Great Books for Summer Travel

Last updated: May 22, 2026

Summer travel and great books go together like sun and surf. Whether you have a plane to catch, a long car ride ahead, or a trip to Grandma's, these reads for kids and tweens should help make it a fun journey. Some offer a taste of foreign lands, others a summer crush, and some get into family dynamics. No matter what genre you're looking for, you can find something here your kids will love. We have lots of interesting books to choose from -- and to pack along with the sunscreen. Be sure to check out these lists, too: Travel Movies, Travel TV, Adventure Books, and Books About Families.

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Are We There Yet? Poster Image

BOOK

Are We There Yet?

age 3+

Car trip turns to time travel in highly imaginative story.

Dan Santat Picture Book (2016)

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Camp Rex Poster Image

BOOK

Camp Rex

age 3+

Funny tale of kids and dinosaurs on a camping trip.

Molly Idle Picture Book (2014)

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Goldfish Ghost Poster Image

BOOK

Goldfish Ghost

age 3+

Lonely ghost fish finds a friend in charming seaside tale.

Lemony Snicket Picture Book (2017)

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Summer Is Here book cover: A young Black girl with a natural, braided hairstyle looks up to the sky while blowing bubbles

BOOK

Summer Is Here

age 3+

A celebration of the warmest season and the joy it holds.

Renée Watson Picture Book (2024)

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The Day the Crayons Came Home Poster Image

BOOK

The Day the Crayons Came Home

age 3+

Crayons send postcards, beg to return in hilarious sequel.

Drew Daywalt Picture Book (2015)

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All the Way to Havana Poster Image

BOOK

All the Way to Havana

age 4+

Celebration of Cuban family and ingenuity has gorgeous art.

Margarita Engle Picture Book (2017)

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Hot Dog book cover shows red dachshund with wind blowing his fur at top of stairs leading down to a beach and blue ocean

BOOK

Hot Dog

age 4+

Hot and tired pooch finds relief in cute summertime story.

Doug Salati Picture Book (2022)

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Letters from Felix: A Little Rabbit on a World Tour Poster Image

BOOK

Letters from Felix: A Little Rabbit on a World Tour

age 4+

Stuffed bunny writes home about world adventures.

Annette Langen Picture Book (1994)

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Locomotive Poster Image

BOOK

Locomotive

age 4+

Gorgeous story of train journey is exciting, fact-packed.

Brian Floca Picture Book (2013)

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Lost and Found: Adèle & Simon in China Poster Image

BOOK

Lost and Found: Adèle & Simon in China

age 4+

Lots of fun in exquisitely illustrated China travelogue.

Barbara McClintock Picture Book (2016)

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Our Great Big Backyard Poster Image

BOOK

Our Great Big Backyard

age 4+

National Parks help open girl to nature in cute family tale.

Laura Bush , Jenna Bush Hager Picture Book (2016)

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Pancakes to Parathas: Breakfast Around the World Poster Image

BOOK

Pancakes to Parathas: Breakfast Around the World

age 4+

Lively, info-packed tour of breakfast in 12 countries.

Alice B. McGinty Picture Book (2019)

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Paris-Chien: Adventures of an Expat Dog: Paris-Chien, Book 1 Poster Image

BOOK

Paris-Chien: Adventures of an Expat Dog: Paris-Chien, Book 1

age 4+

Terrier adapts to new Paris home in charming dog tale.

Jackie Clark Mancuso Picture Book (2013)

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The Airport Book Poster Image

BOOK

The Airport Book

age 4+

Fun account of family's travel day tells all about airports.

Lisa Brown Picture Book (2016)

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Vampirina at the Beach Poster Image

BOOK

Vampirina at the Beach

age 4+

Vampire girl frolics at night in fun, zany beach romp.

Anne Marie Pace Picture Book (2017)

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The Princess in Black Takes a Vacation Poster Image

BOOK

The Princess in Black Takes a Vacation

age 5+

Princess tries to get a break in fun, action-packed volume.

Shannon Hale , Dean Hale For Beginning Readers (2016)

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Linnea in Monet's Garden Poster Image

BOOK

Linnea in Monet's Garden

age 6+

Wonderful intro to art and Monet through a kid's eyes.

Christina Bjork , Lena Anderson Arts (2012)

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Road Trip with Max and His Mom Poster Image

BOOK

Road Trip with Max and His Mom

age 6+

Fun road trip sequel explores emotional effects of divorce.

Linda Urban Family Life (2018)

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The Story of Diva and Flea Poster Image

BOOK

The Story of Diva and Flea

age 6+

Beautiful art befits charming friendship story set in Paris.

Mo Willems For Beginning Readers (2015)

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The Year of the Fortune Cookie: Anna Wang, Book 3 Poster Image

BOOK

The Year of the Fortune Cookie: Anna Wang, Book 3

age 6+

Thought-provoking story of tween girl's trip to China.

Andrea Cheng Contemporary Fiction (2014)

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