Summer's coming, schools are closing and parents are steeling themselves, remembering the heralds of summer they heard last year. "I'm bored" or "There's nothing to do" or "He (or she) is picking on me." Mostly it's the transition that's tricky. Moving from nine months of heavily-scheduled time into apparent freedom is difficult. Books can provide an anchor that turn family frenzy to harmony.
One of our favorite summer practices is to celebrate the season by luxuriating in bed with a long reading session. Not only does this start a day in a family way, but it may do away with the a.m. television that turns into p.m. television before you know it.
Many students are accustomed to SSR (Sustained Silent Reading) periods at school. This is a daily time when everyone drops what they are doing and reads. Parents can borrow the wisdom of schools and institute the same program in their homes.
Schedule your SSR for the most frenetic time of the day. I have a friend who has dubbed 4-6pm the arsenic hours. This might be the perfect occasion for a comforting, relaxing read. If your children do not read, they can look at books and "read" to themselves. Be sure that you take advantage of this time by reading too--no housework, no business calls, only enjoyment of the tranquility reading brings for a half-an-hour or so. If you feel guilty, remember you are modeling reading behavior as much as savoring the peace. Who knows? You may want to continue this practice all year long.
Libraries are great places to visit in the summer. For many children, choosing their own books is a pleasure beyond description. It is one of the few times when their own tastes can rule and they are not held back by the money issues most parents have to impose. It may also be the beginning of a bond between your child and our free library system.
Ownership is an important part of the reading experience. I still remember being given money as a small child and being allowed to make my own choice in a book store. Buying a book is a great reward for work well done. I also believe that a child who has checked the same book out of the library again and again deserves to own it. Paperbacks are a necessity if you plan any summer vacations. They can make car rides less boring, familiarize an unknown hotel and calm restlessness during restaurant waits.
If libraries and book store are already part of your summer itinerary, don't forget to bring books with you to beaches, parks and playgrounds. I remember reading under a shade tree when I was young, and up in a tree, and even in a swing. In my own parenting, I have found it helpful to wind down the physical activity with a book when we spend a long time at one place.
When daylight hours are long and tempers are short , turn to a family evening read. Tranquility comes quickly and helps prepare the path to sleep. Some of our greatest discussions have been launched by books during evening family reads.
You may find that your child is a book gobbler, the kind that can't get enough. While you worship your child's joy of reading, sometimes it's exhausting coming up with titles that will satisfy. One of the comforts I've found is in finding authors and illustrators that consistently produce books and pictures I appreciate.
Don and Audrey Wood, are a sure bet. Their books, written for the very young to beginning readers, are filled with humor, rhythm, and unusual subjects, characters and perspectives. There are many picture books, sure to be favorites. Try: Elbert's Bad Word (HBJ; grades preK-3); Heckedy Peg ( HBJ, grades K-3); The Napping House (preK-2); King Bidgood's in the Bathtub (grades preK-2) and Weird Parents (Dial; grades K-3). Audrey Wood has also written two great l I-Can-Reads, Three Sisters (Dial; grades K-2) and Horrible Holidays (Dial; grades K-3).
Summer is a time for laughter and no writer-illustrator can make kids laugh as well as James Marshall. Marshall loves his own characters so much that he written more than one book about most of them, much to the delight of his four to seven year old audience. Some of his series sure to delight are: George and Martha; (Houghton Mifflin) The Stupids Step Out (Houghton Mifflin) Space Case (Houghton Mifflin)and Miss Nelson is Missing (Houghton Mifflin; Scholastic) The Cut-Ups (Viking) and Yummers (Houghton Mifflin. His I-Can-Read fans are pleased by his Fox series which began Fox on the Job (Dial).
Tomie de Paola is another writer-illustrator whose work is loved by children of varying age and interest ranges. Mr. de Paola has written or illustrated everything from Tomie de Paola's Favorite Nursery Rhymes, to sensitive subjects like his book about aging Now One Foot, Now the Other, (Putnam, 1981 ) or death Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs (Putnam, Puffin). He's written legends like the Native American Legend of Indian Paintbrush) and The Legend of Bluebonnet. He has a wealth of non-fiction offerings including Charlie Needs a Cloak. And there's no end to his inventive fiction where children can discover Little Grunt and the Big Egg: a Prehistoric Fairy Tale (Holiday House, 1990) or delight in his most popular series about Strega Nona, the most recent of which is: Strega Nona: Her Story (Putnam, 1996)
Another author who does excellent picture books and then allows children to grow with her into I-Can-Reads is Cynthia Rylant. Children who love Birthday Presents, Night in the Country , The Relatives Came and When I Was Young in the Mountains will be pleased to discover her many I-Can-Reads about Henry and Mudge.
Summer is a magical time for children who've just discovered the pleasure of novel reading. Those who are just beginning usually want novels that are short, have large print, and perhaps even a smattering of pictures. The best way to get your children hooked on a reading habit is to match them up with stories that correspond to their interests. One caution: some authors write books for children at different developmental levels. For example, Judy Blume has wonderful quick funny novels for young readers like Freckle Juice and her slightly longer book Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, but she also writes "problem books" for young teenagers like, Blubber.
If your child loves humor try Kathleen Leverich's three novellas beginning with Best Enemies about a young girl who faces off against a manipulative peer. Barbara Parks writes a funny series about the eccentric young girl Junie B. Jones and for children with an bold sense of humor there's Louis Sacher's Marvin Redpost series.
Looking for mystery and adventure? Start with Marjorie Sharmat's Nate the Great Series and then for slightly more skilled beginning readers discover David Adler's Cam Jansen Books or the classic first detective stories, Donald Sobol's Encyclopedia Brown series.
Short books for history lovers seem to have a sensitive touch so I recommend them for children who are young and yet have a mature way of viewing the world. There are several writers who write poignant books. Check out Patricia MacLachlan's Sarah Plain and Tall series about pioneer times, or Eleanor Coerr's sad stories about the effects of WW II on two children in,Saddako and the Thousand Paper Cranes or Mieko and the Fifth Treasure. Explore the world of a young European Jewish girl trying to understand customs in the US in Barbara Cohen's Molly's Pilgrim and the sequel, Make a Wish, Molly. Gloria Whelen writes of children from the past who face difficulties like an aunt who's prejudiced against the Native American children she's caring for in Indian School or the difficult world of a child who's blind in Hannah.
Many young readers have devoured the American Girl series and learned about the history of the US through the eyes of Felicity, Molly and others. For them, there's now the new Girlhood Journey series from Simon and Schuster that travels history and the world with character like Shannon who lives in 1880 San Francisco and Kai who lives in Africa in 1440.
Fairy tales from other lands abound in are released series by Virginia Haviland including Favorite Fairy Tales Told in Norway (and at least a dozen other countries). Jackie French Koller offers science fiction options with books about a young dragon tamer that begin with The Dragonling.
Other interests? Sports lovers of all ages and reading levels ought to know the name Matt Christopher who writes books about all kinds of sports beginning with I-Can-Reads and going all the way to novels. And animal loves will enjoy the Hugh Pine stories by Janwillem van de Wetering.
Independent readers, in the upper elementary grades, seem to fall into two categories; the inclined and the not-so-inclined. For those who gobble books I recommend authors who have lots of titles. For those who are more reticent, I suggest using humor and drama to hook readers.
Book gobblers, there are authors who have written many books in all genres. Fantasy lovers will enjoy Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain and books by Bill Brittain like The Wish Giver and older readers will enjoy books by Madeline L'Engle, Robin McKinnley, and Susan Cooper.
Animal lovers will enjoy the funny books of James Howe or more nature- oriented stories by Jean Craighead George in her ecological mystery series which has titles like The Missing 'Gator of Gumbo Limbo. George also writes adventure- survival stories as do Scott O'Dell and Theodore Taylor. You can turn history buffs with sophistication onto books by Avi, Karen Cushman, Mildred Taylor and Katherine Paterson. And authors who write contemporary series are: Lois Lowry's Anastasia books, and for more mature readers, Madeline L'Engle's series about the Austin family, and older books by Judy Blume like Blubber and Beverly Cleary's Dear Mr. Henshaw and its sequel, Strider.
Books for reluctant readers will also please voracious readers. Humor has a great advantage. Sure to succeed are Louis Sacher's Sideways School series and of course, all books by Roald Dahl. There are individual titles like: Stephen Mayne's Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days, Thomas Rockwell's How To Eat Fried Worms, Patrick Catlings' Chocolate Touch and Lee Wardlaw's 101 Ways to Bug Your Parents.
There are some wonderful books that are a blend of humor and with another genre. Barbara Parks, for example has sports-humor series in Skinnybones, though most things she writes are funny. Jon Scieska blends time travel and irreverent humor in his time warp trio with books like The Knights of the Kitchen Table. And don't forget the sure to please poetry of Shel Silverstein whose newest is Falling Up.
There's humor in everyday life for younger children with Beverly Cleary's Henry and Beezus books, for slightly older children with Barbara Robinson's Herdmans in The Best School Year Ever and for even more sophisticated readers Jerry Spinelli's Maniac McGee or Crash. and Betsy Byars' Bingo Brown series.
Another way to captivate the less inclined is with drama, suspense, and cliff hangers that compel them. One of the most popular authors is Gary Paulsen. Start with his survival books like Hatchet and The Voyage of the Frog and hooked readers may discover his many other books.
Look also to feed their interest. If they love sports, remember Matt Christopher. You also may discover also that a child slow to pick up a book gets hooked on non-fiction which is much easier to pick up and put it down and may have pictures to support reading. For science and nature I recommend Seymour Simon, Patricia Lauber, and Caroline Arnold. For history, Martin Sandler has a wonderfully accessible series filled with pictures from the Library of Congress. Look for titles like Inventors, Cowboys or Presidents.
When children get older many parents end family reading sessions because children are too old. I urge parents to keep family reading alive for as long as possible and summer is a great time to share novels the whole family will love. For the family that is looking for the proper time to introduce longer reads, you many find your child receptive at about age five. I recommend books that sparkle with excitement and have short thrilling chapters. If chapters are too long, you can create your own cliff-hanging by stopping at a point of high excitement. Choose novels which give themselves to dramatic reading. Many times you can nurture vocabulary and thinking with longer more complicated books that your children might not feel up to approaching on their own. Books at this reading level can inspire great conversations about everything from philosophies of life to the actions characters take. You might read one book aloud and then lead your children to discover others by the same author.
Those we've especially enjoyed together are the fantasy worlds created by Lynne Reid Banks' in her Indian in the Cupboard books and Brian Jacques' Redwall series.
I've loved crying with my children over animal stories. The first was John Gardiner's Stone Fox , then the classic, Charlotte's Web by E.B. White and when they grew older , another classic, Wilson Rawls' Where The Red Fern Grows. We cried over human characters as well in Katherine Paterson's Bridge to Teribithia.
We laughed too as we traveled through history when we read Christopher Curtis' The Watsons Go To Birmingham-1963 (an older novel for children mature fourth grade and up). And through every book written by Roald Dahl and several of Betsy Byar's The Not-Just Anybody Family series.
Books can lead to communication, too. We launched many inspirational talks with books. We discussed the holocaust for the first time with Lois Lowry's Number the Stars and prejudice with Mildred Taylor's novella, The Gold Cadillac. We discussed ethics with books like Phyllis Naylor's Shiloh and Shiloh Season and when they were older Lois Lowry's The Giver led us into talks about how society is structured and the values they hold true.
Every fall and spring new books flood library and book store shelves. To aid you in sorting out the deluge of new titles and because summer seems the perfect time to discover new books together so I want to share with you some of my favorite new titles.
I have been delighted to discover three wonderful new baby board book series this year. Never has it been so clear to me that we really do begin to introduce a baby to art through young picture books. Juan Wijngaard's series Bear; Cat; Dog and Duck show each animal interacting with the world around. His style is realistic and there is humor built into each situation giving a parent lots to talk about as the pages turn. Ages 6mo-3yrs. (Crown, 1991)
Lucy Cousin's animal series feature Country Animals; Farm Animals; Garden Animals and Pet Animals. Her style is simple and colorful as she presents the animals against bold bright backgrounds. Ages 6 mo- 3 years.(Tambourine, Morrow, 1991)
Mouse in the House and Bear in the Forest by Michelle Cartlidge feature the starring animal cut out on the top of the board book. In cheerful familiar scenes, the animal discovers elements common to a baby's world and gives lots of practice for naming, identifying, and talking. Ages 1-3. (Dutton, 1991)
Two classics appear in boardbook formats Margaret Wise Brown's Runaway Bunny (Ages 1-3 yrs, HarperCollins, 1991) and Judith Stuller Hannant's Doorknob Collection of Nursery Rhymes which are packaged to hang on a doorknob at toddler's height to insure easy accessiblity. (Ages 1-3, Little Brown, 1991)
This spring sees the publication of several books that support a young child's passion for words. There are many versions of The Owl and the Pussycat, but if you don't have one in your collection, Jan Brett's is well-worth owning. This volume is filled with the fine detailing for which Jan Brett is famous. Her tropical setting brings alive the flora and fish of the Caribbean as well as the magical fantasy of the poem. Ages newborn to 5. (Putnam, 1991)
The Twelve Days of Summer turns the classic Christmas song into a summer tune. Karen Lee Schmidt's illustrations show a small girl discovering a summer beach while Elizabeth Lee O'Donnell's words tell of anemones, starfish, seals a-barkin' and waves a-crashin' and fit perfectly to the music and the warmer season. Ages 0-6. (Morrow, 1991)
There are several new books out by word-masters this season. Bill Martin tells the story of a busload of The Happy Hippopotami who cavort to beach for a summertime outing filled with "poppasicles", "sandywiches" and other word and action delights. Ages 1-5. (HBJ, 1991)
Nancy Shaw combines talents with Margot Apple for a third sheep book. This time the Sheep in a Shop rhyme themselves through toy departments and troubles and come up with a creative solution to a cash-flow problem for a birthday present dilemma. Ages 1-5. (Houghton Mifflin, 1991)
Sometimes a familiar situation can become strange. This seems to be true in most of Anthony Browne's books. In Changes, this author-illustrator, whose books are always visual translations of language's surprises, we see a twist on a typical sibling problem. When Joseph Kaye's father tells him that things are going to change around the house, Joseph does not expect the kettle to run away on cat's feet or his slipper to fly off with the wings it sprouted. Joseph Kaye is so unprepared for the transformations in his home and yard that when his squalling new sister enters, this change seems pedestrian and acceptable. Ages 3-6. (Knopf, 1991)
It's amazing to me how early children are wanting to learn about global issues and Dyan Sheldon reveals the whale's plight through the eyes of young Lilly and her grandmother who remembers The Whales' Song. The telling is gentle as the ocean giants and dreamy as their calls. Paintings by Gary Blythe are poignant and emotive and stretch the age levels of the story. Ages 4-8. (Dial, 1991)
Caldecott-winning Verna Aardema re-tells an African folk tale in Traveling to Tondo with illustrations by Will Hillenbrand. Bowane, the civet cat, asks his friends to attend him at his wedding in Tondo, but along the way his companions have things they must do and being good friends they are wait patiently while python digests his antelope and even while tortoise waits for a tree trunk that blocks his way to rot. Is it any wonder that when they finally arrive, Bowane's intended has been long wed and has two children? The sounds and lessons of this story bring an African storytelling alive in our continent. Ages 4-8. (Knopf, 1991)
Again, I'd make a plea to parents to continue reading picture books to older children. Rachel Isadora's At the Crossroads deceptively simple text tells the story of six young South African children whose fathers work in the mines far from the shanty town the families live in. The art work is highly emotive as are the issues raised behind the slightly-told story. Ages 5-10. (Greenwillow, 1991)
Similar in both simplicity and emotive quality is George Ella Lyon's Cecil's Story. The viewpoint character is a young boy whose mama has gone to find his papa, hurt in the Civil War and he waits with neighbors hiding his tears on his shirtsleeves until his Papa comes home still strong like he remembered, "strong enough to lift you with just one arm." Ages 6-10. (Orchard, 1991)
It takes a certain level of sophisticated humor to appreciate Jon Scieszka's The Frog Prince Continued. This picture book picks up where the traditional tale leaves off, letting us know by the end of page one, that the frog-turned-prince and his princess are far from happy. Ages 5-adult. (Viking, 1991) This book can also be an in road to Scieszka's "Time Warp Trio" short novels, such as Knights of the Kitchen Table. Ages 7-11. (Viking, 1991)
It is clear to me from the flood of new beginning novels for 7-11 year old readers, that need has effected the publishing industry. There are a flood of many new beginning novels that cross all genres and interests.
The Young Indiana Jones series blend of adventure, short cliff-hanger chapters, mystery and history. Four more have just been released- Princess of Peril; Gypsy Revenge; Ghostly Riders and Curse of the Ruby Cross, bringing the series total to eight. Ages 7-11. (Random House, 1991)
Fantasy fan and parent alike will be pleased by the release of two short novels by J.R.R. Tolkien, Farmer Giles of Ham and Smith of Wooton Major. Ages 7-11. (Houghton Mifflin, 1991)
Humor abounds in Kathleen Leverich's Best Enemies Again. Our favorite part of this two-book series is that the nasty anti-heroine is never redeemed and remains a "snake" through and through! Ages 7-11. (Greenwillow, 1991) Another unforgettable book of this size and laughter is Sally Wittman's Stepbrother Sabotage. (HarperCollins, 1990)
Probably one of the hardest categories to fill for this age level are sensitive stories, I've found three this spring! Dennis Haseley's Shadows Ages 7-11. (Farrar, 1991); Gloria Whelan's Hannah (Knopf, 1991) Eth Clifford's The Summer of the Dancing Horse Ages 7-11. (Houghton Mifflin, 1991)
One way to get an active boy reading may be through sports . Sports author Matt Christopher releases Skateboard Tough this season and there are more in the series of Jack B. Quick Sports Detective such as The Tour of Tricks. Ages 7-12. (Little Brown, 1991)
Lee Wardlaw's Cowabunga: A Kid's Book of Surfing (Avon, 1991-see side-bar); Ron King's Rad Boards (Little Brown, 1991) and Michael Benson's Dream Teams (Little Brown, 1991)
History lovers will enjoy Russell Freedman's The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane (Holiday House, 1991) and Pam Conrad's first non-fiction book, Prairie Visions: The Life and Times of Solomon Butcher. (HarperCollins, 1991) Both have excellent writing and illustrations.
Again, humor seems to reign in novels of longer length for this age group. Anastasia Krupnick appears in a ninth novel by Lois Lowry called Anastasia at This Address, wherein she answers a personal column. Ages 9-12. (Houghton Mifflin, 1991) Watch also for September release, Betsy Byar's fifth book about the wild Blossom family called, Wanted...Mud Blossom. Ages 8-12. (Delacorte, 1991)
Many of the young adult novels that I found most memorable this year were historical fiction. Wolf by the Ears, by Ann Rinaldi tells the story of Thomas Jefferson's daughter born to his black servant. Though this fact is still debated, Rinaldi, a fine researcher imagines the scenarios so perfectly, I had little trouble believing its truth. Written in a journal format, the story tells of a young adult girl who is almost sure Mr. Jefferson is her father, has lived all her life with this man and yet has never had confirmation of this fact. And then there's Thomas Jefferson, from whose quote the title comes, whose name means equality and yet raises children in inferior positions. And then there's the thought of "passing white" and leaving not only your home, but your race, as well. Issues and situations were so fascinating that this book haunted me for months after I read it. Ages 12 and up. (Scholastic, 1991)
The Depression era depicted in Jackie Koller French's Nothing To Fear is strikingly familiar today. The viewpoint character, Danny Garvey, comes from a closely-knit Irish immigrant family. Unemployment causes Pa to leave to find income and when Danny's mother experiences a difficult preganancy, Danny becomes sole support. The importance of integrity, intimacy and caring of community balance the horrors that sometimes seem insurmountable for a child so young. Ages 12 and up. (HBJ, 1991)
Gary Paulsen seems to tackle writer's mission in each of his novels and triumphs to my continual satisfaction. He writes The Cook Camp from the viewpoint of a troubled four-year-old boy who is sent to live in with his grandmother when his presence is too strongly felt by his mother is who is pursuing an affair while his father is at war. He is sent to the wilds of Minnesota and taken into the hearts of giantic men who cut timber to make way for the railroads and his grandmother cooks sumptious feasts and given grand adventures of vehicle driving and forest play and time to become himself and be loved. Ages 12 and up.
Summer's coming, schools are closing and parents are steeling themselves, remembering the heralds of summer they heard last year. "I'm bored" or "There's nothing to do" or "He (or she) is picking on me." Mostly it's the transition that's tricky. Moving from nine months of heavily-scheduled time into apparent freedom is difficult. Last summer I discovered that books provided an anchor that turned family insanity to harmony.
We began every day last summer by luxuriating in bed with a long reading session. Not only does this start a day in a family way, but it may do away with the a.m. television that turns into p.m. television before you know it.
Many students are accustomed to SSR (Sustained Silent Reading) periods at school. This is a daily time when everyone drops what they are doing and reads. You might want to borrow on the wisdom of schools and begin what I call SSSR&R (Summertime Sustained Silent Reading & Rest).
Schedule for the most frenetic time of the day. I have a friend who has dubbed 4-6pm the arsenic hours. This might be the perfect occasion for a comforting, relaxing read. If your child does not read, s/he can look at books and "read" to themselves. Be sure that you take advantage of this time by reading too--no housework, no business calls, only enjoyment of the tranquility reading brings for a half-an-hour or so. If you feel guilty, remember you are modeling reading behavior as much as savoring the peace.
Libraries are great places to visit in the summer. The Santa Barbara Public Library System has a great participatory summer reading program every year. Children of any age can come in and report about the book they read. We began with my son when he was three. This is a special experience for children in more ways than they know. It is a remarkable adventure for a child to have an adult be excited with them in their joyful expressions of a book. It is also an excellent way for them to synthesize what they have read, practice sorting out main ideas, event sequences, characterizations and all kinds of other reading skills. Choosing their own books is a pleasure beyond description for many children. It is one of the few times when their own tastes can rule and they are not held back by the money issues most parents have to impose. It may also be the beginning of a bond between your child and our free library system.
Several of the book stores in town will be having summertime story hours and events as well. Ownership is an important part of the reading experience. I still remember being given money as a small child and being allowed to make my own choice in a book store. Buying a book is a great reward for work well done. I also believe that a child who has checked the same book out of the library again and again deserves to own it. Paperbacks are a necessity if you plan any summer vacations. They can make car rides less boring, familiarize an unknown hotel and calm restlessness during restaurant waits.
If libraries and book store are already part of your summer itinerary, but don't forget to bring books with you to beaches, parks and playgrounds. I remember reading under a shade tree when I was young, and up in a tree, and even in a swing. In my own parenting, I have found it helpful to wind down the physical activity with a book when we spend a long time at one place.
When daylight hours are long and tempers are short , turn to a family evening read. Tranquility comes quickly and helps prepare the path to sleep. Some of our greatest discussions have been launched by books during evening family reads.
You may find that your child is a book gobbler, the kind that can't get enough. While you worship your child's joy of reading, sometimes it's exhausting coming up with titles that will satisfy. One of the comforts I've found is in finding authors and illustrators that consistently produce books and pictures I appreciate.
Local author-illustrators, Don and Audrey Wood, are a sure bet. Their books, written for the very young to beginning readers, are filled with humor, rhythm, and unusual subjects, characters and perspectives. Newly released is a tape-book package Into the Napping House with music and songs by Carl and Jennifer Shaylen for ages 3-7. (HBJ, 1990) For 4-8's Audrey has just written and illustrated the wonderfully wacky Weird Parents (Dial, 1990)
Summer is a time for laughter and no writer-illustrator can make kids laugh as well as James Marshall. Marshall loves his own characters so much that he written more than one book about most of them, much to the delight of his four to seven year old audience. Some of his series sure to delight are: George and Martha; (Houghton Mifflin) The Stupids Step Out (Houghton Mifflin) Space Case (Houghton Mifflin)and Miss Nelson is Missing (Houghton Mifflin; Scholastic). His Fox fans will be happy to see the release of a new easy-to-read, Fox Be Nimble. (Dial, 1990)
Tomie de Paola is another writer-illustrator whose work is loved by children of varying ranges. Mr. de Paola has written or illustrated everything from Tomie de Paola's Favorite Nursery Rhymes (Putnam, 1985 ) to story collection (Tomie de Paola's Favorite Nursery Tales, (Putnam, 1986) to humor-adventure (Bill and Pete, Putnam, 1978) to sensitive subjects (Now One Foot, Now the Other, Putnam, 1981 ) to Native American stories (Legend of Indian Paintbrush, Putnam, 1987 ). Of late, Putnam has established an imprint, Whitebird, over which Mr. de Paola has artistic and literary discretion. This imprint is producing some marvelous new work. Two new de Paola titles you may want to investigate are Little Grunt and the Big Egg: a Prehistoric Fairy Tale (Holiday House, 1990) written and illustrated by Tomie and The Badger and the Magic Fan ( Whitebird Press, 1990) written by Tony Johnston with pictures by Tomie. Books are for children 1-8.
Summer is a wonderful time to explore the world around you and Byrd Baylor is a author whose appreciation and admiration of the natural world is evident in her work. Often her writing is complimented by the art of Peter Parnall. Some of my favorite books the team has produced are Hawk , I'm Your Brother (Scribners, 1976) and I'm in Charge of Celebrations. (Scribners, 1986) For ages 4-8.
Summer is a time for non-fiction lovers to soak in information about their favorite subjects. Two favorite series for your truth seeker are the Eyewitness series and The New True Books. Eyewitness now has twenty books to their credit, each spectacular in both photography and authentic, accurate information. Newest in the series are Money; Insect;Fossil; Fish. (Knopf, 1990) These books are recommended for ages ten and up, but a younger reader will certainly enjoy the photographs and can glean some information. To please the younger readers, Knopf has released a new series, Eyewitness Juniors with titles: Amazing Birds;Mammals;Snakes;Spiders . Recommended for ages 6-10, again, I think the books are accessible to children slightly younger.
New True books are a fabulous series for beginning non-fiction readers. They have been written about absolutely everything from Indians to fire fighters to Spacelab. The print is large, they are full of photographs and information. (Children's Press)
Summer is a great time for novel reading. For the family that is looking for the proper time to introduce longer reads, you many find your child receptive at about age five. I recommend books that sparkle with excitement and have short thrilling chapters. If chapters are too long, you can create your own cliff-hanging by stopping at a point of high excitement. Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach (Knopf, l961; Bantam, l979) and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Knopf, l964; Bantam, l979) are two popular books to begin with. One caution, Dahl writes at two levels. For a beginning reader avoid his BFG (Farrar, Strauss & Giroux, 1982) or Witches (Farrar, Strauss & Giroux, 1983). These will be adored by a ten year old, but are too mature for a beginning novel listener. Another author that works at two levels is Judy Blume. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (Dutton, l972; Dell, l981) and Freckle Juice, (Scholastic, l971; Dell, l978) are great first read-alouds, but older books like Are You There God? It's Me Margaret (Bradbury, 1970) are again, more appropriate for a pre-teen.
Beginning novels can run the range from dramatic humor such as Shel Silverstein's Lafcadio, the Lion Who Shot Back (Harper and Row, l963), Jeff Brown's Flat Stanley, (Harper and Row,l964) to Florence Parry Heide's , The Shrinking of Treehorn (a series) (Holiday, l971: Dell, l979). Humor and animal adventure unite in the three series books by Janwillem van de Wetering which begin with Hugh Pine (Houghton Mifflin, l980). Sensitive and emotional are both Patricia MacLachlan's Sarah Plain and Tall (Harper and Row,1986) and John Reynold Gardiner's Stone Fox, (Harper and Row, l980).
Often the first novels you read to your children are the novels they will begin to read to themselves. After a time, they begin moving into readings that are a bit more mature. David Adler's Cam Jansen Mysteries (Dell) and Patricia Reilly Giff's The Kids of the Polk Street School (Dell) are two series that have hooked many 7-9 year old readers. The books are short, have some pictures and issues that kids that age can relate to. A humor lover will also appreciate Patrick Catling's The Chocolate Touch, (Morrow, l971; Bantam, l981), an update of the Midas myth. Kids will laugh their way through How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell (Watts, l973; Dell, l975) a nauseating telling of how the young hero becomes a conniseur of fine worm cuisine.
And then there are middle grade readers-- 8-12ers. Again, humor seems to reign as authors like Betsy Byars and Barbara Parks seem ever popular. Betsy Byars series that begins with The Not-Just-Anybody-Family (De la Corte, 1986) tells tales of an unusual family led by a single mom who rides rodeo. By the time you finish the book you've experienced their trials and joys from every viewpoint imaginable, even the dog's. A second Byar's series which begins with The Burning Questions of Bingo Brown (Viking, 1988) is filled with the "serious issues" of growing up, like falling in love for the first time. Barbara Park's fans will be delighted to see the appearance of sequel, Also Starring Skinny Bones (Knopf, 1990), the continued story of Alex Frankovitch, a skinny wimpy kid who gets himself into embarrassing situations because of his smart mouth.
Pam Conrad's sensitivity is a good balance for the hilarity which characterizes many books for this age. Her characters and subjects are fascinating and the depth of her stories are intriguing for middle readers. In My Daniel (Harper, 1989), a blend of historical and contemporary fiction, she tells the story of an old woman fondly remembering a brother who died young as he quested for dinosaur bones. In Stone Words (Harper, 1990), Ms. Conrad, blends reality and supernatural, in the story of a young girl whose "imaginary playmate" is a ghost. Ms. Conrad also writes some superb young adult novels, like Prairie Songs (Harper, 1985).
Do you know that there is a body of literature created for young adult readers that many of them never discover? Do you know that New York commuters' newest reading pleasure is young adult novels! Young adults are the most demanding audience available--they need strong characters, a plot that moves, powerful images, conflict, drama, feelings, and lack of wordiness. This produces an incredible literature.
Books run the gamut from the gripping emotional stories produced by Chris Crutcher like Stotan (Dell, 1986). Crutcher brings alive the sports idiom of a swim team to show the courage, support and emotional underpinnings for four high school boys. Crutcher does not write stories for the mild reader, his books are an emotionally charged and change a reader forever.
Cynthia Voigt is a story teller young adults will never forget. And she herself can not forget her characters. Her stories come from them and turn to sagas. Historical fiction fans who enjoyed her Jackaroo (Atheneum, 1985) will appreciate her latest in this series On Fortune's Wheel (Atheneum, 1990)
The Tillerman books which began with Homecoming (Atheneum, 1981) go back and forth in history to reveal bits and pieces that make up an amazing family puzzle. Again, intensity is profound in Voigt's work, but it is balanced with a great deal of loving intimacy.
Summer might be the time you hook non-readers and Avi might just the writer to capture them. Avi's books are loaded with suspense and drive a reader to flip through to satisfying conclusions. Wolf Rider, one of my personal favorites, begins with an anonymous phone call in which the mysterious voice admits a murder. The young boy who receives becomes entrapped in a intrigue that is almost too large for him. The protagonist is brave, steadfast, and the novel is chilling and compelling.
Slow summer might also be a time to discover one's fictional bent. It might be romantic novels like Katherine Stratton-Porter's Girl of the Limberlost (Grosset, 1909) or making history come alive, by living in feudal Japan during the duration of Katherine Paterson's Of Nightingales That Weep , (Harper, 1974) living in the makebelieve worlds of Robin McKinnley's Blue Sword series (Greenwillow) or Patricia McKillip's Riddle Master of Hed books (Atheneum).
The unstructured stretches of time seem made for reading and also discovering the happiness of sharing books together!
The following is a smattering of authors and illustrators, other than those highlighted who have more than one book your children will enjoy. Ages vary, of course, but they are listed in rough categories to start you on your researching adventures!
Ages 0-2: Sandra Boynton, Margaret Wise Brown, John Burningham, Eric Hill, Babro Lindgren, Jan Ormerod, Helen Oxenbury, Nancy Tafuri, and Rosemary Wells.
Ages 2-4: Byron Barton, Eric Carle, Nancy White Carlstrom, Donald Crews, Mem Fox, Don Freeman, Mirra Ginsburg, Shirley Hughes, Pat Hutchins, Bill Martin, and Jeanne Titherington.
Ages 4-6: Janet and Allan Ahlberg, Aliki, Frank Asch, Molly Bang, Jan Brett, Marc Brown, Anthony Browne, Eve Bunting, Paul Galdone, Ruth Heller, Kevin Henkes,Margaret Mahy, Patricia McKissak, H.A. Rey, Joanne Ryder, Cynthia Rylant, William Steig, Judith Viorst, Gene Zion, Charlotte Zolotow.
Older Picture Book Readers: Chris Van Allsburg, Barbara Cooney, Paul Goble, Mavis Jukes, Leo Lioni, Patricia MacLachlan, Graham Oakley, Patricia Polacco and Jane Yolen.
For I-Can-Readers- Judy Donnelly, Arnold Lobel, Else Minark, Peggy Parish, Cynthia Rylant, Marjorie Sharmat, and Jean Van Leeuwen.
First Novels to Read Together or Alone: Beverly Cleary, Ruth Stiles Gannett, Astrid Lindgren, Betty MacDonald, A.A. Milne, Barbara Robinson, William Steig, P.L. Travers, Lee Wardlaw, and E.B. White.
Middle Grade : Lloyd Alexander, Lynne Reid Banks, Susan Cooper, Deborah and James Howe, Lois Lowry, George Selden, and Louis Sacher.
Young Adult : Bruce Brooks, Paula Danzinger, Jenny Davis, Madeline L'Engle, Zibby O'Neal, Gary Paulsen, Richard Peck, Lois Duncan, Joan Lowry Nixon, and Lawerence Yep
Fifty Books I wouldn't move without "You know what's going to cost you?!" the moving men told my husband, "All these books!" Still there are books that I couldn't bear to leave behind and the sorting out has left me thinking about fifty of my all-time favorites I couldn't leave behind.
Question: What defines a great summer read?
Answer: A book you can't put down.
Question: What defines a book you can't put down?
Answer: Seven answers lead to a summer reading list composed of recent titles and old favorites!
**Answer 1: A sequel by a favorite author who left us with an unresolved ending **
Ruth White won a Newbery in 1996 for Belle Prater's Boy (Yearling, $5.99; ages 9-11). This award rewarded the book's strong voice, two remarkable cousin characters, Gypsy and Woodrow, and a plot driven by the mystery of what happened to Belle, Woodrow's mother. There are more answers than questions in the sequel, The Search for Belle Prater (FSG, $16.00; ages 9-11). It begins with a mysterious phone call Woodrow knows is from his mother. Soon he and Gypsy are searching to discover Belle's whereabouts. Added intrigue comes a new character including Cassie Caulborne, who has second sight. The pacing quickens a bit at the end, but readers will be pleased by the excellent writing and satisfying conclusion.
Other recommendations:
Lois Lowry's The Giver Series (Houghton Mifflin, ages 9-12) Phillip Pullman's The Golden Compass series (ages 10-adult)
Answer 2: Compelling Characters
Jenna Boller's the heroine of Joan Bauer's Best Foot Forward (Putnam, 16.99 ages 11-14), the sequel to her _Rules of the Road _ ( Puffin, $7.99). In the first book, Jenna discovered her passion and gift for selling shoes. In the second, she understands her capability as a manager, marketer, and organizer against corporate greed. Jenna sees the ugliness of avarice and power when her mentor, the tough, elderly Mrs. Gladstone, finds her shoe empire threatened by her son's betrayal. In addition to professional growth, Jenna better understandings her dysfunctional father by helping Tanner Cobb, a new employee with a strong family and a disturbing past. Understanding comes to her from a new love interest who values doing the right thing in business. In both books, Bauer eloquently delivers vivid characterizations with a blend of humorous and thoughtful writing.
Others? Two series by Madeline L'Engle. One featuring the O'Keefe family. The other recounting lives of the Austin family (ages 10 and up)
Answer 3: An addictive series
Girls in Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood (Delacorte, $16.95, ages 11 and up) 0-385-72935-9
Recent release of the new movie will find old and new fans eager for the third adventures of Bridget, Lena, Carmen and Tibby, four heroines who share one magical pair of jeans, a strong friendship and alternating chapters of a fast-paced series. As they prepare to leave for college, they all face some kind of transition. Bridget's at soccer camp co-coaching with her past love, thinking more about him than college. Artistic Lena's father has caught her drawing a nude model and refuses to fund her art education, so she's got to get the money for RISD. Carmen is concerned about going all the way to Williams College when her mother and new husband are having a baby. Tibby's finally accepted her friend Brian's physical attentions then wonders how to continue their relationship. Character growth and dramatic reading make this latest book as gripping as its predecessors.
Others? Mildred Taylor's Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry series (ages 10 and up) and J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series (Scholastic, ages 8-adult)
Answer 4: An Absorbing Fantasy
Enter the world of Carole Wilkinson's Dragon Keeper (Hyperion, $16.00; ages 9-12) set in 141 B.C. China. Ping, the Cinderella-like heroine, is a poor, pathetic female slave who tends ailing dragons in a remote palace. Soon she discovers her gift for magic-she can hear the dragon's voices in her head. The plot is filled with action and adventure as Ping, her beloved rat, Hua, and the Danzi, the last surviving captive dragon, set off on a mysterious quest. All this and great writing too!
Other? Ann McCaffrey's dragon series (ages 10-adult); Susan Cooper's Dark is Rising series (ages 8-12)
Answer 5: Fast-paced Writing Flavored with Humor
Laurie Halse Anderson's Prom (Viking, 16.99, ages 12 and up) 0-670-05974-9
High school senior, Ashley Hannigan, is one of the "normal" kids scraping through an urban Philadelphia school. She cuts class regularly, does enough homework so she'll be sure to graduate and is more interested in sex than school. Her home is crowded with male siblings and there's another baby on the way. Her life is already full when her best friend Natalia hooks Ashley into hatching a prom plan when the faculty advisor absconds with the money. Ashley must avoid detention to help her friend plan an event she doesn't really care about. Or does she? Short chapters, involving voice, authentic dialogue, and humor blend to make this a fast-read!
Others? Writers who excel at fast-paced humor Bruce Coville, Christopher Paul Curtis, Dan Gutman
Answer 6: Engrossing Non-fiction
Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow by Susan Campbell Bartoletti (Scholastic, $19.95, ages 11 and up) Bartoletti, a prize-winning young adult non-fiction writer, is an engaging writer, with interesting viewpoints, dedication to research and she knows how to mix facts, stories and illustrations. This book is filled with chilling quotes, emotional annecdotes and dramatic examples of how Hitler's young were manipulated and used as a source of his power. The author threads through the book's pages stories of individuals like heroic martyrs, Sophie and Hand Scholl. Others? Susan Bartoletti's Black Potatoes; Jim Murphy, An American Plague--subtitles
Answer 7: Gender Pleasers (Boy Books!)
Guys Write for Guys Read, edited by Jon Scieszka (Viking, $10.99, ages 8 and up) 0-670-06027-5
For several years, best-selling author and former fourth grade teacher, Jon Scieszka, has been campaiging to get boys reading. His latest wonderful contribution is a" bunch of pieces by a bunch of guys...all about being a guy." Written in a variety of genres- memoir, fiction --all selections are short and engrossing (and sometimes gross). Ninety popular guy writers, like Chris Crutcher, Jack Gantos and Gary Paulsen, lend cache to this collection. Each selection includes the author's short suggested bibliography and a silly biography with a "random fact". Did you know Dav Pilkey "still holds the first-grade classroom record for number of crayons stuck up his nose"? Subjects include sports, TV, pets, and other guy stuff. The collection runs the gamut of moods-- sad, funny, full of action-all compelling. Money goes to support Scieczka's non-profit Guys Read and his new Web site, www.guysread.com.
Others? This book has a ton of suggestions!