Summer Time Picture Books: Top Reads for Summer Fun
Celebrate the beach, fireworks and summer camp with these new picture books, hand curated by our friends at the library.
“Fireworks” by Michael Burgess
Excitement builds on a steamy Fourth of July as a busy city waits for a breathtaking fireworks display at sundown. Evocative illustrations will wow readers into reminisces of their favorite summer days.
“Kitty Camp” by Drew Brockington
A young girl mistakenly arrives at the wrong summer camp where there are no kids, just … kitties! Camp activities include naps (lots of naps). Will she find a way to still have some fun this summer?
“Big Family Beach Day” by Nina Crews
Detailing every detail of an intergenerational family trip to the beach, this lively chronicle of everything sun, sand and surf will have readers yearning for their own trip to the seashore.
“Firefly Season” by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Championing friendship and the unique joys of summer, “Firefly Season” follows Piper and her new neighbor and friend Sumi. When Piper’s family moves to a new city, she must find a way to remain close to her friends and family.
“Bright Lights and Summer Nights” by Shauntay Grant
Mother moon soothes a restless star baby in this dreamy ode to summer nights. Told as a lullaby alongside beautiful illustrations in bright greens and yellows, this tale recreates a nostalgic world of summer fairs and lush gardens.
“Sounds Like Joy” by Yesenia Moises
When a young mermaid loses her tambourine and worries that she’ll never make music again, her ocean friends come to the rescue. An octopus, whale and crab all help Joy find a way to make beautiful sounds again by working together.
“The Little Cloud” by Pam Fong
It wouldn’t be summer in Florida without a little rain. Follow along with Little Cloud as they observe all the other weather elements around them focus on brewing up a storm. Despite the wind, thunder and lightning, Little Cloud remains focused on what matters most to them, the people and places on the ground below.
READ MORE:
- Join the Library’s Summer Reading Challenge to Keep Kids Learning
- Hey, parents! Summer reading is for you too and the library has plenty of offer!
- The Art of Reading: 2025 Library Summer Reading Program
Originally published in the July 2025 issue of Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine.