Mosquitoes, humidity, and all the ice cream and popsicles you can eat? It must be summer! Enjoy these cool reads on your way to camp, under a shade tree, or at the beach. No matter what your idea of fun is, there’s sure to be something here for you!

Summer Song by Kevin Henkes
Bees buzz, birds sing, and children roll in the grass and feel the heat of the summer sun. With striking verbal imagery, repetition, and alliteration, Kevin Henkes introduces basic concepts of language and the summer season. Laura Dronzek’s glowing paintings beautifully illustrate the wonders of summer.

Froggy Learns to Swim by Jonathan London
Zzzziiiinnngggg splash! Everyone’s favorite frog learns to swim! Frogs are supposed to be great swimmers. “Not me!” says Froggy, who’s afraid of the water. But with a little encouragement, some practice, and the help of a silly song or two, Froggy becomes an expert frog-kicker!

The Vacation Activity Book by Jane Bull
A collection of activities encourages children to use their imaginations wherever they are to keep busy before, during, and even after vacation. By the author of The Rainy Day Activity Book.

How to Code a Sandcastle by Josh Funk
All summer, Pearl has been trying to build the perfect sandcastle, but out-of-control Frisbees and mischievous puppies keep getting in the way! Pearl and her robot friend Pascal have one last chance, and this time, they’re going to use code to get the job done. Using fundamental computer coding concepts like sequences and loops, Pearl and Pascal are able to break down their sandcastle problem into small, manageable steps. If they can create working code, this could turn out to be the best beach day ever! With renowned computer science nonprofit Girls Who Code, Josh Funk and Sara Palacios use humor, relatable situations, and bright artwork to introduce kids to the fun of coding.

Goldfish on Vacation by Sally Lloyd-Jones
H, Little O, and Baby Em are stuck in the city for the summer with only their pet goldfish—Barracuda, Patch, and Fiss—for company. It’s looking like it might be a pretty boring vacation, but one day, something exciting happens. Someone starts fixing up the old fountain down the street—the one Grandpa says horses used to drink from before everyone had cars—and a sign appears: “Calling All Goldfish Looking for a Summer Home.” H, Little O, and Baby Em can’t wait to send their goldfish on vacation, and the fish, well, they seem pretty excited too. Based on the true story of Hamilton Fountain in New York City, this charming tale of one special summer will delight readers young and old.

The Whale in My Swimming Pool by Joyce Wan
One sunny day, a little boy heads outside for a swim, but his pool is already taken . . . There’s a big whale in the water and it’s not budging! The boy tries everything to get the whale to leave. Nothing seems to work. Not fetch. Not tag. Not even offering his allowance. What’s a boy to do? Luckily, he comes up with the perfect solution: he decides to chill out on a spray of water over the whale’s spout. This colorful whale of a tale from the talented Joyce Wan is sure to inspire giggles from little guppies!

Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall
Jabari is definitely ready to jump off the diving board. He’s finished his swimming lessons and passed his swim test, and he’s a great jumper, so he’s not scared at all. “Looks easy,” says Jabari, watching the other kids take their turns. But when his dad squeezes his hand, Jabari squeezes back. He needs to figure out what kind of special jump to do anyway, and he should probably do some stretches before climbing up onto the diving board. In a sweetly appealing tale of overcoming your fears, newcomer Gaia Cornwall captures a moment between a patient and encouraging father and a determined little boy you can’t help but root for.

Surf’s Up by Kwame Alexander
Surf’s up! Not yet, Dude! Books are boring! Not this one! Bro and Dude have very different ideas about how to spend the day at the beach. But as Bro continues to gasp and cheer as he reads his book (Moby Dick), Dude can’t help but get curious. Before you can shout ‘Surf’s up!’ both frogs are sharing the same adventure, that is, until they get to the beach. Newbery Award Medal Winner, Kwame Alexander, and Daniel Miyares have joined forces to give little listeners a wild ride.

Camp Tiger by Susan Choi
Every year, a boy and his family go camping at Mountain Pond. Usually, they see things like an eagle fishing for his dinner, a salamander with red spots on its back, and chipmunks that come to steal food while the family sits by the campfire. But this year is different. This year, the boy is going into first grade, and his mother is encouraging him to do things on his own, just like his older brother. And the most different thing of all . . . this year, a tiger comes to the woods. With lyrical prose and dazzling art, Pulitzer Prize finalist Susan Choi and Caldecott-honor winning artist John Rocco have created a moving and joyful ode to growing up.

Mosquitoes Are Ruining My Summer!: And Other Silly Dilly Camp Songs by Alan Katz
Smelly bunks! Attacking mosquitoes! Impossible arts and crafts, oh my! Bestselling team and authorities on all things seriously silly Alan Katz and David Catrow hike their hilarity out to summer camp to transform another set of familiar tunes into wildly funny songs for kids and counselors to croon. With song parodies such as “This Whole Bunk Is Very Cluttered” (to the tune of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”), “Somebody Send Me Home Now!” (to the tune of “Skip to My Lou”), and “Trying Out for the Camp Show” (to the tune of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”), this collection guarantees giggles will be packed in every camper’s care package!

When Lightning Comes in a Jar by Patricia Polacco
It’s time for a family reunion! when tricia’s aunts, uncles, and cousins arrive at her house for an annual family reunion, the fun really begins. And this year, gramma has promised to teach the children something wonderful—how to catch “lightning” in a jar. with so many people and so much love, this family reunion will certainly prove to be the most memorable one yet. inspired by her own family, patricia polacco beautifully depicts an endearing family reunion that will surely have readers—young and old— yearning to spend quality time with their family.

The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli
With perfect comic pacing, Greg Pizzoli introduces us to one funny crocodile who has one big fear: swallowing a watermelon seed. What will he do when his greatest fear is realized? Will vines sprout out his ears? Will his skin turn pink? This crocodile has a wild imagination that kids will love. With bold color and beautiful sense of design, Greg Pizzoli’s picture book debut takes this familiar childhood worry and gives us a true gem in the vein of I Want My Hat Back and Not a Box.