Your little one has mastered first grade and he or she is reading well on their own. Help them stay on top of their reading skills this summer with these books for incoming 2nd graders.

A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead
A friendly zookeeper visits his good friends: the elephant, the tortoise, the penguin, the rhinoceros, and the owl each and every day. But when the zookeeper gets a cold, who visits him? This playful tale is full of friendship, dedication, sneezes, and beautiful illustrations. Your child will definitely be asking to read this one to you.

Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel
In this riotous story, a cat goes berserk when her favorite foods are all gone. She’s left with gross vegetables and outrageously Awful herbs that make her Bite Grandma, Claw the curtains, Damage the dishes, and so on through Z. But when tastier assortments of anchovies and buffalo burritos show up, Bad Kitty realizes how mean she was to Grandma. The question is, does she apologize for how she behaved when she was hangry?

Corduroy by Don Freeman
Ever thought about what it would feel like to be locked in a department store overnight? It might be scary for a little boy or girl, but for Corduroy, a stuffed Teddy Bear, different adventures arise. Once the shoppers have gone home for the night, Corduroy seizes the opportunity to search for his lost button. Does Corduroy find his button and his forever home?

The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry
In this visually stimulating picture book, Lynne Cherry introducers her readers to exotic animals and the great kapok tree. As the animals visit a sleeping man in the forest, Cherry teaches the importance of trees and how “all living things depend on one another.” This award-winning book is bound to keep your child engaged.

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
A classic. Shel Silverstein’s power to convey love, unexpected friendship, and the gift of giving is touched with a bit of sadness and abound with consolation. This is not a story that your child will read just once.

Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy by David Soman and Jacky Davis
Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy secretly teaches children the importance of compromise. When Lulu and Sam cannot agree upon a playground activity, they decide to invent a whole new game and have tons of fun imagining together.

Art Dog by Thacher Hurd
When someone steals the Mona Woofa from the Dogopolis Museum of Art, Arthur Dog puts on his secret identity to catch the robbers. But only with immense amounts of creativity will Art Dog put the right thieves in doggy jail.

Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown
Not all flat characters are boring. Flat Stanley wakes up one morning to find himself only half an inch thick after being squished by a bulletin board. But that’s okay with him because now he can get into tight spaces. Follow Flat Stanley on his dynamic adventures!

Magic Bone by Nancy E. Krulik
When Sparky is sent to the backyard for breaking a toy, he does what dogs do best — he digs. While digging, he finds a magic bone. When he clutches the bone between his teeth, Sparky is transported to London where he makes new friends, sees incredible sights, and maybe gets into a bit of trouble. But how in the world is he going to get back home?

Library Mouse by Daniel Kirk
A timid mouse who lives in the library decides to write and illustrate his own tales. Once he’s finished, he put his self-published books on the shelves. The children who visit the library love the mouse’s tales and beg to meet the author. Will the library mouse finally reveal himself to his fans?

Even though your child can read these lovely stories on their own, we think that all of these books are great for adults, too! Be sure to have some shared reading time this summer.