Picture Books You Need to Read this Summer

These joyful summer books for kids are great to bring along to the beach, or on a picnic, or even to read to your children while you sit outside on the porch swing.

This summer picture book list is an eclectic mix of classics and contemporary titles. They feature children and families engaged in classic summer activities like baseball, camp and exploring the beach.

So whatever exciting or relaxed adventures your family is having this summer, be sure to read some of these diverse summer picture books with your kids on those lazy summer afternoons.

Note: this list contains Amazon and Bookshop affiliate links. Purchases made through these links may earn a commission for this blog. Bookshop also supports independent bookstores.

ONE MORNING IN MAINE and TIME OF WONDER by Robert McCloskey

Find it: Amazon (Time of Wonder) | Bookshop (Time of Wonder)

Find it: Amazon (One Morning in Maine) | Bookshop (One Morning in Maine)

I had a hard time choosing between these two books, and so... I didn't! As a kid growing up in California, the summertime experiences in these two books were completely foreign but utterly beguiling. Get your kids daydreaming about lazy summer days free of digital screens and ringing phones. These two books are must-reads for summer. Sure, they are long, but you've got lazy summer days to fill.

THE WORLD BELONGED TO US by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Leo Espinosa

Find it: Amazon | Bookshop

I love this joyous book about the pleasures of an old fashioned summer in the city. Fire hydrants spray water in the streets, kids play tag, jump rope, and get treats from the ice cream truck. Set in the 60s or 70s in Brooklyn, the bouncing refrain and the smiles on the children's faces are pure delight.

MORE: Picture books about summer in the city

HOT DOG by Doug Salati

Find it: Amazon | Bookshop

Look, I'm not a dog person so I wasn't sure that I was going to enjoy this book as much as the hype assured me I would. The hype was right! Anyone can relate to the dog's need to get away from the noisy, crowded and sweltering city streets in summer for a day and head to the beach. Readers will feel a visceral relief as the "hot dog" makes it to the breezy seaside.

A BEACH TAIL by Karen Lynn Williams, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

Find it: Amazon | Bookshop

At the beach, Gregory draws a lion in the sand. His dad tells him to stay near the lion and not to venture into the water. Gregory picks up a stick and begins to draw the lion's tail... a very long tail, right on down the beach. When he realizes he has gone too far his finds his way back by traveling the length of the line in the sand. I like the way the story maintains a balance between natural curiosity, wonder and exploration and the trepidation that a child feels when he realizes he may almost have gone too far for comfort. It's a lovely glimpse of an important childhood moment.

IF YOU WANT TO SEE A WHALE by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Erin E. Stead

Find it: Amazon | Bookshop

Here's a lovely story about the rewards of patience, imagination, being in the moment, and close observations of one's surroundings — all key qualities of a summer well-spent. This is the perfect summer book to relax with at a picnic in the park.

MORE: Children's Books about Picnics

FLOTSAM by David Wiesner

Find it: Amazon | Bookshop

Summer reading is a good time to take take the opportunity to enjoy the leisurely experience of reading a wordless book. Did you know that wordless books actually help develop reading comprehension and vocabulary? Magical, twisting perspectives invite readers to study Wiesner's exquisite watercolors in this wordless imaginative journey that begins with the discovery of a camera on a beach.

TAKE ME OUT TO THE YAKYU

Find it: Amazon | Bookshop

It wouldn't be summer without eating a few hotdogs in the stands while cheering for your favorite team. Young baseball enthusiasts will love this clever picture book depicting the difference and similarities between American and Japanese baseball.

MORE: Baseball picture books

TRACTION MAN AND THE BEACH ODYSSEY by Mini Grey

Find it: Amazon | Your Library

If you aren't familiar with Mini Grey's Traction Man, you are in for a treat. Read this, the 3rd book in the series, on your beach blanket. This book guarantees lots of giggles (he's got a scrubbing brush sidekick for goodness' sake!) and fodder for imaginative play. I double-dog dare you to resist using your superhero voice when reading it aloud.

THERE MIGHT BE LOBSTERS

Find it: Amazon | Bookshop

This is a cute book about a girl's trip to the beach and how her little dog, Sukie, is afraid to go in the water. The girl works on helping Sukie feel confident and when her favorite toy gets swept out by a wave, the dog can be brave enough to go after it.

HARVEY POTTER'S BALLOON FARM by Jerdine Nolen, illustrated by Mark Buehner

Find it: Amazon | Bookshop

No list of summer books for kids would be complete without a book about a farm. Break out of the box with this amusing tale of an unusual, magical balloon farm. The narrator describes the farm as well as her attempts to discover the secrets of a successful balloon harvest.

A COUPLE OF BOYS HAVE THE BEST WEEK EVER by Marla Frazee

Find it: Amazon | Bookshop

Frazee's popular book about two friends who spend their summer days doing everything and nothing, but having the greatest time ever, deftly captures what summer with friends is all about.

MORE: Summer camp books for kids

THE RELATIVES CAME by Cynthia Rylant

Find it: Amazon | Bookshop

Is your extended family coming for a visit this summer? I hope your reunion is as rowdy, messy, joyous and love-filled as this one. I especially love the illustrations, with overstuffed car bouncing down the narrow, and then the scramble of cousins and family members as they hug and play. Truly wonderful!