Books for Summer Dreaimng

 

What are you doing this summer? I hope you are finding time to read with your children and grandchildren. These books are all about playing, walking and dreaming. Whether you are looking at the clouds to find creatures in the sky, talking to the moon, or sharing a hide and seek game, these books will help you to enjoy the slower pace and quieter times of summer vacation. Have fun!

Daydreaming by Mark Tatulli

Are you a daydreamer? Do you find yourself in another world when you should be paying attention? Henry is a confirmed daydreamer, taking the reader on several adventures in one typical, exciting day. Tatulli uses a combination of comic-type frames along with full page spreads to tell the stories of Henry’s daydreams, using words only in word bubbles when the adults around him chime in to chastise Henry. If you have a daydreamer in your house, you will love Henry as much as I do!

In Plain Sight by Richard Jackson, illustrations by Jerry Pinkney

Whether you have great memories of playing games with your grandparents, or are now in the process of making memories with your grandchildren, this is a super read. Sophie’s grandfather sits by the window each day watching for her to come home from school. When Sophie arrives, Grandpa always has a hidden object ready for Sophie to find. The sweet interaction between grandparent and grandchild is cleverly told and beautifully illustrated. Pinkney does an outstanding job with each two page spread giving details of the home and artfully including the many faces and expressions of Sophie as she goes along with her grandfather’s game. Children may also want to play along trying to find where each item is hidden before Sophie reveals the hidden object.

Ideas are all Around by Philip C. Stead

 

Taking a walk with his dog, Wednesday, Stead finds wonder and worries everywhere he looks. From the people lined up to get something to eat to the blob of blue paint that looks like a horse, the narrative seems to be in control of Stead instead of the other way around. As always, Stead’s illustrations are superb, with a combination of photos, drawings, outlines and prints, the flat colors smudged type give a sense of peace and slowness, perfect for summer, perfect for slowing down and thinking about ideas. Enjoy this take on a slow summer walk.

The Mouse and the Moon by Gabriel Alborozo

A new fable about friendship told with dazzling illustrations. Alborozo tells his tale with black and white inked drawings with only the tiniest bit of color on each page. A little mouse sets out to find his friend the moon. When he finally gets close to the moon, a reflection in a pond, he spends all night conversing with a small fish, thinking it is the moon. Only when the moon vanishes and the two new friends see each other for the first time do the illustrations become more colorful with the black and white receding just as the daylight arrives. This book is a well told story with aesthetically pleasing illustrations. My only complaint is that both the fish and the mouse are given male pronouns. Why can’t one or both of them be female? Just food for thought.

Bathtime with Theo and Beau by Jessica Shyba

Theo and Beau are back for more, after their debut with Naptime with Theo and Beau. Shyba’s beautiful photography captures the playfulness of bathtime with a puppy and three-year-old Beau. Simple words and full page spread pictures make this another winner. Great book to share with any toddler who is reluctant to bathe!

Turtle Tug to the Rescue by Michael Slack

A sea turtle turned into a tug boat ready to rescue all manner of marine creatures, Turtle Tug is resourceful, strong and brave. And to top it off, Slack uses exemplary vocabulary to rhyme his way through the story of the typhoon, the rescue and the calm waters that return after the storm. Treacherous, tempestuous and entangled are just a few of the five star words that are introduced in context and with great excitement throughout this simple picture book. Great read for any early childhood class that is studying sea animals, rescue work or even just community helpers.

Lucy’s Lovey by Betsy Devany, illustrated by Christopher Denise

Lucy has many dolls, but only one special Smelly Baby. Smelly Baby is lost and then found and eventually restored to her best smelly self, making Lucy happy. Devaney gives this familiar story too many details, making a short tale into one that drags, while the details in  Denise’s illustrations are just right, down to the shadows in the dark and Lucy’s tangled hair as she leans out the car window. Lucy’s Lovey is a sweet story but not as endearing as others of the same ilk, such as Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems.