Summer Reading Fun

One of life's greatest pleasures for me is reading a good book. This has been a constant joy in my life since I was in second grade. As a child, a trip to the public library "beat" a trip to the local park or the community pool. I still have to endure my family sharing how when we went to the drive-in movies as a family, I would have a book in my hands. Okay, maybe I was a bookworm...
Today's public libraries are awesome! You can check-out DVDs, surf the internet, or pause and read the latest edition of your favorite magazine. And, the offerings for children are delightful! Most branches offer special story hours for preschoolers at least once a week. With summer comes the always fun (and literacy promoting) "Summer Reading Club". If you've never included this in your child's summer fun, then start NOW! It's a great way to get children "interested" in leisure reading, and you can never start too young OR too old.

If you are scoping out some "new" reads for your youngster to take along on summer vacation or to summer camp, here are a few fun offerings:

For ages 8-12:
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey (Mysterious Benedict Society)
by Trenton Lee Stewart

Goosebumps HorrorLand #1: Revenge of the Living Dummy
by R.L. Stine

For ages 9-12:
Six Innings
by James Preller

For ages 12-17
Audrey, Wait!
by Robin Benway

All of these treasures, and many more, can be purchased and/or explored through the ChildCares.com Amazon store (click here).

One of my very favorite Mary Engelbreit "sayings" is:
"Books fall open, you fall in."

For me, this always has, and still does, say it all...