100 More Picture Books for Your Summer Reading

It’s that time of year again! Summer is around the corner and last year at this time I made a list of 100 Picture Books for Your Summer Reading. So many of you loved it so much and I knew a new one was in demand for this year, so here you go!

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”.

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“It Came In the Mail” by Ben Clanton- Fantastic things come in the mail, so why not even a dragon?!
“Parts” by Tedd Arnold- A hilarious book about a little boy who is afraid he is falling apart when he sees things like belly button lint. So good.
“I Wanna Be a Cowgirl” by Angela DiTerlizzi and Elizabet Vukovic- All about a little girl who likes to spend her days pretending she is living the great life of a cowgirl.
“If You Give a Moose a Muffin” by Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond- From a classic series that never seems to get old.
“Pen Pals” by Alexandra Pichard- In this delightful book you get to read correspondence between two pen pals as they get to know each other. So sweet.
“Froggy Bakes a Cake” by Jonathan London and Frank Remkiewicz- In this book Froggy is determined to make his mom a birthday cake all by himself.
“Pig the Pug” by Aaron Blabey- We love this playful book about a pug who refuses to share his toys. Always good for a laugh.
“A Color Of His Own” by Leo Lionni- Leo Lionni never disappoints and this book is no exception.
“Goodnight Everyone” by Chris Haughton- A beautiful bedtime book with stunning color and a unique format.
“Sleep Tight Farm: A Farm Prepares for Winter” by Eugenie Doyle and Becca Stadtlander- Calming and beautifully illustrated, this one is a keeper.
“The Wish Tree” by Kyo Maclear and Chris Turnham- A child heads out in search of the fabled “wish tree” and learns a little about selflessness along the way.
“The Dot” by Peter H. Reynolds- Perfect for budding artists, this book empowers everyone to put brush to paper.
“Dragon Was Terrible” by Kelly DiPucchio and Greg Pizzoli- This is a great one about self control and choosing the right choice. Plus, it’s so fun.
“The Pencil” by Allan Ahlberg and Bruce Ingman- Because doesn’t everyone want a magical pencil to create with?!
“Hedgehugs and the Hattipillar” by Steve Wilson and Lucy Tapper- The Hedgehugs return in a new adventure where they learn about butterflies. Darling!
“Grandma’s Gloves” by Cecil Castellucci and Julia Denos- A sweet book about loss, remembering and relationships.
“Dot In the Snow” by Corrinne Averiss and Fiona Woodcock- A short and whimsical book about an eskimo girl who befriends a polar bear.
“Just Go to Bed!” by Mercer Mayer- This one is for all the little kiddos who try to delay bedtime every night as much as possible.
“If I Had a Dinosaur” by Gabby Dawnay and Alex Barrow- This book makes us wish we had a pet dinosaur to call our own too!
“The House in the Night” by Susan Marie Swanson and Beth Krommes- Calming, simple and beautifully illustrated this bedtime story is a gem.
“A River” by Marc Martin- A gorgeously illustrated book about imagination and a beautiful river.
“Goodnight Moon” by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd- This book is a classic for a reason and it is always a good one to check out.
“Little Big Girl” by Claire Keane- This sentimental story is all about a little girl who becomes a big sister.
“A Small Thing But Big” by Tony Johnston and Hadley Hooper- An empowering tale about bravery and courage through simple yet profound things. Lovely.
“If I Had a Little Dream” by Nina Laden and Melissa Castrillon- This one is a personal favorite of mine with its lyrical text and intricate, colorful illustrations.
“Kittens First Full Moon” by Kevin Henkes-A classic book that always makes us smile as kitten tries to drink the moons reflection because she thinks it is a bowl of milk.
“Little Blue Chair” by Cary Fagan and Madeline Kloepper- This story tells the tale of a chair and how it travels from person to person until making it’s way back around full circle.
“Charlotte and The Rock” by Stephen W. Martin and Samantha Cotterill- Possibly my favorite “pet rock” book that I have ever read. Plus, the surprise ending is fabulous.
“Charlotte The Scientist is Squished” by Camille Andros and Brianne Farley- This STEM book is all about a girl bunny who just needs a little room to conduct her science experiments.
“Triangle” by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen- Cheeky and mischievous in every way this book is sure to have you entertained.
“Mighty, Mighty Construction Site” by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld- This is a wonderful book about teamwork and how everyone has something to contribute.
“Noisy Night” by Mac Barnett and Brian Biggs- Another cheeky book that captures the silliness of apartment life when all the noises in the building pass form floor to floor.
“Tree” by Britta Teckentrup- A book that invites you to watch a tree through the changes of all four seasons. We especially love the cut-outs in the pages of this one.
“Everyone Loves Cupcake” by Kelly DiPucchio and Eric Wight- In this book cupcake learns that it is more important to embrace herself as she is than it is to try and impress everyone else.
“Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle- A classic that is a classic for a reason. This one just begs to be read over and over again.
“Tidy” by Emily Gravett-This one is all about an animal who has a strong desire to clean everything and even attempts to “clean up” nature. But can it be done?
“Oh the Thinks You Can Think” by Dr Suess- We have read this classic a billion times and I have yet to groan when my kids pick it for story time. We love it!
“How To Find a Friend” by Maria S Costa- A playful book about two lonely animals and their journey to find each other and be friends.
“Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” by Iza Trapani- Verse after verse of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” are illustrated in this one and we love to sing along.
“Not Quite Narwhal” by Jessie Sima- This beautiful little book is all about learning that family is more about love than what you look like.
“The King of Too Many Things” by Laurel Snyder and Aurore Damant- Is it possible to have “too many things”? Most definitely! This book is proof. 🙂
“Harry and Clare’s Amazing Staycation” by Ted Staunton and Mika Song- This one is about a pair of siblings to make the most of a “staycation” at home with a little bit of imagination.
“My Lucky Day” by Keiko Kasza- This book has such fun and clever surprise ending where a pig outsmarts a wolf in a cheeky and hilarious way.
“If Your Monster Won’t Go To Bed” by Denise Vega and Zachariah OHora- This bedtime story is a personal favorite over here and we wish we had a pet monster of our own.
“Stellaluna” by Janell Cannon-Another beautiful tale where our protagonist learns that family is all about love and our similarities bring us together.
“Bulldozer Helps Out” by Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann- Bulldozer learns that no job is too small and that everyone has something they can contribute.
“The Branch” by Mireille Messier and Pierre Pratt- After a natural disaster strikes a community one little girl learns the valuable lesson that beauty can be made form tragedy.
“This is How We Do It” by Matt Lamothe- A look at children all around our world and a celebration of our similarities as well as our differences.
“Officer Buckle and Gloria” by Peggy Rathmann- In this delightful book the readers are let in on a secret that Officer Buckle isn’t aware of through most of the book and it makes for a lot of fun!
“Life” by Cynthia Rylant and Brendan Wenzel- This book is a stunning tribute to the diversity of the Earth’s species and is so special.
“All the Awake Animals are Almost Asleep” by Crescent Dragonwagon and David McPhail- A fun bedtime book that features animals along with the alphabet and fun alliteration.
“Papasaurus” by Stephan Lomp- Such a cute little book that features fathers and a little dinosaur trying to find his in a game of hide and seek.
“Hattie Peck” by Emma Levey- In this story Hattie wants to be a mother but has no eggs of her own. So she heads lout on a mission to find abandoned eggs to love. So sweet.
“The Case of the Stinky Stench” by Josh Funk and Brendan Kearney- This book makes the best read aloud and I personally adore all the food puns.
“The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales” by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith- When my elementary school teacher read this to me as a child, I was sold. It is retellings of fairy tales in crazy and hilarious ways.
“Beyond the Pond” by Joseph Kuefler- A beautiful tribute to imagination! This book is about a boy and his wonderful adventures through imagining.
“Bee and Me” by Alison Jay- This wordless beauty presents the predicament and importance of honey bees through stunning illustrations.
“She Persisted” by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger- This book features 13 American women who were courages and made a big impact in history.
“Uni the Unicorn and the Dream Come True” by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Brigette Barrager- This book shares the adventure of a little girl and her unicorn friend and how they help all the unicorns in unicorn land through a big predicament.
“Places to Be” by Mac Barnett and Renata Liwska- Such a sweet tribute to friendship and how it means standing by each togethr and experiencing all the good and the hard.
“Niko Draws a Feeling” by Bob Raczka and Simone Shin- In this book Niko uses abstract art to express his feeling in a way that is empowering for young children.
“How the Crayons Saved the Rainbow” by Monica Sweeney and Feronia Parker-Thomas- A plucky bunch of crayons decide to save rainbows by helping the sun and the clouds to resolve their arguement.
“The Teacher’s Pet” by Anica Mrose Rissi and Zachariah Ohora- The teacher’s pet isn’t quite what you would expect in this delightful book and in the end it is the students who need to be the voice of reason. Such a fun one.
“This Book Just Ate My Dog” by Richard Byrne- This book is one with an appetite for all the characters withi it’s pages. Will there be any characters left in the book when it’s done?!
“I Wrote You a Note” by Lizi Boyd- The sweet story of a note that travels quite a ways to reach it’s destination. Sentimental and lovely.
“Sam and The Firefly” by D. Eastman- Sam is in a pickle when be becomes friends with a mischievous firefly with a penchant for causing trouble. Can Sam help him learn to put his talents to good use?
“Ivy and a Lonely Raincloud” by Katie Harnett- This fantastic book is all about a lonely raincloud and an upset little girl and how they find joy in an unexpected friendship together.
“Mix It Up” by Herve Tullet- An interactive book that will have your children delighted, giggling and learning about colors.
“World Pizza” by Cece Meng and Ellen Shi- A wishful yet profound book about a mom who accidentally wishes for world pizza instead of world peace and how they end up having the same effect.
“Little Pea” by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Jen Corace- Little Pea loves to eat his veggies and absolutely hates to eat candy. Such fun twist on most children’s perspectives that is sure to please.
“Beautiful” by Stacy McAnulty and Joanne Lew-Vriethoff- A book that focuses on the fact that beauty isn’t defined by worldy standards, but by being yourself and living life to the fullest.
“Llama Llama Red Pajamas” by Anna Dewdney- Doesn’t everyone love these books?! We can’t get enough!
“Super Slug of Doom” by Matty Long- The Super Slug of Doom is out on the loose and it is up to a bunch of friends to be heroes and save the day. I get the biggest kick out of this one.
“There’s a Wocket In My Pocket” by Dr Suess- This classic is another one that we have read a billion times and yet it has never gotten old.
“Franklin’s Flying Bookshop” by Jen Campbell and Katie Harnett- Franklin is a dragon who loves to read and is a bit lonely. In the end a new friend and his books help him find a way to connect with others and contribute.
“Giraffes Can’t Dance” by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees- This is a fabulous growth mindset book about a giraffe who refuses to believe the limitations set on him by others.
“The Pout Pout Fish” by Deborah Diesen and Dan Hanna- The Pout Pout fish gloomy and sad until a new friend helps him to see a different way.
“Chrysanthemum” by Kevin Henkes- Chrysanthemum has a fabulous name, but others don’t always seem to appreciate it. This is a lovely book about being proud of who you are.
“The Book of Mistakes” by Corinna Luyken- Mistakes are often the most beautiful things we can create and this book is a stunning reminder of that.
“The Pigeon Needs a Bath” by Mo Willems- Our favorite pigeon is back in this book and this time he doesn’t want to take a bath. Love it!
“The Wolf, The Duck and The Mouse” by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen- Darkly humorous and oh-so-creaive, this book is one that I look forward to reading again and again.
“Just Being Audrey” by Margaret Cardillo and Julia Denos- Audrey is one of my favorite role models and this book does her story justice and is perfect for inspiring children.
“Windows” by Julia Denos and B. Goodale- One of my favorite books released recently, this one is not to be missed.
“Stolen Smile” by Thierry Robberecht and Philippe Goossens- This story is all about finding your smile again and finding joy after something has happened to make you sad. A great one for discussing feelings with children.
“Alexander Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday” by Judith Viorst-Alexander struggles with money management and understanding it’s value which leads to an interesting series of events that will entertain and well as teach children as little by little his money disappears.
“Hooray for Books!” by Brian Won- A wonderful celebration of the fantastic nature of books! And a personal favorite of mine.
“You’re Here for a Reason” by Nancy Tillman- A gentle and sentimental book all about how each life has purpose and meaning.
“Mice Skating” by Annie Silvestro and Teagan White- In this story a little mouse named Lucy helps her loved ones to branch out and try something new.
“The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade” by Justin Roberts and Christian Robinson- A book that shows that even the smallest of people and even the smallest of actions can make a huge difference.
“The Escape of Marvin the Ape” by Caralyn Buehner and Mark Buehner- Marvin the ape escapes the zoo for a jaunt around town and readers will delight in finding him on each page as he has fun.
“There’s a Walrus in My Bed” by Ciara Flood- Bedtime becomes a downright silly affair when a little boys new “big boy bed” comes complete with a walrus inside.
“Bruce’s Big Move” by Ryan T. Higgins- Bruce has had quite enough of his nosy neighbors, but when he moves away will the peace and quiet he finds be what he needed or will he miss them.
“Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree” by Eileen Christelow- An illustrated version of the popular children’s song that is so much fun to sing along with.
“Grandmother Thorn” by Katey Howes and Rebecca Hahn- A gentle and endearing story of Grandmother Thorn and how friendship adds so much value and joy to life.
“Chester Raccoon and the Big Bad Bully” by Audrey Penn and Barbara Leonard Gibson- Chester learns how to deal with bullies in a way that can possibly even help turn them into friends.
“Strega Nona” by Tomie dePaola and Tomie de Paola- This one is a classic that has been loved by hundreds and is a joy to read.
“Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak- Another classic that is widely beloved and not to be missed.
“Go Dog Go” by D. Eastman- We have read this one so many times that I can practically recite the whole thing from memory! I don’t mind too much though.
“This is Sadie” by Sara O’Leary and Julie Morstad- This book is a beautiful tribute to childhood, books and imagination through a little girl named Sadie.
“Julia, Child” by Kyo Maclear and Julie Morstad- In this book a girl named Julia and her friend try to capture the essence of childhood in a recipe for cupcakes. Such a nice reminder to “stay young in heart”.