Summer Picture Books That Adults Love, Too

because picture books aren't just for children; and activities to accompany a few books in the Peter Rabbit library

Do you remember a picture book from your childhood that made such an impression on you that its illustrations or storyline have popped up in your mind throughout your life?

For me, it was the delightfully whimsical drawings and stories from Beatrix Potter. I treasured those petite green, hardback books, just large enough for my small hands to hold, and remember dreaming about the animals and wishing I’d encounter them in my real life. It was one of my greatest joys to introduce the animal world of Beatrix Potter to my children when I first began reading aloud to my kids.

A copy of the 1918 edition. My copies were similar in size and color to this.

Picture books do far more than tell stories with thought-provoking and engaging illustrations - they make lasting impressions; teach life lessons; they have the ability to make us recall our childhood memories; they take us into new worlds; they address big or scary issues in safe ways. They bring joy - and not just to a child.

I have a pretty deep love affair with children’s books, picture books and chapter books, and had started collecting them for my children before we had to get rid of all of our belongings (because of the toxic mold). I hope to rebuild a collection for them again, slowly and surely.

As much as I love a good picture book, I love a book about summer memories that can transport me back to my childhood summer memories and recall days of chasing fireflies, playing capture the flag with all the neighborhood kids ‘til dark, taking long walks on the beach with my grandmother to find pretty shells, and harvesting veggies out of my grandfather’s garden.

So, in honor of these two loves of mine, I have complied a list of summer picture books that bring delight and invite you to a world of nostalgia. If it’s been awhile since you’ve cracked open a picture book, I recommend you pull up your local library’s online system and place some of these titles on hold. See if they spark any summer memories for you and perhaps you’ll uncover a story waiting to be told or written from your childhood summers!

“I often turn to children’s books at times like these, when I’m yearning to escape into a world that is beautifully rendered and complex, yet soothingly familiar.”
― Katherine May, Wintering: The power of rest and retreat in difficult times

{Affiliate links are being used. You know how that works. 😉}

1. The Raft by Jim LaMarche

Nature, an artistic and quirky grandmother, a boy’s expectations completely turned around and a summer he’ll never forget…all the ingredients of a great picture book.

“Somehow, on the river, it seemed like summer would never end. But of course, it did.”

I was so inspired by this book a few summers ago, I created a page in my nature journal to honor it.

2. Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey

The watercolor illustrations in this classic book could almost tell the story alone, they are so captivating. The rain, the fog, the storm, the sun…this is a great book to curl up on the sofa and read on a rainy day - with or without your kiddos. It inspired a lovely opportunity to create with my boys during homeschool one summer as we experimented with chalk pastels and watercolor to create the different weather patterns.

3. Sea Glass Summer by Michelle Houts

This sweet summer story reminds me of the power of our imaginations and how something, like discovering a piece of sea glass on the shore, can bring stories to a child’s mind, stories that will stay with them forever. Also, I was a collector of ‘treasures’, too, so this one hits home with me for that reason.

Thomas ran his fingers along the rounded edges, then held the green glass to the morning sun.

“Where do you think it came from?”

“I’m not sure,” Grandmother said. “But your grandfather used to say that each piece of sea glass has a story all its own.”

That night, with the sea glass on the table beside his bed, Thomas dreamed of a shipyard long ago.

4. The World Belonged To Us by Jacqueline Woodson

This one is just fun. My husband grew up in New York City when the world was a different place and kids were out on their own and playing in the streets till they had to return to their apartments for dinner. This one takes me back to the brown and orange striped and plaid clothing of the 70’s - with a very ‘Sesame Street’ vibe to it. And it perfectly reflects the freedom that kids felt in a world that was safe and fun.

5. Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold

Another book that captures the imagination of a child and how imagination can take you to freedom, this great summer book is based on a story quilt, the art medium of artist Faith Ringgold. I’ve mentioned her story quilts before and embedded a video of Ms. Ringgold reading this book here.

“All you need is somewhere to go you can’t get to any other way. The next thing you know, you’re flying among the stars.”

Tar Beach #2 story quilt by Faith Ringgold; photo source here

6. Flotsam by David Wiesner

For those of us who love finding treasures washed up on the shore, this picture book will be a treasure. There are no words, just wonderful illustrations.

And, for the curious, here is a link to learn the definitions for flotsam, jetsam, lagan and derelict.

7. The Little Blue Cottage by Kelly Jordan

This sweetly illustrated book about a little girl visiting her favorite summer place will stick with you and perhaps summon summer memories you have about a favorite place you visited frequently over the summer as a child.

“You are my favorite place” and “I miss you when I am away” she whispers to her favorite little blue cottage.

Photo source and also a sweet website for kidlit here

8. The Complete Peter Rabbit Library by Beatrix Potter

I am a HUGE Beatrix Potter fan. In fact, her birthday is coming up - July 28th. She was born in 1866, 157 years ago. As I mentioned above, I grew up on her stories and was completely smitten with the small green books that fit perfectly in my small hands (which the size of her books was an intentional choice she made for the children’s sake - I love that), fabulous stories about animals, and the wonderful illustrations. She was an incredible artist, a very talented naturalist and writer, and an important conservationist of her time.

These books - the simple stories and lessons, the characters with all of their unique personalities, the lessons illustrated, the gorgeous illustrations, the way the stories take you back in time - should not be forgotten or overlooked in a world where the next bright and colorful, shiny new kids lit picks are coming out all of the time. Let us keep them in our collection to enjoy and pass down so they won’t be forgotten.

(I incorporated some darling activities to go along with several of these books, which I’ll include in links below. If you are looking for an activity to add to the book while you read it aloud to your children or grands, perhaps these will give some inspiration.)

9. The Seashore Book by Charlotte Zolotow

The beauty in this book not only comes from its perfect illustrations that capture the seashore, but also the way this mother describes the shore to her son, who has never been to the shore. It reminds me of the gift of descriptive words, and being able to gift them to others. I hope we can all use language and words in a way that feels like a gift and allows others to paint a lovely picture in their minds with them like this mother has done here.

photo source

10. Prairie Days by Patricia MacLachlan

This is another story where reminiscing about summers as a child, told through beautiful collage art, will have you doing the same, with conjuring thoughts of ‘the good ‘ole days’. It depicts a time before I was a child in a part of the country I’ve never visited and it’s always fun to be taken to these places and times through a story.

photo source

I was only going to include a nice even number of 10 books on this list, but in my research and photo-grabbing, I ran across two others that stood out to me. Both are fairly new to the kidlit scene. I was able to grab one from our library and the other I watched a read aloud online and I want to include them on this list here, too. Additionally, I realized I always carry one of my favorite picture books with me when we head to the beach. I almost forgot to include it. So, it’s being added on, also.

11. Blackout by John Rocco

Can’t we all relate to a time when the electricity went out and it warranted some kind of celebratory activity or gathering that was outside of the norm? This book took me back to the times my brother and I would gather with mom and dad on their bed, and peak out from the columns on their headboard adjacent to their large bedroom windows, looking out on the storm that caused the blackout, but feeling completely safe and surrounded by family, which made it all alright, and even fun! I love that this book brings these memories to mind.

12. When Lola Visits by Michelle Sterling

“How do I know summer is here?

“Summer smells like stone fruit ripening on the kitchen counter and jasmine on the bloom everywhere in the neighborhood.”

This little gem is narrated by a little girl who spends her summers with her lola - her grandmother - from the Philippines. Her memories are heavily influenced by her senses, specifically scent and taste. I have certain scents that remind me of summer - bananas at my grandparent’s house at the beach, croissants toasting in the oven when I’d stay at my great grandmother’s house over the summer - she served them steaming hot with blackberry jam every morning, and the smell of sticky, sweaty ozone skin from playing outside all day long.

13. An Island Scrapbook: Dawn to Dusk on a Barrier Island by Virginia Wright-Frierson

This story, about a girl and her mother exploring the flora and fauna on the island where they live, is part story, part non-fiction reference/field guide as their discoveries are documented, explained and painted in their nature journals. The watercolor illustrations are done by the author and are absolutely amazing. I love nature journaling, the beach, observing the natural world and learning about it, and I love that this book is about the flora and fauna on the beaches close to us - it makes it more personal to our family. We have found every shell and treasure she mentions in the book. If you are a beach lover, who loves collecting treasures from the beaches where you vacation, I recommend picking up a field guide or book about the flora and fauna in that area to help you learn about your treasures.

Our copy is a little worn around the edges from getting wet because we bring it to the beach with us so often.

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Your Turn:

What are some of your favorite summer picture books? I’d love to hear in the comments.

What should the next theme be for my next round of picture book favorites: Historical Fiction? Biographical? Naturalists/Biographies? Beach related?

What list would you like to see?

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Activities to accompany some of the Peter Rabbit books

As mentioned above, here are a few links (to my old homeschool and art teacher Instagram account) to some activities I incorporated with a few of the books in the Peter Rabbit library.

The Tale of Benjamin Bunny: garden veggie prints

The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle: a hedgehog pin cushion

The Tale of Ginger and Pickles: learning the comb styles of chickens and learning about the parts of an egg

The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin: nature face masks

The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin: nature bit squirrels (process art project for preschoolers)

The Tale of Peter Rabbit: loose parts play with home-made play dough

The Tale of Mr. Tod: cork creatures and origami

The Tale of Jeremy Fisher and Peter Rabbit: These photos are simply to show that these whimsical characters also make great art subjects. 😊

“Children's books are not a hiding place, they are a seeking place.”
― Katherine Rundell, Why You Should Read Children's Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise

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