the fourth of july story by alice dalgliesh read aloud

Robert McCloskey is one of the authors I associate with summer. She is invited a birthday party with the other tiny creatures of the garden and discovers a precious surprise that brings a touching ending to the little adventure. In this magical, lyrical story, a moonbeam touches Lucy’s hat one summer night and makes her as tiny as a leaf. These are the things of children’s dreams, and my kids request this one often. I never tire of reading about these “summerfolk” children who open up a new world of imagination to a little boy who lives by the sea year-round. This is an out of print title, but perhaps my favorite on this list. The sign of a good book, however, is when the big kids start creeping over to see and hear, as they do with these titles.) A few of these are out of print but worth purchasing at a good price, so keep your eyes peeled, and check your local library system! (I usually start reading these to my littler ones.

Here are my favorite summer picture books to read aloud with my children.

But take heart there are still wonderful summer books to read with your children–your librarian just might not know about them. Unfortunately, our modern libraries are filled with far more television twaddle than good, true, and beautiful children’s literature. The elderly librarian handed me a vintage hardback of Betsy’s Busy Summer by Carolyn Haywood–a little treasure in a sweet series of chapter books about Betsy–and I dreamed of lemonade stands for the rest of the summer. My very first trip to the library was the summer after my kindergarten graduation. I have vivid memories of spending long summer mornings at the library picking out piles of books to read.

The fourth of july story by alice dalgliesh read aloud