July 2003

Dear Fellow Book Lovers:

The school year has ended and kids are beginning their summer activities. Let’s hope that most of them will find a way to include books and reading in their daily routines. Public libraries all across the nation offer exciting theme-based activities for children and young adults, many schools have guided and required summer reading, and some publishers offer virtual summer reading clubs. For example, Random House’s Step Into Reading Summer Reading Club can be easily accessed through the Kids at Random web page. Those of us who care about books and kids may make different reading recommendations, but we all need to encourage parents to provide their children with the necessary free time to curl up with a good book. Whether children and teenagers are at summer camp, in summer school, traveling with family, visiting relatives, or hanging out with friends, they may simply be waiting for us to urge them to make books a part of their summer plans. Here are a few of my summer reading suggestions:

•  Books for family read aloud

All the Way Home by Patricia Reilly Giff (ages 8-up)

The Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop (ages 8-up)

The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford (ages 8-up)

Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat   (ages 7-up)

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (ages 8-12)

Wanted….Mud Blossom by Betsy Byars (ages   8-14)

Who Stole the Wizard of Oz? by Avi (ages 8-12)

•  Good novels for summer camp

Blue Skin of the Sea by Graham Salisbury (ages 10-up)

Harriet Spies Again by Helen Ericson (ages 10-up)

In the Middle of the Night by Robert Cormier (ages 12-up)

Holes by Louis Sachar (ages 10-up)

The Secret Life of the Underwear Champ by Betty Miles (ages 8-12)

The Second Summr of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares

(ages 12-up)

Sixteen by Donald R. Gallo (ages 10-up)

Ultimate Sports by Donald R. Gallo (ages 10-up)

•  Just good books for curling up

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry (ages 12-up)

The Gadget by Paul Zindel (ages 12-up)

Junebug by Lice mead (ages 8-12)

The Junie B. Jones Series by Barbara Park (ages 6-8)

Lizard Music by Daniel Manus Pinkwater (ages 9-12)

The Magic Tree House Series by Mary Pope Osborn (ages 6-8)

My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett (ages 7-10)

Soup by Robert Newton Peck (ages 9-12)

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli (ages 12-up)

Back to This Month's Pat Scales.

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