16 Summer at the Farm Books for Kids
Published:
June 19, 2019
Contributor:
Sarita Harbour
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Do your kids love to read about life on a farm? All of mine do – and I do too. Ever since I read the Little House on the Prairie series as a child I’ve loved reading about what life is like for kids growing up on a farm.
There are so many good lessons and values to learn from these farming picture books, novels, and non-fiction stories. If you’re looking for a few “Summer at the Farm” books for kids, here’s a quick list to get you started.
And if you’re looking for a way to track your kids’ reading this summer, scroll down to the bottom of this post for a link to a free 8-page reading rewards pack.
Summer at the Farm Books for Kids: Picture Books
#1. The Year at Maple Hill Farm Alice and Marten Provensen. A beautiful picture book about farm animals and what happens during one year on a farm. Picture book – all ages.
#2. The Ox Cart Man Donald Hall and Barbara Cooney. A journey through the days, weeks, months and seasons of a pioneer New England farmer. Picture book – all ages.
#3. Big Red Barn – Margaret Wise Brown. Introduce your littlest ones to farm life with this delightful rhyming story of a day at the farm. Picture book – all ages (2+)
#4. Farm – Elisha Cooper. This gorgeous award-winning watercolor picture book gives children a taste of life on the farm in the summer. All ages.
#5. On The Farm – David Elliott and Holly Meade. Another beautiful book with artistic woodcut and watercolor images. All ages.
#6. Word of Eric Carle Around the Farm Play-A-Sound Book – Eric Carle. Do you have a little one who’s fascinated with farm sounds? My toddlers, preschoolers and even kindergarten-aged children loved this book! Ages 2+(Note: all that clacking and mooing can get tiresome for moms, though, especially if you haven’t had enough sleep.)
#7. Down by the Barn – Will Hillenbrand. A fun family read-aloud with rhyming, lyrical words and funny bright pictures. Ages 4+
#8. Jobs on a Farm – Nancy Dickman. This non-fiction picture book for children shows the hard work and jobs that need to get done each day when you live on a farm. Ages 4+
#9. Grandpa’s Tractor – Michael Garland. Visiting a family farm where there’s a special tractor reminds a grandfather of his childhood on a farm. A pretty farm picture book to share with children or grandchildren. Ages 4+
Summer at the Farm Books for Kids: Chapter Books
#10. Little House on the Prairie 9 Book Series – Laura Ingalls Wilder. The classic tales of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s life as a pioneer homesteading child in the 1800s. Ages 5+
#11. Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White. One of America’s best-loved children’s farm tales – the story of a girl, a pig, and a spider. Chapter book – Ages 7+
#12. Thimble Summer – Elizabeth Enright. Another award-winning tale of a girl growing up on a farm in Wisconsin and the challenges facing her family. Ages 8+
#13. Strawberry Girl – Lois Lenski. Trying to establish a strawberry farm in the hot Florida climate during the early 1900s is tough – especially when the neighbors aren’t particularly friendly. One of our family’s favorites. Ages 8+
#14. In Grandma’s Attic – Arleta Richardson. This popular series (we read the first four) chronicles Arleta Richardson’s grandmother’s life as a girl growing up in a farm family in Michigan in the 1800s. One of my girls’ favorites. Ages 7+
#15. Little Britches – Father and I Were Ranchers – Ralph Moody. In 1906 young Ralph Moody and his family left New Hampshire to run a Colorado ranch. This was one of my favorite books as a child – it’s a great family read-aloud for a rainy summer day. Ages 8+
#16. Caddie Woodlawn – Carol Ryrie Brink. In the early 1900s, Caddie Woodlawn (the author’s grandmother) was enjoying life as carefree farm girl in Wisconsin when a summer visit from her Boston family put a damper on her fun. Another classic family favorite read-aloud. Ages 8+
FREE Farm Themed Creative Writing & Illustration Prompts for Elementary
You might also want to check out the NEW Farm Notebook, a companion to Julia Rothman’s Farm Anatomy.
Can’t get through all these books this summer? Remember to bookmark or pin this post to save it for later!