School has started and it is time for book reports to start rolling in.
I loved summer reading when I was in school, though I did have to rush through it in August after procrastinating all summer. Thanks to my teachers, I was introduced to Denise Giardina, Leon Uris and more beautiful authors. Now that I have a child, I’m still reading over the summer, but the font is slightly larger, the pictures are more colorful, and the plot is simpler.
Here are some of the favorite books in our house this summer:
Pete the Cat — A series written by Eric Litwin and illustrated by James Dean. Pete the Cat and His Brand-New White Shoes was introduced to us by my son’s great-aunt. We absolutely love the laid-back musical cat and his constantly changing shoes. The moral of the story is “no matter what happens, keep walking along and singing your song… because it’s all good.” Seriously, that’s the moral. It’s also the last line in the grooviest book to hit our shelves recently. The book, and the two Pete titles that follow, come with a free downloadable song. It’s a catchy tune that is easy to remember and sing when it’s story time. My son, at 2, had the book memorized thanks to the song. The book is a Scholastic title, so look for it in book fairs near you.
Sally Jean the Bicycle Queen — a library find, we learned about Sally, a resourceful girl that grew up riding a bike, and has to get creative when she outgrows her trusty two-wheeler. Despite some struggles, this 8-year-old takes matters into her own hands, with some help from her junk-dealing neighbor, and creates a new bike that is totally unique and her own. It’s a wonderful read for all ages.
Oh, The Places You’ll Go! — This Dr. Suess classic came back into our lives this summer when my boyfriend was asked to read it at a friend’s wedding. He used nightly story time as an opportunity to familiarize himself with the words, so he wouldn’t stumble and mumble over the tongue-twisting lines.
I could go on and on with titles, but I’ll leave you to let your Kindle do all the work. However, try to check out Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant, Elephant and Piggie books, and our all-time favorite, the classic Curious George.
What are some new titles you ran across this summer?
