Summer Reading List for Children Entering First Grade

After children leave kindergarten, parents should consider giving them a summer reading list for the summer. There are a number of excellent books for students entering first grade to choose from.

Even though the weather's warm and it's tempting to spend the summer at the beach, it's important that emerging readers practice their literacy skills over the summer. These books can not only help children keep their reading skills in tip-top shape but also provide a great way to spend time together as a family.

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"Henry and Mudge," series (by Cynthia Rylant)

Henry & Mudge and the Great Grandpas — Google Images/simonandschuster.com

Henry is a boy and Mudge is a dog with a love of crackers and a tremendous loyalty to his fun-loving owner. The 25 books in the "Henry and Mudge" series will amuse your child and allow her to learn small life lessons right alongside the giant dog and his boy. Each book typically contains three chapters which, much like the "Frog and Toad" books, are standalone stories.

The 100th Day of School (Hello Reader!, Level 2) — Courtesy of Amazon

Scholastic has done a wonderful job of putting together an inexpensive series of readers in a number of different levels. Children entering first grade will usually do best with the first three levels.

These work their way up from one word per page to short sentences using a number of familiar sight words. The readers vary in topic from non-fiction to silly stories and rhymes to basic stories about animals and children.

First Grade, Here I Come! — Courtesy of Amazon

Henry the mouse is uncertain about the first grade at first. However, as he tells his mother about his first day, he realizes that for every bad thing that happened, there was something good as well.

With easy to read print and text full of common sight words, this book should ease your child's mind about the first grade. It can also give her the opportunity to show off her reading skills at their best.

Chrysanthemum loves her name, but the other children make fun of her. The dilemma this book poses is a one all first-graders need to figure out: How can you be yourself when the kids around you don't always appreciate it?

If your child likes this book, it's time to move on to other Kevin Henkes books. You will find "Owen," "Wemberly Worried," and the series of stories about Lilly (and her purple plastic purse) to be just as fun.

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (If You Give...) — Courtesy of Amazon

This beautifully illustrated, predictable textbook is just the first in a whole series of "If you..." books. Other titles include "If You Give a Moose a Muffin," "If You Take a Mouse to School," and "If You Give a Cat a Cupcake."

Each book explores a circular theme that keeps your child guessing. What happens if you give a mouse a cookie? What will he want next, and how will it lead back to wanting a cookie? Your child will have a lot of fun trying to figure out how the animals in these books will work back to the original item they were given.

The "Frog and Toad" books are classics that have appealed to children for generations. The books about this lovable and goofy pair are split into chapters, each one containing a complete story. This makes it easy to read a little about their antics and put the book down for later.

A perfect book to accompany those summertime walks. In this book, a little girl and her father go for a walk together and discover the amazing sounds that the world around them makes. "We're going on a listening walk. Shhhhh. Do not talk. Do not hurry..."

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