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Children’s Book Blog: August 2026

Pool Party!

It’s been a HOT summer in Wisconsin this year. Wisconsinites know where to go to cool off… the water! Next year I’ll pick lake-based reads but this year’s theme is POOLS!

These books feature different kinds of pools—from sparkling swimming pools to nature’s hidden habitats and pools made of watermelon(!). They are the perfect companions for the final weeks of summer.

 

 

Bubbles…Up! by Jacqueline Davies & Sonia Sanchez  

Another book proving that picture books are for every age.  At first glance Bubbles…Up! might seem like a book for ‘younger’ children but Joanna (8) loved it!

With rhythmic text that bounced around the pages, she had a great time reading it aloud.  

As a little fish herself, she related to the excitement of swimming underwater, playing imaginative games, and squeezing every last minute out of a perfect day at the pool.

Our Pool by Lucy Ruth Cummins

Our Pool is less about the pool and more about who goes to the pool – EVERYONE!  

It’s a celebration in diversity. Everyone has their own way of getting in, swimming around and playing. Everyone has a different body shape and color.  But everyone loves the pool.  

Cummins enforces this point by not having a central character to follow.  This allows the reader to find the character they personally relate to.  

Watermelon Pool by Bonsoir Lune & Frances Cha

Watermelon is one of the few fruits I simply could not eat in the winter.  They are strictly reserved for summer, in my humble opinion. The author of Watermelon Pool agrees with me. 

Watermelon Pool is such a fun, summer read. The creativity and imagination in these pages will delight all readers – my young ones were wishing for a watermelon pool of their own. 

 

The Noisy Puddle: A Vernal Pool Through the Seasons by Linda Booth Sweeney & Miki Sato

This nonfiction picture book introduces readers to the fascinating world of vernal pools—temporary ponds that burst with life each spring.  The Noisy Puddle follows the changing seasons as frogs, salamanders, insects, and other creatures depend on these unique habitats for survival.

Vernal pools (or ephemeral ponds) are one of the most ecoloigcally important habitats in Wisconsin so I loved stumbling upon this book! 

The illustrations are as unique as the topic, too! The artist uses paper and fabric to create intricate, 3-D looking scenes. 

 

The Tide Pool Waits by Candace Fleming & Amy Hevron 

Similar to The Noisy Puddle, The Tide Pool Waits also explores a unique habitat.  Instead of waiting on the seasons to change though, a tide pool waits for the tide to rise.

Curious kids (like mine!) will love the illustrated guide in the back.  It details each creature featured in the tide pool.  

A nice companion read for anyone visiting the ocean this summer. 

 

A note on this blog: Michelle Milford is the Office & Marketing Manager at Town Hall Library.  She has two children – Joanna (8) and Connor (6).  All three have a deep love of books and voracious appetites for reading.  Here they’ll share their monthly book recommendations