July is here and that means time for summer reading! Whether it’s family trips to the beach or finding ways to relax on hot summer nights, there’s lots of chances to share a book. Tandem staff collected together some of our favorites. Do you see any of your old standbys in here? Return to an old favorite or try something new for story time with your kids. Click on any of the affiliate links below to buy your copies from Amazon. A portion of the sales made through the affiliate links will go back to Tandem so you can support our mission while getting books for summer reading!

Paola recommends: The Cow That Went Oink

Laura recommends: Yum! ¡Mmmm! ¡Qué rico!

Kelsey recommends: Wallpaper

Kaitlin recommends: Jabari Jumps

Emily recommends: Secret Pizza Party

Des recommends: Groovy Joe: Ice Cream and Dinosaurs

This fun story has lot’s of catchy repetition which makes it easy for children to learn while still introducing some great math concepts like measurement and counting. The story gets very exciting as more and more dinosaurs want to try some of Groovy Joe’s ice cream. Joe learns to share his ice cream but will happen when all the ice cream is gone and the room is filled with hungry dinosaurs? Share this book with your child this summer to find out!

Tania recommends: I Got The Rhythm

This great story follows a young girl on her adventure to discover different rhythms. On the way she encounters a man playing the drums (upside down trash cans), butterflies, a cupcake stand and her friends. Once she meets her friends they proceed to have a dance party at the park. More people join in on the fun and are marching down the park while dancing and creating different rhythms.

Savitha recommends: Twenty Yawns

After an exciting, fun-filled day at the beach, Lucy’s mom drifts off to sleep while reading her a bedtime story. Lucy nods off too but she awakens suddenly. In the quiet moonlight, everything looks scary and mysterious but when she gathers Molasses, her bear, and her menagerie of stuffed animals, Lucy is able to fall asleep, snuggled in with her familiar friends. I love this book for many reasons: the colorful artwork, the lyrical prose, the graceful, wordless portrayal of a bi-racial family, and, of course, the educational Easter egg of twenty yawns sprinkled throughout the text, waiting to be counted. The thing that resonates the most, though, is the way mom falls asleep while reading a bedtime story!

Sara recommends: How will We Get to the Beach/¿Cómo iremos a la playa?

One of my favorite summer books is “How Will we Get to the Beach/¿Cómo iremos a la playa?”by Brigitte Luciani.  Ms. Roxanne goes on a trip to the beach with some very important items, but she has some trouble starting her car. Every time she finds a new method of transportation, she has to leave one item behind. This book is great for vocabulary development in English and Spanish as children love to guess what is missing on each page!

Dwyn recommends: Du Iz Tak?

This creative book has become one of my absolute favorites. Using an entirely made up language, this book tells the story of a group of bugs who see the perfect place to make a little tree house. Every single page has so many things to look! Sounding out the nonsense words the bugs say or imagining how every bug would sound makes it a great opportunity for lots of silly voices.