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?"
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?
