The Ultimate Summer Reading Book List for Ages 3 to 5

Help your child grow into a happy reader with these vocabulary-boosting books.

Jul 25, 2023

Ages

3-5

The Ultimate Summer Reading Book List for Ages 3 to 5

Jul 25, 2023

Summer is a time to soak up the sun and splash around in the pool, but it’s also the perfect opportunity for kids to develop their reading skills for the year ahead. In your child’s case, that might involve preparing for a big milestone like beginning preschool or kindergarten.

Reading books out loud together is a fantastic family activity, even if your child can’t read books by themselves yet. The 7th edition of the Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report found that more than 80 percent of kids and parents say they love or like read-aloud time a lot. 

One of the best ways to keep kids reading all summer long is by introducing them to a variety of books, like picture books and activity books! Reading practice and skill-building will help your kid create a strong foundation in reading, which will help them become more confident in the classroom. 

Start with the upbeat Princess Truly series — an empowering picture book that introduces young readers to sight words and important social-emotional topics like confidence. The newest book in the series, Princess Truly #7: I Am Curious teaches kids to embrace and celebrate their curiosity and explore the world around them!

For kids graduating to early chapter books, The Adventure Friends and Owl Diaries series are perfect for sharpening their reading, vocabulary, and reading comprehension skills while engaging their imaginations. 

To keep your kids learning over the summer, try Summer Express (Between Grades PreK & K): a colorful, fun-filled activity book that targets handwriting, alphabet, number recognition, reading, phonics, and more skills!

Shop our editors' top summer book picks for ages 3 to 5 below! You can find all books and activities at The Scholastic Store

For more summer learning materials, check out the best summer activity books for kids. See more expert tips and book recommendations with our summer reading guide — it's full of book lists to keep kids reading, including a 1st grade summer reading list to get your kindergartener ready for the year ahead. 

PAPERBACK BOOKS

ACTIVITY BOOKS

For more quick tips and book recommendations, sign up for our Scholastic Parents newsletter!

You'll also get 10% off your first order at the Scholastic Store Online.

Reading
Book Lists
Book Lists
Age 5
Age 4
Age 3
Read Aloud