We reviewed summer reading lists from libraries, schools, and nonprofits and are excited to share our selections for your young reader’s must-reads this summer! All of our book selections emphasize generosity, social responsibility, community, and positive social values.
All Kinds of People: A Lift-the-Flap Book by Sheri Safran
Age Range: 3 – 5 years
Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
People come in all different shapes and sizes and have different interests and hobbies, and this lift-the-flap book celebrates all kinds of children in a warm, humorous way. It includes a mirror and a chart for writing in personal, special characteristics.
Look Where We Live!: A First Book of Community Building (Exploring Our Community) by Scot Ritchie
Age Range: 4 – 7 years
Grade Level: Preschool – 2
In this engaging nonfiction picture book, five young friends — Nick, Yulee, Pedro, Sally and Martin — spend the day traveling around their neighborhood and participating in activities designed to raise money for their local library. Along the way, they learn about the people and places that make up their community and what it means to be a part of one.
Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora
Age Range: 4 – 7 years
Grade Level: Preschool – 3
Everyone in the neighborhood dreams of a taste of Omu’s delicious stew! One by one, they follow their noses toward the scrumptious scent. And one by one, Omu offers a portion of her meal. Soon the pot is empty. Has she been so generous that she has nothing left for herself? The strong female role models in Oge Mora’s life inspired this book.
Brave Ballerina: The Story of Janet Collins by Michelle Meadows
Age Range: 4 – 8 years
Grade Level: Preschool – 2
This is a lyrical picture book biography of Janet Collins, the first African American principal dancer at the Metropolitan Opera House. From her early childhood lessons to the height of her success as the first African American prima ballerina in the Metropolitan Opera, Brave Ballerina is the story of a remarkable pioneer.
Sisters and Champions: The True Story of Venus and Serena Williams by Howard Bryant
Age Range: 4 – 8 years
Grade Level: Preschool – 3
This inspirational true story details the sisters’ journey from a barely-there tennis court in Compton, CA, to Olympic gold medals and becoming synonymous with championships, hard work, and with shaking up the tennis world.
Community Soup by Alma Fullerton
Age Range: 4 – 8 years
Grade Level: Kindergarten – 2
In a garden outside a Kenyan schoolhouse, children are working together to harvest the vegetables they have grown and make them into a soup for everyone to share. This story describes communal projects and finding creative solutions that help everyone contribute.
Daring Dozen: The Twelve Who Walked on the Moon by Suzanne Slade
Age Range: 5 – 9 years
Grade Level: Kindergarten – 4
This look at the “daring dozen” tells the stories of the men who walked on the moon, their personal journeys, and their mission details as an inspiration for young children interested in space, astronauts, and the moon.
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