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20 Summer Books for Little Learners

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The summer unit is such a fun unit to teach to our little learners! Between the warm weather, delicious ice cream, and trips to the beach, summer is such a fun time of year! There are so many fun ways to explore the summer unit and watch little minds learn and grow as they read summer books that go along with this unit.

Finding summer books to read with them is a wonderful addition to this unit as they learn all about summer!

Taking the time to read summer books is important for our little learners as they explore the summer unit. They’ll learn all kinds of things about summer! Some things may be familiar to them, others will be totally new!

I’ve found some perfect summer books for you to use with this unit that can easily be purchased on amazon. Just click the links below and stock up on some of your favorite summer books! If you use your prime membership, you can get your books quickly and easily with FREE 2-day shipping.

And Then Comes Summer

When the days stretch out like a slow yawn, and the cheerful faces of Johnny-jump-ups jump up . . . then it’s time to get ready for summer! From flip-flops and hide-and-seek to fireworks and ice-cream trucks, from lemonade stands and late bedtimes to swimming in the lake and toasting marshmallows, there’s something for everyone in this bright and buoyant celebration of the sunny season. Tom Brenner’s lovely, lyrical ode to summers spent outdoors will strike a chord with anyone who’s ever counted down the days until school gets out, and Jaime Kim’s jubilant, nostalgia-soaked illustrations leave little doubt that summer is indeed a time unlike any other.

Is it Warm Enough for Ice Cream?

Winter, spring, summer, and fall are each represented by a vibrant outdoor scene revealing seasonal changes, from ponds freezing over, to baby birds leaving their nests for the first time. And with changes in weather come new things to try: it’s windy enough to fly a kite and spin pinwheels; it’s rainy enough to splash in puddles, use an umbrella, and search for worms; it’s snowy enough to build a snowman, go sledding, and drink hot chocolate. But is it warm enough for ice cream? When we reach the bright sun of the summer spread, we hear the answer: Yes it is!

Bubble Trouble

“Read this aloud and expect a lot of giggles and calls for a repeat performance.”—Horn Book, starred review Little Mabel blew a bubble, and it caused a lot of trouble . . .When little Mabel’s bubble gets away from her, it’s her baby brother who gets into trouble. Soon he’s floating out of the house, above the fence, and all over town! It’s up to Mabel, Mother, and the rest of the townspeople to get him safely back down. Who knew that so much trouble could come from one little bubble?

Happiness is a Watermelon on Your Head

To the villagers who watch her going about her day, it is clear that Miss Jolly is irritatingly happy. Her never-ending cheerfulness leaves three of her neighbors highly confused and jealous, driving them to ridiculous and hilarious measures in an attempt to compete with Miss Jolly in the happiness—and headgear—stakes. Beautiful and insane in equal measure, this wacky book follows three local busybodies on their journey to discover the secret of true happiness.

Sun, Sun

Following a long winter and a dreary spring, the sun has returned and that means one thing – it’s time to head to the beach! Join three kids on their beach adventure as they experience the joys of everything from swimming to sandcastles to kites to ice cream – it’s all there! You and your kids will instantly fall in love with the exquisite illustrations as well as the poetic nature of the book that makes reading it as much fun as hearing it read. Join in on the fun and be reminded of why a day at the beach is one of life’s great joys!

Milk to Ice Cream

Through vivid photos and engaging text, this fun and fact-filled Rookie Read-About Science book answers the question, How is ice cream made? Milk to Ice Cream lets kids follow the exciting step-by-step process as milk goes from farm to factory where it becomes a cold, creamy treat.

Mouse’s First Summer

Mouse and Minka invite you to celebrate summer with a picnic in the park. Roll down the hill on tickly green grass. Fly fluttery kites high in the sky. Enjoy some juicy watermelon! And before it’s time to go home, a summer surprise sparkles in the sky.

Gorilla Loves Vanilla

Sam’s Sundaes is far and away the best place on Jelly Bean Street to get your favorite ice cream flavor! One day, five animals dash through the door, hoping little Sam Sundae will whip up the ice cream treat of their dreams. Stinky blue cheese for mouse, fish finger ice cream for cat, squirmy wormy ice cream for chicken, muddy ice cream for hippo, and daisy/grass/dandelion ice cream for cow all seem like excellent choices for each ice cream dreamer. That is, until Gorilla walks in and asks for the most surprising choice of all! This delightfully wacky book will have kids howling with laughter and asking for more, more, more of this deliciously funny story.

Wet Dog!

On a hot, hot day, a good old dog just has to get some relief! Around the steamy country lanes, he sniffs and searches until he finds a chauffeur washing a shiny car, a baker scrubbing some sticky pans, and a florist spraying a pink bouquet. they?re all getting ready for a country wedding, and this overheated pup just wants to plunge into the fun?and water! but will the wedding party in their fancy finery welcome this gotta-be-cool pooch? Zany characters, zingy lines, and high-spirited scenes abound in this witty and affectionate story by author elise broach and New York Times best illustrated book Award winner David Catrow.

Watermelon Madness

Noura is crazy about watermelon. She wants to eat nothing else, every day, at every meal. In fact, Noura thinks there is no such thing as too much watermelon. Until one night, when the watermelon she has hidden in her room to eat all by herself begins to grow and Noura gets taken on a wild watermelon adventure!

Let It Shine

School is out and the sun is shining. It’s time to play outside! Celebrate all the wonders of summer in this final book in Maryann Cocca-Leffler’s delightful series about the seasons. With soft-colored art, adorable children, and vibrant outdoor scenes, LET IT SHINE celebrates all the seasonal awe of summer.

Pop! A Book About Bubbles

What are bubbles made of? Why are they always round? Read and find out about the science behind soap bubbles, and learn why bubbles always go POP!

Sun

It’s the hottest day of the year, hotter than broccoli soup, hotter than the Atacama Desert, hotter than the surface of the sun. It’s just the right kind of day for a boy and his granddad to go for a picnic. But as the sun beats down, Granddad keeps having to stop for a rest, and by the time they find the perfect picnic spot, some pirates have beaten them to it. Good thing they have enough food to share!

Summer Days and Nights

On a hot summer day, a little girl finds ways to entertain herself and stay cool. She catches a butterfly, sips lemonade, jumps in a pool, and goes on a picnic. At night, she sees an owl in a tree and a frog in a pond, and hears leaves rustling. Before long, she’s fast asleep, dreaming about more summer days and summer nights. As with his earlier books featuring this spunky little girl, Wong Herbert Yee’s focus is on appreciating the small but special details that define a season.

Curious George and the Ice Cream Surprise

George is looking for a way to beat the summer heat. Swimming, running through sprinklers, a glass of lemonade—none can help George cool off! What George really wants is a sweet, cold treat from the ice cream truck, but will he ever catch it?

The Watermelon Seed

With perfect comic pacing, Greg Pizzoli introduces us to one funny crocodile who has one big fear: swallowing a watermelon seed. What will he do when his greatest fear is realized? Will vines sprout out his ears? Will his skin turn pink? This crocodile has a wild imagination that kids will love. With bold color and beautiful sense of design, Greg Pizzoli’s picture book debut takes this familiar childhood worry and gives us a true gem in the vein of I Want My Hat Back and Not a Box.

Heat Wave

The mercury is climbing in Lumberville, and the folks are doing everything they can to keep cool. Officer McGinnis spends the day in a cold bath, Lottie Mims does her housework in her bathing suit, and Abigail and Ralphie Blue sell ice cubes. When the temperature refuses to relent, the entire community seeks solace by the river–where everyone dreams of cool relief. A cast of quirky characters and lots of playful details from two celebrated picture-book talents make this heat wave look like fun!

Ice Cream Summer

Peter Sís’s delicious tongue-in-cheek vision of summer dishes up the whole scoop on everyone’s favorite frozen treat, and proves that ice cream is every bit as enriching for the mind as it is for the taste buds. Readers everywhere will be begging for seconds and thirds!

Hot Sun & Puppy Fun

Join James’ sister, Luna, in exploring all of the fun she has with her family during the hot months in the Ozarks! Floating, BBQ, and hiking are just some of the fun Luna and her puppy siblings have during the summer!

The Night Before Summer Vacation

A little girl and her family are getting ready to go on vacation . . . or at least they are trying to. In the effort to pack everything that will be needed, there’s bound to be something overlooked, and what that is provides a funny ending to this meter-perfect “twist” on Clement Moore’s classic.

Teaching the summer unit is such a fun unit for little learners as they explore all about summer. It’s also fun for us as we watch them learn and grow! Grab your favorite books with this summer unit and explore all the exciting things about summer!

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progress monitoring in the early elementary classroom for math, literacy and reading