Summer Reading!

Summertime brings lots more free time than usual (with school being out), so here are some reading suggestions for kids. These are 10 books that I like to read in the summer. Enjoy!

1. "Sea, Sand, Me!" by Patricia Hubbell, illustrated by Lisa Campbell Ernst

Join a cheerful young girl as she does all kinds of fun things at the beach. Hubbell does a great job putting herself into a young girl's character, talking about the enjoyment of being at the beach as a kid. Ages 3-6.

2. "This is the Sunflower" by Lola M. Schaefer, illustrated by Donald Crews

In this bold picture book, the author adds a new sentence to an ongoing poem about sunflowers, with beautiful yet simple illustrations. Ages 5-8.

3. "Tim and Sally's Beach Adventure" by Grady Thrasher, illustrations by Elaine Hearn Rabon

A brother and sister go to the beach and have all kinds of adventures, along with their dog, Flip. Written by an Athens author, this rhyming story is a perfect summer read. Ages 4-8.

4. "When the Fireflies Come" by Jonathan London, illustrated by Terry Widener

Four friends play together on a summer night, as the author embraces classic summer fun, like baseball, ice cream and catching fireflies. Ages 7-10.

5. "The Incredible Water Show" by Debra Frasier

A group of fifth-graders put on a show for extra credit at school, all about the importance of water and how it works, from explaining the definition of "H20" to how water comes out of the clouds. Ages 8 and up.

6. "Tim and Sally's Vegetable Garden" by Grady Thrasher, illustrations by Elaine Hearn Rabon

The first book in the series by Thrasher teaches all about gardening as Tim and Sally plant all kinds of veggies. It's beautifully illustrated. Ages 4-8.

7. "Skateboard Mom" by Barbara Odanaka, illustrated by JoAnn Adinolfi

On his 8th birthday, this kid is in for a surprise when he unwraps a gift from his aunt and his mom goes for a spin! When he figures out she used to be a skateboard champ, he knows just what to do. This eccentrically funny book is great for ages 5-8.

8. "Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great" by Judy Blume

Sheila is going on summer vacation, but will it go all wrong when her dad takes her family to the worst vacation spot ever? Ages 9-14.

9. "Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back: A Native American Year of Moons" by Joseph Bruchac, illustrated by Thomas Locker

Although it's about moons year-round, this is a great book for summer, too, because you get to see the different Native American moons for each month in summer, and the story behind each one, with beautiful pictures. Ages 6 and up.

10. "Miles of Smiles: Travel Games and Quizzes to Go" (American Girl Library) by Laurie Calkhoven, Sara Hunt and Shannon Laskey

This fun-filled book for girls has quizzes, games, lists and more, and even a mini travel guide for summer vacation. Ages 8-12.