Preschool and Kindergarten Summer Picture Book Reading List

A reader asked me to make a preschool and kindergarten summer reading list of picture books for pre-readers. So, I’ve compiled some of my favorite books to read aloud to your kids.

I hope this book list helps you and your kids enjoy many new picture books this summer!

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Preschool & Kinder Summer Picture Book Reading List

Kindergarten & Preschool Books to Read: Read Aloud Favorites

• The Quiet Forest written by Charlotte Offsay, illustrated by Abi Cushman
• When Dinosaurs Walked the Earth written by Sean Taylor, illustrated by Zehra Hicks
• The Gabi That Girma Wore written by Fasika Adefris and Sara Holly Ackerman, illustrated by Netsanet Tesfay
• I’m From written by Gary R. Gray, Jr.
• Benita and the Night Creatures written by Mariana Llanos, illustrated by Cocretto
• Paletero Man by Lucky Diaz
• Looking for a Jumbie by Tracey Baptiste
• Pretty Ugly written by David Sedaris, illustrated by Ian Falconer
• Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
• The Bear’s Song by Benjamin Chaud
• It’s So Quiet: A Not-Quite-Going-to-Bed Book by Sherri Duskey Rinker
• Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein
• Atticus Caticus by Sarah Maizes
• 100 Dogs: Playful Pups to Count by Michael Whaite
• Group Hug by Jean Reidy
• Mina by Matthew Forsythe
• My Fade is Fresh by Shauntay Grant
• Ear Worm! by Jo Knowles
• The Rice in the Pot Goes Round and Round by Wendy Wan-Long Shang
• Are You a Monster? by Guilherme Karsten
• I Am Dog! written by Peter Bently

Kindergarten & Preschool Books to Read: Funny Picture Books

• The Little Butterfly That Could by Ross Burach
• How to Count to 1 by Casper Salmon
• B is For Bananas by Carrie Tillotson
• How Dinosaurs Went Extinct A Safety Guide by Ame Dyckman
• Spider in the Well written by Jess Hannigan
• Unicorns Are the Worst by Alex Willan
• The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming
• The Book That Almost Rhymed written by Omar Abed, illustrated by Hatem Aly
• This Is a Moose by Richard T. Morris, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
• Come Out, Come Out, Chameleon! written and illustrated by Jonty Howley
• I Am Not a Penguin: A Pangolin’s Lament by Liz Wong
• Pizza with Everything on It by Kyle Scheele, illustrated by Andy J. Pizza
• I Can Only Draw Worms by Will Mabbitt
• Z for Moose by Kelly Bingham, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
• Not Now Cow by Tammi Sauer
• Dog Vs. Strawberry written by Nelly Buchet, illustrated by Andrea Zuill
• Like by Annie Barrows and Leo Espinosa
• We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins
• Poo-Dunit? A Forest Floor Mystery by Katelyn Aronson
• Mina by Matthew Forsythe
• Don’t Eat Bees (Life Lessons from Chip the Dog) by Mike Boldt
• A Bear, a Bee, and a Honey Tree by Daniel Bernstrom
• One Sheep, Two Sheep by Tami Sauer
• Room for Everyone by Naaz Khan
• Walrus in the Bathtub by Deborah Underwood

Kindergarten & Preschool Books to Read: Picture Books with Lessons

• Outside, Inside by LeUyen Pham
• Lulu the One and Only by Lynnette Mawhinney
• You’re So Amazing! written by James & Lucy Catchpole
• The Tale of the Valiant Ninja Frog by Alastair Chisholm
• When Charley Met Emma by Amy Webb
• The Camping Trip by Jennifer K. Mann
• Chopsticks by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
• Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall
• One of These Is Not Like the Others by Barney Saltzberg
• After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again by Dan Santat
• Pigeon Math by Asia Citro, illustrated by Richard Watson
• Connor Kissed Me written by Zehava, illustrated by Sarah K. Turner
• How to Apologize by David LaRochelle
• Too Much: An Overwhelming Day written by Jolene Gutierrez, and illustrated by Angel Chang
• Donut the Unicorn Who Wants to Fly by Laura Gehl
• The Twist-a-Roo written by Kathleen Doherty, illustrated by Kristyna Litten
• Beneath by Cori Doerrfeld
• One Small Thing by Marsha Diane Arnold

Kindergarten & Preschool Books to Read: Imaginative, Magical Stories

• Knight Owl by Christopher Denise
• Anzu the Great Kaiju by Benson Shum
• Brave As a Mouse by Nicolo Carozzi
• Kat Hats by Daniel Pinkwater
• Another by Christian Robinson
• Quest by Aaron Becker
• The Night Tent by Landis Blair
• Cinderella With Dogs! by Linda Bailey
• Izmelda The Fairest Dragon of Them All! by Joan Marr

Kindergarten & Preschool Books to Read: Nonfiction / Informational Fiction Books

• This is Not My Lunch Box! written by Jennifer Dupui
• Wombats Are Pretty Weird: A (Not So) Serious Guide by Abi Cushman
• Caves by Nell Cross Beckerman
• The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish: What Magic Lies Beneath? by Chloe Savage
• Pizza: A Slice of History by Greg Pizzoli
• Peculiar Primates Fun Facts About These Curious Creatures by Debra Kempf Shumaker
• Except Antarctica! by Todd Sturgell
• Mars: Earthlings Welcome by Stacy McAnulty
• Odd Beasts Meet Nature’s Weirdest Animals by Laura Gehl
• Let’s Go for a Walk by Ranger Hamza
• Walrus Song by Janet Lawler
• Fiona the Fruit Bat by Dan Riskin
• Hippos Can’t Swim and Other Fun Facts by Laura Lyn DiSiena and Hannah Eliot