Continue the fun with this summer reading list for children in Kindergarten through Grade 2.
Just because summer is upon us doesn’t mean your child shouldn’t continue reading during the holiday.
Your kiddo will need a break from the sun and get some downtime during the long summer days.
Curl up with a great book, keep their minds sharp and create some fun family memories.
You can find this summer reading list for children in Kindergarten through 2nd Grade at your local library or purchase through the affiliate links provided for your convenience.
And a special thanks to the Association for Library Service for the wonderful summer reading inspiration.
Summer Reading List for Grades K-2
This list contains so many of our personal favorites, it’s hard to pick just a couple of them!
But if you had to start somewhere on this summer reading list, think about Chika Chika Boom Boom, Duck! Rabbit! and Interrupting Chicken.
Then move on to I Want My Hat Back, Pete the Cat and Scaredy Squirrel.
Summer Reading List
Actual Size
How big is a crocodile? What about a tiger, or the world’s largest spider?
Can you imagine a tongue that is two feet long or an eye that’s bigger than your head?
Sometimes facts and figures don’t tell the whole story.
Sometimes you need to see things for yourself—at their actual size.
Big Red Lollipop
Rubina has been invited to her first birthday party, and her mother, Ami, insists that she bring her little sister along.
Rubina is mortified, but she can’t convince Ami that you just don’t bring your younger sister to your friend’s party.
Both girls go, and not only does Sana demand to win every game, but after the party she steals Rubina’s prized party favor, a red lollipop.
What’s a fed-up big sister to do?
Boot & Shoe
Caldecott Honor medalist Marla Frazee brings her signature wit, tenderness, and hilarious illustrations to this tale of an irresistible puppy pair.
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
In this lively alphabet rhyme, the letters of the alphabet race up the coconut tree.
Will there be enough room?
Chirchir Is Singing
Set in the rolling hills of rural Kenya, this is a wise and lyrical story about belonging from Kelly Cunnane, the author of the Ezra Jack Keats Award winner For You Are a Kenyan Child, accompanied by Jude Daly’s beautiful folk art-style illustrations.
Chu’s Day Board Book
Chu’s Day is a story that shows how even the smallest child can make big things happen.
Duck! Rabbit!
Smart, simple story that will make readers of all ages eager to take a side.
From the award-winning author of Little Pea, Little Hoot, and Little Oink comes a clever take on the age-old optical illusion: is it a duck or a rabbit?
Depends on how you look at it!
The Eagles are Back
This moving picture book tells the story of one boy who helped in the hatching of an eaglet.
Featuring vividly detailed paintings from landscape artist Wendell Minor, Jean Craighead George’s inspiring text will motivate readers of all ages to care for the environment and its many creatures.
Interrupting Chicken
Energetically illustrated with glowing colors — and offering humorous story-within-a-story views — this all-too-familiar tale is sure to amuse (and hold the attention of) spirited little chicks.
It’s a Tiger!
Kids and parents alike will rejoice in this lively read-aloud picture book, as the main character runs into (and away from) a tiger over and over again as the plot gets sillier and sillier.
Perfect for acting out while reading, It’s a Tiger! offers just the right amount of excitement without being too scary, and a sweet ending with a bit of a twist.
I Want My Hat Back
Told completely in dialogue, this delicious take on the classic repetitive tale plays out in sly illustrations laced with visual humor — and winks at the reader with a wry irreverence that will have kids of all ages thrilled to be in on the joke.
Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same!
Ling and Ting are two adorable identical twins, and they stick together, whether they are making dumplings, getting their hair cut, or practicing magic tricks.
But looks are deceiving–people can be very different, even if they look exactly the same.
Luke on the Loose
What begins as a simple tale of a child’s fascination with pigeons soon erupts into a full-blown chase!
Join Luke in his breathless quest around Central Park, across the Brooklyn Bridge, through fine dining, and into the sky.
On this hysterically unconventional tour of New York, who knows where a few birds will lead?
Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match
Renowned author Monica Brown wrote this lively story to bring her own experience of being mismatched to life as a mestiza Peruvian American of European, Jewish, and Amerindian.
Her buoyant prose is perfectly matched by Sara Palacios’ engaging acrylic illustrations.
More Bears!
Full of irreverent humor and prime for interactive read-aloud fun, More Bears! is a favorite of parents and kids alike.
Acclaimed poet Kenn Nesbitt is at his best with this silly meta-fictional book.
Nighttime Ninja
With spare text and lush illustrations, Nighttime Ninja is a fun, adventure-filled story about the power of play and imagination.
Panda Kindergarten
Follow a day in the life of the panda cubs at China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda at the Wolong Nature Preserve, the largest research facility for giant pandas in China.
Penny and Her Song (I Can Read Level 1)
When Penny comes home from school, she is ready to sing her song.
But the babies are sleeping, and Mama and Papa are worried that Penny will wake them up. Oh, but it is a good song, a really wonderful song . . . and Penny wants more than anything to sing it.
Will it ever be the right time to sing it?
Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes
Pete the Cat goes walking down the street wearing his brand-new white shoes.
Along the way, his shoes change from white to red to blue to brown to WET as he steps in piles of strawberries, blueberries, and other big messes!
Red-eyed Tree Frog
In a tropical rain forest in Central America, a red-eyed tree frog spends the night looking for food while avoiding potential predators.
Award-winning photographer Nic Bishop’s larger-than-life, gorgeous images document the hunt, which ends happily with the frog settling down in the leaves to spend his daylight hours sleeping!
Joy Cowley’s simple, readable text makes the frog’s story fun, interesting, and accessible to young readers.
Scaredy Squirrel
Scaredy Squirrel never leaves his nut tree. It’s way too dangerous out there.
But as Scaredy Squirrel leaps into the unknown, he discovers something really uplifting.
Shark vs. Train
If you think Superman vs. Batman would be an exciting matchup, wait until you see Shark vs. Train.
In this hilarious and wacky picture book, Shark and Train egg each other on for one competition after another, including burping, bowling, Ping Pong, piano playing, pie eating, and many more!
Ugly Fish
From Kara LaReau, author of the Rocko and Spanky series, here is an irreverent and terrifically funny book about a bully who at last gets his comeuppance.
The Watcher: Jane Goodall’s Life with the Chimps
Young animal lovers will welcome this fascinating and moving portrait of an extraordinary person and the animals to whom she has dedicated her life.
We Are in a Book! (An Elephant and Piggie Book)
Gerald is careful. Piggie is not.
Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Like this summer reading list? Don’t miss out on other age-appropriate summer reading lists for all the kiddos – from Kindergarten all the way through 8th grade!
Oh, these look like some really cute books. My nephew can’t read yet (he’s 3), but I’ll have to get one of these and read it to him!
A lot of these picture books are awesome for three year olds! And they get a lot of the humor in many of these books.
I love the book list! And, I found some new ones! Thanks! Pinned it!
Awesome, Debbie. I always love exposing people to new books 😀
Fantastic list!! I got a bunch of these from the library for my six year old and we giggled our way through them. It was so fun! Interrupting Chicken, I want my hat back, and We Are in a Book are her favorites so far! We requested a bunch more off the list and more Elephant and Piggie books from the library today. Thanks for the great list!
Just thinking of those books makes me smile. I always love it when my boys picks these to read for the week. If you really liked Interrupting Chicken, consider getting the audio CD version, too. We listen to it in the car ALL the time. It just never gets old.
Excellent idea! We love audio books too. I have them all on an old iPod for my daughter to listen to while she’s reading the books or just to listen to them. Thanks!!
We burn them onto individual CDs that my boys can play while reading the books as well 🙂
My niece is 4 and will be starting K-4. These are perfect!
LOL! My kids LOVE Interrupting Chicken. Thanks for sharing via Family Fun Friday.
If Interrupting Chicken is your kiddo’s kind of humor, be sure to check out “I Want My Hat Back.” It’ll quickly become a favorite as well.