Summer books keep children reading
Did you ever notice how children are so eager for summer vacation to begin, but soon after it does, many complain they are bored?
That might sound crazy, but it actually makes sense. It's hard to switch gears from nine months of regimented academics to literally having no structure.
Books can help take the boredom out of the lazy days of summer. It's awesome to get lost in a good book. That's the key, though — a really good book.
After all the months of required reading, children want to read books that are really fun, and that's precisely what you'll find in today's reviewed selections.
You hold the key to your child's success in reading. Make it a part of your daily routine and zero-in on books that your child finds really interesting. With your persistence, it will happen. Don't wait another day — the clock is ticking.
The following book is available at many public libraries.“Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery” by Deborah & James Howe, illustrated by Alan Daniel, Atheneum, 98 pages; read aloud: age 6 and older; read yourself: age 8 and older.Harold's full-time occupation is dog, and this is his story. Harold lives with Mr. and Mrs. Monroe, their two sons, and Harold's good friend, Chester the cat. A recent addition to the family is Bunnicula — a rabbit, from the Carpathian Mountain region of Transylvania.Owing to vegetables that have been sucked dry of their juices (and hence color), the well-read, intellectual cat Chester firmly and fearfully concludes that Bunnicula is a vampire.Chester feels compelled to save the Monroe clan from the evil Bunnicula, yet no one seems to grasp the gravity of the situation. Chester's hilarious attempts to warn the family and save them are completely misunderstood.An enormously popular book for years, this very funny selection is certain to elicit smiles and outbursts of laughter, start to finish.
Library: Mars Public Library, 107 Grand Ave., MarsLibrary Director: Vincent GadrixChoices this week: “Chocolate Island” by Karen Dolby; “The Subway Mouse” by Barbara Reid; “The Secret of the Attic” by Sheri Cooper Sinykin
“Three Bird Summer” by Sara St. Antoine, Candlewick, 2014, 246 pages, $17 hardcover; read aloud: age 8 and older; read yourself: age 10 and older.Twelve-year-old Adam and his parents have always spent their summers with Adam's grandmother at her small cabin on Three Bird Lake in northern Minnesota.This summer will be different, though.Adam's parents are divorced and dad won't be there and neither will his uncle and cousins. It will just be Adam, his mom and his grandmother.Not long after arriving, Adam notices other differences. His grandmother forgets a lot of things. She has also taken to leaving notes in Adam's room, although they are clearly not written to Adam. And Adam meets a girl, Alice, who is vacationing in a nearby cabin and makes it known she wants to be friends.Initially Adam can't see that they have anything in common. But when he asks Alice to help him solve the mystery of the notes and a treasure map, it becomes obvious to Adam that they have a great deal in common; more than he could have imagined.Beautifully written, this novel addresses cross-generational relationships in a tender, exceptional way.“Swim That Rock” by John Rocco & Jay Primiano, Candlewick, 2014, 296 pages, $17 hardcover; read aloud: age 12 and older; read yourself: age 12 and older.Teenage Jake finds himself shouldering more than he should; the grief of his father being presumed dead after a fishing-boat accident, his mother's depression over the loss of her husband, and the $10,000 debt that must be paid to the loan sharks by the end of the month or the family diner will be repossessed and he and his mom will move from their coastal home on Narragansett Bay to landlocked Arizona.Jake is determined to do everything he can to help raise the money. From helping his mom with the diner to quahogging (clamming) during the day and secretly working with a questionable character at night, Jake has his hands full.Will it be enough?Vivid, believable characters, situations, relationships and what it means to have real courage, this fast-paced novel will have readers ripping through the pages.Nationally syndicated, Kendal Rautzhan writes and lectures on children's literature. She can be reached at kendal@sunlink.net.
