Preschoolers & Kindergarteners
Bailey Goes Camping by Kevin Henkes
Your little one who's too small for sleep-away camp is sure to enjoy this stay-at-home adventure. Learn more.
Clifford the Big Red Dog: The Missing Beach Ball by Norman Bridwell
Have a ball at the beach with Clifford as he tracks down a missing ball!
Gaspard at the Seashore by Anne Gutman
Charm your child with the tale of an earnest pooch who longs to windsurf — but he'll have to learn to swim first!
One Lonely Seahorse by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers
Your child won't be able to take his eyes off this ingenious counting book. Learn more.
Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey
Explore a magical Maine summer with this Caldecott Award-winning classic.
Grades 1—2
Come On, Rain! by Karen Hesse
Cool the crackling city heat with a lyrical look at the anticipation of rain. Learn more.
Dilly's Summer Camp Diary by Cynthia Copeland Lewis
First-time campers will love this comic-book-style look at the highs and lows of sleep-away camp.
Lottie's New Beach Towel by Petra Mathers
Hit the beach with a spirited chicken in this charming picture book.
Nate the Great and the Boring Beach Bag by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
Join an old-school detective for an engaging and easy-reading mystery.
Sun Paint by Barbara Kane
Combine colors, objects, and solar power to create a textile masterpiece with this lively activity book.
Swimmy by Leo Lionni
Dive into the ocean to see how a small fish outsmarts a big predator. Learn more.
Grades 3—5
The Dolphin Diaries series by Ben M. Baglio
Travel the oceans and uncover the secrets of dolphins.
The Island Series by Gordon Korman
Follow six kids as they become lost at sea in the first book of a trilogy.
Letters From Camp by Kate Klise
Delight in this spoof on summer-camp life told through notes, lists, and letters.
A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck
Spend the season with two city-slicker kids visiting their grandma in a Newbery Honor book that spans summers from 1929—1942. Learn more.
Summer Reading Is Killing Me! by Jon Scieszka
Travel through a world of children's book characters in this riotous Time Warp Trio book.
Middle School
Aquamarine and Indigo by Alice Hoffman
Cast a spell over your teen with twin tales of mermaids. Learn more.
The Goats by Brock Cole
Your teen will be captivated by this tale of two outcasts stripped and stranded on a small island by their peers.
The Haymeadow by Gary Paulsen
This action-packed novel revolves around a 14 year old who spends the summer tending 6,000 sheep with only two horses and four dogs for company.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
Four friends spend their summer apart — but keep connected through an amazing pair of jeans. Don't miss the sequel: The Second Summer of the Sisterhood.
Stanley Yelnats' Survival Guide to Camp Green Lake by Louis Sachar
Fans of Holes won't want to miss this companion guide to everything from digging to avoiding desert scorpions.
