013 2 1 TO THE MOON! A COUNTING BOOKBY STACY MCANULTY,
ILLUS. BY JOEY CHOUBirth–Preschool
Association for Library Service to Children (ALA) · 2026
ALSC Summer Reading 2026
Source-defined summer reading sections for children through Grade 8.
2026 Summer Reading ListsOriginal source
Titles shown93
Audience sectionsBirth–Preschool · Grades K–2 · Grades 3–5 · Grades 6–8
Titles are shown in the same order as their source section. The sequence is not a ranking.
Source section
Birth–Preschool
25 titles · source order
02THE BEDTIME BOOKBY TODD PARRBirth–Preschool
03BIG FAMILY BEACH DAYBY NINA CREWSBirth–Preschool
04BLUEBY SUZANNE KAUFMANBirth–Preschool
05BROKENBY X. FANGBirth–Preschool
06EVERY MONDAY MABELBY JASHAR AWANBirth–Preschool
07FLUSH! FLUSH! FLUSH!BY DOUGLAS FLORIAN,
ILLUS. BY CHRISTIANE ENGELBirth–Preschool
08HOMEBY MATT DE LA PEÑA,
ILLUS. BY LOREN LONGBirth–Preschool
09HOW WE LOVEBY KATI DOUGLAS AND
ASHLEY JEFFERSONBirth–Preschool
10LET’S BE BEESBY SHAWN HARRISBirth–Preschool
11MAISY’S ROCKETBY LUCY COUSINSBirth–Preschool
12MENUDO SUNDAY: A SPANGLISH COUNTING BOOKBY MARÍA DOLORES ÁGUILA,
ILLUS. BY ERIKA MEZABirth–Preschool
13NITA’S FOOD SIGNSBY KATHY MACMILLAN,
ILLUS. BY EKATERINA LADATKOBirth–Preschool
14THE PIGEON WON’T COUNT TO TEN!BY MO WILLEMSBirth–Preschool
15TEN LITTLE DINOSAUR EGGSBY ROGER PRIDDY
ILLUS. BY SAMANTHA MEREDITHBirth–Preschool
16TIGER, DON’T WORRY!BY DAISHU MABirth–Preschool
17TO ACTIVATE SPACE PORTAL, LIFT HEREBY ANTOINETTE PORTISBirth–Preschool
18TODDLER TALK: ALL GONE!ILLUS. BY CAROLINA BÚZIOBirth–Preschool
19YOU DESERVE EVERYTHINGBY STEPH STILWELLBirth–Preschool
20YOUR FORESTBY JON KLASSENBirth–Preschool
21YOU’RE MY LITTLE STARBY ERIC CARLEBirth–Preschool
22ZIP ZAP WICKETY WACK: A STORY ABOUT SHARINGBY MATTHEW DIFFEEBirth–Preschool
23KIDLITTVkidlit.tvBirth–Preschool
24PBS KIDSpbskids.orgBirth–Preschool
25SMALL WONDERS (FOR FAMILIES)gse.harvard.edu/apps/early-literacyBirth–Preschool
Source section
Grades K–2
23 titles · source order
01ANOTHER WORD FOR NEIGHBORBY ANGELA PHAM KRANS,
ILLUS. BY THAI MY PHUONGGrades K–2
02BIG BIKE, LITTLE BIKEBY KELLIE DUBAY GILLIS,
ILLUS. BY JACOB SOUVAGrades K–2
03A BOOK OF MAPS FOR YOUBY LOURDES HEUER,
ILLUS. BY MAXWELL EATON IIIGrades K–2
04CRANKY, CRABBY CROW (SAVES THE WORLD)BY COREY R. TABORGrades K–2
05DON’T TRUST FISHBY NEIL SHARPSON,
ILLUS. BY DAN SANTATGrades K–2
06FIREWORKSBY MATTHEW BURGESS,
ILLUS. BY CÁTIA CHIENGrades K–2
07HENRY’S PICTURE-PERFECT DAYBY JENN BAILEY, ILLUS. BY MIKA SONGGrades K–2
08THE HISTORY OF WEBY NIKKOLAS SMITHGrades K–2
09HURRICANEBY JASON CHINGrades K–2
10MAMA CARBY LUCY CATCHPOLE,
ILLUS. BY KAREN GEORGEGrades K–2
11MIDNIGHT MOTORBIKEBY MAUREEN SHAY TAJSAR,
ILLUS. BY ISHITA JAINGrades K–2
12NANI AND THE LIONBY ALICIA D. WILLIAMS,
ILLUS. BY ANNA CUNHAGrades K–2
13ORRIS AND TIMBLE: STAR STORIESBY KATE DICAMILLO,
ILLUS. BY CARMEN MOKGrades K–2
14OVER AND UNDER THE CORAL REEFBY KATE MESSNER,
ILLUS. BY CHRISTOPHER SILAS NEALGrades K–2
15RUMPELSTILTSKINBY MAC BARNETT,
ILLUS. BY CARSON ELLISGrades K–2
16SAFE CROSSINGBY KARI PERCIVALGrades K–2
17THREAD BY THREADBY ALICE BRIÈRE-HAQUET,
ILLUS. BY MICHELA ECCLIGrades K–2
18TO SEE AN OWLBY MATTHEW CORDELLGrades K–2
19WELCOME TO OUR PLAYGROUND: A CELEBRATION OF GAMES CHILDREN PLAY EVERYWHEREBY MOIRA BUTTERFIELD,
ILLUS. BY HARRIET LYNASGrades K–2
20WORDS WITH WINGS AND MAGIC THINGSBY MATTHEW BURGESS,
ILLUS. BY DOUG SALATIGrades K–2
21HIGHLIGHTS KIDShighlightskids.comGrades K–2
22PBS KIDSpbskids.orgGrades K–2
23READING RAINBOWreadingrainbow.org/watchGrades K–2
Source section
Grades 3–5
23 titles · source order
013 WEEKS IN THE RAINFOREST: A RAPID INVENTORY IN THE AMAZONBY JENNIFER SWANSONGrades 3–5
02AKEEM KEEPS BEES! A CLOSE-UP LOOK AT THE HONEY MAKERS AND POLLINATORS OF SANKOFA FARMSBY KAMAL E. BELL AND AKEEM BELL,
ILLUS. BY DARNELL JOHNSONGrades 3–5
03BAD BADGER: A LOVE STORYBY MARYROSE WOOD,
ILLUS. BY GIULIA GHIGINIGrades 3–5
04THE BLACK MAMBAS: THE WORLD’S FIRST ALL-WOMAN ANTI-POACHING UNITBY KELLY CRULLGrades 3–5
05BUSTEDBY DAN GEMEINHARTGrades 3–5
06CASEY’S CASES: THE MYSTERIOUS NEW GIRLBY KAY HEALYGrades 3–5
07CHICKENPOXBY REMY LAIGrades 3–5
08DREAM ONBY SHANNON HALE,
ILLUS. BY MARCELA CESPEDESGrades 3–5
10THE FIVE WOLVESBY PETER MCCARTYGrades 3–5
11GABBY TORRES GETS A BILLION FOLLOWERSBY ANGELA DOMINGUEZGrades 3–5
12A HERO’S GUIDE TO SUMMER VACATIONBY PABLO CARTAYAGrades 3–5
13I’M A DUMBO OCTOPUS! A GRAPHIC GUIDE TO CEPHALOPODSBY ANNE LAMBELETGrades 3–5
14JOURNEY OF THE HUMPBACKSBY JULIANA MUÑOZ TORO,
ILLUS. BY DIPACHOGrades 3–5
15JUST IN CASE: SAVING SEEDS IN THE SVALBARD GLOBAL SEED VAULTBY MEGAN CLENDENAN,
ILLUS. BY BRITTANY CICCHESEGrades 3–5
16OASISBY GUOJINGGrades 3–5
17OCTOPUS MOONBY BOBBIE PYRONGrades 3–5
18A SEA OF LEMON TREES: THE CORRIDO OF ROBERTO ALVAREZBY MARÍA DOLORES ÁGUILAGrades 3–5
19SECRETS OF THE SNAKESTONEBY PIU DASGUPTAGrades 3–5
20XOLOBY DONNA BARBA HIGUERA,
ILLUS. BY MARIANA RUIZ JOHNSONGrades 3–5
21GREEKING OUTnationalgeographic.com/podcasts/greeking-outGrades 3–5
22NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDSkids.nationalgeographic.comGrades 3–5
23WOW IN THE WORLDtinkercast.com/wow-in-the-worldGrades 3–5
Source section
Grades 6–8
22 titles · source order
02THE ATLAS OBSCURA EXPLORER’S GUIDE TO INVENTING THE WORLDBY DYLAN THURAS AND JENNIFER SWANSON, ILLUS. BY RUBY FRESSONGrades 6–8
03BLOOD IN THE WATERBY TIFFANY D. JACKSONGrades 6–8
04A DANGEROUS IDEA: THE SCOPES TRIAL, THE ORIGINAL FIGHT OVER SCIENCE IN SCHOOLSBY DEBBIE LEVYGrades 6–8
05THE FORGOTTEN SUMMER OF SENECABY CAMRYN GARRETTGrades 6–8
06HOW TO SAY GOODBYE IN CUBANBY DANIEL MIYARESGrades 6–8
07THE MOON WITHOUT STARSBY CHANEL MILLERGrades 6–8
08THE NEW GIRLBY CASSANDRA CALINGrades 6–8
09RIALTOBY KATE MILFORDGrades 6–8
10SCARLET MORNINGBY ND STEVENSONGrades 6–8
11A SONG FOR YOU AND IBY K. O’NEILLGrades 6–8
12SPEAK UP, SANTIAGO!BY JULIO ANTA, ILLUS. BY GABI MENDEZGrades 6–8
13THE TEACHER OF NOMAD LAND: A WORLD WAR II STORYBY DANIEL NAYERIGrades 6–8
14THE TROUBLE WITH HEROESBY KATE MESSNERGrades 6–8
15THE UNDEAD FOX OF DEADWOOD FORESTBY AUBREY HARTMANGrades 6–8
17WHALE EYES: A MEMOIR ABOUT SEEING AND BEING SEENBY JAMES ROBINSON,
ILLUS. BY BRIAN REAGrades 6–8
18WINNIE NASH IS NOT YOUR SUNSHINEBY NICOLE MELLEBYGrades 6–8
19A WORLD WITHOUT SUMMER: A VOLCANO ERUPTS, A CREATURE AWAKENS, AND THE SUN GOES OUTBY NICHOLAS DAY,
ILLUS. BY YAS IMAMURAGrades 6–8
20A WORLD WORTH SAVINGBY KYLE LUKOFFGrades 6–8
21KIDSTHINKDESIGN: A KIDS DESIGN COLLABORATIVE PROJECTkidsthinkdesign.orgGrades 6–8
22TEDED VIDEOSed.ted.comGrades 6–8