Too Hot Outside? Go to the Library!
This week on NPR, President of the Public Library Association Sari Feldman addressed the common question of how to keep kids reading over the summer. She talks to “Tell Me More” host Michel Martin about taking kids to the library, asking librarians for book recommendations, and making reading a priority in your household. You can listen to the segment here for specific recommendations and Feldman’s own strategies for getting her kids to read. But NPR isn’t the only news source getting in on the summer reading action - newspapers from across the country have been publishing their own lists, recommending books by age group, gender, or topic. Check out the links below for children’s books the experts are recommending this summer. Or, just ask your librarian.
The Library: It's like a free Disney World for your kids
The Coretta Scott King Committee has put together a reading list with “everything from Mother Goose rhymes to music to sports and much more - all told from the African-American perspective.” The list is divided by age group, with selections for toddlers through teens. Created to “provide satisfying reading experiences for all children, while promoting understanding and appreciation of the culture of all peoples,” this list includes favorites from Jerry Pinkney to Jacqueline Woodson.
This list for readers 10 - 16 from the Kansas City Star suggests summer page turners to fill the Harry Potter and Twilight void. Recommended authors include Rick Riordan, Ann Brashares, and James Rollins, and there is even a new vampire book to look for.
Publishers Weekly’s Shelftalker blog asked followers what teens should read this summer, and an extensive list was formed based on the responses. Blogger Josie Levitt says, “This list is exciting. It’s full of great modern characters that kids can relate to, and isn’t this what a reading list is supposed to do?” If so, this one delivers, with authors like Kristin Cashore, Neil Gaiman, and John Green mingling with William Golding and Harper Lee. Even the most jaded teen will be excited about something on this list.
If you’re looking for more recommendations from recent newspapers and blogs, check out this (very thorough!) collection of summer reading lists from blogger Rebecca Blood. It includes adult recommendations by subject in addition to the children’s lists noted above.
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