Book picks similar to
Summer Color! by Diana Murray


picture-books
colors
summer
storytime

Little Boo


Stephen Wunderli - 2014
    But he doesn't scare anyone . . . not the snowflakes in winter, not the bees in spring, not even the watering can!The wind tells him to be patient—he'll be scary soon enough. But waiting is hard. Will the little seed ever be really, truly scary?This simple story is more than a fun Halloween read—it is a heartwarming tale perfect for any child who can't wait to grow up.

Happy Springtime!


Kate McMullan - 2021
    From earmuffed crossing guards to sweater wearing dogs, from painters of flowers to planters of seeds, Happy Springtime! celebrates the burst of life following the thaw of winter.Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honoree Kate McMullan's jubilant love-letter to this exciting time of year is the perfect book to bring in the season of birth and renewal, especially when accompanied by the riotous watercolor illustrations of Sujean Rim.

What If...


Samantha Berger - 2018
    This girl is determined to express herself! If she can't draw her dreams, she'll sculpt or build, carve or collage. If she can't do that, she'll turn her world into a canvas. And if everything around her is taken away, she'll sing, dance, and dream... Stunning mixed media illustrations, lyrical text, and a breathtaking gatefold conjure powerful magic in this heartfelt affirmation of art, imagination, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Bringing the Outside In


Mary McKenna Siddals - 2016
    . . .”  Nothing takes the place of splashing in a puddle or jumping into a pile of autumn leaves. Along with the mud and sand that gets tracked indoors come memories that live forever! Mary McKenna Siddals has written a joyous anthem that encourages children to play in the dirt. It will surely resonate with today’s overscheduled as well as sedentary kids, and their parents.

Grace and Box


Kim Howard - 2021
    Box delivered a refrigerator earlier in the week and by the end of it, Grace and Box had already been to space, gone camping, and explored the depths of the sea together.But on Sunday, Grace notices something's wrong with her buddy. Box has some rips and crumples that Band-Aids, ice packs, and rest on the couch can't seem to heal. Grace certainly doesn't want these adventures to end, so she is determined to fix Box so that they can continue their play together!A universal friendship (child and box) has come alive in this imaginative and humorous picture book. The depths of friendships run deep with children, even if they're just boxes to us!

Mouse Paint


Ellen Stoll Walsh - 1989
    One day three white mice discover three jars of paint--red, blue, and yellow. But what happens when they splash in the colors, mixing the red and blue? Or dance in the blue and yellow? This playful introduction to colors will appeal to any budding artist or curious preschooler.

Water Can Be...


Laura Purdie Salas - 2014
    Water can be a Thirst quencher Kid drencher Cloud fluffer Fire snuffer Find out about the many roles water plays in this poetic exploration of water throughout the year.

Come On, Rain!


Karen Hesse - 1999
    Lyrically written and lovingly illustrated." - School Library Journal "Hesse's language is a quiet, elegant surge.... Muth contributes fine watercolor atmospherics." - Kirkus Reviews

Things to Do


Elaine Magliaro - 2017
    There are wonders everywhere. In the sky and on the ground—blooming in a flower bed, dangling from a silken thread, buzzing through the summer air—waiting ...waiting to be found. In this thoughtful and ingenious collection of poems, Elaine Magliaro, an elementary school teacher for more than three decades and a school librarian for three years, and illustrator Catia Chien provide a luminous glimpse of the ordinary wonders all around us.

Hello, Rain!


Kyo Maclear - 2021
    Umbrellas bloom on the streets. There are puddles for jumping and, later, a cozy home for hot chocolate and books.The air is full of waiting. The sky is full of breeze. The trees gust and billow. All before it rains.Rumble, rumble. Distant thunder. Rain is coming, rain is coming.

The Ugly Five


Julia Donaldson - 2017
    

Bats at the Beach


Brian Lies - 2006
    The first of many nighttime adventures with the award-winning Bat Book series. Quick, call out! Tell all you can reach: the night is just perfect for bats at the beach! So pack your buckets, banjos, and blankets—don’t forget the moon-tan lotion—and wing with this bunch of fuzzy bats to where foamy sea and soft sand meet. Brian Lies’s enchanting art and cheery beachside verse will inspire bedtime imaginations again and again. Come visit a bedazzling world of moonlight, firelight, and . . . bats! Check out brianlies.com for more escapades with these zany bats.

Swatch: The Girl Who Loved Color


Julia Denos - 2016
    Her name was Swatch, and color was her passion. From brave green to in-between gray to rumble-tumble pink . . . Swatch wanted to collect them all. But colors don’t always like to be tamed. . . .This is an exuberant celebration of all the beauty and color that make up our lives.

You Are a Beautiful Beginning


Nina Laden - 2020
    Inspired by this timeless adage, You Are a Beautiful Beginning combines lyrical storytelling and lovely art, blossoming into a celebration of self-love, friendship, and community. With beautiful simplicity and hidden depth, this meditative and magical picture book encourages readers old and young to discover their own endless potential. Kelsey Garrity-Riley's inviting, gently magical art pairs beautifully with a lyrical, deceptively simple text by Nina Laden to create a picture book that is equal parts inspirational story and peaceful lullaby.It is not wishing to be different. It is learning to love being you. It is not the end of your story. It is a beautiful beginning, too.This is another uplifting and original book from bestseller Nina Laden, the creator of Peek-A-Who and the author of If I Had a Little Dream and Yellow Kayak.

Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain: A Nandi Tale


Verna Aardema - 1981
    A cumulative rhyme relating how Ki-pat brought rain to the drought-stricken Kapiti Plain. Verna Aardema has brought the original story closer to the English nursery rhyme by putting in a cumulative refrain and giving the tale the rhythm of “The House That Jack Built.”