Are you looking for great books for your kids to read this summer? Today we are sharing our favorite Summer Themed Book Lists for kids of all ages. These are books that make you feel summery, and are perfect for the porch swing, the grass, or the tree house.
Whether your favorite things are having picnics at the park or splashing in the pool, summer is the time of year that both kids and adults look forward to all year. We’ve put together a list of books that will spark the excitement of children of all ages for some engaging, relaxing, and silly summer reading.
The Best Summer Themed Book Lists for Kids
Summer Themed Picture Books for Kids
Summer by Gerda Muller
Fireflies by Julie Brinckloe
Harry By the Sea by Gene Zion
The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant
The Very Lonely Firefly by Eric Carle
Come on, Rain! By Karen Hesse
A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck
Mama, Is it Summer Yet? By Nikki McClure
Marshmallow Kisses by Linda Crotta Brennan
A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee by Chris VanHusen
How I Spent My Summer Vacation by Mark Teague
Wet Dog by Elise Broach
Boris Goes Camping by Carrie Weston
Farmer Duck by Martin Waddell
Night of the Moonjellies by Mark Shasha
The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli
The Gardener by Sarah Stewart
The House Takes a Vacation by Jacqueline Davies and Lee White
Summer Themed Books for Elementary Kids
The Enormous Egg (Oliver Butterworth) When twelve-year-old Nate Twitchell takes care of an gigantic egg laid by one of his hens, he is shocked to find that it hatches into a triceratops.
Captain and Matey Set Sail (Daniel Laurence) A delightful early reader features a short Captain and a tall Mate who sail on their pirate ship.
Saxby Smart: Private Detective (Simon Cheshire) Three puzzling cases by the world’s best 10- year old detective.
The Terrible Two (Mac Barnett) Miles Murphy teams up with his new buddy to engage in epic trickery.
Fake Mustache (Tom Angleberger) A boy has the perfect plan to take over the world: wear a fake mustache.
The Prairie Thief (Melissa Wiley) inventive tale that reads like a delightful mash-up of Little House on the Prairie and Tony DiTerlizzi’s “The Spiderwick Chronicles”
No Flying in the House (Betty Brock) A magical story about Annabel Tippens, who has no parents, but does have a dog who talks and a cat who tells her an important secret!
Ivy Takes Care (Rosemary Wells) Ivy runs a pet-sitting service for the summer and tries to keep the boy next door from destroying everything.
Half Magic (Edward Eager) It all begins with a strange coin on a sun-warmed sidewalk. Jane finds the coin, and becasue she and her siblings are having the worst, most dreadfully boring summer ever, she idly wishes something exciting would happen.
Roxie and the Hooligans (Phyllis Reynolds Naylor) Roxie ends up on an island with four unpleasant classmates and is tested in her ability to survive.
Bink and Gollie (Kate DiCamillo) Tall, stately Gollie and short, untidy Bink are opposites yet true friends.
Tuesdays at the Castle (Jessica Day George) Every Tuesday Castle Glower takes on a life of its own-magically inventing, moving, and even completely getting rid of some of its rooms.
The Best Summer Themed Books for Tweens
The Underland Chronicles (Suzanne Collins) Gregor follows his sister through a grate in the laundry room and ends up in an underground conflict between humans and other creatures.
Ungifted (Gordon Korman) A prankster ends up in a gifted and talented program due to an administration error.
Mister Max Series (Cynthia Voight) When 12-year old Max’s parents leave for parts unknown without taking him, he is forced to survive by his wits. He solves several little puzzles in creative ways.
Half a Chance (Cynthia Lord) Lucy loves photography and would love to win the photography contest but her photographer father is the judge.
Nooks and Crannies (Jessica Lawson) When Tabitha and five other children arrive at the house of Countess Camilla DeMoss, the other five kids start disappearing one-by-one.
Shakespeare’s Secret (Elise Broach) Sixth Grade Hero moves to a new town and learns of a mystery of a missing diamond and sets out to find it.
Dragonsong (Anne McCaffrey) Set in a fantasy realm of Pern, gifted musician Menolly flees her village after her father forbade her music.
The Vengekeep Prophecies (Brian Farrey) A fantasy tale of a boy born into a family renowned for generations of clever thievery.
The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom (Christopher Healy) Princes Charming leave their homes (one to pursue a girl, one to escape a girl, one to prove himself, and one because he got lost).
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place Series (Maryrose Wood) This series has been acclaimed as a “hilarious Victorian mystery series,” a story that Lemony Snicket lovers and Jane Eyre fans will enjoy.
Kissed (Cameron Dokey) Marvelous retellings of Beauty and the Beast, The Magic Flute, and The Snow Queen.
The Best Summer Themed Books for Teens
Peak and The Edge (Roland Smith) Two adventures in mountain climbing where every chapter is quite literally a cliff hanger.
Counting by 7s (Holly Goldberg Sloan) when Willow’s adopted parents die, an odd assortment of acquaintances show up to support her.
Airborn (Kenneth Oppel) Matt Cruse has spent his life as a cabin boy on an airship that ferries wealthy passengers through the air.
Riptide (Kat Falls) After the oceans rise, some pioneers go undersea to farm and live on the continental shelf.
A School for Brides (Patrice Kindl) What’s the Winthrop Hopkins Female Academy to do when its goal is to groom marriage-minded girls in the feminine arts but there are no males to be found in the land of Lesser Hoo?
Rebecca (Daphne du Maurier) A classic tale of the death of a powerful, mysterious woman.
We hope you enjoyed these Best Summer Themed Book Lists for Kids. Have you read some of these books? Leave us a comment to tell us which ones are your favorites. If we missed some you love, let us know, and we may add it.
Happy Reading!
2 Responses
What a great list! I love that it has book suggestions for all ages!
Thank you! I’m so happy you found it helpful. It’s nice to have ideas to pick from when you head to the library in the summer.