Let’s Go Eat Outside: Picture Books

My husband will laugh when he reads a post in which I appear to extol the joys of eating outside. I am decidedly an indoor-phile. But these books make it look so fun! If there are bugs, they are friendly, pleasant ones. No one has to clean sand out of every known crevice. And I don’t have to put on sunscreen before reading.

Picnics and lemonade stands are part of the joy of summer. Dive into these books for a way to enjoy from inside or take them on an adventure with you.

We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past by Jacqueline Woodson and Diane Greenseid (1997)

Teeka went to an amazing picnic last weekend. Family and friends came. Everyone brought their specialty for the group to eat. There’s gossip and games and a good time. The bright acrylic paint illustrations are full of life and make me hunger to join their fun.

Those Darn Squirrels by Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri (2008)

The folks eating outside in this funny book aren’t people — they are the birds and squirrels visiting Old Man Fookwire’s yard. Fookwire loves birds and loves painting them. He sets up lots of bird feeders so the birds will visit. When the squirrels start eating the birdseed, Fookwire goes to war. Both the human and squirrels keep upping their game to absurd and very funny levels. Salmieri’s illustrations add to the humorous tone.

Pie Is for Sharing by Stephanie Parsley Ledyard and Jason Chin (2018)

My friend Meg always says that food tastes better when shared. Ledyard and Chin embrace that feeling in this book all about sharing. Chin’s watercolor and gouache illustrations show the joy in togetherness. And a pie shared outdoors is the bookend to this charming read.

It Began with Lemonade by Gideon Sterer and Lian Cho (2021)

A kid perfects her lemonade on a hot summer day only to discover that she isn’t the only game in town. She wanders near and far to find a place where her lemonade will be wanted and ends up alone by the river. Just when she has given up hope of a single sale, a string of creatures appear — fisherman, octopus, crocodile, frogs, mermaid, and more. She can’t wait to come back tomorrow with more to sell.

The Sweetest Scoop: Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Revolution by Lisa Robinson and Stacy Innerst (2022)

Would summer be complete without ice cream? This non-fiction picture book tells the origin story of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. I liked that Robinson included the challenges and missteps on their path. Did you know that they have a Flavor Graveyard for ideas that didn’t work out, like Bovinity Divinity and Vermonty Python?

The Last Stand by Antwan Eady and Jarrett & Jerome Pumphrey (2024)

I’ll admit that this one is a bit of a stretch as it doesn’t focus on eating outside, but I wanted to include this beautiful book about the struggles and joys of small farms. The family has a farm and a farmstand. Little by little, all the other stands at the market close, and as Papa gets older, it is harder for him to keep up with the usual routine. His grandson does what he can to keep the traditions and rituals going, concluding with a day that would usually be spent harvesting instead spent gathering and eating with others.