Summertime Reading List
Keep Your Child Reading This Summer
Welcome to the official start of Summer (June 21st, 2023). We all know the last thing children want to do over the summer is to read. But did you know it is the best time to foster a love of reading and books? Dragon Horse Publishing wants to help foster that love, so we have put together a list of some of the best books to cozy up with this season. Here are our top picks:
Worms and Caterpillar Are Friends by Kaz Windness
Worms and Caterpillars are friends – as a matter of fact, they are best friends. These best friends have always loved being so similar. But it turns out that they are actually pretty different – and that’s OK! When Caterpillar disappears for a while and comes back as a butterfly, will butterfly and worm still be friends?
Evelyn Del Ray is Moving Away by Meg Medina
Evelyn Del Rey is Daniela’s best friend. They do everything together and even live in twin apartments across the street from each other. When Evelyn moves out of her apartment, the two girls spend one last day playing together among the moving boxes. Even though they won’t be neighbors anymore, they know they will always be best friends.
Search for a Giant Squid (Pick Your Path) by Amy Seto Forrester and Andy Chou Musser
This unique STEM series for early readers lets kids choose their own adventure in the real world. The series starter takes emerging readers on an expedition to the ocean’s twilight zone in search of a giant squid. Readers will need to join the expedition for the giant squid and help make choices along the way.
She Persisted: Maria Tallchief by Christine Day
Are you looking for inspiring stories of strong women? The She Persisted series is full of them. In this inspiring chapter book, Maria Tallchief loved to dance. She was told that she may need to change her name to one that sounded more Russian to make it as a ballerina. She refused and continued working hard as a dancer, becoming America’s first prima ballerina. Don’t miss out on the rest of this series with other women who persisted: Florence Griffith Joyner, Coretta Scott King, and more.
Baloney and Friends by Greg Pizzoli
This easy-to-read graphic novel series follows four animal friends and their wild adventures. In this novel, newly independent readers will join Baloney and his friends as they step into the spotlight and embody the charm of childhood. In the end, your children can even learn to draw all the characters with step-by-step instructions and create their own stories.
Pick Your Own Quest: Dragon vs. Unicorn by Connor Hoover
The Pick Your Own Quest series is what summer reading dreams are made of! Whether it’s throwing a party, dancing, or shooting hoops, your child’s choices decide who wins in this one-of-a-kind book with over 30 challenges and 25 possible endings. Play as the Dragon or play as the Unicorn. Go back and make different choices for hours of reading fun. Open the book, and let’s get the party started!
Power Forward(Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream) by Hena Khan
What better time to get hooked on a new sport or a new book series? Zayd Saleem has serious hoop dreams. Not only is he going to be a professional basketball player, but he is going to be a star. There are a few things standing in his way…
I Survived the Shark Attacks of 1916 (I survived #2) by Lauren Tarshis
It’s the summer of 1916 and the Jersey shore is being terrorized by a Great White Shark! Can 10-year-old Chet Roscow and his friends survive a swim in the local creek? One afternoon while swimming with friends, Chet sees something in the water…This heart-pounding adventure is based on real-life events and is sure to capture every child’s imagination.
And no summer reading list would be complete without our favorite friends
Toofer and Giblet by Paulette LeBlanc
Toofer is reserved, thoughtful, and observant, while The Giblet is outgoing and sociable. Filled with clever adventures and stand-alone stories, this series invites readers to re-discover their own world. At the heart of Toofer & The Giblet is a deep friendship, revealed through the innocence and wisdom of its characters.
Toofer and The Giblet in the Big City by Paulette LeBlanc
Toofer & The Giblet in the Big City brings an excitement-filled adventure, sure to strike the heartstrings as well as the funny bone, as the characters travel outside Nimblewood for the first time. The Big City offers both Toof and Gib a chance to see life from other perspectives, ultimately teaching them more about who they really are, and who they want to be.
Don’t let summer pass you by without discovering a new favorite book, making a new friend, or going on a wild adventure. Psst…you don’t even have to leave your backyard. Just open a book and turn the page!
HAPPY READING!