Endless Summer Children's Books

By Ashly Moore Sheldon • June 12, 2026

Summer is almost here! Whether lounging in a backyard hammock, spending long days at the beach, or traveling, summertime calls for an abundance of good reading material. This is especially true for kids who are out of school. If you're looking to stock up on books that will keep your young readers engaged and happy, ThriftBooks has got you covered. You can browse our Top 25 Kids Summer Books. And here are 23 of our recommendations for kids, from preschoolers to tweens, from that list and beyond.

Picture Books

• The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton—This classic bedtime story is just right for winding down the day as a joyful, silly group of animals scrub scrub scrub in the tub, brush and brush and brush their teeth, and finally rock and rock and rock to sleep. The day is done. They say good night, and somebody turns off the light. (Ages 5 and under)
• KPop Demon Hunters: For the Fans!—Rumi, Mira, and Zoey are pop stars by day and demon hunters by night. Meet them along with Saja Boys, the hottest new demon-boy band on the scene. Plus enjoy Derpy Tiger, Sussie Bird, and more beloved characters from the blockbuster hit in this Little Golden Book. Happy fans, happy honmoon! (Ages 2–5)
• This is What a Slug Does by Mimi May and Aniek Bartels—How do slugs see when they don't have eyes? Why do they leave behind that weird, gloopy trail? And can a slug really retract its head? This is the first book in a brilliantly funny, fact-packed nonfiction series that takes a closer look at the strange—and sometimes slimy—lives of animals. (Ages 3–5)
• Construction Site: Firefight! by Sherri Dusker Rinker—When powerful winds knock over electric lines and start a dangerous fire, there's a big job to do. Thankfully, help is on the way! Fire Engine, Foam Truck, Water Tender, and the rest of the mighty fire crew join forces with the classic Construction Site friends to save the day. (Ages 3–5)
• Whale, That Was Unexpected by Casey Lyall—Stoic seafarer Maude and her canine sidekick Claude head out to fish as they have done every day for many years. But this time, something unexpected happens. They get swallowed by a whale. What does one do when one is swallowed by a whale? Throw a farewell party, I guess. (Ages 3–7)
• The Crayons' Book of Manners by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers—The Crayons are ready to learn how to polite. But what do they need to know? When to say please and thank you? How to eat neatly? What to do when they have to (uh-oh ) burp? This addition to the Crayons series will give young readers a laugh-out-loud lesson in manners. (Ages 4–8)
• Watermelon Pool by Bonsoir Lune, translated by Frances Cha—After a large watermelon gets split in half, everyone in the village dives in, digging into the fruit and making slides from the rind while spending a joy-filled day together until nightfall. Enjoy an imaginative celebration of summertime in this bestselling Korean picture book, now available in English. (Ages 4–8)
• The Sun Thief by Alice Hemming and Nicola Slater—Squirrel and Bird are back, and this time it's summer. But squirrel is perplexed. A few weeks ago, the sun was still out at bedtime. Now he's brushing his teeth in the dark. There must be a sun thief! This picture book explores the science around seasonal change and the anxiety that change may bring. (Ages 4–8)
• The Sweetest of Lemons by Daniel Nayeri—Based on the award-winning author's memories of visiting his grandfather, this story-within-a-story brings a young boy in a hot car ride across the desert. The destination is an oasis, where gardens perfume the air, and tales are lovingly told. It's a beautiful paean to storytelling and the bonds of family. (Ages 4–8)
• The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale—Princess Magnolia is having hot chocolate and scones with Duchess Wigtower when . . . Brring Brring The monster alarm. Who says princesses don't wear black? When trouble raises its blue monster head, Princess Magnolia ditches her flouncy dresses and becomes the Princess in Black. (Ages 5–8)
• How to Dive to the Deepest Place on Earth by Kathryn D. Sullivan—Journey seven miles below the surface of the ocean in this thrilling moment-by-moment recounting of the astronaut and oceanographer author's real-life deep dive to the Mariana Trench, the "bottom of the world." This book is brimming with STEM concepts and heart. (Ages 7–9)

Middle grade

• The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey—They sound like bad guys, they look like bad guys, and they even smell like bad guys. But Mr. Wolf, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Snake, and Mr. Shark are about to change all of that. Mr. Wolf has a daring plan for the Bad Guys' first good mission. Will it go smoothly? Can The Bad Guys become Good Guys? (Ages 7–10)
• Captain Underpants: The First Epic Manga by Dav Pilkey and Motojiro—Meet best friends George and Harold and their superhero creation! Faster than a speeding waistband, more powerful than boxer shorts, and able to leap tall buildings without getting a wedgie. It's the original Captain Underpants adventure reimagined with all-new manga artwork. (Ages 7 and up)
• Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston—Amari Peters has never stopped believing her missing brother, Quinton, is alive. So when she finds a ticking briefcase in his closet containing a nomination for a summer tryout at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, she's certain the secretive organization holds the key to locating Quinton. (Ages 8–12)
• Charlotte's Web by E. B. White—Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words woven into Charlotte's web high in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte is expressing her feelings for Wilbur the young pig. Wilbur's devoted friends include Fern, the girl who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter. (Ages 8–12)
• Journey to Tomioka by Laurent Galandon—For fans of This Was Our Pact and Hayao Miyazaki films comes a breathtaking graphic novel about siblings who risk everything to return their grandmother's ashes to her home inside the Fukushima Exclusion Zone. Their perilous journey is impacted by both natural and supernatural forces.
• Forbidden Mountain by Brandon Mull—From the bestselling author of the Fablehaven series comes an epic new fantasy set in a world where children bond with a spiritual guide—some promising greatness and glory, while others, destruction and death. The deluxe hardcover edition features exquisitely designed sprayed edges. (Ages 8–12)
• The Wild Robot by Peter Brown—When robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she discovers that she is all alone on a remote, wild island. She has no idea how she got there or what her purpose is. As she braves fierce weather and wild animals, she learns that her only hope for survival is to adapt to her surroundings. (Ages 8–12)
• Dawn on the Coast by Ann M. Martin and Arley Nopra—Book #19 in The Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novel series focuses on Dawn visiting her dad and brother in California. Dawn is having such a good time that she begins to wonder if she might want to stay. But could she really leave Stoneybrook—and her mom and the Baby-Sitters Club—for good? (Ages 8–12)
• Wings of Fire: The Hybrid Prince by Tui T. Sutherland—As the youngest sibling of his MudWing hatching, Umber has always been content with his role as the cheerful, goofy, little brother. But when tragedy strikes, Umber finds himself thrown into a new role—protector. Discover what happens next in this thrilling addition to the Wings of Fire saga. (Ages 8–12)
• Diamond Fever!: A True Crime Story in the Wild West by Steve Sheinkin—Late one night two miners show up at a San Francisco business office. They've made a startling discovery. This page-turning, high-stakes western adventure tells the true story of the Great Diamond Hoax of 1872, a rollicking tale of heists and hijinks, scams and scoundrels and a most unlikely hero. (Ages 9–12)
• Midsummer Sisters: A Graphic Novel by Niki Smith—Stepsisters and best friends Kenzie and Quinn are spending the summer with their grandmother in the marshy, coastal Outer Banks, also home to a herd of wild ponies. The girls fall in love with a fragile newborn foal. As the world shifts around them, the girls swear to do what they can to keep Starling safe. (Ages 9–12)
• Stream by Aida Salazar—After a catfishing incident rocks their Oakland community, teens Celi and Elio are sent to rural Mexico to unplug. With no internet, electricity, or even running water, this isn't the summer either of them hoped for. But day by day, they begin to find beauty in nature and community . . . and each other. (Ages 10 and up)

• Dive Into a New Series for Summer 
• Endless Summer Beach Reads 
• Endless Summer Special Editions

Keep an eye out for upcoming Endless Summer roundups, including:

• Best mysteries and thrillers
• Book-to-screen roundup
• Best new books for travel
• Summerween

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