Sprinklers are sprinkling, Frisbees are flying, and folks are cracking eggs on the sidewalk just to see they will fry.
It’s summer . . . the perfect time of year to find a shady spot on a warm afternoon and stretch out with the little ones you love — and a summery read-aloud from Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.
To help you find the perfect title, we’re featuring a selection of summer stories this month on our website. Read on to discover four of these great summer-themed picture books, and be sure to check out the complete collection on our website.
Now It Is Summer
Written by Eileen Spinelli
Illustrated by Mary Newell DePalma
As a young mouse eagerly looks forward to everything that autumn will bring — friends at school, fallen leaves to play in, pumpkins to carve — his mother gently encourages him to join in all the summery joys that surround him right now: dancing fireflies, sunny beaches, peaches fresh from the orchard.
In this delightful tale, a follow-up to her book Now It Is Winter, Eileen Spinelli reminds readers of all ages that they can be content in the moment and find happiness wherever they are. Children are sure to love Mary Newell DePalma’s soft and whimsical paintings of mice celebrating summer.
“A gentle paean to living in the now.”
— Kirkus Reviews
Bow-Wow Wiggle-Waggle
By Mary Newell DePalma
What begins as a playful game of fetch between a boy and his dog turns into a wild goose chase that springs from one page to the next in this delightful book, filled with the sights and sounds of a lush green summer.
Young readers will find themselves caught up in the bright and charming watercolor paintings as they follow the pair on a frolicking escapade, and ultimately, to an endearing reunion.
Find out how “Bow-Wow Wiggle-Waggle” came to be on EerdWord.
Library Lily
Written by Gillian Shields
Illustrated by Francesca Chessa
Lily loves to read . . . so much so that she forgets to do anything else. She reads right through summer, fall, winter, and spring. But one day, during a trip to the park, Lily meets a girl who hates reading. Milly invites Lily to have adventures of her own outside the pages of a book — and Lily shows Milly that books can be exciting, too.
Gillian Shields’s heartwarming story of imagination and friendship will resonate with book lovers of all ages, reminding readers that summertime adventures, whether on or off the page, are best with a friend along.
Read an excerpt from the book on EerdWord.
Garmann’s Summer
By Stian Hole
This unique, award-winning picture book delves into the mind of a young boy who is afraid of starting school.
Summer is nearly over. The old aunts have come to visit, and autumn is in the air. Everything is ready for Garmann’s first day of school, but he is still nervous. And he can’t believe that he hasn’t lost a single tooth yet, despite his best efforts!
Stian Hole has created a memorable and endearing character in Garmann, whose musings about fear and courage, life and death, beginnings and endings, help him understand that everyone is scared of something.
“Like nothing you’ve ever read before, this is the very definition of a beautiful children’s picture book. Highly recommended. ”
— Elizabeth Bird, A Fuse Eight Production
Click to view the rest of our featured collection of summer stories from Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.
