Summer Reading List for Language Growth (By Age Group)
Support Your Child’s Speech and Language Skills with These Fun and Enriching Books
Summer is the perfect time to slow down, cuddle up with a good book, and build your child’s speech and language skills without it feeling like work. Whether you’re reading together at bedtime, in a backyard hammock, or during a long road trip, books offer powerful opportunities for vocabulary development, comprehension, and communication.
Here’s a curated list of age-appropriate summer reads—plus tips on how to use each book to boost language at home!
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Toddlers (Ages 1–3)
Simple, repetitive language helps toddlers learn new words and sentence structures.
Top Picks:
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. & Eric Carle
• Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
• Peekaboo Morning by Rachel Isadora
• Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill
Language Tips:
• Pause to let your child fill in a word or sound.
• Label and describe pictures (e.g., “Look! A big red apple!”).
• Make animal sounds and ask them to imitate.
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Preschoolers (Ages 3–5)
Preschoolers love silly stories, rhymes, and books with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Top Picks:
• Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
• Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney
• There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Lucille Colandro
Language Tips:
• Ask “wh-” questions (What did he eat next? Why is she sad?).
• Work on sequencing: “What happened first?”
• Act it out or retell the story together using toys.
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Early Elementary (Ages 5–7)
Kids at this stage are developing stronger storytelling and conversation skills.
Top Picks:
• The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
• If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff
• Those Darn Squirrels! by Adam Rubin
• Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin
Language Tips:
• Discuss cause and effect: “What happens if…?”
• Explore new vocabulary: pick a new word and draw it or act it out.
• Encourage your child to make up an alternate ending.
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Older Elementary (Ages 8–10)
This age group is ready for more complex plots and character development.
Top Picks:
• Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
• The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
• Judy Moody series by Megan McDonald
• Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
Language Tips:
• Predict what will happen next and explain why.
• Have your child summarize the chapter in their own words.
• Talk about how characters are feeling and why.
Bonus: Tips for All Ages
• Follow your child’s lead: Let them choose books that interest them.
• Make it interactive: Use gestures, funny voices, or props.
• Go beyond the book: Relate the story to your child’s life (“Have you ever felt like that?”).
• Repeat favorites: Repetition helps reinforce language structures.
For more ideas on how to connect with your child, especially this summer, check out our socials or
get in touch!
Summer is the perfect time to slow down, cuddle up with a good book, and build your child’s speech and language skills without it feeling like work.