June 2005

Dear Fellow Book Lovers:

SUMMER ACTIVITIES, PART 1

Almost all communities have special summer activities for children and young adults. Local public libraries have summer reading programs, recreation departments have sports events and craft activities, symphonies sponsor music camps, and community theatres sometimes offer acting lessons. Suggest to parents that in addition to these types of activities, that they introduce all members of their family to museums. Encourage them to read aloud books about museums so that their children will know the many types of museums that are available to visit. The youngest members of the family will enjoy Harry and the Dinosaurs at the Museum by Ian Whybrow and illustrated by Adrian Reynolds, and Arthur Lost in the Museum by Marc Brown.  

The local library may list museums in the immediate area that might be of interest to children. If there aren’t museums in close proximity to your community, then offer families web links to museums so that they can take a virtual trip together. And, always offer a list of books that will prepare them for their visit. Here are a few suggestions from Random House:

The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (www.ushmm.org) – The Night Crossing by Karen Ackerman (ages 7-11); Jacob’s Rescue by Malka Drucker and Michael Halperin (ages 9-12); Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (ages 4-7); Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli (ages 10 up); Anne Frank by Josephine Poole and illustrated by Angela Barrett (ages 10 up).

The National Civil Rights Museum (www.civilrightsmuseum.org) – The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis (ages 10 up); Spite Fences by Trudy Krisher (ages 12 up).

The National Women’s History Museum (www.nmwh.org) – Ashes of Roses by Mary Jane Auch (ages 12 up); Cat Running by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (ages 9-12)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art ( www.metmuseum.org ) – Andy Warhol, Prince of Pop by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan (ages 12 up); A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park (ages 10-14).

The Smithsonian Museum ( www.si.edu ) – titles such as Mummies and Pyramids, Dinosaurs, Space, or American Revolution from The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce (ages 6-8).

The National Slavery Museum (www.usnationalslaverymuseum.org) – Stealing Freedom by Elisa Carbone (ages 10-14); Nightjohn by Gary Paulsen (ages 10 up); Trouble Don’t Last by Shelley Pearsell (ages 10 up).

Japanese American National Museum ( www.janm.org ) – Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Houston and James D. Houston (ages 12 up); My Friend the Enemy by J.B. Cheney (ages 10-14); Under The Blood-Red Sun by Graham Salisbury (ages 10-12), Eyes of the Emperor by Graham Salisbury (ages 10-12)

The Baseball Hall of Fame Museum ( www.baseballhalloffame.org ) – Baseball’s Best: Five True Stories by Andrew Gutrell and Illustrated by Cliff Spohn (ages 7-10); Baseball’s Greatest Hitters by Sydelle Kramer (ages 7-10).

Suggest that young patrons make their own list of virtual museum trips. For example, some may want to visit The Museum of Television and Radio ( www.mtr.org ). Ask them to suggest appropriate books to read before visiting the museums on their lists. They may also enjoy making a list of books that they may find in the gift shops at the various museums. Sponsor a family night at the end of the summer and have families share their museum trips.  

You may email me at pscales@scgsah.state.sc.us.