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As summer vacation is fast approaching (some children might already be on summer break from school), children are looking forward to play dates, spending time by the pool, barbecues and many other summer time activities.

Even though kids want to take a break and enjoy the lazy days of summer, it’s important to foster their love for reading during this time too. Some students have mandatory summer reading to do. Other children, especially the younger ones, usually don’t.

Even if your child doesn’t read yet, you can still share with them the joy of reading by reading to them, or reading together as a family. Bedtime is always a great time to read with your child, but you can still read to/with them where ever you are and whatever you are doing this summer.

Here ae a few new books from Crocodile Books, an imprint of Interlink Publishing, publishes high-quality illustrated children’s books from around the world. Titles published under this imprint include quality picture books for preschoolers, as well as fiction and non-fiction books for children ages 3-8.

Love is All We Need

Written and illustrated by Krina Patel-Sage

ISBN: 978-1-62371-692-9

Through six diverse and inclusive families, Love is All We Need shows how love infuses all kinds of activities in our daily lives. This beautiful hardcover picture book is about all the different ways we all show our love and care for each other.

Through six diverse and inclusive families, Krina Patel-Sage shows how love infuses all kinds of activities in our daily lives. Big events, like the coming of a new baby, or special festivals or anniversaries throughout the year; but also small moments, like a warm towel after a bath, or a hug after a fall.

There are acts of friendship, kindness, consideration—all kinds of activities that foster the sense of happiness and comfort that love gives, all portrayed with brightly colored images and a simple rhyming text.

There is also the fun of identifying the children on every spread: Ella, Dylan, Roman, Ali, Sophia, and Adam are named on the front endpapers and appear with their families all through the book, at home, in the street, at school, or in the playground.

I love that this book features such diverse families. Each family shows one another love from the very start of a child’s life, and as they grow up. Love can be shown in so many ways, from belly rubs to notes left in a lunch box, and from encouraging words to holiday celebrations. Love is shown in so many ways.

I appreciate that this book features families that are all different including different religions, skin colors and abilities.

Until You Find the Sun: A Story About Discovering Home Wherever You Go

Written by Maryam Hassan and illustrated by Anna Wilson

ISBN: 978-1-62371-693-6

This is an uplifting story about coping with change and finding your way in a new and unfamiliar place.

Aminah’s life is full of warmth and joy, from days spent in the golden sunshine eating juicy mangoes, to evenings curled up reading adventure stories with her grandfather, Da.

But one day, Aminah is told she’ll be leaving with her parents for their very own adventure, one that will take her away from Da and the sunny comforts of the life she’s known . . .

This is a beautifully illustrated book. The illustrations really bring this story alive.

Aminah is so used to a beautiful, sunny life. So when she moves to a place where it rains and snows, Aminah gets homesick for Da and the bright life she was used to. Then one day Da’s words that spoke of finding her own adventure finally come true.

This is a charming book. I really enjoyed the sweet story.

Spreading My Wings

Written by Nadiya Hussain and illustrated by Ella Bailey

ISBN: 978-1-62371-682-0

A touching story about self-love, being proud of who we are, and celebrating our differences.

I am a boy, and this is Rayf, my bird. Rayf is my friend.

On his first day of summer camp, a little boy arrives with his bird best friend perched proudly on his shoulder, but he soon discovers that he is different from everyone else—no one else has a bird. He hides Rayf away to try and fit in but it’s hard to pretend to be someone else for long.

This book also features charming illustrations.

I know a lot of children worry about being “different,” but in this little boy’s case, he worried for nothing. He also learned that what he assumed as being “different” in a bad way, actually turned out to be a good thing in the long run.

The following two books I have not received to review (they are not released at the time of this posting). I just wanted to include them so readers were aware of them.

The Bedtime Boat

Written by Sital Gorasia Chapman and illustrated by Anastasia Savorova

ISBN: 978-1-62371-678-3

This is a visually stunning, thoughtful and calming bedtime tale, featuring tried-and-tested mindfulness techniques.

Watch the boat, Chandan, it floats on the ocean. It rises and falls with your breath’s gentle motion.

Chandan has had an exciting day out with his mom—but now it’s time for bed, and however hard he tries, he just can’t sleep. Luckily, his mom has some calming mindfulness techniques at her fingertips. The bedtime boat sits on Chandan’s tummy, rising and falling with his breath. As he travels on a voyage of imagination over the seas, the bedtime boat is always there to keep him grounded, and soon gently lulls him into a relaxed and peaceful sleep.

This lyrical rhyming picture book is the perfect way to help restless little ones drift off to sleep.

Somewhere for Little Bear

Written and illustrated by Britta Teckentrup

ISBN: 978-1-62371-683-7

Little Bear lives happily in his cozy cave deep in the woods. He loves picking berries during the day, listening to the birds sing under his favorite tree in the evening, and curling up comfily on his soft leaves to sleep each night. But when Bear wakes up one morning to find his beloved forest ablaze, he must make a quick escape, away from his cozy cave, friendly faces and the comforts he knows. He walks and walks in search of somewhere new to call home, but finds he’s not welcome in the places that look most familiar to him.

Feeling hopeless and alone, Little Bear must journey even further into the unknown. And only in the most unfamiliar of places, does the kindness of new animal friends lead Little Bear to discover the true meaning of home . . .

I linked to all these books in their title (non-affiliate links) if you would like more information.

You can find these books at places like Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other retail locations.