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2025 ALSC Summer Reading Lists

Association for Library Service to Children's Summer Reading Lists. Some of these titles in can be found other formats on library online catalog, TumbleBooks, Hoopla, & Libby (Large Print, audio book, ebook, eaudio).

2025 ALSC Summer Reading List -- Birth-Preschool

Blackall, Sophie, author, illustrator.
JEASY BLA
Join a child captain and parent first mate as they embark on a wild high seas adventure-all without leaving the living room! This imaginative romp of a picture book is filled with glorious illustrations from a beloved Caldecott Medalist and New York Times bestselling creator.

Bell, Cece, author, illustrator.
J 782.42 BEL
"Cece Bell loves music and collecting old record albums, her introduction explains, especially albums featuring animal artists. The bouncing harmonies of the Barbershop Beagles, the elegant crooning of the elephant Ella Fontaine, the hilarious rhymes of the Hip-Hop Hedgehogs--all are represented in this quirky ABC book that draws on the creator's personal collection of albums, memorabilia, and lyrics dating between 1944 and 1984, the heyday of album design. With wry, witty text, silly and sumptuous sound play, and biographical end matter on all twenty-six musical acts, the book commands and stands up to repeated readings. Bright, zany art--all painted and lettered by hand--a stellar design, and an album-size trim make it a collector's item in its own right, sure to grace the coffee tables of vinyl- and design-loving adults even as it tickles young funny bones. A hootenanny hosted by the creator of the Newbery Honor Book and Eisner Award winner El Deafo, Animal Albums from A to Z also quietly reminds us just how much music can mean to everyone." -- From the publisher.

Trejo, Jesús. author.
JEASY TRE
In this highly anticipated companion to Pura Belpre Honor winner Papá's Magical Water-Jug Clock, little Jesús gets a new and very important job: caring for Mamá's beloved houseplants. From sharing his best jokes with the grumpy Cactus to dancing with the beautiful Peace Lily, it's going great-until the Golden Pothos, Mamá's favorite, crashes to the floor! How will Jesús get out of this one?

Harris, Shawn (Artist), author, illustrator.
JEASY HAR
Teeny-Weeny Unicorn feels like the world is not made for his small stature and one day it bothers him so much he runs off, but soon after meeting a salty gnome he starts to wonder if he might just be the right size after all.

Tabor, Corey R., author, illustrator.
JEASY TAB
"Ursula is a happy catfish, swimming through a shimmering river with weeds waving above and a sky full of scrumptious bugs below. Then one question turns her world upside down. Is left right? Is right wrong? Which way even is up?"--Provided by publisher.

2025 ALSC Summer Reading List -- Grades K-2

Rogers, Andrea L., author.
ON ORDER
"Sissy's younger brother, Chooch, isn't a baby anymore. They just celebrated his second birthday, after all. But no matter what Chooch does -- even if he's messing something up! Which is basically all the time! -- their parents say he's just "helping." Sissy feels that Chooch can get away with anything! When Elisi paints a mural, Chooch helps. When Edutsi makes grape dumplings, Chooch helps. When Oginalii gigs for crawdads, Chooch helps. When Sissy tries to make a clay pot, Chooch helps . . ."Hlesdi!" Sissy yells. Quit it! And Chooch bursts into tears. What follows is a tender family moment that will resonate with anyone who has welcomed a new little one to the fold. Chooch Helped is a universal story of an older sibling learning to make space for a new child, told with grace by Andrea L. Rogers and stunning art from Rebecca Lee Kunz showing one Cherokee family practicing their cultural traditions."-- Provided by publisher.

Buchet, Nelly, author.
JEASY BUC
When Dog is handed a strawberry from the fruit bowl, she sizes it up, dances around it, and decides she is going to race the Strawberry--and win.

Nayeri, Daniel, author.
JEASY NAY
In this palindrome picture book, a young boy grieving the loss of his mother embarks on a fantastical adventure that illuminates what remains when our loved ones are gone. A young boy who's lost all hope braves the dark forest to ask, "Mom, were you glad you were mom?" Drawn Onward guides readers through the depths of grief and provides comfort and hope to those who seek answers when it feels like all is lost.

LaRochelle, David, author.
JEASY LAR
"Jack, Jill, and Rex are excited to play a game of Go and Get! The rules are simple: on the count of three, each player must go and get something that begins with a certain letter. While Jack's and Jill's picks always fit the bill (What starts with F? Frog! Fish!), Rex keeps getting it wrong (a duck?)--or does he?"--Publisher.

Kunkel, Angela Burke, author.
J BIO MCCLOSKEY
"A biography that follows the lives of Robert McCloskey, creator of Make Way for Ducklings, and sculptor Nancy Schön, whose famous bronze ducks grace Boston Public Garden"-- Provided by publisher.

Messner, Kate. author.
J 577.68 MES
Discover the hidden magic of the Everglades in this fascinating and beautiful exploration of the wetland habitat from the New York Times bestselling author and award-winning illustrator of the beloved Over and Under series! Part of the acclaimed nature book series that includes Over and Under the Pond, Over and Under the Rainforest, and Over and Under the Snow, this volume takes readers on a journey into the magical and mysterious reaches of Florida's Everglades National Park. Over the swamp, the barred owl hoots, and the great egret swoops down on snowy wings. The slow mazes of waterways are quiet with the shush of reeds and grasses. But under the swamp's soft shadows, there's a whole hidden world of panthers and orchids, red-bellied turtles and raccoons, lurking alligators and singing frogs. This beautifully illustrated nonfiction picture book reveals all the fascinating creatures living just out of sight in the branches and depths over and under the wetland.-- Publisher description

Tuiasoa, Shar, author, illustrator.
JEASY TUI
"Punky loves to do a lot of things--except meeting new friends. She doesn't feel brave enough. So when her grandmother asks her to go out and grab butter for her famous banana bread, Punky hesitates. But with the help of her grandmother's magical sunglasses, and with a lot of aloha in her heart, Punky sets off on a BIG adventure for the very first time"-- Provided by publisher

Giron, Pavonis, author, illustrator.
JEASY GIR
Jo wants to paint all the wonderful things she loves. With a palette of red, yellow, and blue, Jo knows she can mix any colors together to create new ones. Her imagination takes flight as she explores painting with primary and by mixing her own secondary colors, each picture as beautiful as the last. But through her exploration of the colors of the rainbow, Jo finds that her favorite is a combination of them all: brown.

Shapiro, Esmé, 1992- author, illustrator.
JEASY SHA
"On Lilypod Lane, everyone knows everything about everybody . . . or so they believe! When curious paperboy Weasel encounters his mysterious neighbor Roy on his route, he becomes convinced that Roy is actually a dog! But when his friend Pam Pam disagrees, Weasel must put on his detective cap and do his best sleuthing to reveal Roy's extraordinary secret, and prove that not everything is as it seems, once and for all!"-- Provided by publisher.

Matich, Elise, author, illustrator.
J BIO WRIGHT
The true story of a girl whose mastery of a domestic art propelled her to the elite NASA sisterhood who shielded the space shuttle astronauts from heat and radiation.

Fairbanks, Ashley, author.
JEASY FAI
"Before my family lived in this house, a different family did, and before them, another family, and another before them. And before that, the family who lived here lived not in a house, but a wigwam. Who lived where you are before you got there?"-- Provided by publisher.

Lucianovic, Stephanie V. W., author.
JEASY LUC
Captures the unforgettable moment when a child learns how to pump on a swing.

Rubin, Adam, 1983- author.
JEASY RUB
An imaginative account of the invention of the couch.

Rubin, Adam, 1983- author, translator.
JEASY SP RUB
La mayoría de la gente piensa que los sofás son solo para sentarse o quizás para echar una siesta, pero... ¿Sabías que los sofás pueden volverse locos si no los alimentas con una dieta equilibrada a base de monedas, teléfonos celulares y controles remoto? ¿Sabías, además, que algunos sofás se cultivan en granjas? Algunos vienen de dos sillas que se quieren mucho y otros, en realidad, son extraterrestres disfrazados. ¡Tienes tanto que aprender sobre el sofá! Esta parodia de complots reúne el humor característico de Adam Rubin y el arte divertido de Liniers. Juntos exploran la única y verdadera historia (¿en serio? ¿Estamos seguros?) del mueble más querido e incomprendido del mundo.

Fang, X., author, illustrator.
JEASY FAN
"When three mysterious visitors from "Europe" crash-land in Mr. Li's field, he does what any good host would: he invites them back to his farmhouse and offers to help fix up their "car". No, there's nothing strange about these guests at all. Just like other humans, they "make business", "play sportsball" and "wear hat". As the townsfolk also come to the aid of the visitors and the gathering turns into a little party, interplanetary relations reach an all-time high."-- Provided by publisher.

2025 ALSC Summer Reading List -- Grades 3-5

Fipps, Lisa, author.
J FICTION FIP
Poverty-stricken Joseph bravely rides out all the storms life keeps throwing at him.

Fipps, Lisa, author.
J SP FICTION FIP
Joe Oak está acostumbrado a vivir en terreno inestable. No se puede depender de su madre, ya que nunca se queda mucho tiempo con ella una vez que le da "picazón", y ahora él y su querida abuela se encuentran sin un hogar. Afortunadamente, Joe tiene una salida en sus diarios y dibujos y se consuela con las lecciones de los cómics: los superhéroes tienen muchos momentos de "y luego boom", donde todo amenaza con arruinarse pero de alguna manera aterrizan sobre sus pies. Y eso parece pasarle mucho a Joe también, ya que en esta crisis su amigo Nick les ayuda a encontrar un hogar en su parque de casas rodantes. Pero las cosas vuelven a desmoronarse cuando de repente Joe se ve obligado a valerse por sí mismo. No le dice a nadie que está solo porque teme el cuidado de crianza y tiene la esperanza de que su madre regrese. Pero el tiempo se acaba: las facturas se acumulan, se ha cortado la electricidad y el año escolar está a punto de terminar, lo que significa que no habrá más comidas gratis. La lucha por alimentarse se vuelve intensa y Joe se encuentra buscando comida en contenedores de basura. Nunca se había sentido tan solo, hasta que una perrita demacrada y sus dos pequeños cachorros se cruzan en su camino. Y el destino tiene aún más reservado para Joe, porque un tornado real está a punto de azotar su hogar, y justo cuando parece que todo está perdido, su vida toma una dirección que nunca podría haber predicho.

Elliott, Laura, 1957- author.
J FICTION ELL
Abandoned by her father after Black Tuesday, thirteen-year-old Bea convinces Mrs. Scott to take in her and her sister in exchange for farm work and Bea bonds with a seemingly untrainable horse.

Sharp, Sid, author, artist.
J GN FICTION SHA
"Two sisters, one stubbornly cheerful (Beatrice) and one relentlessly grumpy (Magnolia), live in a drafty old house with a family of helpful spiders. When Beatrice is gifted magic yarn from a giant forest spider obsessed with sustainability named Bog Myrtle, she and the spiders set to work knitting up a perfectly warm sweater. But greedy Magnolia sees only the opportunity for profit, and quickly converts the old house into a magic sweater factory. The exhausted spiders are driven to strike, and Bog Myrtle is not pleased..."-- Provided by publisher.

Macleod, Kathy, author, artist.
J GN BIO MACLEOD
"With a Thai mother and an American father, Kathy lives in two different worlds. She spends most of the year in Bangkok, where she's secretly counting the days till summer vacation. That's when her family travels for twenty-four hours straight to finally arrive in a tiny seaside town in Maine. Kathy loves Maine's idyllic beauty and all the exotic delicacies she can't get back home, like clam chowder and blueberry pie. But no matter how hard she tries, she struggles to fit in. She doesn't look like the other kids in this rural New England town. Kathy just wants to find a place where she truly belongs, but she's not sure if it's in America, Thailand... or anywhere." -- Back cover.

Averling, Mary, author.
J FICTION AVE
"Nothing about Kess Pedrock's life is normal. Not her home (she lives in her family's Unnatural History Museum), not her interests (hunting for megafauna fossils and skeletons), and not her best friend (a talking demon's head in a jar named Shrunken Jim). But things get even stranger than usual when Kess meets Lilou Starling, the new girl in town. Lilou comes to Kess for help breaking a mysterious curse--and the only clue she has leads straight into the center of Eelgrass Bog. Everyone knows the bog is full of witches, demons, and possibly worse, but Kess and Lilou are determined not to let that stop them. As they investigate the mystery and uncover long-buried secrets, Kess begins to realize that the curse might hit closer to home than she'd ever expected, and she'll have to summon all her courage to find a way to break it before it's too late"-- Provided by publisher.

Lewers, Nedda, author.
LARGE TYPE J FICTION LEW
Twelve-year-old Sahara prefers logic and science over magic, but when she travels to Cairo for a family wedding, her resistance to magic fades when she discovers that she is next in a line of women tasked with guarding Ali Baba's treasure.

DiCamillo, Kate, author.
J FICTION DIC
During the summer before fifth grade, Ferris Wilkey has her hands full with her little sister terrorizing the town, her Aunt Shirley moving into their basement and her grandmother seeing a ghost--one who has wild, impractical and illuminating plans.

Kelly, Erin Entrada, author.
J FICTION KEL
When Ridge, a time-traveling teenager from the future, gets trapped in 1999, he befriends Michael, a lonely twelve-year-old boy, changing the course of their lives forever.

Roth, David (Comedian), author.
J 818 ROT
Packed with fun-filled illustrations, easy-to-follow exercises, and sample jokes, this humorous how-to joke book for kids proves that with a little elbow grease, anyone can write jokes that really make people LOL. Covering everything from surprise to wordplay to visual jokes--plus tips on how to perform a joke so it lands--LOL 101 is the approachable and (of course) funny guide for any kid ready to channel their inner comedian.

Miller, Chanel, author, illustrator.
J FICTION MIL
A self-proclaimed sock detective inside her parents' New York City laundromat, 10-year-old Magnolia Wu and Iris, a new friend from California, set off across the city to solve the mystery of each missing sock, meeting people and uncovering the unimaginable along the way.

Gidwitz, Adam, author.
J FICTION GID
"To find his way back home to his family in Germany during WWII, Max Bretzfeld, with a kobold named Berg on one shoulder and a dybbuk named Stein on the other, sets out to do the impossible--become a British spy"-- Provided by publisher.

Larsen, Mylisa, author.
J FICTION LAR
Quagmire Tiarello prides himself on not needing anything from anybody. Sure, his mom is skipping work again and showing signs of going into one of her full-out spins, but it's nothing he can't handle. He's used to her up-and-down moods, even if this time it feels a little different. Then his mom disappears, and Quag must find shelter with an uncle he didn't know he had. Should he come clean about his mother's mental health challenges? Or can he use his carefully honed skills to bluff long enough to find his mom and get home? Readers will root for Quag as he finds himself rethinking his world and learning to accept help from the people who love him.

Magoon, Kekla, author.
J FICTION MAG
Finding a mysterious letter from her late Grandpa, Dally is led straight to a library of secrets where each book is a portal to a precise moment in time, and she must find the courage to write her own life story as she "checks out" adventure after adventure.

Warga, Jasmine, author.
J FICTION WAR
"A painting has been stolen...! When Rami sees a floating girl in the museum, he knows he has seen her somewhere before. Then he realizes: She looks just like the girl in the painting that has gone missing. But how does her appearance connect to the theft? Agatha the turtle knows--she has been watching from the garden. But she can't exactly tell anyone...can she? Will Rami, with the help of his classmate, Veda, be able to solve the mystery? The clues are all around them, but they'll have to be brave enough to really look." -- Provided by publisher.

O'Shaughnessy, Kate, author.
J FICTION OSH
When twelve-year-old Fern and her mother abruptly leave their isolated, off-the-grid community, Fern wants nothing more than to return, but things get murky as she slowly adjusts to her new life and discovers unsettling truths about her old one.

2025 ALSC Summer Reading List -- Grades 6-8

Rundell, Katherine, author.
J FICTION RUN
Christopher discovers the Archipelago, a world where mythological creatures were secreted away by magic long ago, but those creatures are now dying, and it is up to Christopher and Mal, a girl from the Archipelago, to save both of their worlds.

Safadi, Shifa Saltagi, author.
J FICTION SAF
From failed football tryouts to helping the new Syrian refugee student, seventh-grader Kareem attempts to navigate the social complexities of seventh grade, which are further complicated when his mother is unable to return home from Syria due to an executive order.

Williams, Alicia, 1970- author.
J FICTION WIL
A tender-souled boy reeling from the death of his best friend struggles to fit into a world that wants him to grow up tough and unfeeling. It's the last few months of eighth grade, and Isaiah feels lost. He thought his summer was going to be him and his boys Drew and Darius, hanging out, doing wheelies, watching martial arts movies, and breaking tons of Guinness World Records before high school. But now, more and more, Drew seems to be fading from their friendship, and though he won't admit it, Isaiah knows exactly why. Because Darius is...gone. A hit and run killed Darius in the midst of a record-breaking long wheelie when Isaiah should have been keeping watch, ready to warn: "CAR!" Now, Drew can barely look at Isaiah. But Isaiah, already quaking with ache and guilt, can't lose two friends. So, he comes up with a plan to keep Drew and him together­­­--they can spend the summer breaking records, for Darius. But Drew's not the same Drew since Darius was killed, and Isaiah, being Isaiah, isn't enough for Drew anymore. Not his taste in clothes, his love for rock music, or his aversion to jumping off rooftops. And one day something unspeakable happens to Isaiah that makes him think Drew's right. If only he could be less sensitive, more tough, less weird, more cool, less him, things would be easier. But how much can Isaiah keep inside until he shatters wide open?

Currie, Lindsay, author.
J FICTION CUR
"Twelve-year-old Sarah Greene wants nothing more from her seventh-grade year than to beat the hardest escape room left in her town with her best friends, West, and Hannah. But when a foreclosure notice shows up on Sarah's front door, everything changes. Since her father became ill two years ago, things have been bad, but not lose your house bad . . . until now. Sarah feels helpless until the day Hannah mentions a treasure rumored to be hidden in the walls of an abandoned funhouse. According to legend, Hans, Stefan, and Karl Stein were orphaned at eight years old and lived with different families until they were able to reunite as adults. Their dream was to build the most epic funhouse in existence. They wanted their experience to be more than mirror mazes and optical illusions, so they not only created elaborate riddles and secret passages, but they also claimed to have hidden a treasure inside the funhouse. Once in, Sarah, West, and Hannah realize the house is unlike any escape room they've attempted. There are challenges, yes, but they feel personal. Like the triplets knew who would get in. It seems impossible, but so does everything about the house. As soon as they're in she immediately worries that attempting the funhouse is a bad idea but Sarah has no choice but to continue, since her future is at stake"--Publisher.

Fong, Debbie, author, illustrator.
J GN FICTION FON
Pia is a soft-spoken middle schooler whose life is turned upside down after the loss of her younger brother, followed by her parents' decision to move to a new town. In an effort to get her mind off of the troubles at home, Pia goes on a bus tour with a family friend, stopping at weird and wacky roadside attractions. The final destination: a mysterious underground lake. The locals say it has magical powers; Pia won't admit she believes in it, but she's holding on to hope that the waters may hold the answer to mending her broken family. The trip is much more than the final stop. The friendships that Pia makes along the way are just as valuable as the destination itself. Next Stop explores grief, resilience, and learning how to laugh again. Debbie Fong weaves together an incredibly strong debut filled with humor and heart, with a splash of mystery and magic.

Forman, Gayle, author.
J FICTION FOR
When troubled twelve-year-old Alex is assigned to spend his summer volunteering at a senior living facility, he forms a unique bond with a Holocaust survivor and learns lessons that change the trajectory of his life.

Ursu, Anne, author.
J FICTION URS
"The house seemed to sit apart from the others on Katydid Street, silent and alone, like it didn't fit among them. For Violet Hart-whose family is about to move into the house on Katydid Street-very little felt like it fit anymore. Like their old home, suddenly too small since her mother remarried and the new baby arrived. Or Violet's group of friends, which, since they started middle school, isn't enough for Violet's best friend, Paige. Everything seemed to be changing at once. But sometimes, Violet tells herself, change is okay. That is, until Violet sees her new room. The attic bedroom in their new house is shadowy, creaky, and wrapped in old yellow wallpaper covered with a faded tangle of twisting vines and sickly flowers. And then, after moving in, Violet falls ill-and does not get better. As days turn into weeks without any improvement, her family growing more confused and her friends wondering if she's really sick at all, she finds herself spending more time alone in the room with the yellow wallpaper, the shadows moving in the corners, wrapping themselves around her at night. And soon, Violet starts to suspect that she might not be alone in the room at all"-- Provided by publisher.

Aldridge, Ethan M., author, illustrator.
J GN FICTION ALD
From the acclaimed creator of Estranged and The Legend of Brightblade comes a lush fantasy graphic novel about an aspiring astronomer who attracts the attention of a mysterious being known as the Lady. Perfect for fans of Anya's Ghost and Snapdragon! Agatha has always dreamed of the stars. But when a chance encounter introduces her to the Lady of the Hills, Agatha is shocked to learn that a secret magical world lays hidden in the mist-shrouded land next to her village. She finds herself quickly captivated by the Lady, but is the Lady who she appears to be? As Agatha forms a new friendship with a girl in town, she learns that the Lady is far older and more powerful than she could've guessed and that her plans aren't as innocent as they appear. Will Agatha be able to protect the people she loves from the Lady's sinister agenda?

Winston, Sherri, author.
J FICTION WIN
Seventh-grader Sharkita "Kita" embarks on a tumultuous journey to keep her family together while handling the consequences of her mother's alcoholism.

Choldenko, Gennifer, 1957- author.
J FICTION CHO
When eleven-year-old Hank's mother does not come home after a week, he and his toddler sister, Boo, seek out the stranger listed as their emergency contact, even though it means social workers, a new school, and having to answer questions about his mom that he has been trying to keep secret.

Khan, Hena, author.
J GN FICTION KHA
Inspired by a true story, new Muslim student Aliya joins an all-girls, hijab-wearing basketball team, and she learns about teamwork and herself.