For kids (and many adults), there's only one blockbuster book this summer -- "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."
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(Illustrated by Ted Crow, Post-Gazette) |
But the pages describing the boy wizard's fifth adventure won't be the only ones children turn this summer. With new research underscoring the fact that summer reading helps students retain their academic skills, more and more schools are requiring them to spend at least part of their vacation time working through a teacher-generated reading list.
Summer is a time to read for fun, too. Any librarian will tell you that the best way to keep kids reading during this school break, especially when they're given the option of reading a specific number of books for extra credit in the fall, is to figure out their interests and help them find books on that subject, whatever it is. Many kids also enjoy library-sponsored summer reading programs, or joining summer reading clubs at local bookstores.
To get you started, here's a list of books and audio-tapes that make good summer reading:
NEW FICTION
These books are for "middle grade" readers, children ages 8-12:
Go for the gold and silver, as in the Newbery Medal and Newbery Honor winners. These are the books chosen by the American Library Association as the best-written children's novels of the year.
This year's Newbery Medal winner is "Crispin: The Cross of Lead" (Hyperion, $15.99) by Avi. There are five Newbery Honor books: "The House of the Scorpion" (Atheneum, $17.95) by Nancy Farmer, "Pictures of Hollis Woods" (Random House, $15.95) by Patricia Reilly Giff, "Hoot" (Knopf, $15.95) by Carl Hiaasen, "A Corner of the Universe" (Scholastic, $15.95) by Ann Martin and "Surviving the Applewhites" (HarperCollins, $15.99) by Stephanie Tolan.
Other good new novels include: "Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism" (HarperCollins, $16.99) by Georgia Byng, "Jackie's Wild Seattle" (HarperCollins, $16.99) by Will Hobbs, "Not Just a Witch" (Dutton, $15.99) by Eva Ibbotson, "Sahara Special" (Hyperion, $15.99) by Esme Raji Codell (Hyperion, $15.99), "Olivia Kidney" (Philomel, $15.99) by Ellen Potter, "The Silent Boy" (Houghton Mifflin, $15) by Lois Lowry.
SERIES
Gordon Korman has come up with several series that will keep kids turning the pages. Each has three books and is centered around a "life on the edge" theme. The series, published by Scholastic, include "Everest," "Island" and "Dive." ($4.50 each, ages 9-12).
Another great new series is "The Spiderwick Chronicles" (Simon & Schuster, $9.95 each, ages 8-12) by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, which blends mystery and spookiness.
Atheneum has begun publishing a series of abridged classics for children. The large-size books, filled with beautiful illustrations by N.C. Wyeth, are a great way to attract reluctant readers. Priced at $18.95 each, the first two books in the series are "Robinson Crusoe" by Daniel DeFoe and "The Last of the Mohicans" by James Fenimore Cooper.
The "Mysteries in Our National Park" series, written by Gloria Skurzynski and Alane Ferguson, offers readers riveting tales set in some beautiful landscapes. The newest book is "Buried Alive" (National Geographic, $15.95).
For newly independent readers, ages 6-8, try the "Magic Tree House" series by Mary Pope Osborne. The newest book in the series is "High Tide in Hawaii" (Random House, $3.99). Also popular are the "Flat Stanley" books by Jeff Brown. The newest book in this series is "Stanley, Flat Again!" (HarperCollins, $14.99).
A good new series that mixes lots of factual information with a dramatic narrative is National Geographic's "I Am American." The slim paperback volumes cost $6.99 each, offer a combination of photographs and illustrations and are aimed at ages 8-12.
You can't go wrong reading books in two of the most popular kids' series, (after "Harry Potter"): the "Artemis Fowl" books by Eoin Colfer and "A Series of Unfortunate Events" by Lemony Snicket.
Don't forget some of the classic series: the "Henry Reed" books, written by Keith Robertson and illustrated by Robert McCloskey (Viking, $5.99 each, ages 8-12), the "Great Brain" books by John Fitzgerald and illustrated by Mercer Mayer (Dial, $6.99 each, ages 8-12), and the "Encyclopedia Brown" mysteries written by Donald Sobol (Bantam, $4.50, ages 7-10).
NONFICTION -- SPORTS
Fifty years ago, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the first to make it to the top of Mount Everest. Today, kids can read about the mountain and the mountaineers who have tried to conquer it in a couple of great new nonfiction books: "To the Top: The Story of Everest" by Stephen Venables (Candlewick Press, $17.99, ages 9 up), and "Climbing Everest" by Audrey Salkeld (National Georgraphic, $21, ages 8-12).
"The Scholastic Visual Sports Encyclopedia" ($19.95) is packed with pictures and text about any sport you can think of. (Ages 8 up).
In "Dropping In With Andy Mac," skateboarding champion Andy MacDonald tells how he got to the top of the sport (Simon Pulse, $9.99, ages 10 up).
Readers can learn everything they ever wanted -- and needed -- to know about biking in "The Complete Bike Book" by Chris Sidwells (DK, $25, ages 10 up).
Sports enthusiasts will enjoy series books by Matt Christopher, who writes both fiction and non-fiction. One of his newest is "At the Plate With Ichiro," a biography of the Japanese baseball player who now plays for the Seattle Mariners. (Ages 8-12, Little Brown, $4.99).
NONFICTION -- GENERAL
As the nation celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' flight, several new books offer young readers a glimpse of Wilbur and Orville Wright. "The Wright Brothers" (Hyperion, $15.99) by Pamela Duncan, illustrated by Henry Cole is a picture book biography of the aviation pioneers, while "To Fly: The Story of the Wright Brothers" (Clarion, $16) by Robert Andrew Parker is just right for readers ages 9-12. "My Brothers' Flying Machine" (Little Brown, $16.95, ages 5-8) by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Jim Burke, focuses on Katharine Wright, sister of the famous brothers.
Kids can gear up for the upcoming celebration of the Lewis and Clark expedition with "The Lewis and Clark Trail: Then and Now" by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent (Dutton, $19.99).
"Titanic: Ghosts of the Abyss" (Hyperion, $19.99) is based on the documentary about the doomed ship and has 35 3-D images.
YOUNG ADULT
These books are for readers ages 13 up:
The saga of the slacks continues in "Second Summer of the Sisterhood" (Delacorte, $15.95), by Ann Brashares. Meanwhile, the first book, "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" is now available in paperback (Delacorte, $8.95).
In "A Northern Light" (Harcourt, $17), author Jennifer Donnelly offers a different twist on the classic "An American Tragedy."
Terry Pratchett's "The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents" (HarperTrophy, $6.99) last year won the Carnegie Medal, Britain's most prestigious children's literature award.
Toby Wilson thinks his life is awful until he meets "the fattest boy in the world" in "When Zachary Beaver Came to Town" (Laurel-Leaf, $5.99) by Kimberly Willis Holt.
Popular author Gary Paulsen takes a close-up look at a one-of-a-kind single mother and her son in "The Glass Cafe" (Random House, $12.95).
Jacqueline Wilson, one of Britain's best-selling authors for teens, explores the ups and downs of friendship in "Girls in Tears" (Delacorte, $9.95).
AUDIOTAPES
Travel back in time with the "Hardy Boys" and "Nancy Drew." Try "The Shore Road Mystery" (Hardy Boys) or "The Secret of Red Gate Farm" (Nancy Drew). Tapes are by Listening Library and cost $18 each.
Series fans also will enjoy "The Magic Tree House Collection (Books 25-28) (Listening Library, $18) and "The Spiderwick Chronicles" (Listening Library, $28).
For older children, ages 10 up, good choices are "The Thief Lord" by Cornelia Funke (Listening Library, $28) and "Hoot" by Carl Hiassen (Listening Library, $28).
Don't forget that "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" also will be available on audiotape when the book is published June 21. (Listening Library, $45).
COMICS
C'mon, it's summer! Let your kids enjoy collections of their favorite comics. Librarians will tell you these are some of their most checked-out volumes -- for children and adults. Good choices for kids include collections of "Garfield," "Calvin and Hobbes," "Foxtrot," "Baby Blues" and "Tin Tin."
Two coffee table-sized books by DK offer another way to enjoy the comics: "JLA: The Ultimate Guide to the Justice League of America" ($19.99) and "Hulk: The Incredible Guide" ($24.99).
Karen MacPherson can be reached at kmacpherson@nationalpress.com or 1-202-662-7075.
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