Summer Reading for Early Childhood and Lower School Students 2023

Henry likes Classroom Ten. He likes how it is always the same. But this week, Henry's class will have a parade, and a parade means having Share Time on the wrong day. A parade means playing instruments that are too loud. A parade means this week is not like always.
Join Henry as he navigates the ups and downs of marker missiles, stomach volcanoes, and days that feel a little too orange. From the creators of the Schneider Family Honor-winning picture book A Friend for Henry, this warmly funny book starring a child on the autism spectrum is a reassuring read for school-bound kids of all stripes.

The Miller family is celebrating its first holiday with the new baby. Billy is excited that Uncle Jake is visiting, but nothing about this holiday season is making Billy's little sister Sal happy. The baby is a noisy nuisance and hogging all of Mama's attention. Plus, the baby doesn't even have a name yet. To make matters worse, Sal lost the very best gift that Santa gave her!

Will Sal find her present? Will the Millers find a name for the baby? Will Billy always be an annoying big brother?

The holiday season (and life with the Millers) is full of surprises--and warmth, kindness, family, celebration, and love--in the hands of award-winning author Kevin Henkes. Illustrated throughout with black-and-white art by the author, Oh, Sal is an excellent choice for early elementary grades, as well as a terrific family and classroom read-aloud for any time of the year.

A warm, cozy lap. The toasty smell of baking bread. Tasty food served in a bright-blue bowl. These make Haven's life as an indoor pet heaven. All thanks to her beloved human and rescuer, Ma Millie. But when Ma Millie becomes too sick to care for her, the cat's cozy life is turned upside down, and Haven decides she must seek out another human for help. Anything for Ma Millie! Her vow pulls her out of her safe nest into the shadowy forest and down unfamiliar and dangerous roads. When her first plan fails, Haven meets a wilderness-savvy fox who volunteers as an ally, and their perilous journey together brings some victories. But Haven finds herself pitted against creatures far wilder than she ever could be, testing her strength and spirit to their limits. Will her loyalty to Ma Millie--and her newfound confidence in herself--be enough to help Haven see the quest through to its conclusion? Can she stand up against the fierce predator that is tracking her every move?

Meet the Secret Explorers - a band of brainiac kids from all around the world, here to take young readers on a series of fact-filled fictional adventures! Each with their own specialty, from outer space to dinosaurs, these young globetrotters will teach kids that learning can be fun, encouraging them to become experts in something they love.
In this story, Connor and Kiki go in search of pirate treasure, but their plans change when they encounter a basking shark in need of help. Can they find the treasure as well as rescue the shark? Only time will tell!! The gripping narrative is filled with scientific facts as the explorers navigate the ocean and come across different ocean life and species.

Marya's eighth birthday is coming up in a week, and all she wants is an over-the-top birthday party just like the ones Alexa, her rich neighbor, always throws. When Alexa parades into school with fancy invitations, Marya can't help herself--she claims that she's having the most epic henna party ever. Now she has to convince her family to make it happen. Enter Operation Help the Khans! Marya's siblings clearly need help with their projects. Maybe she could cook dinner for her parents, or clean her grandmother's room? Except everything Marya does seems to end in disaster. Will Marya and her family be able pull it together and throw the best party ever?!

Bloom loves welcoming new campers to the enchanting Camp Lil' Vills. But there's something off about her fancy new bunkmate, Cruella, who seems to hate nature but is very interested in the rare fuzzy nerbit in their creature-care class. Almost too interested. Could this leopard (or Dalmatian) have changed its spots? Or does Cruella have something sinister up her perfect sleeve?

Ben Cutler loves everything about soccer! He's got a great team, and they have the best pre-game chants and half-time jokes. He and his best friend, Jay-Jay, even invent dances for when they score a goal! And Ben is good at soccer. Like REALLY good. Too good for a casual rec team. Soon, he's recruited for a travel team.
His new team plays amazingly well, but they take soccer super seriously. No pre-game chants, no juice-box breaks, and the most important rule of all: NO DANCING. Even though his new team is winning all the time, Ben is left to wonder: Is winning all that matters in the end? This is the first book in a planned series.

Zookeeper Fred loves snakes, but his favorite is a tiny green snake named Vern. Vern is sneaky and constantly tries to hide in Fred's lunch. When Vern gets loose in the zoo and lands atop a boy's head, it's trouble!
A few citizens demand that all the snakes must go and the Mayor closes the zoo until the City Council decides what to do. Is Vern a menace? Are the snakes a danger to society? Or a valuable resource for everyone? Who gets to decide?
The Questioneers need all their talents to help Zookeeper Fred, but in the end, it's Aaron's art which leads the way. Book 6 in the Questioneers series.

Have you ever walked a chicken on a leash?
Well, chicken expert Starla Jean will let you know first hand, it's not easy. But that doesn't stop Starla from taking her pet chicken, Opal Egg, and her baby sister, Willa, out on a stroll through the neighborhood.
On their walk, they stumble upon a mysterious bead. And then another! Before they know it, there's a conundrum on their hands, and it's up to Starla and her friends to figure out just who exactly is losing these beads! Book 3 in this fun series.

The third book in the series. Sydney and Taylor have been best friends since before they can remember. But how does one make new friends? Taylor wants to try, so Sydney does what any best friend would do: accompany him on his biggest adventure yet! When sincere compliments and gifts of friendship don't lead anywhere, Sydney and Taylor may need to look where they least expect . . .
This hilarious chapter-book buddy story, illustrated with expressive full-color art, highlights the importance of friendships old and new .

When Cat announces that the Humans have given her a surprise present, Doggo and Pupper are all ears. But when they find out that Cat has a new bed and misses her old one, they set out to help her search for cozy.
Change is difficult, and Katherine Applegate understands how it feels to miss a beloved source of security. Very young readers will relate to Doggo, Pupper, and Cat, and appreciate their friendship and empathy. The final book in the Doggo and Pupper trilogy.

Swim along with mermaid Vera and octo-kid Beaker! In these three stories, Vera and Beaker go on adventures in their town of Tidal Grove. They explore a sunken ship, and Vera helps Beaker with an unusual octopus problem. With text from Stonewall award-winning author Kyle Lukoff, and bright, colorful artwork from artist Kat Uno, Mermaid Days is sure to be every young reader's favorite new series. Balancing easy-to-read-text, endless humor and charm, light nonfiction, and a loveable cast of underwater creatures, these laugh-out-loud stories are the perfect fit for new readers!

The snow came down faster than train crews could clear the tracks, piling up in drifts 20 feet high. At the Wellington train depot in the Cascade Mountains, two trains sat stranded, blocked in by snow slides to the east and west. Some passengers braved the storm to hike off the mountain, but many had no choice but to wait out the storm. But the storm didn't stop. One day passed, then two, three...six days. The snow turned to rain. Then, just after midnight on March 1, a lightning storm struck the mountain, sending a ten-foot-high wave of snow barreling down the mountain. Book 22 in this popular series.

Rosie, Phoebe, and Stella all share an incredible secret-- when they travel to a place called the Magic Forest, they can transform into powerful creatures called Night Dragons. Once there, the friends must save the Magic Forest from an evil that threatens to banish nighttime--forever.

Rosie is determined to help! Her first task is to save the forest's magical daydreams from being destroyed by pesky Fire Sparks. Without the Night Dragons, the Magic Forest's hopes for survival will go up in smoke! This is the 7th book in the series.

Priya is excited to plan her aunty's birthday party. She will donate the money she makes to help the cutest endangered animal on the planet, the quokka! But the party is this Saturday! With so many items on her to-do list, can she get it all done in time? Priya sends out handmade invitations, makes DIY decorations, and sets an orange-only snacks menu -- including pumpkin samosas! Will Priya's very first party be a success?

With speech bubbles, easy-to-read text, and vibrant artwork on every page, this series is perfect for newly independent readers!

In the eighth book in the Unicorn Diaries series, a jackalope family arrives in Sparklegrove Forest! Unicorn Bo Tinseltail and friends are excited to welcome the new family. But they soon learn that the jackalope family is being chased by centaurs, which puts the whole forest at risk. Will the family be allowed to stay in Sparklegrove after all?

Book 10 in the series. Princess Magnolia is at the Flower Festival prepping for the evening ball when suddenly she hears a commotion. Oh no! She isn't prepared to fight a monster or . . . a grumpy emu! To her surprise, a knight in shining armor comes to the rescue, but not before the princess's prized decorations are stomped on and destroyed. Luckily, the gallant Prince Valerian has his own secret identity--the Prince in Pink--and has been yearning for a chance to show off his special skills, with the help of some twinkle-twinkle and major glam. Glitter has been restored, but then the angry emu returns--with friends! Can the party heroes step up to save the day again?

Meet Ember, a rescue Chihuahua who has just been adopted by the Chin family. Ember is no ordinary dog: he thinks he is an evil overlord, destined to rule the world. He enlists the help of the other pets in the house, like Smelly Steve the hamster and Neo the canary, to take over the neighborhood. Their first mission is defeating Masher, the mean squirrel who lives next door. But to his shock, Ember finds himself growing attached to his "minions", the Chin family--especially Lucy. Does Ember still have what it takes to control of the neighborhood... and the world? There are three books in this fun new Branches series so far!