Best Books for Kids This Summer

The Princess in Black by Shannon and Dean Hale

Princess Magnolia is having hot chocolate and scones with Duchess Wigtower when - Brring! Brring! The monster alarm! A big blue monster is threatening the goats! Stopping monsters is no job for dainty Princess Magnolia. But luckily Princess Magnolia has a secret - she’s also the Princess in Black, and stopping monsters is the perfect job for her! Can the princess sneak away, transform into her alter ego, and defeat the monster before the nosy duchess discovers her secret? From award-winning writing team of Shannon and Dean Hale and illustrator LeUyen Pham, here is the first in a humorous and action-packed chapter book series for young readers who like their princesses not only prim and perfect, but also dressed in black.

This title is perfect for readers ranging from kindergarten to third grade.

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein's masterful collection of poems and drawings is at once outrageously funny and profound. Come in...for where the sidewalk ends, Shel Silverstein's world begins. You'll meet a boy who turns into a TV set, and a girl who eats a whale. The Unicorn and the Bloath live there, and so does Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who will not take the garbage out. It is a place where you wash your shadow and plant diamond gardens, a place where shoes fly, sisters are auctioned off, and crocodiles go to the dentist.

Silverstein's title is a classic and recently celebrated 40 years of print in 2014. This timeless classic will be passed down from generation to generation.

The Ramona Collection by Beverly Cleary

If you're looking for books for a pre-teen girl, then look no further than the Ramona collection. The adventures of Beezus and Romona will keep your girls occupied for hours and hours. There are several volumes available.

Kids everywhere feel connected to Ramona's unique way of looking at the world as she tries to adjust to new teachers, feels jealous about Susan's curls, and is secretly pleased by Yard Ape's teasing. The scrapes she gets herself into - like wearing pajamas to school or accidentally making egg yolk shampoo - are funny and heartwarming, and sometimes embarrassing. No matter what - Ramona's lively, curious spirit shines through.