Stuck on a Desert Island with the Best Kids Books Ever

Wondering what your kids should be reading this summer? I’ve enlisted the help of local children’s librarians and bookstores to answer the question, "If you were stuck on a desert island with children of varying ages; without a cell phone, television, radio and computer; and could bring only a few books, what would you choose?"

MEET THE EXPERTS Erin Wilson, Sausalito Library
Lauren Snell, Mill Valley Library
Alicia Bell, Belvedere Tiburon Library
April Hayley, San Anselmo Library
Laura Kennett, Novato Library
Iris Meinolf, Farifax Library
Marilyn Wronsky, Judi Evans & Sarah Butts Corte Madera Library
Clare Doornbos, Children’s Book Buyer, Book Passage
Emily Strempek, Barnes & Noble

So whether they’re reading in a tent by flashlight, in the back seat on a long road trip, in the shade of a favorite tree or in bed after a long day at camp, rest assured you'll have plenty of choices to pull out of the shipwreck and read this summer.

Erin Wilson, Sausalito Library

Baby (board books)

• Freight Train by Donald Crews

• My Friends by Taro Gomi

• My Heart Fills with Happiness by Monique Gray Smith

Picture Books (ages 4-8)

• Bark, George by Jules Feiffer

• In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak

• The Honeybee by Kirsten Hall

• Water Land by Christy Hale

Easy Readers (ages 6-8 who are just beginning to read on their own)

• Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo

• Pest in the Nest by Julian Gough

• The Search for Delicious by Natalie Babbit

Chapter Books (ages 7-10 who are reading independently)

• Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

• Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee

• Listen, Slowly by Thanhha Lai

• Magyk by Angie Sage

• One Dead Spy by Nathan Hale

Middle Grade and Young Adult Novels

• Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

• Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

• The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

Lauren Snell, Mill Valley Library

Baby (board books)

• Love is a Truck by Amy Novesky

  Hippopposites by  Janik Coat

  Feminist Baby by Loryn Brantz

Picture Books (ages 4-8)

• They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel

  Are You Scared Darth Vader by Adam Rex

  Jabari Jumps by Gala Cornwall

Easy Readers (ages 6-8 who are just beginning to read on their own)

• Don’t Throw It to Mo by David Adler

  Fox the Tiger by Corey Tabor

  Duck, Duck, Porcupine by Salina Yoon

Chapter Books (ages 7-10 who are reading independently)

• Meet Yasmin by Saadia Farqui

  Mac Undercover by Mac Barnett

  Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliot

Middle Grade

• Sweep by Jonathan Auxier

  The Ambrose Deception by Emily Ecton

  Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee

Young Adult Novels

• Graceling by Kristen Cashore

  To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han

  After the Shot Drops by Randy Ribay

Alicia Bell, Belvedere Tiburon Library

Baby (board books)

• Tickle My Ears by Jörg Mühle

• A Surprise for Tiny Mouse by Petr Horacek

• In My Nest by Sara Gillingham

Picture Books (ages 4-8)

• Blocks by Irene Dickson

• I Hear a Pickle by Rachel Isadora

• More-Igami by Dori Kleber

Easy Readers (ages 6-8 who are just beginning to read on their own)

• Minnie and Moo Go to the Moon by Denys Cazet

• Cubs in a Tub: Short Vowel Adventures (BraveMouse Readers) by Molly Coxe

• Jo Jo and the Big Mess by Jane O'Connor

Chapter Books (ages 7-10 who are reading independently)

• Bink and Golly by Kate DiCamillo

• Alvin Ho Allergic to Camping Hiking and Other Natural Disasters by Lenore Look

• Tales of Bunjitsu Bunny by John Himmelman

Middle Grade and Young Adult Novels

• Isabel Feeney, Star Reporter by Beth Fantaskey

• The Fantastic Family Whipple by Matthew Ward

• Finn Family Moomintroll by Tove Jansson

April Hayley, San Anselmo Library

Baby (board books)

• My Heart Fills With Happiness by Gray Smith, Monique

• Le Livre Amoureux by Cédric Ramadier

• Say Zoop! By Herve Tullet

Picture Books (ages 4-8)

• Bowwow Powwow/ Bagosenjige-niimi'idim by Child, Brenda J.

• Book Hog by Greg Pizzoli

• Cat Secrets by Czekaj, Jef

Easy Readers (ages 6-8 who are just beginning to read on their own)

• Hearts A Toon Book by Rowe, Thereza

• Days with Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel

• Big Dog--- Little Dog by P.D. Eastman

Chapter Books (ages 7-10 who are reading independently)

• Anna Hibiscus (series) by Atinuke

• Captain Underpants (series) by Dav Pilkey

• Bruno Some of the More Interesting Days in My Life So Far by Valckx, Catharina

Middle Grade

• Ghost by Jason Reynolds

• Betty Before X by Shabazz, Ilyasah

• Mary Poppins (series) by P.L Travers

Young Adult Novels

• The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

• The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

• Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor

Laura Kennett, Children’s Librarian, Novato Library

Baby (board books)
Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? 
My Heart Fills With Happiness by Monique Gray Smith 
Clip-Clop by Nicola Smee

Picture Books (ages 4-8)
Bark, George by Jules Feiffer

Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales

Easy Readers (ages 6-8 who are just beginning to read on their own)

Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same by Grace Lin

Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel

I Love My New Toy!  By Mo Willems 

Chapter Books (ages 7-10 who are reading independently)
Dragons and Marshmallows by Asia Citro 
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo 
Detective Gordon: The First Case by Ulf Nilsson

Middle Grade
Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carols Hernandez 
Finding Langston by Lesa Cline-Ransome 
Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Young Adult Novels

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo 
A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi 
Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Iris Meinolf, Farifax Library

Baby (board books)

• Hooray for Birds by Lucy Cousins

• A Parade of Elephants by Kevin Henkes

• Homemade Love by Bell Hooks

Picture Books (ages 4-8)

• Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love

• Boats on the Bay by Jeanne Walker Harvey

• Want to Play Trucks by Ann Stott

• Fortunately by Remy Charlip

Easy Readers (ages 6-8 who are just beginning to read on their own)

• Mouse Tales by Arnold Lobel

• No Fighting No Biting by Else Holmelund Minarik

• Elephant and Piggie (all of them!) by Mo Willems

Chapter Books (ages 7-10 who are reading independently)

• Meet Yasmin! by Saadia Faruqi

• Barkus by Patricia MacLachlan

• Anna Hibiscus by Anituke

Middle Grade Novels

• Sweep by Jonathan Auxier

• The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

• Inkling by Kenneth Oppel

• Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

• Space Dumplins by Craig Thompson

Marilyn Wronsky, Judi Evans (bold) & Sarah Butts (italic) Corte Madera Library

Baby (board books)

• Little Fur Family by Margaret Wise Brown

• 10 Minutes Till Bedtime by Peggy Rathmann

• The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Don Wood

• Dinosaur Dance! by Sandra Boyton

• How Does Baby Feel? by Karen Katz

• Tickle My Ears by Jörg Mühle

• Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney

• The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton

• Brown Bear Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin

Picture Books (ages 4-8)

• Finding Winnie, The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick

• Adèle & Simon by Barbara McClintock

• A House in the Woods by Inga Moore

• The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet! by Carmen Agra Deedy

• Pug Meets Pig by Sue Lowell Gallion

• Radiant Child, The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe

• Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell

• When Dinosaurs Came With Everything by Elise Broach

• A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Phillip Christian Stead

• Anything by Mac Barnett

Easy Readers (ages 6-8 who are just beginning to read on their own)

• Little Rat Rides by Monika Bang-Campbell

• Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo

• I Really Like Slop! by Mo Willems

• Peeper and Zeep by Adam Gudeon

• We Are Growing! by Laurie Keller

• The Cookie Fiasco by Dan Santat

• Biscuit by Alyssa Satin Capucilli

• Fly Guy by Ted Arnold

• Princess in Black by Shannon Hale

Chapter Books (ages 7-10 who are reading independently)

• The Penderwicks, A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and A Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall

• Chasing Secrets by Gennifer Choldenko

• Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell

• Full of Beans by Jennifer L. Holm

• Compass South by Hope Larson

• Codename Zero by Chris Rylander

• Candymakers by Wendy Mass

• The War that Saved my Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

• Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

• Anything by Kate DiCamillo

Middle Grade and Young Adult Novels

• The Boys in the Boat, Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel Brown

• Going Solo by Roald Dahl

• The Hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz

• Unbored, The Essential Field Guide to Serious Fun by Joshua Glenn

• Flying Lessons & Other Stories by Ellen Oh

• Anything by Steve Sheinkin

• False Prince by Jennifer A Nielsen

• Cinder by Marissa Meyer

• The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

• Anything by Steve Sheinkin

Clare Doornbos, Book Passage

Picture Books (ages 4-8)

• Boats on the Bay by Jeanne Walker Harvey

• The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown by Mac Barnett

• Just Like My Brother by Gianna Marino

Middle Grade and Young Adult Novels

• Endling (Part 2) by Katherine Applegate

• Out of Left Field by Ellen Klages

• Extraordinary Birds by Sandy Stark-McGinnis

• The Moon Within by Aida Salazar

Young Adult Novels

• Little Do We Know by Tamara Ireland Stone

• Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki

Emily Strempek, Barnes & Noble

Baby (board books)

• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr.

• Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson

• Don’t Push the Button by Bill Cotter

Picture Books (ages 4-8)

• What Do People Do All Day? by Richard Scarry

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

• A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon

Easy Readers (ages 6-8 who are just beginning to read on their own))

• Princess in Black by Shannon Hale

• Heidi Hecklebeck by Wanda Coven

• Mercy Watson by Kate DiCamillo

Chapter Books (ages 7-10 who are reading independently)

• Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows & Sophie Blackall

• Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar

• Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osbourne

Middle Grade and Young Adult Novels

• Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

• Matilda by Roald Dahl

• The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

Did your favorites make the list?