Our Favorite Picks for Your Summer Reading List
Summer is the perfect time to introduce your child to books from around the world. These stories can transport your young reader to a different part of the globe through folklore, history, and illustrations. Add these unique finds to your explorer’s reading list and let the journey begin!
1. Everybody Cooks Rice, By Norah Dooley
Carrie’s mother asks her to go out into the neighborhood to find her brother for dinnertime. During her search, she stops by every house on the block and discovers that each family’s dinner includes a customary rice dish of their nationality. Set in San Francisco, this story exposes children to several cultures and their favorite rice dishes, and includes recipes for each meal mentioned, allowing you to bring the story to life in your own kitchen! (Recommended for ages 5-8)
2. Rickshaw Girl, By Mitali Perkins
This story takes place in 10-year-old Naima’s village in Bangladesh. After riding and wrecking her father’s rickshaw, Naima sets out to find a job to right her wrong. Women are forbidden to work in her village, so she must disguise herself as a boy. Young readers will learn valuable lessons about social equality and bravery as Naima challenges the status quo to help her family. (Recommended for ages 7-10)
3. Go, Go America, By Dan Yaccarino
Do you know what state hosts the International Rotten Sneaker Contest? Find out the answer from the Farley family. Join them on their road trip across the USA as they pick up quirky facts about each of the fifty states along the way. This book is the ultimate addition to your own family’s summer road trip! (Recommended for ages 8-10)
4. I Lost My Tooth In Africa, By Penda Diakite
Written and illustrated by a father-daughter duo, I Lost My Tooth In Africa is a whimsical story of a young girl, Amina, who wants to lose her first tooth while visiting Mali, West Africa. Amina longs to follow the Mali tradition of putting her tooth in a gourd in exchange for two chickens from the African tooth fairy. When her wish becomes reality, Amina receives the chickens and the eggs they hatched. Experience the Mali culture with your child and read to find out if the eggs hatch before Amina has to go back home to the U.S.A.! (Recommended for ages 5-9)