great fun as you search out different ants, and each ant seems to have its own personality. You even learn about the roles of each group of ants. But the story focuses on Andy, who desires to celebrate his birthday with some of his neighbors. The story becomes hilarious when the invites get out of control. Between the great illustrations by storyline, this is a great read-aloud!
Afternoon on a Hill, by Edna Vincent Millay and richly illustrated by Paolo Domeniconi, showcases this famous poem in the beauty of nature on a warm summer day. The poem and the book are short, with illustrations being depicted on the open page. What better way to have kids appreciate this tremendous poem than in this beautifully illustrated book.
Grandpa’s Tractors, by Michael Garland, is a gorgeously illustrated book depicting rural life on farms. Grandpa takes his grandson on a drive to where his farm used to be. Grandpa finds his house all boarded up, and the barn roof has fallen in. His beloved tractor is now brown and rusty, when over fifty years ago it was bright red. Grandpa reminisces about what he and his father did with that tractor to keep his farm producing food for his animals and family. This is a beautiful homage to the past and to farm life.
Firefly Song, by Colleen Paeff and beautifully illustrated using watercolor and digital paintings by Ji-Hyuk Kim, is a story about the magic of fireflies and how Lynn Frierson Faust discovered many important elements about these insects. But there’s much more to enjoy with stunning illustrations along with a brilliant text which includes many onomatopoeias.
Six Little Sticks, by Tiffany Stone and wonderfully illustrated in ecoline, pencil, and digital editing by Ruth Hengeveld, is a clever rhyming story that counts and subtracts with a simple storyline. Mama stick bug begins with her six baby sticks and wishes to teach them how to hide. But then they go missing; or perhaps they are hiding. And then the math begins. There is much to learn about these insects found in the back of the book.
The Summer My Father was Ten, by Pat Brisson and stunningly illustrated with watercolor by Andrea Shine, is a wonderful and teachable book about how our actions affect others and the consequences that may arise. A father shares with his daughter how his actions, when he was young, affected an older neighbor who was growing a garden. This has a tremendous moral lesson for all!
Hurricane, by Jason Chin, has a fictionalized hurricane hitting the outskirts of North Carolina. However, there is much to learn from the non-fiction information woven perfectly into the storyline. From the initial end-pages to the back-matter, this book becomes a very informative book with the impact of weather and all the elements that go into the making and devastating effects of hurricanes! The fantastic artwork was created using pen and ink, watercolor, and gouache.
The Monarch, by Kirsten Hall and beautifully illustrated using ink, gouache, watercolor, pencil, color pencils, and digital drawing by Isabelle Arsenall, is a breathtaking look into the journey of this amazing insect from caterpillar to butterfly. The rhyming text makes for an interesting read as facts are thrown into the storyline. Between the glorious pictures and interesting text, much will be learned and appreciated.
Ray: How Light Works (A Science Pals Book), by Emily Kate Moon, begins educating about our powerful star as soon as you open the book, as seen on the interestingly labeled end pages! The extraordinary vivid illustrations, made with india ink on paper and Photoshop, and text combine to create an interesting non-fiction book that all will be enlightened.
Where the Deer Slip Through, by Katey Howes and uniquely illustrated by drawing black and white images on scratchboard panels, transferring the pictures onto paper, and then adding watercolor by Beth Krommes, has to be one of the most beautiful picture books of the summer! The rhythm of the text and the majestic animals slipping through the woods create a peaceful sound of summer.
Barnacle Bay (Little Habitats), by Jana Curll, is a delightful graphic novel geared for ages six through nine. Crab is the featured character and is tired of the bay, where no one seems to appreciate him or his sense of humor. And so, the adventure begins. The bright illustrations are very cheerful and carry the story to the end.
The Summer of the Bone Horses, by Cirginian Driving Hawk Sneve, and colorful illustrations sprinkled throughout are done with pencil and sketchbook and brought to life in Procreate by Steph Littlebird, is an early chapter book geared for ages six through nine about a young Lakota child who goes to the Dakota plains to stay with his grandparents one summer. His adventures will thrill any young reader.
Growing Home, by Beth Ferry, along with wonderful etchings sprinkled throughout by The Fan Brothers, is a chapter book geared for ages seven and up. The main protagonist is a wise-cracking goldfish, along with a talkative house plant, a smart spider, and many more unique characters that will wrap around your heart and spark your imagination. There’s magic involved, and the story is richly woven with wondrous language such as homophones and alliteration, making this a delight to read out loud.
