Calling all elementary teachers looking for fun summer read alouds for the end of the school year or your summer program! This list of summer read aloud picture books is exactly what you need! These children’s books about summer feature interesting characters, plots, and settings. They will be a big hit in your classroom! Check out the full list of summer read alouds below!
This post highlights the following children’s books:
- Rollercoaster
- Roxaboxen
- The Relatives Came
- There Might Be Lobsters
- Paletero Man
- And Then Comes Summer
6 Summer Read Alouds
Below are 6 great summer read alouds. They are the best summer picture books!
1. Roller Coaster
Roller Coaster, by Marla Frazee is about the thrilling experience of riding a roller coaster for the very first time. The story follows a group of people, one of whom has never ridden a roller coaster before, and describes what they see, hear, and feel as they clickity-clack, whoosh, and zoom on this exciting ride! The descriptive language and vivid Illustrations in the story will make you feel like you are riding the roller coaster for the first time, too!
Check out these Roller Coaster activities!
2. Roxaboxen
Roxaboxen had always been there, but the children in this book made it into a special place. It started out as an empty part of the desert with old boxes, rocks and cacti. The children that came to play in Roxaboxen turned it into a town. They used rocks to line the streets and build houses. There was plenty of money because they used pebbles for money. The children could buy whatever they wanted like ice cream, cars and horses.
This imaginative and heart-warming story tells the memories of the real children that grew up and played in this make believe community. Even as adults, they look back at Roxaboxen fondly making it an important part of their childhood.
Check out these Roxaboxen activities!
3. The Relatives Came
The relatives in The Relatives Came travel a long way from Virginia to visit with their family. When they get there, everyone is very excited to see each other. There is lots of hugging, laughing, and smiling.
The relatives stay for many weeks and their family welcomes them into their home. During their visit, the relatives do many things such as tend the garden, fix items, and play music. The relatives and their family are sad when it is time for them to go, but know that they will be back again next summer.
Students will enjoy this story about what happens when relatives visit, and will make connections to their own lives and their families.
Check out these The Relatives Came activities!
4. There Might Be Lobsters
Eleanor is ready for a day at the beach with her dog Sukie. However, Sukie is a small dog and there are many things at the beach she is afraid of. Sukie won’t walk down the stairs to the beach because she is afraid she’ll get hurt so Eleanor must carry her. Once on the beach, Sukie just sits there. She doesn’t splash in the water with Eleanor and she doesn’t play with the beach ball. Sukie worries about being swept out to sea, popping the ball, and most of, lobsters.
When Sukie’s favorite toy, Chunka Munka, gets pulled into the water, she realizes she must be brave. Despite her fears, Sukie paddles into the water to retrieve her beloved toy. Eleanor is so proud of her and more importantly Sukie is proud of herself. Students will love this sweet story about a very nervous dog.
Check out these There Might Be Lobsters activities!
5. Paletero Man
It was a hot and sunny day in the city of Dreamers, LA in California. Our narrator brings us through the city as he chases the sweet smells and sounds of the Paletero Man.
The narrator runs past Tio Ernesto, Ms. Lee, and Frank at the bike shop. He was too tired and thirsty to stop! Eventually, he catches the Paletero Man in the park. But when he goes to pay, the narrator realizes he has dropped his money! Thankfully, his neighbors Tio Ernesto, Mrs. Lee, and Frank and there to give him the money they saw him drop.
This beautiful, bilingual, rhythmic book teaches of kindness, compassion, and the Spanish language.
Check out these Paletero Man activities!
6. And Then Comes Summer
As the days get longer and the evenings get warmer, children celebrate as summer comes. The flowers bloom, bees fly, and lawn mowers start their engines. Children play in the streets, stop at the sound of the ice cream truck, and celebrate America’s birthday.
This lyrical story gets children excited about the end of the school year, the excitement that summer brings, and the beauty of the great outdoors.
Check out these And Then Comes Summer activities!
Or Get All of the Activity Packets for 600+ Picture Books!
Starts with a Story is a collection of hundreds of book companions based on high quality children’s literature that support you in delivering highly-engaging interactive read alouds with follow up activities. Each book companion includes:
- reading comprehension questions with sample student responses
- 30 writing prompts targeting 10 different types of writing
- SEL lesson ideas based on character and events from each story
- printable student activities
- editable teaching slides with book-based clipart
- and more.
Learn how to get unlimited access to all 600+ book companion packets below!
Teachers Love these Other Summer Activities for Kids
We have lots of summer activities you can use in your classroom. Check out the blog post Summer Activities for Kids to get more ideas and teaching resources!
One Last Thing Before You Go… Grab this Free Reading Resource!
If you want to get more book ideas to read aloud to your elementary students, then grab this reading freebie for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classroom teachers. It includes:
- seasonal read aloud books lists for teachers
- printable reading logs to track students’ reading
- monthly reading challenges to motivate students to read more
It will have you covered for the entire school year, as well as the summer months! Grab this free elementary reading packet now!
In closing, we hope you found this list of summer read alouds helpful! If you are a member of Starts With a Story, you have access to all of these book companion activities. Lastly, you may also be interested in these fall books for kids if you love read alouds like us!
