10 Terrific Picture Books (Perfect for Summer Reading)

Dino Duckling

Alison Murray, author & illustrator

When Dino Duck is born, he is different than his siblings and doesn’t quite fit in with the other lake animals.  His mother consistently reminds him, “scales or feathers, big or small, we’re a family and there’s room for us all.”  When it is time to fly south for the winter, it is a true test of their family bonds.  This sweet inversion of the ugly duckling fairy tale is a must read! 

Oh Dear, Geoffrey!

Gemma O’Neill, author & illustrator

Poor Geoffrey!  Whatever he tries to do, he is a clumsy mess!  Whether it is tripping over his long, gangly legs or bumping into a group of elephants, Geoffrey’s attempts to make friends falls flat…until, he meets a group of monkeys and a flock of birds.  Then, he realizes he is special just the way he is.     

I Am NOT a Chair!

Ross Burach, author & illustrator

On Giraffe’s first day in the jungle, the other animals mistake him for a chair.  If that is not bad enough, he is captured by a human who takes him home to be…a chair.  Just as Giraffe gets the courage to tell the others he is not a chair, he has an encounter with the most feared animal in the jungle!  The exuberant illustrations are full of humor and irony. 

Rumble Grumble…Hush

Kate Banks, author

Simone Shin, illustrator

A young boy revels in the noises of the morning—from the clitter-clatter of playing with his toys to the chitter-chatter of his parents talking. As he plays, there is a “roar” of a lion and a yell from a dragon as well as a “rumble grumble bang!”  After a while, it is quiet time. The boy's imagination continues to take flight—even in the silence of the afternoon.  ull of noise and wonder, this book illustrates the joy of a life unplugged.

Big and Small

Elizabeth Bennett, author

Jane Chapman, illustrator

Big (Bear) and Small (Mouse) are best friends.  As they spend the day together, Small often needs help. Big is always there to lend a hand.  At bedtime, Big needs “a little help, please.”  Of course, Small is happy to do it.  Chapman’s charming illustrations along with Bennett’s sweet text make Big and Small a memorable and heart-warming read about friendship and kindness!

I Want That Nut!

Madeline Valentine, author & illustrator

Mouse and Chipmunk are playing together when they spy a big, beautiful Nut.  They both want it.  They both insist on the other taking it. They both end up stealing it from the other.  After lots of hijinks, humor, and drama, Mouse and Chipmunk come to a valuable realization.

My Grandma’s a Ninja

Todd Tarplay, author

Danny Chatzikonstantinou, illustrator

Ethan’s grandma is a ninja.  At first, he loves all the fun and attention they are having.  Then, her power kick deflates his team’s ball and their escapades prevent the family from going out to dinner.  Ethan asks his grandma to stop acting like a ninja.  When she doesn’t take him to school the next morning, Ethan begins missing her and feeling bad for the way he acted.  Grandma shows up though at a vital moment.  Ethan gains a greater appreciation for his grandma—quirks and all. 

Where Is Bear?

Jonathan Bentley, author & illustrator

Where is Bear?  Under the sofa?  In the car?  On the shelf?  As the little boy looks all over the house for Bear, readers catch glimpses him.  This charming book is ideal for preschoolers who are sure to delight in telling the boy where Bear is hiding.  Also, there is a sweet, unexpected ending. 

Let’s Go, Hugo

Angela Dominguez, author & illustrator

Hugo is not your typical bird:  He prefers walking to flying. He is content living on the ground.  Lulu befriends Hugo.  She wants him to fly with her to visit the Eiffel Tower.  Hugo is afraid to admit he not only doesn’t know how to fly, but he is afraid to try.  With the help of a wise friend, Hugo overcomes his fear and learns “the sky is the limit” when he allows himself to be open to change.  

Nana in the City

Lauren Castillo, author & illustrator
A boy visits his Nana at her new city apartment.  All the noises and activities make him feel apprehensive.  However, Nana loves the bustling and booming of the city.  The next morning, she gives the boy a fancy red cape.  Together they explore the city, allowing the boy to realize the city is not scary at all.  Instead, there is so much for Nana (and him) to do there.  He comes to the conclusion it is the perfect place for her to live. 

Where, Oh Where, Is Baby Bear? (Ashley Wolff)

Title:  Where, Oh Where, Is Baby Bear?

Author:  Ashley Wolff

Illustrator:  Ashley Wolff

Target Ages: 2-8

Genre:  Picture Book

Publisher Summary: 

Where, oh where, is Baby Bear? 

Inside the log? 

Behind the waterfall?

Between the cattails? 

Join him and Mama Bear for a cozy moonlit game of hide and seek.

First Lines:

One by one, bats fly out of the deep, dark den.

“Where are they going?” asks Baby Bear.

“They are going to look for food,” says Mama Bear.

“Can we go look for food too?” asks Baby Bear.

“Yes,” says Mama.  “Let’s go.”

Memorable Moment:

“Where, oh where, is Mama Bear?” he calls.

“Here I am, Baby Bear,” says Mama, “right beside you.”

Evaluation:

I had my own game of where, oh where, is Baby Bear.  I spotted a young bear in my yard a couple weeks ago.  He was quite a neighborhood sensation as many others saw him too—getting into items on a patio and peaking into a shed while one man was working.  I caught a glimpse of him a week later running across a lawn. Then he climbed a tree. He apparently found his way back to the wild because there have not been any recent spottings. He was so cute though.  Here is a picture one of my neighbors took of him.  

I came across Where, Oh Where, Is Baby Bear? at the library this week.  From the cover picture to the last scene, I became smitten with this book.  (It probably helps that I LOVE bears!).  

The illustrations are absolutely adorable!  The vibrant blues and blacks contrast with the sprinkles and brushes of whites, neutrals, and yellows.  Baby Bear’s playful personality is captured as he hides from his mother, but always close by.  Along the way, young readers learn about bear habits like foraging for berries and catching fish in streams.  Other busy nocturnal creatures are also shown, such as raccoons, frogs, bats, owls, deer, and rabbits. 

The focus of the narrative is a back and forth—Where are you?... Here I am.  This predictable technique invites children to “read along.”  In addition, they can find Baby Bear and explain where he is, such as behind the waterfall and between the cattails. 

The rhythmic language is soothing, and the mother-child dynamic is comforting, which makes Where, Oh Where, Is Baby Bear? a perfect addition to bedtime reading.  Let’s be honest, children will enjoy it anytime of day though! 

Activities and Extension Ideas for Lesson Plans:

• Science:  Study more about bears and their habits.
• Categorization:  Explain how some animals are primarily active at night (nocturnal) while others are in the daytime (diurnal). Print out pictures (or use some you already have).  Together put all the animals that primarily come out during the day in one spot (like under a sun picture or word like “day”) and those that like the night in another spot (like under a moon picture or word like “night”).  Here is an online activity.  
• Choral Reading:  Because of the repetitive pattern--where are you...here I am--and predictable responses (based on the pictures) use in a class or at home to prompt listeners to chime in for the question/answer and even responses like "behind the waterfall." 
• Characterization: Identify Baby Bear’s primarily personality trait (playful, mischievous).  Identify ways that character quality is depicted (illustrations like climbing a tree or hiding behind something, his desire to play games, his interactions with is mother).
• Survival:  Discuss how to act if a bear ever crosses your path. 
• Pretend Play:  Play your own game of hide and seek or a variation by hiding a stuffed bear.  
• Story Time: Listen to this read-aloud if you don't have access to the book.

They All Saw a Cat (by Brendan Wenzel)

Title:  They All Saw a Cat

Author:  Brendan Wenzel

Illustrator:  Brendan Wenzel

Target Ages:  3 and up

Genre:  Picture Book

Awards:  Caldecott Honor Book

Publisher Summary:  When you see a cat, what do you see?  In this glorious celebration of observation, curiosity, and imagination, Brendan Wenzel shows us the many lives of one cat, and how perspective shapes what we see.

First Lines: 

The cat walked through the world,

with its whiskers, ears, and paws…

and the child saw A CAT,

and the dog saw A CAT,

and the fox saw A CAT.

Yes, they all saw the cat.

Evaluation: 

The striking multi-media pictures in They All Saw A Cat will thrill young readers while expanding their understanding of others. Each fascinating perspective can prompt a discussion. Children can evaluate why the artist made the cat look skinny in one picture and fat with an emphasis on his bell in another.  Also, the use of color varies greatly, making each illustration a feast for the senses and ripe for conversation.

On a concrete level, it is fascinating to get the vantage point of animals and insects. There are emotional differences (like how the mouse sees the cat as  monstrous) and physical ones (like the bee seeing in dots).  Also, the vantage point impacts the view: To the bird, the cat is a small speck, and to the flea, the cat is an enormous mountain. This book allows readers to imaginatively see life through another's perspective.  

On a more abstract level, the book prompts a deeper discussion on how perspective impacts perception.  This perspective can come from cultural, familial, community, and individual experiences.  It explains how two people can witness the same event, yet view it in a completely different way.  Because of the larger message, this book could be used to springboard a discussion with older children. 

For younger children, this abstract idea will be harder to grasp. However, they can begin to understand that an object, for instance, is not inherently good or bad, valuable or worthless.  It is about how we view it. 

They All Saw A Cat is simple, yet profound children's book. Overall, the illustrations and thought-provoking story make it worthy of your bookshelf.

Ideas for Extension Activities at Home or Lesson Plans for Teachers:

• Lesson Opener:  Show one or more pictures or objects that will likely get varied responses from the children.  Prompt the children for replies. Depending on the age of the children, they may raise hands to different prompts (like, dislike, or neutral), words, or pictures (smiley, sad, or neutral faces).   Tally the responses.  Spring board into the book by discussing how we all have different perspectives.

• Math:  Use the responses in the lesson opener to create a graph.

• Science Research: Learn how various creatures see objects.   

• Science Exploration: Using keen observation skills, discuss or draw nature finds. 

• Social Studies: Discuss how different perspectives impact how a person sees a situation or other person.  

• Writing: Write a simple sentence from the cat’s or other creature’s perspective. The cat saw the ____, the ______ and the ______.  Then, illustrate it the way you think the cat (or other animal) sees each one.

• Choral Reading: The repetitive text is ideal for choral reading or audience participation. 

• Reading: Limited, simple vocabulary for early reader practice.

• Art:  Complete a fun cat craft like the ideas here and here.

 For Perfect Picture Book Friday, visit Susanna Leonard Hill's blog. 

Six Keys to an Engaging Early Childhood Reading Experience

The most essential aspect of early childhood reading is simply reading.  Identifying books that are appealing, entertaining, and educational though enhances the experience.  When choosing books for children under five, there are six key criteria to consider.

Rhyme and Rhythm

For centuries, children have recited the same nursery rhymes.  They are drawn to these poems and songs because of the rhythm and flow created by the poetic elements, such as rhyme and alliteration.  Books that utilize rhyme, such as Cat Napped (Leeza Hernandez) and Rhyming Dust Bunnies (Jan Thomas), make language and reading more appealing.  

The benefits of rhyme are numerous.  For instance, it teaches children how language and phonics works.  Rhyme helps them learn how to identify word parts and to break words down.  All of these skills are vital as they begin to read, to spell, and to write. 

Rhyming is also fun.  I used to brainstorm rhyming words with my kids as we did errands in the car.  To them, it was a game. 

Books with rhyme and rhythm are ideal read alouds for preschool children because they build literacy skills and boost the reading experience. 

Kinesthetic Activity

Reading does not have to be a static activity.  I always encouraged my children to point and to interact.  

Some books go further by inviting physical activity—clapping hands, stomping feet, dancing around. A few books in this category are Clap Your Hands (Lorinda Bryan Cauley), From Head to Toe (Eric Carle) and Hop, Hop, Jump (Lauren Thompson). Action-oriented books like these have the added bonus of helping small children get some of the wiggles out.

Active reading can include physical motions and participation—whether the book directly encourages it or not.  

Concepts

Foundational to the early childhood experience is learning to identify numbers, colors, letters, opposites, shapes, feelings, and animals.  Popular early concept books include Shape Shift (Joyce Hesselberth), The Day the Crayons Quit (Drew Daywalt), and Ten Little Caterpillars (Bill Martin Jr.).

Regularly incorporate books into story time with bright colors and bold pictures that illustrate these concepts in creative and entertaining ways.   

Repetition

Some of my favorite books have a repetitive structure.  The two I read most often to my children were We Are Going on a Bear Hunt (Michael Rosen) and Five Monkeys Jumping on the Bed (Eileen Christelow).

I encouraged my kids to read along.  I began with leaving off a word or phrase.

We are going on a ______.

We are going to catch a ______.

Eventually, my children memorized the whole chorus and “read along” with me. 

Repetitive books are one way to help youngsters begin to internalize patterns and structure. As they do, they feel more competent and confident.

Include a steady stream of books with repetition like Tiny Little Fly (Michael Rosen), like Down by the Barn (Will Hillenbrand), and It’s a Tiger (David LaRochelle).

Predicting

Predicting is a key comprehension skill.  It is never too early to begin to ask guessing questions. Sure babies will not understand or be able to answer.  Your interaction with them is beneficial though. 

As toddles become talkers, they can make guesses.  In time, those guesses will become more sophisticated. 

Look for books with a picture or word clues (sometimes in the form of rhyming words). Children will benefit by developing a basic framework for engaging or thinking about the text as they read. Also, these books encourage them to practice guessing using context clues and memorizing sequences of events.

As a result, choosing books that are conducive to predicting outcomes are ideal for early childhood reading experiences.  Check out Whose Hat Is That? (Anita Bijsterbosch) and Guess Who, Haiku (Deanna Caswell).

Sound Words

There is some debate as to whether sound words are helpful in language development.  Some educators claim it is just as easy to say ”cow” as “moo.” Saying “moo” and “baa” is fun though.  These words add drama and flair to story time in books like Chugga Chugga Choo Choo (Emma Garcia) and Cows Can’t Quack (David Reisman).

In addition, sound words and phrases are conducive to choral reading.  Simply put, choral reading is reading or reciting in unison.  This activity can be small and informal like when a child “reads along” words or phrases with a parent or caregiver.  It can also be large and formal, such as a whole class reciting together.  This activity builds self-confidence and motivation in pre and early readers. 

Furthermore, children use animal sounds as a means to express their emotions.  A child feeling wild may “roar” during playtime.  Later, while feeling cuddly and peaceful, he may “meow.”  Of course, you want kids to express themselves fully with “adult” words, but animal sounds can be a temporary short cut as they get a full understanding of language, emotions, and social cues. 

The whole point of reading is to engage children in sound and language.  If sound words enrich the experience, it is beneficial.  Therefore, read books out loud brimming in onomatopoeia.

For more help picking the perfect book for your children, read Five Fabulous Picture Book Finds for Kids under 5 or click on the labels in the right-hand column.