Looking for that just right book for your lower elementary student? The nation’s librarians have some ideas for this summer. Every year the Association for Library Service to Children offer a list of picks for the summer. The 2014 list is a mix of classics and new favorites that were recommended by kid readers all over the country and collected by the librarians. Check out the list, then check out a book!
Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel
Sassy Kitty misbehaves her way through the alphabet when all of her favorite foods are gone.
A Big Guy Took My Ball! by Mo Willems
A whale took Piggie’s ball! How will she and elephant get her ball back?
Big Red Lollipop by Rukhsana Khan, illustrated by Sophie Blackall
Its her very first birthday party invitation and she has to take her little sister! And even worse – its her first party in the United States.
Clara Lee and the Apple Pie Dream by Jenny Han, illustrated by Julia Kuo
Korean American Clara Lee dreams of becoming Little Miss Apple Pie. But she needs to be brave enough to give a speech in front of the whole school first!
Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Kevin Cornell
Can you get the monkies back so they can be counted? They are running off the page!
Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Peter Brown
Buster the rabbit is sure he is being followed by carrots, his favorite food. It will take a crazy idea to help him.
Eye to Eye: How Animals See the World by Steve Jenkins
Different animals’ eyes are explored along with their fascinating uses.
How Big Were Dinosaurs? by Lita Judge
All sizes of dinosaurs come to life in funny portraits with real-life objects from our world.
I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
A bear asks animals if they have seen his hat.
Journey by Aaron Becker
A girl uses her imagination and a red marker take her on amazing adventures.
Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same!
by Grace Lin
Two identical twins are the same in many ways but very different in others, making each twin special.
Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown
Mr. Tiger is tired of being so proper. What happens when he decides to . . . go a little wild?
Niño Wrestles the World by Yuyi Morales
Niño is the lucha libre champion of the world . . . until his sisters wake up from their naps!
Old Mikamba Had a Farm by Rachel Isadora
Meet (and hear!) many different African animals on Old Mikamba’s “farm.”
Ol’ Mama Squirrel by David Ezra Stein
Ol’ Mama Squirrel’s bravery is put to the test when she must protect her babies.
Panda Kindergarten by Joanne Ryder, photographs by Katherine Feng
Meet the sixteen panda cubs who live at the Wolong Nature Reserve in China.
Part-Time Princess by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Cambria Evans
At night a little girl dreams she is a princess who fights trolls and saves the day, too.
Pirates Love Underpants by Claire Freedman, illustrated by Ben Cort
Rhyming text about pirates searching for the Pants of Gold is sure to make you laugh out loud!
Rain! by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Christian Robinson
A young boy and an old man have two very different reactions to a rainstorm.
Scaredy Squirrel by Mélanie Watt
Scaredy Squirrel is afraid to leave his tree, until one day he leaps into the great unknown.
Shark vs. Train by Chris Barton, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
Which toy is better? Two boys have a contest to find out.
This Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers
Wilfred has a moose. The moose is his pet. But the moose doesn’t know that he’s a pet!
The Three Ninja Pigs by Cory Rosen Schwartz, illustrated by Dan Santat
When the wolf starts to prowl, ninja pigs head to the dojo to train.
Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea
Goat’s life was A-OK until that oh-so-perfect unicorn came along—but do these two horned opponents have more in common than he thinks?
The Watcher: Jane Goodall’s Life with the Chimps by Jeanette Winter
Famous zoologist Jane Goodall tells her story in this picture book biography of her years studying chimpanzees.
