100 Picture Books for Your Summer Reading

Okay, summer is just around the corner and free time and sunny days are in the future of you and your children.  It is a wonderful thing.  You know that summer reading is important to keep your children practicing their literacy skills, but sometimes you aren’t exactly sure what books to pick up at the library or what they may like.

Let me make life a little bit easier for you.  Below are 100 picture books that I have personally read and personally recommend.  Each one is beloved in their own way by my family and I have high hopes that you may enjoy them as well.  Plus, I included a free printable list of them at the bottom of this post for your convenience to take to the library or put up in your home for tracking which books you have read.  With 100 on the list you should have plenty to read even if your library doesn’t carry a few of them.

Maybe this could be the summer of 100 picture books for your kiddos.  That’s one hundred magical adventures that could be had anytime, anywhere.  Pretty fantastic in my opinion.  Happy reading and happy “sunshine enjoying”.  (Yes, I totally made that up.)

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1. “Gaston” by Kelly DiPucchio and Christianson Robinson- A wonderful book that teaches the true meaning of family.
2. “Leonardo, the Terrible Monster” by Mo Willems- We just adore this cute monster and his discovery about self acceptance.
3. “Jamberry” by Bruce Degen- I dare you to read this one and not enjoy it.  All of the rhymes and illustrations are pure bliss.
4. “Octopus Alone” by Divya Srinivasan- Octopus is shy and needs time alone sometimes, however she also realizes that sometimes it’s nice to be around friends too.
5. “Diary of a Worm” by Doreen Cronin and Harry Bliss- What do worms like to do in their free time? What do they want to be when they grow up? Read this fun book and find out!
6. “The Wonderful Things You Will Be” by Emily Winfield Martin- A sentimental book with gorgeous illustrations.  Perfection.
7. “Giraffes Can’t Dance” by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees- Giraffe learns not to limit herself by what others may say and finds her own “rhythm”.
8. “You are (Not) Small” by Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant-  This book is all about perspective and playfully makes you think.
9. “The Snowy Day” by Ezra Jack Keats- A classic for a reason.  Beautiful and significant.
10. “A Poem For Peter: The Story of Ezra Jack Keats and the Creation of Snowy Day” by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Steve Johnson- This tells the story of how the story of “The Snowy Day” came to be.  It’s a bit longer than the other picture books here, but it is so good.
11. “When Sophie Gets Angry–Really, Really Angry” by Molly Bang-  Such a great book for addressing what you can do to calm down when angry and acknowledging the fact that everyone gets angry sometimes.
12. “If You Want to See a Whale” by Julie Fogliano and Erin E. Stead- A rhythmic and quiet book that is perfect for lazy afternoons or bedtime.
13. “Owl Moon” by Jane Yolen and John Schoenherr- One of my favorites from when I was a child, this one is pure magic.
14. “Frederick” by Leo Lionni- Little Frederick isn’t  like the other mice. Instead of collecting seeds for winter, he decides to collect colors and stories.
15. “Tap the Magic Tree” by Christie Matheson- An interactive book that is sure to keep even the wiggliest readers engaged.
16. “The Rainbow Fish” by Marcus Pfister- Still one of my favorite books about sharing.  Who doesn’t love the Rainbow Fish?!
17. “The House in the Night” by Susan Marie Swanson and Beth Krommes- We love this one for bedtime.  Short, sweet, unique and a classic.
18. “Pedal Power: How One Community Became the Bicycle Capital of the World” by Allan Drummond- Great to encourage a bike ride or two this summer!
19. “Hooray for Hat” by Brian Won- A book about spreading cheer and the power of a kind gesture.  One of my personal favorites.
20. “Going Places” by Peter and Paul Reynolds- This book is great for creative kiddos full of big ideas.
21. “Puddle Pug” by Kim Norman- My toddler loves this one!  It is all about a pug who is obsessed with puddles and learns how to make new friends.
22. “Through the Forest” by Stephie Broccoli and Catherin Bidet- It’s a “chose your own adventure” done picture book style.  SO cool!
23. “Corduroy” by Don Freeman- Another classic loved for generations.
24. “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault and Lois Ehlert- A read a loud that cannot be beat for its catchy rhythm and lovely design.
25. “Me…Jane” by Patrick McDonell- A picture book biography about the background story of Jane’s desire to work with apes.
26. “Balderdash!: John Newbery and the Boisterous Beginning of Children’s Books” by Michelle Merkel and Nancy Carpenter- The story of the beginning of children’s books.  An interesting and fun read.
27. “The True Story of the Three Little Pigs” by Jon Scieszka- I still remember when my teacher read me this book in Elementary school.  I thought it was the funniest book ever!
28. “What a Wonderful World” by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss- This one is written with the lyrics to the song, perfect for singing along with!
29. “Rain” by Linda Ashman and Christian Robinson- Another book about spreading cheer and the power of a good deed.
30. “The Snurtch” by Sean Ferrell and Charles Santoso- This book addresses that grumpy feeling that can sometimes loom over you and a reminder that you can beat it.
31. “The Curious Garden” by Peter Brown- A little boy with a kind heart revives a technology controlled city through planting a garden.
32. “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” by Judi Barrett and Ronald Barrett- Another must to be included in every childhood.
33. “The Fox Wish” by Kimiko Aman and Komako Sakai- This book is dreamy!  A brother and a sister spend an afternoon with some playful foxes in the forest.
34. “Little Blue Truck” by Alice Schertle and Jill McElmurry- Words cannot express how much my little boy loves this little blue truck.
35. “A Stick is an Excellent Thing” by Marilyn Singer and LeUyen Pham- A collection of poetry perfect for inspiring and encouraging outdoor play.
36. “Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and their Monkey Business” by Esphyr Slobodkina- Some mischievous monkeys have some fun with a hat peddler.  Humorous and entertaining to say the least!
37. “Tuesday” by David Wiesner- A wordless picture book about a bizarre night where the frogs all start flying!  I get a big kick out of this one.
38. “Float” by Daniel Miyares- A wordless picture book about a little boy playing with his paper boat in the rain.  The illustrations and their ability to express his emotions are fabulous!
39. “Up in the Garden, Down in the Dirt” by Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal- This nonfiction book explores the natural processes and order of things above and below the dirt outside.  Kiddos will find it fascinating.
40. “Sleep Like a Tiger” by Mary Logue and Pamela Zagarenski- I love how poetic and mystical this bedtime story feels.  Plus the illustrations are completly regal.
41. “We are the Dinosaurs” by Laurie Berkner and Ben Clantoon- A book written through the lyrics of one of Laurie Berkner’s most beloved songs.  Perfect for singing along with.
42. “Grandpa Green” by Lane Smith- I love the nostalgic feel of this book about a little boy that learns about his grandfather through his gardening.
43. “The Book with No Pictures” by B. J. Novak- I dare you to read this book and not laugh.  One of our favorite repeat reads!
44. “The Blue Whale” by Jenni Desmond- A nonfiction book about the awe inspiring Blue Whale.
45. “Are We There Yeti?” by Ashlynn Anstee- Playful and short, this book is addictive.
46. “Mamasaurus” by Stephan Lomp-  Little baby dinosaur is off to find his mom through a black and neon book.
47. “Stuck” by Oliver Jeffers- This one is written with heaps of wit and humor as a lithe boy tries to remove a stuck item from a tree by getting other items stuck.  Nonsensical and wonderful.
48. “Big Friends” by Linda Sarah and Benji Davies- Two best friends learn to adjust when a third friend is included in their fun.
49. “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein- One of my favorite picture books ever.  This one has a huge place in my heart and childhood.
50. “Agustus and His Smile” by Catherine Rayner- Agustus lost his smile and can’t seem to find it.  Will he ever be able to cheer up?
51. “Swatch: The Girl who Loved Color” by Julia Denos- In this story a passionate little girl learns that some things are best left wild.  The illustrations are breathtaking.
52. “A Tiger Tail: (Or What Happened to Anya on Her First Day of School)” by Mike Boldt- A silly story about a little girl who is nervous about the first day of school because she woke up with a tiger tail.  I love this impactful, metaphorical book.
53. “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus” by Mo Willems- It’s one of the Pigeon books by Mo Willems.  ‘Nuff said!
54. “A Visitor for Bear” by Bonny Becker- Bear does NOT want a visitor, at least not at first.
55. “Ellie” by Mike Wu- Ellie wants to help out at the zoo, but she feels like she isn’t good at anything and has nothing to contribute.  A sweet book about finding and embracing your talents.
56. “Daydreamers: A Journey of Imagination” by Emily Winfield Martin- Gorgeously illustrated this book is for the dreamers and wishers.
57. “In My Heart: A Book of Feelings” by Jo Witek and Christine Roussey- I adore the illustrations in this book.  I adore the format.  And I adore the message.
58. “Strictly No Elephants” by Lisa Mantchev and Taeeun Yoo- A little boy with a pet elephant finds his own way to be inclusive in a neighborhood that is excluding him.
59. “Billy and Goat at the State Fair” by Dan Yaccarino- A duo that definitely know how to make the most of a state fair.
60. “Madeline” by Ludwig Bemelmans- This is one that shall be forever loved by so many readers.
61. “Have You Seen Elephant?” by David Barrow- A fun game of hide and seek where the reader is has the fun in spotting the Elephant first.
62. “Journey” by Aaron Becker- This wordless picture book is about the power of imagination and the adventures it can take you on versus crowding your life with technology.
63. “Louise Loves Art” by Kelly Light- Louise is the best big sister.  I love her kind and loving relationship with her little brother who accidentally ruined her art in his enthusiastic attempts to emulate his sister.
64. “The Night Gardener” by Terry Fan and Eric Fan- This book has a bit of magical mystery as a little boy discovers the story behind beautiful topiaries showing up all over town.
65. “The Adventures of Beekle: the Unimaginary Friend” by  Dan Santat- Where to imaginary friends come from and how do you get one?  Find out in this imagination packed book.
66. “If I Had a Gryphon” by Vikki VanSickle and Cale Atkinson- This little girl isn’t thrilled when she receives a pet hamster and wonders what it would be like to have a pet gryphon or a pet unicorn instead.
67. “The Gruffalo” by Julia Donaldson-  A clever little mouse outwits his fellow forest animals to avoid being eaten.  This one is a delight!
68. “Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood” by  F. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell- Based on the true story of a community that was beautified through the power of art.
69. “They All Saw a Cat” by Brenden Wenzel- This book explores the difference that perspective can make and how different people can see or experience different things.
70. “Put Me in the Zoo” by Robert Lopshire- One of my favorite Dr. Seuss books EVER.
71. “The Thing About Yetis” by Vin Vogel- The thing about yetis is that sometimes they miss summer.  Me too.
72. “Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova” by Laurel Snyder and Julie Morstad- One of the loveliest nonfiction biographies I have ever seen in picture book form.
73. “Hannah and Sugar” by Kate Berube- This is a beautiful book about overcoming fear, particularly fear of dogs.
74. “Extra Yarn” by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen- The town a little girl lives in is a tad dull and dreary until she finds some magical yarn that cloaks everyone in sweaters and knits full of happy colors.
75. “Skippyjon Jones” by Judy Schachners- Skippyjon Jones is a cat who just KNOWS that he is really a chihuahua.  A protagonist that you can’t help but love.
76. “Hannah Hashimoto Sixth Violin” by Chieri Uegaki and Qin Leng- Hannah is determined to play the violin and a recital even though she doesn’t know how yet.  Her perseverance and courage are wonderful.
77. “If you Give a Mouse a Cookie” by Laura Joffe Numeroff and Felicia Bond- If you haven’t ever read this book, do! And start with this one.
78. “Too Many Moose” by Lisa Baskos and Mark Chambers- A little girl decides that if one pet moose is wonderful, than many more must be.  A creative book full of fancy alliteration.
79. “On the Night You Were Born” by Nancy Tillman- A beautiful tribute to the miracle of each individual child and a celebration that they are here.
80. “The Branch” by Pierre Pratt and Mireille Messier- I love the message in this one about how tragedy can be turned into something beautiful.
81. “Bear Spotting” by Michelle Robinson and David Roberts- The first time I read this book I fell in love.  I also couldn’t stop laughing.
82. “The Lorax” by Dr. Seuss- Another beloved Seuss title.   Chances are you are familiar with it, if not then here’s your chance!
83. “Flora and the Flamingo” by Molly Idle- We love all of Flora’s books, and it all started with this one!
84. “The Red Book” Barbara Lehman- The first wordless picture book that I can remember falling in love with.
85. “Explorers of the Wild” by Cale Atkinson- Two friends of different backgrounds run across each other and instead of seeing their differences they recognize their similarities and become friends.
86. “The Kissing Hand” by Audrey Penn and Ruth E. Harper- A mother raccoon lovingly teaches her child how to deal with a bully at school.
87. “Schools First Day of School” by Adam Rex and Christian Robinson- Children aren’t the only ones nervous on the first day of school, it could be that the building is too!  This one is so cute.
88. “More Pies” Robert Munsch and Michael Martchenko- I adore this one for the fun onomatopoeias alone.  So do my kids.
89. “Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon” by Patty Lovell and David Catrow-  A beautiful book about self confidence.
90. “The Napping House” by Audrey Wood and Don Wood- A classic that you are bound to read again and again.  We love Mr. and Mrs. Wood.
91. “The Little Engine that Could” by Watty Piper and George Hauman and Doris Hauman- One of my favorite books as a child, nothing beats this classic.
92. “That’s Not a Hippopotamus!” by Juliette Maclver and Sarah Davis-  I LOVE reading this one out loud and my toddler loves finding the hippopotamus throughout the illustrations.
93. “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” by Judith Viorst- Because every once and a while we all have bad days.
94. “Tea Party in the Woods” by Akkiko Miyakoshi- This book has a classic feel to it and gives a gentle nod to the classic fairytales.
95. “Mr. Postmouse’s Rounds” by Marianne Dubuc- We love pouring over the detailed and creative illustrations in this one.
96. “The Bear’s Song” by Benjamin Chaud- A search and find book with big and beautiful illustrations.
97. “Some Pets” by Angela DiTerlizzi and Brendan Wenzel- This book is for every pet/animal obsessed child who loves to read.
98. “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak- Because all kids can relate to him sometimes.  Don’t you think?
99. “Poppy Pickle” by Emma Yarlett- This little girl and her big imagination are sure to please and make you smile.
100. “A Bad Case of Stripes” by David Shannon- A little girl learns that being yourself is always the best option, even if it means admitting that you love lima beans.

Download the printable below which is free for educational and personal use:

100 Picture Books for Your Summer Reading

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