Please welcome my guest author, Charlotte Offsay, with her list of 8 Summer-Themed Picture Books. Summer will be here before you know it, especially where I live on the East Coast, where we go from Spring to Summer in about 9 seconds.
We are giving away a copy of The Quiet Ocean. To enter, please leave a comment.
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Summer is one of my favorite times of year. I love the sunshine, trips to the beach, and spending time with family outdoors. The Quiet Ocean is the second book in The Quiet Series and was inspired by a particularly noisy, fun-filled beach day spent with my family on Coronado Island in San Diego. I am sharing The Quiet Ocean along with some of my favorite summer-themed picture books to read and enjoy with the littles in your lives as we move out of the colder months and into the ones hopefully filled with ocean animals, camping, kite flying, forest exploration, and more!
8 Summer-Themed Picture Books
The Quiet Ocean by Charlotte Offsay, illustrated by Abi Cushman
“Deep beneath the waves, a pufferfish putters alone. A playful puffer in a quiet, nothing-much-happening ocean. Until…” one playful pop! creates a very loud day beneath the waves. Can the sea creatures find a way to restore quiet in their underwater home? Filled with fun, this cumulative read-aloud has everything from a bike-riding dolphin to a cake-baking whale in this picture book companion to The Quiet Forest. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
Camping Is a Terrible Idea by Kirsten Pendreigh, illustrated by Tiffany Everett
Cammie prefers her routine and is not at all happy when her Dad announces a surprise family camping trip. But even though some of her worries do happen, she finds that the quiet rhythms of nature and the joy she finds from being there make it all worth it. This is a wonderful book for encouraging reluctant campers to step outside their comfort zones. [picture book, ages 5 and up]
Hattie, The Happy Little Camper by Danielle Davison, illustrated by Alyssa Russell
Hattie is a little camper, and this sweet story is told from her perspective. We see her and her family year after year creating magical summer memories together. Eventually, things change – her family no longer has time for her, and Hattie is forced to find a new purpose. I love that this warm story shows there are many ways to create new traditions and shift old ones. [picture book, ages 5 and up]
Serafina Makes Waves by Matthew Burgess, illustrated by Robin Rosenthal
If you have a little one who is somewhat reluctant to step into the water this summer, she or he may just relate to Serafina, who wants nothing to do with it. When she has to take swimming lessons, an unexpected turn of events leads to her choosing to leap into the water and discovering that she actually enjoys it! This humorous book gently encourages trying something new before counting it out completely. [picture book, ages 3 and up]
Wonder in the Garden by Talia Aikens-Nuñez, illustrated by Irena Freitas
A young girl and her dog enjoy a day in the garden – running through the growth, playing, spending time with family, and eating outdoors. This sweet story is sprinkled with Spanish vocabulary and shows the simple joys that come from spending time outside your front door this summer! [picture book, ages 3 and up]
Forest en Familia / El Bosque en Familia by Cynthia Harmony, illustrated by Renata Galindo
A family heads out into the forest to spend the day connecting with nature. The book gently reminds readers that forests are shared spaces and even provides information on how to enjoy them while leaving no footprint behind. The book has text both in English and Spanish throughout. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
A Year of Kites: Traditions Around the World by Monisha Bajaj, illustrated by Amber Ren
Growing up, I flew kites most summers. This book details how they have been flown for almost 3,000 years by people all over the world! It shares the stories and traditions behind why and when they have been flown and shares the differences and similarities, and how this simple summertime tradition connects us through time and place. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
Wonder World: Earth: The Natural Science of Soil by Ben Lerwill, illustrated by Xuan Le
I love how this book shows kids the wonders hiding right beneath their feet. The book details the tiny creatures that live within soil and the plants that grow from it. It is sure to encourage kids to get outside and see for themselves the magic and importance of this essential natural resource. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
The Quiet Ocean GIVEAWAY!
We are giving away a copy of The Quiet Ocean. To enter, please leave a comment. We can only ship to U.S. and A.F.O. addresses.
Charlotte Offsay was born in England, grew up in Boston, and currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children. She is an active bookstagrammer and SCBWI and Inked Voices member.
Charlotte is the author of Matzah Day, illustrated by Jason Kirschner (Holiday House, 2025), Eight Sweet Nights, A Festival of Lights, illustrated by Menahem Halberstadt (Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2024), The Quiet Forest, illustrated by Abi Cushman (SSBFYR/Paula Wiseman Books, 2024), Challah Day, illustrated by Jason Kirschner (Holiday House, 2023), A Grandma’s Magic, illustrated by Asa Gilland (Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2022), The Big Beach Cleanup, illustrated by Kate Rewse (Albert Whitman, 2021), and How to Return a Monster, illustrated by Rea Zhai (Beaming Books, 2021).
Learn more about Charlotte’s work at charlotteoffsay.com and follow her on Instagram at @picturebookrecommendations. Charlotte is represented by Nicole Geiger at Full Circle Literary.
p.s. Related posts:
27 Wonderful Books for Kids Celebrating Summer (ages 2-12)
11 Picture Books About the Beach
The Traveling Taco on Reading Rockets’ Summer Reading Guide 2025!
Summer Learning Resources and Book Lists for July
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Love finding these great books. I have a neice and nephew that love to read, and I know these are always great choices for them!
The Quiet Ocean looks like an amazing book. I can’t wait to share it with my students.