Summer Reading

Summer is a time for rest and relaxation, right?! Well, not always...there are summer camps, summer school, summer activities and most likely a family vacation or two which aren't exactly the vacations we remember as restful. But, it is still good practice and good fun to read during the summer. As adults, we should find time to read during the summer too. Some of us don't necessarily have more time in the summer, but the days are longer, so it feels like it! What about having a family reading night once a week? Everyone grabs a book and heads to the living room or family room and reads together. This way, you are not only modeling good reading behavior but you can help out the kids if they need help with words or sentences and even read a book to them in between some of your reading. And, on those family vacations - it is a great time to bring books to read on the beach, in the tent, in the mountains or as down time in the hotel in between planned activities. Here is a list of some classics along with some new books to try out this summer!

Classics (adapted from Bay Area Libraries)
Abel's Island - William Steig
The Adventures of Pinocchio - Carlo Collodi
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain
Alanna - Tamora Pierce
Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
Anastasia Krupnik - Lois Lowry
Anne of Green Gables - L.M. Montgomery
Black Beauty - Anna Sewall
Bridge to Terabithia - Katherine Paterson
The Call of the Wild - Jack London
Charlotte's Web - E.B. White
Follow My Leader - James B. Garfield
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler - E.L. Konigsburg
Harriet the Spy - Louise Fitzhugh
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling
Heidi - Johanna Spyri
The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien
How to Eat Fried Worms - Thomas Rockwell
Island of the Dolphins - Scott O'Dell
James and the Giant Peach - Roald Dahl
The Jungle Book - Rudyard Kipling
The Little House in the Big Woods - Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Little Prince - Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Mary Poppins - P.L. Travers
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood - Howard Pyle
Old Yeller - Fred Gipson
Pippi Longstocking - Astrid Lindgren
Ramona the Pest - Beverly Cleary
The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
Sounder - William H. Armstrong
The Story of King Arthur - Howard Pyle
The Sword in the Stone - T.H. White
The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
Winnie the Pooh - A.A. Milne
A Wrinkle in Time - Madeline L'Engle

Age Specific Books -
4-8/Early Readers:
Amelia Bedelia series by Peggy Parish
Junie B series by Barbara Park
Flat Stanley series by Jeff Brown
George and Martha books by George Marshall

9-12 Readers:
The Mysterious Benedict Society books by Trenton Lee Stewart
The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies
Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan
The Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

Teen Readers:
Meg Cabot books
Cecily von Ziegesar books including Gossip Girl and It Girl
The Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer
Chris Crutcher books

For a complete list, visit www.amazon.com or your local library.