Free Summer Reading Program for Kids

A Summer of Imagination

Before you know it, summer will be here. Make plans now for sun, fun and...reading! As you plan your Summer Vacation or enjoy your Summer Staycation, be sure to make reading a part of your child’s day. Time spent together reading can encourage the development of a healthy habit and promote the enjoyment of reading for a lifetime. To assist in this endeavor, I will be offering free ebooks throughout the summer. Every week will feature different titles of published works and even a couple of surprise new releases! So be sure to check back often because there are exciting things happening just for you from yours truly, MaryLou Quillen, courtesy of Yellow Button Press!

New Releases

The Faeries of Spring

Do you believe in Faeries? Each year, these magical creatures transform our world of winter white into landscapes bursting with spring splendor.

Lets Save the Deep Blue Sea

Something dark is drifting across the global ocean...it’s an island of garbage. Plastic pollution has become a very real threat to all life on Earth, but especially to sea life.

Time to Learn Phonics

Phonics is essential to learning to read confidently. This first book shows the alphabet ‘in action.’ The letters are displayed with corresponding pictures that ‘say’ their respective character sounds.

Adventure Books for Kids

Perry Saves Christmas

Celebrate the holidays with the adventures of Perry the Penguin, as he tries to save Christmas. In this timeless tale, a catastrophe is brewing when a certain wish list is lost and doesn’t make it into Santa’s mail sack. As Perry hears of the plight that could ruin Christmas, he sets out on an incredible journey to reach the North Pole by Christmas day. Someone special is counting on him! Will he make it in time?

Perry and Steve Get in Shape

What does it mean to get in shape? Find out in this hilarious adventure as Perry encourages his son, Steve, to begin a healthy lifestyle. Like any kid, Steve is a little resistant to the idea of changing his daily routine but soon realizes that maybe it isn’t so bad. Come along as Perry and Steve discover that being healthy can also be fun!

Perry and Steve's New Normal

Our world changed in the blink of an eye. COVID-19 has brought adjustments to our lives that were unimaginable just a short time ago. For children, these new behaviors and restrictions are confusing and unsettling. Follow along as Perry tries to help his son, Steve, make sense of all the changes while offering hope that healthier days are ahead. The story presents an opportunity for parents to have discussions about the importance of safe health practices, while providing assurance to children that they will be SAFE and LOVED, even during a global pandemic.

Perry and Steve's Summer Staycation

Have you ever planned the PERFECT vacation, only to have someone not want to go? Perry is adventurous and plans a great summer trip but his son, Steve, wants to vacation a little closer to home. Actually, he wants to just stay home. What could possibly be exciting about staying at home? Find out what happens when Perry pulls out all the stops to create the perfect SUMMER STAYCATION!

Health Books for Kids

The ABCs of a Healthy Me

Everyone wants to grow up healthy and strong. In this easy-to-read ABC book, little ones get to follow the alphabet on their way to a healthier “ME”. The book encourages simple ways to form healthy habits that will last a lifetime.

The ABCs of Emotions and Me

The “ABC’s of Emotions and Me” helps kids find the words to describe their feelings through entertaining, funny food scenarios. This Social Emotional Learning (SEL) concept book teaches children positive responses to their emotions while learning to manage their behaviors. It encourages empathy and self-awareness while allowing kids to see the impact of their actions and moods on others. Rhyming and easy-to-read verse correspond to each letter of the alphabet, allowing easy recall while building an emotional vocabulary. This can be a great tool for parents, teachers, and therapists as they assist children in developing their social senses and skills.

The ABCs of Nutrition and Me

“You are what you eat” so how do we teach children to choose the foods that will help them live healthy lives? By teaching them about nutrition. In this final book in the ‘Healthy Me’ series, MaryLou presents an array of fresh food options with bold ‘real food’ images. Lyrical rhymes and fun food facts accompany the letters of the alphabet displaying healthy foods in the colors of the rainbow. Since food is an important daily necessity, let’s begin by showing little ones what healthy choices look like. Enjoy!

Seasonal Books for Kids

Stormy Weather

Storms are natural wonders that occur frequently in warm weather. While they are spectacular to watch, they are often frightening to children.

Summer Vacation

Some of life’s best memories are those spent together on a family vacation. Whether camping beside a clear mountain stream or building sandcastles to the sky at the beach, those treasured moments last long past the carefree days of childhood.

Positive Mindset Books for Kids

Mr. Squirrel Is A Good Neighbor: Spreading Kindness

Being a good neighbor is important, even if you are just sharing a backyard. In this silly tale, we meet a squirrel collecting acorns, who is surprised when his neighborly deeds make him the unexpected hero at a child’s birthday party. In the end, it’s the little things that we do for others that make OUR lives extra-special. It’s important to teach our children, that if we try, we can all spread kindness and become a hero to someone else.

Bunny's Trail: A Path to Friendship

It’s springtime in the forest! Bees are buzzing, birds are singing and butterflies softly float through sunny skies. What starts as a beautiful spring day suddenly takes an unexpected turn! This is the story of a little girl who learns how valuable the kindness of others can be in times of trouble. Riley is very grateful that the adage ‘a friend in need is a friend indeed’ is alive and well in the woodlands by her home. Lyrical rhymes and delightful illustrations bring this sweet tale to life as they capture the beauty and magic of blossoming friendships.

Sensory Exploration: Discovering the Five Senses

This book examines each of the 5 senses and provides interactive exercises to help children relate to their world in a mindful way.

Animal Books for Kids

Baby Animals of Africa

Welcome to the world of Baby Animals of Africa. This book is a kid-friendly introduction to some of our favorite creatures in their natural habitats. It includes fun facts about their physical characteristics, family life and habits. Beautiful pictures of baby animals grace each page in vivid color. It is written from each animal’s perspective with a special greeting for the reader. Join the safari and fall in love with some of the cutest babies that roam the savannas and grasslands of Africa!

Baby Animals of the Rainforest

COMING SOON...

Baby Animals of the Arctic

COMING SOON...

Astronomy Books for Kids

STARGAZER JR: An Introduction to Space Exploration for Kids

Set your sights on an adventure through the Cosmos with the Hubble Telescope. This book, specifically designed for kids, sparks imagination as they travel through time and space to see fantastical nebulae and distant galaxies. They will see stellar nurseries, where baby stars are born, and witness the aftermath of a dying star that has become a supernova. The spectacular photos paint a picture of our Universe and beckon everyone to become a lifelong Stargazer!

STARGAZER JR 2: Above the Blue

3...2...1...Blast off! There are exciting missions taking place in Space. Do you know what’s happening
beyond our blue planet? In this next phase of the kid-oriented Stargazer Jr. series, MaryLou provides information about the latest space programs and the race to return to the Moon... and then on to Mars! She shares details about the spacecraft that are soaring through the darkness while including many of the fantastic photos that they have transmitted back to Earth. Finally, you will meet two of the coolest crew members of the Space Station team, R2 the Robonaut and Bumble the Astrobee. Let’s liftoff together on an interplanetary journey that’s out of this world and above the blue!

MOONPRINTS (Easy Chapter / 2 Books in 1)

Blast off to adventure in this easy chapter set as it chronicles the travels of a young Star Ranger and his best friend. The entertaining series promotes...

Halloween Books for Kids

Halloween at Sunshine Farm

Everyone loves Halloween and it’s not just because of the candy! Dressing up as a favorite character is a thrill kids enjoy year after year.

Fright Night: A Not-Too-Spooky Halloween Tale

Everyone loves Halloween, but sometimes it can seem a little ‘too scary’ to little kids. In this rhyming tale, many of the best creature features of the Holiday are included but with a gentle twist.

Rappin Tappin Halloween for Kids

It’s All Hallows’ Eve, better known as Halloween, and the night air is filled with mystery and mischief. Imagine you are home alone as the darkness falls. Suddenly, you hear a strange tapping from the street below.

Holiday Books for Kids

The Selfish Elf

The North Pole is bustling and Santa’s elves are working overtime to fill the toy shelves before Christmas Eve. This year is especially busy because the kids have been extra good! Santa puts out a call for help but not everyone wants to be part of the team. Will a selfish elf find the cheer and goodwill of the season OR will he spoil Christmas for everyone?

Christmas Counting Fun

This endearing holiday book encourages little ones to get into the Christmas spirit while counting their way to a great Christmas day! Engaging illustrations, featuring an adorable ‘Snow Buddy’, allow children to discover the magic of holiday preparations. Grab your milk and cookies, sit back, and enjoy the fun-filled activities as we count our way to Christmas!

Perry Saves Christmas

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ABOUT MARYLOU QUILLEN

Children’s Book Author | Digital Designer

MaryLou Quillen is a children’s author utilizing her background in digital design and communication to create quality children's books. Whether promoting the healthy benefits of simple food choices or the exploration of distant galaxies on starry nights, her books are filled with imaginative visuals designed to inspire young readers. You will find themes of adventure, kindness, acceptance, friendship and family presented in an easy to read, kid-friendly format. Her use of lyrical rhymes make reading aloud a pleasant experience for both parent and child.

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Children's Books by MaryLou Quillen

PUBLISHED BY YELLOW BUTTON PRESS