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2025 Summer Reading Suggestions from the TSC Library: Incoming Kindergarten

Summer Reading Suggestions for Incoming Kindergarteners

Welcome Incoming Kindergarten Readers and Families!

Explore the TSC Library To Go site to find even more summer resources for reading and learning. Happy reading!

* = Look for more books in the series

School Stories

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Books to Support Conversations Around Social Justice, Anti-Racism, and Empathy

WHAT IS LOVE? By Mac Barnett

LIKE By Annie Barrows

NOT NORMAN By Kelly Bennett

RON'S BIG MISSION By Rose Blue and Corrine Nadon​

THE GOLDEN RULE By Ilene Cooper undefined

WE MARCH By Shane W. Evans

EYES THAT KISS IN THE CORNERS By Joanna Ho

WE REALLY DO CARE By Tami Lewis Brown & Tania de Regil

EXCLAMATION MARK By Amy Krouse Rosenthal

JULIÁN IS A MERMAID By Jessica Love

WHERE ARE YOU FROM By Yamile Saied Méndez

A IS FOR ACTIVIST By Innosanto Nagara

LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET By Matt de la Peña 

ALL ARE WELCOME By Alexandra Penfold

HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD IN 12 EASY STEPS By Peggy Porter Tierney

THE DAY YOU BEGIN By Jacqueline Woodson

Books to Read Together

STARLA JEAN: WHICH CAME FIRST: THE CHICKEN OR THE FRIENDSHIP? By Elana K. Arnold

ANNA HIBISCUSBy Atinkuke

THE PAIN AND THE GREAT ONEBy Atinkuke

JENNY AND THE CAT CLUBBy Esther Everill​

THE STORIES HUEY TELLSBy Ann Cameron

FANTASTIC MR. FOX By Roald Dahl

MY FATHER'S DRAGONBy Ruth Gannett

TOYS GO OUT* By Emily Jenkins

PIPPI LONGSTOCKING* By Astrid Lindgren

THE LITTLES* By John Peterson

THE BIG BIG BIG BOOK OF TASHI* By Anna & Barbara Fienberg

JASMINE TOGUCHI: DRUMMER GIRL By Debbi Michiko Florence

CATWINGSBy Ursula Le Guin

STUART GOES TO SCHOOL* By Sara Pennypacker

LIKE PICKLE JUICE ON A COOKIE* By Julie Sternberg 

THE LIGHTHOUSE FAMILY: THE STORM* By Cynthia Rylant

THE PIZZA MONSTERBy Marjorie Wienman Sharmat

THE CHOCOLATE TOUCH By Patrick Skene Catling

MIA MAYHEM IS A SUPERHEROBy Kara West       

                   

Non-fiction

PLANTING A GARDEN IN ROOM 6 By Caroline Arnold

MAE AMONG THE STARS By Roda Ahmedundefined

A NEST IS NOISYBy Dianna Hutts Aston

TRUE OR FALSE: PLANETSBy Melvin and Gilda Berger

TITO PUENTE: MAMBO KING/REY DEL MAMBO By Monica Brown 

THE GOOD SONG By Alexandria Giardino

HOW A HOUSE IS BUILT By Gail Gibbons

NOT A BUZZ TO BE FOUND: INSECTS IN WINTER By Linda Glaser

THE ALPHABET FROM THE SKY By Benedikt Grob

THE OLDEST STUDENT: HOW MARY WALKER LEARNED TO READ By Rita Lorriane Hubbard

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A TAIL LIKE THIS? By Steve Jenkins and Robin Page 

MY FIRST BOOK OF SPANISH WORDS By Katy R. Kudela

POEMS OUT LOUD! Edited by Ladybird Press

BABY SEALSBy Christina Leaf

ME . . . JANE By Patrick McDonnell 

UP IN THE GARDEN AND DOWN IN THE DIRTBy Kate Messner

PANDA KINDERGARTEN  By Joanne Ryder

WHAT'S COOKING By Joshua David Stein

EYEWONDER: DINOSAURSBy Sarah Walker

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Dive In: Books About Swimming and Water

New and Notable


Picture Books

COME OUT AND PLAY By Maya Ajmera

HOW TO READ A BOOK By Kwame Alexander

SMILE, SOPHIA By Skylaar Amann

WONDER WALKERS By Micha Archer

LMNOpeasBy Keith Baker

THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL By Drew Beckmeyer

THE MITTEN By Jan Brett

FARMHOUSE By Sophie Blackall

ME AND MAMA By Cozbi A. Cabrera

MAMA PANYA'S PANCAKES By Mary and Rich Chamberlin

JABARI JUMPS By Gaia Cornwall

WILL I HAVE A FRIEND By Miriam Cohen  

BUBBLES . . . UP! By Jacqueline Davies 

LIBBY LOVES SCIENCE By Kimberly Derting and Shilli R. Johannes 

undefinedLA GUITARRISTA By Lucky Diaz

A HAT FOR MRS. GOLDMAN By Michelle Edwards

TOO EARLY By Nora Ericson

STOP AND SMELL THE COOKIES By Gibson Fraizer

ALPHABET CITY By Stephen T. Johnson 

DIM SUM FOR EVERYONE By Grace Lin

FRY BREAD By Kevin Noble Maillard

SATURDAY By Oge Mora

TIME IS A FLOWER By Julie Morstad

MY PEN By Christopher Myers

ANOTHER By Christian Robinson

FISH AND WAVE By Sergio Ruzzier

HOT DOG By Doug Salati

THE BLUR By Dan Santat

RABBIT'S GIFT By George Shannon

BIG TRUCK, LITTLE ISLAND By Chris Van Dusen

GREEN ON GREEN By Dianne White

WHEN YOU CAN SWIM By Jack Wong

GRANDAD'S CAMPER By Harry Woodgate

Beginning To Read Books

DON'T THROW IT TO MO! By David A. Adler

JACK GETS ZAPPED!* By Mac Barnett

BOO'S DINOSAURBy Betsy Byars

YASMIN THE BUILDER* By Saadia Faruqi

A NEW CAR FOR PICKLE By Slyvie Kantrovitz

TY’S TRAVELS: BEACH DAY!* By Kelly Starling Lyons

BALONEY AND FRIENDS: DREAM BIG!* By Greg Pizzoli

FRANKIE AND FRIENDS: BREAKING NEWS* By Christine Platt  

WE LOVE YOU ROSIE By Cynthia Rylant​

SUPERTRUCKBy Stephen Savage

DOG AND BEAR: TWO FRIENDS, THREE STORIESBy Laura Vacarro Seeger

LET'S GO FOR A DRIVE* By Mo Willems

ARE YOU SMALL?* By Mo Willems

COMMANDER TOAD IN SPACEBy Jane Yolen

Summer in the City: NYC Stories

Leo's Choice Award

The Leo's Choice Award is TSC's own prize for the best picture book of the year. Every year students in Kindergarten–Grade 4 compare a few of the best picture books published that year and vote on a winner. The 2025 Winner was DOG VS. STRAW BERRY Written By Nelly Buchet, Illustrated by Andrea Zuill. The three other finalist finalist were HOME IN A LUNCH BOX, TOUCH THE SKY, AND I'M SORRY YOU GOT MAD.

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Enjoy some of these Leo's Choice Winners or Finalists from years past . . .