Mon, July 13, 2026

Best Summer Reading Books for Kids

Summertime and the readin’ is breezy, especially with a book in each hand or a carryall full of titles for the beach, pool, or lake. Even if your young readers prefer a comfy air-conditioned library, family reading is a relaxing addition to summer schedules, especially if themes include ocean animals, sand sculpting, watery wildlife, tides and waves, or stories of kids simply enjoying the pleasures of a warm-weather book list.

Dip a big toe into the endless selection of shimmery, summery books, many of them hinting at care, use, and awareness of one of the world’s most important natural resources: water! Wherever you park your blanket and tote bag, here are titles to consider for readers from ages two to ten years old.

Ocean and Animal Books for Kids

• House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle (ISBN 9780689848940): Is it time for hermit crab to move to a new shell?
• I Spy Ocean Animals by Dan Marzollo (ISBN 9781546175445): Hide-and-seek riddles in the watery wild.
• Narwhal Unicorn of the Sea by Ben Clanton (ISBN 9781101918715): A story of unexpected friendship under the sea.
• Odder by Katherine Applegate (ISBN 9781250423429): An otter who lives off the California coast near the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
• Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister (ISBN 9781558580091): Discovering how to share and learning that what’s mine can also be yours.
• Swimmy by Leo Lionni (ISBN 9780399555503): Small fish discover they are mighty when they work, play, and swim together.
• Whale Song by Nicola Davies (ISBN 9781536251913): The variety of underwater sounds made by gigantic humpback whales.

Family Adventure Books for Summer Reading

• Fletcher Family Takes Rock Island by Dana Alison Levy (ISBN 9780553521337): A special summer place changes for the good for two dads and four brothers.
• Penderwicks Summer Tale of Four Sisters by Jeanne Birdsall (ISBN 9780440420477): Summer vacation is spent in an old home near the sea.

Imaginative Water and Nature Stories

• If You Spot a Shell by Aimée Sicuro (ISBN 9780593650998): Look and look again at the artful ways shell shapes appear everywhere.
• Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge by Hildegarde Swift (ISBN 9780152045739): An old-fashioned story of purpose for a lighthouse still standing along the Hudson River.
• Over and Under the Waves by Kate Messner (ISBN 9781797245614): The water cycle is alive and well, encouraging life of all kinds.
• Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling C. Holling (ISBN 9780395292037): The adventure of a small handmade wooden canoe making its way from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.
• Sail Away by Donald Crews (ISBN 9780688175177): How to experience the sensations of water and weather from a sailboat.

Books About Kids, Swimming, and Summer Adventures

• Henry and Mudge and the Forever Sea by Cynthia Rylant (ISBN 9780689810176): Besties Henry (a boy) and Mudge (a dog) spend a day at the beach in the sun and sand.
• Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall (ISBN 9781536202908): Trying something new, like plunging into the water from a diving board, takes courage.
• Julian Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love (ISBN 9781536210613): After thinking about (and seeing?) mermaids at the pool, a boy finds inspiration.
• Wave by Suzy Lee (ISBN 9780811859240): No words are needed to tell the story (in beautiful watercolors) of the endless motion of the waves.
• When You Can Swim by Jack Wong (ISBN 9781338830965): Appreciating the natural world while learning to swim.

Take time to tap into your child’s well of interest about water to make a splash with summer reading! Check out the full list on our Bookshop page here.

About the Author

Ann Levine’s love of books, words, and reading has steered her career choices: from editorial roles at Meredith Publishing and Hearst Magazines to teaching and administrative positions at the School at Columbia and Preschool of America to assistant manager at Bank Street Bookstore. She received an undergraduate degree in English at Washington University and a graduate degree at Bank Street College of Education. She is still a big believer in the three Rs of learning — reading, reading, and reading.