We are gearing up for summer here at Lu and Bean Read. Yesterday, we shared our exciting new Summer Book Hunts that will keep your kids searching for (and reading, of course!) new books all summer long.

Today we get to share the exciting news that we collaborated with our pal Samantha Munoz from Addison Reads to create a series of Summer Book Boxes.

This post contains affiliate links, which means that Lu and Bean Read may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) on products purchased through external vendors.

The Summer Book Boxes are Samantha’s brainchild. She curated themed summer reading packs for kids reading at all levels. Different packs are available for kids aged 0–3, 4–6, and 7–12. Simply choose the pack that is right for your child and start creating memories while fostering your little one’s love of books.

The most exciting news (for us)? Samantha invited us to help curate the “big kids” box for readers of middle grade material.

The most exciting news (for you)? Use the code LUANDBEAN to get 10 percent off your purchase over at Addisonreads.com!

The Summer Book Box theme this year is…Animals! We can’t wait for you to dig in to these books, so we decided to round up a few of our other favorite animal-themed books. (Don’t worry—none of these books are in the Summer Book Boxes. We wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise!)

Get excited for the surprises in the Summer Book Boxes with these other animal books

For ages 0-3

Hippos Go Berserk! by Sandra Boynton

Hippos Go Berserk! was one of the very first books that landed on the girls’ bookshelves. I received it as a baby shower gift. Now we’ve read it so many times that the binding is broken. But unlike many of our board books, this one still isn’t packed away. When a bunch of hippos decide to throw a party, things get wild! Each page adds more hippos, teaching both counting and addition skills. Although your babies may not catch on to that, they’ll like that it rhymes and it’s super funny. Plus, it’s fun to say “berserk.”

For ages 4–6

Gaston by Kelly DiPucchio and Christian Robinson

Gaston is one of our favorite picture books of all time. It’s the story of a family of teacup poodles named Fi-Fi, Foo-Foo, Ooh-La-La (that makes me laugh every time) and Gaston. Gaston is a little different from his sisters. He has trouble learning the way of the poodle and he looks suspiciously like a French Bulldog. One day Mrs. Poodle and her brood run into a family of French Bulldogs in the park that has a pup who looks suspiciously like a teacup poodle. The families realize there has been a terrible mistake and have to sort out what it truly means to be family. Gaston is sweet, funny and beautifully illustrated. Bonus recommendation: last year, the author/illustrator duo released a sequel all about Gaston’s pal Antoinette!

For ages 7–12

Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo

Once you start reading middle grade literature, there are fewer books with animal protagonists. Flora and Ulysses offers such a wild cast of characters that it’s not so surprising one of them is a squirrel. Flora is a self-described cynic struggling with her parents’ divorce. Her life takes a turn for the better when her neighbor accidentally sucks a squirrel into her vacuum cleaner and turns him into a rodent superhero. A rodent superhero who writes poetry.

For young adults and adults

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

There isn’t a summer book box for young adults or adults, but why not throw in a recommendation for us, too? A boy, a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a tiger are stuck in a boat. Sounds like the start to a bad joke, right? It’s the premise of Life of Pi, a spectacular tale of a boy’s struggle to survive after a shipwreck strands him with a menagerie of companions who may be more than what they seem.

Want more great recommendations like these?

Purchase a Summer Book Boxes and Addison Reads will send you a curated crate of animal-themed books right to your door. Your box will include:

three books
book tote bag
surprise bookish items
access to secret resources, questions, and activity ideas online
invite to the parent Facebook community

Don’t forget to use code LUANDBEAN to receive 10 percent off your order! Hop on over to Addison Reads to get your book box today!

5 Comments

Kasia on May 24, 2017 at 12:02 pm

Great list of books for the kiddos. I have a few friends with kids so this will come in handy. Thanks for creating such a great list.
Andrea on May 24, 2017 at 1:44 pm

Oh neat! This is a very cool idea and makes it simple for the parents, which is always a plus. Love learning about these types of things- what do you recommend for adult readers?
- Tracy Babler on May 24, 2017 at 2:00 pm
  
  Hi Andrea — a great low-cost option for adults is the Modern Mrs. Darcy book club. I have also used Once Upon a Bookclub in the past, and I currently have a Book of the Month Club subscription. There are many more options!
Derika on May 24, 2017 at 4:05 pm

Love this concept! I’ve been an avid reader and my favorite book to read my little man has been ‘Dinnertime for Chickies’. I’ve been looking for other great recommendations!
Emily on May 25, 2017 at 1:14 pm

What a cute idea! I grew up loving books and this is a great way to encourage the next generation to read too.