4 min read · Jun 1, 2026
It’s summer, and you know what that means: it’s time for a reading adventure! Where will you go?
Curl up with one of our biographies, fictional stories, or tales from around the world, all freely available online, and you’ll go farther than you ever dreamed.
Wondering how others are using the library? Just ask Core Knowledge’s Amy, whose family makes summer reading a special part of their vacation with the Free Library.
And did you know that the Free Library books are curriculum-aligned? The stories connect to the topics your child has been learning at school, giving children an imaginative way to revisit the knowledge they’ve built during the year.
Ready to get started? Here are our summer reading recommendations, by grade:
Grade 1
Collection of Tales From Latin America and the Caribbean, written by Silvia López, illustrated by Ivan Pesic
This collection of tales builds on CKLA K-2 curriculum materials, providing students with more imaginary stories, especially fables and myths, from different parts of the world. Each story is accompanied by beautiful full color illustrations. In addition, this title is perfect for those G1 CKHG students who learned all about The Culture Of Mexico.
Grade 2
Jackie Robinson: An All-Around Athlete Who Broke the Color Line in Baseball, written by Dionna L. Mann and illustrated by E. L. Candrilli
Grade 2 CKHG students learned all about a number of instrumental Civil Rights Leaders, including Jackie Robinson. In this fabulous biography, readers will learn much more about Jackie, and all that he achieved to overcome the racial barriers that existed at the time in the world of professional baseball.
Grade 3
Anne Hutchinson: Banished, written by Anne Mare Pace, illustrated by Ivan Pesic
Grade 3 CKHG and CKLA students discovered the extraordinary era in American history in which the Thirteen Colonies were taking shape. During this time, unique regional cultures and ways of life emerged. In these curriculum materials, students were introduced to Anne Hutchinson, a woman who was banished for questioning the religious leaders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In this gripping biography, students will learn more about Anne’s life and her family’s journey into the wilderness, in search of a new home.
Grade 4
The Tang Dynasty: The Prophecy of Empress Wu, written by Dr. Virginia Loh-Hagan, illustrated by Kailien Singson
G4 CKHG students studied the Dynasties of China stepped into extraordinary times in Chinese history. They were introduced to the first emperor of China, as well as the only female ruler of China, Empress Wu. In this Adventures in History title, The Prophecy of Empress Wu, so much more is revealed about Wu’s early life. The story unfolds as seen through the eyes of a young girl who works in the royal kitchen, and who become one of Wu’s allies. Readers will discover a world of intrigue, drama, and danger in this enlightening tale.
Grade 5
Elizabethan England: Many Parts to Play, written by Beau Lee Gambold, illustrated by Kailien Singson
G5 CKHG AND CKLA students journeyed to England in the 1500s and 1600s, a time of religious conflicts and political change. Students learned about Henry VIII and the founding of the Church of England, as well as the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. This was a time of expansion abroad, and extraordinary literary achievements at home, including the many works of Shakespeare. In Elizabethan England, Many Parts to Play, this journey is continued as readers meet a young girl who secretly joins a company of actors in London, meets Shakespeare himself, and performs in front of Queen Elizabeth 1.
Try a book a week; the more stories you read, the more places you’ll go!
Ready?
Image courtesy of Shutterstock