Kids Summertime Reads
Summer is here and that offers plenty of leisure time to do lots of fun things. It’s also a great time to slow down and enjoy slower-paced activities like reading. But, after 2+ years of being restricted, cooped up, and feeling lugubrious, adults and kids want adventure, movement, and travel experiences. That being said, kids may not be keen on reading books while they could be enjoying outdoor activities. But we still need our zen time, so having a nice selection of interesting titles will encourage kids to pick up a book, crack it open and appreciate the story. It could happen! Here are a few new watery, summery titles from Candlewick Press that are perfect for any family library.
A Day For Sandcastles
Who doesn’t love playing on the beach? I was fortunate to grow up on a beach and enjoyed lots of summer days building sandcastles and lazing in the sun. A Day For Sandcastles is a story about 3 siblings who take the bus to the beach. While lots of people are swimming, playing ball, suntanning or jogging, they want to spend the day building sandcastles. While they run into several obstacles, their determination to build the best sandcastles is not deterred. The graphics are beautiful and are able to explain a scene without words. Kids can infer what they want as they experience the beach through this book.
Lily Leads the Way
Lily Leads the Way is about a little Canadian sailboat named Lily. She lives in the harbor with much bigger boats. These boats always have somewhere to go. Well today, so does Lily. She’s going out to sea to greet a fleet of grand old tall ships. But in order to do that, she needs to get past the harbor bridge. While other bigger boats have loud horns, the harbor guy never hears her tiny toot to draw the bridge up for her. As other cargo ships and tugboats pass by, they ask her to get out of the way. Not deterred, Lily does get out of the harbor and out to meet the fleet. This majestic fleet consists of a sloop, a schooner, a brig, and a barque. This fleet needs to go through the harbor, but they float silently. Drawing closer to the bridge, Lily is afraid the bridge will not open for them. So Lily uses all her might to ask the bridge to up, up, up for these big ships. Finally, she is heard and escorts the fleet through the harbor. Super cute story about not letting your size deter you from accomplishing a feat. Colorful graphics and an endearing story make this book a keeper.
Old Wood Boat
The Old Wood Boat is about a boat that was sitting on land drying out. She has paint coming off, some cracks, vines growing on her deck, and missing the sea. She remembers the wind, the islands she visited, and the seas of green she sailed. One day a family looks at the boat from one end to the next and decided to buy her. They lovingly repair her and make her sea-worthy and set sail for adventure after adventure. It’s a cute book that shares the loneliness of a boat that was left to rot. If you are a boat or sailing family, this book will warm your heart!
Splash
Splash is a cute board book for toddlers. It’s about two dads taking their toddler sons to the beach for a day of sunshine, splashing in the water, running and playing along the seashore, building sandcastles, soaking in the sun, and enjoying a yummy but sticky ice cream cone. The illustrations are created in bright bold colors and the content features minimal but concise words that describe the action. Young kids will love this book.
Disclaimer: I received complimentary books to facilitate a review. All opinions are my own, yours may differ.