And Then Comes Summer (And Then Comes)

by Tom Brenner (Author) Jaime Kim (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
Series: And Then Comes

A joyful, sun-drenched tribute to the anticipation and adventures of the warmest season of the year. When the days stretch out like a slow yawn, and the cheerful faces of Johnny-jump-ups jump up . . . then it's time to get ready for summer! From flip-flops and hide-and-seek to fireworks and ice-cream trucks, from lemonade stands and late bedtimes to swimming in the lake and toasting marshmallows, there's something for everyone in this bright and buoyant celebration of the sunny season.

Tom Brenner's lovely, lyrical ode to summers spent outdoors will strike a chord with anyone who's ever counted down the days until school gets out, and Jaime Kim's jubilant, nostalgia-soaked illustrations leave little doubt that summer is indeed a time unlike any other.

Select format:
Paperback
$8.99

Find books about:

More books in the series - See All

Kirkus

Starred Review
A perennial read that radiates summer's heady glee.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2--With this sunny celebration of the season, readers will find themselves eagerly anticipating June. Brenner and Kim have created a nostalgia-inducing suburban setting whose cheerful residents are treated to an endless stream of fireworks, games of hide-and-seek, Fourth of July parades, and trips to the lake. As in his previous titles (And Then Comes Halloween; And Then Comes Christmas), Brenner relies on a "Then...when" structure ("When the days stretch out like a slow yawn, /and leaves and grasses sparkle with dew/.... Then throw on flip-flops and breathe the sweet air") for another ode to a beloved time of the year. Featuring evocative, concrete images--"bugs as big as thumbs bang against windows"--the lyrical verse captures all the exuberance and simplicity of a childhood summer. Kim's illustrations, rendered in acrylic paint with digital tools, depict a rosy-cheeked, diverse array of children as they gleefully sell lemonade, cycle down the street, and indulge in ice cream. Buoyant and infused with energy, these picturesque images call to mind an idyllic time and place without electronics or screens and where kids are free to roam with minimal supervision. VERDICT An enchanting purchase for most library collections, especially those seeking additional seasonal materials.--Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

The language is stunning in its descriptiveness...and Kim's artwork is steeped in sunshine. The overall effect is a celebration of playing outdoors in front yards with bare feet on those special, cherished days that "stretch out like a slow yawn. —Booklist Online 

The smells, sounds, sights, and activities of summer are presented in lyrical text and cheery acrylic illustrations...The activities the boy enjoys, including selling lemonade, marching in the fourth of July parade, and camping at the lake, will have young children thinking about their own anticipated summer pastimes. —Literacy Daily 

From lemonade stands to family vacations, this is the perfect ode to the joys of summer. —Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Tom Brenner
Tom Brenner is the author of the companion picture books And Then Comes Halloween, illustrated by Holly Meade; And Then Comes Christmas, illustrated by Jana Christy; and And Then Comes Summer, illustrated by Jaime Kim. Tom Brenner lives on Vashon Island, Washington.

Jen Hill is the illustrator of numerous picture books, including Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller, Spring for Sophie by Yael Werber, and Diana's White House Garden by Elisa Carbone, as well as the middle-grade series the Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters by Kara LaReau. Jen Hill lives with her husband and cat in Brooklyn.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781536217377
Lexile Measure
1070
Guided Reading Level
L
Publisher
Candlewick Press (MA)
Publication date
April 20, 2021
Series
And Then Comes
BISAC categories
JUV051000 - Juvenile Fiction | Imagination & Play
JUV009100 - Juvenile Fiction | Concepts | Seasons
JUV017130 - Juvenile Fiction | Holidays & Celebrations | Patriotic Holidays
Library of Congress categories
Summer

Subscribe to our delicious e-newsletter!