Summer vacation is right around the corner, and that means days of playing, lazing and exploring. It’s more difficult than ever to entice a child to crack open a book at the best of times, let alone during the listless heat waves of summer, but it’s not a lost cause. Check out some notable novels, fun picture books and classic reads that will keep minds of all ages entertained and stimulated as the summer rolls along.
1. The Pigeon Wants a Puppy
For the youngest readers, choose a picture book that won’t lose them along the way (and one that will keep you smiling). Any of Mo Willems pigeon-centered books will be wonderful addition to a preschooler’s little library, but why not check out the most recent: The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! Like the other books in the series, it’s a funny caricature of real life with a growing toddler that will delight parents, with simple and engaging illustrations that will hold onto a child’s attention.
2. The True Story of 3 Little Pigs
A classic picture book for the next level of readers, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs is led by a clever sense of humor and delightful twist on the familiar battle between wolf and pig. The illustrations are interesting enough to keep little eyes interested, and the story will make adults chuckle as much as children.
3. Mitilda
For kids making the transition from picture books to chapter books, you’ll need something with larger print and illustrations throughout. Most Roald Dahl will fit the bill, but that unforgettably imaginative journey in James and the Giant Peach is a great place to begin. For girls in the grade 3 to grade 5 reading range, Matilda is a fantastic account that will elicit emotions ranging from sympathy to enchantment.
4. The Phantom Tollbooth
Kids hold onto their favorite books tightly as they grow older, but they will entertain newcomers that can compete with the imaginative power they’re used to. As reading level increases, vocabulary and plotlines should as well, and The Phantom Tollbooth is a timeless example of an imaginative and engaging transition into more advanced reading. With the whimsy of Alice in Wonderland and the adventure of Harry Potter, this masterfully concocted classic is a gem that deserves a place on your bookshelf.
5. The Secret Garden
For middle school readers that are breaking into serious novels, offer up The Chronicles of Narnia for the fantasy-inclined or The Secret Garden for a romantic take on secret worlds. Both of these have something in common with a child’s summer: an invitation to explore and the feeling that anything is possible in the natural world that surrounds you. There are undoubtedly hundreds of other books in this vein, so it’s worth a visit to the library to see what new books may be worth a read.
