TIME
TO READ
READING RECOMMENDATIONS
We know that people who read regularly have
a broader knowledge of the world, and have better
language skills than those that do not read.
Raising a child to be a reader begins with a
loving adult reading aloud to a baby. That aids
in the process of learning the sounds, grammar,
and structure of language. If you can, you should
establish a daily ritual of reading aloud to
your child. The ideal would be to read three
books: one favorite, one familiar, and one new
book. Vary your facial expressions and your
voice and try to convey the excitement of the
story. The fire of literacy is created by the
emotional sparks between a child, a book, and
the person reading. Reading aloud and talking
about what we're reading sharpens children's
brains. It helps develop their ability to concentrate
to solve problems logically, and to express
themselves more easily and clearly. Reading
to children increases their knowledge of the
world, their vocabulary, their familiarity with
language and their interest in reading. For
young children, books with rhyme, rhythm and
repetition are excellent. Try to choose children's
books that are above your child's reading level
but at the child's interest level.
When you begin reading aloud to a baby, you
will only be able to keep your baby's attention
for a few minutes, so short action filled picture
books are in order. As children mature, so do
their attention spans and you can graduate to
longer, more complex stories, and then to chapter
books....but do keep reading to them. As they
get older, let them read their favorites to
you too.
Here
are some reading recommendations:
 Oliver
Button Is a Sissy by Tomie dePaola
- Ages 4-8
There is a lot of information out there about
how to handle bullies in the schools.
We have all experienced dealing with a bully
at sometime in our lives. The picture book Oliver
Button Is a Sissy is the story of a boy who
stands up to bullies, not by fighting, but by
staying true to himself by continuing to do
what he loves best, tap dancing, despite being
teased about it. Tomie dePaola, the author and
illustrator of Oliver Button Is a Sissy, based
the story on his own childhood experiences.
 The
Girl Who Hated Books by Manjusha Pawagi
- Ages 4-8
Meena is more than a reluctant reader. She
really hates books. Even though her parents
are avid readers and her house is filled with
books, the girl refuses to open one. Her only
ally is Max, the family cat, who has been book
phobic ever since an atlas fell on his tail.
Only a household accident that sends volumes
flying and characters cascading out of books
can change Meena's mind. This fast paced, funny
story introduces children to the adventures
found in books.
 Pinkalicious:
Pink around the Rink (I Can Read
Book 1) by Victoria Kann -
ages 4-8
After Pinkalicious colors her white ice skates
with a cotton candy pink marker, she feels ready
to spin, glide, and soar with the best of them.
But as the color starts to run off of her skates,
she is embarrassed. When Pinkalicious thought
she was going to leave her mark on the skating
rink, she didn't mean it so literally. . . .This
I Can Read story will have young readers laughing
out loud.
For older kids:
 ANNEXED
by Sharon Dogar
Everyone knows about Anne Frank and her life
hidden in the secret annex. But do you know
about the boy who was also trapped there with
her?
In this powerful and gripping novel, Sharon
Dogar explores Peter's point of view. Forced
into hiding with Anne Frank, first Peter hates
her and then he finds himself falling in love
with her. What s it like to start questioning
your religion, wondering why simply being Jewish
inspires such hatred and persecution? What's
it like to sit and wait and watch while others
die, and wish you were fighting.
As Peter and Anne become closer and closer
in their confined quarters, how can they make
sense of what they see happening around them?
 THE
SECRET SOCIETY OF THE PINK CRYSTAL BALL
by Risa Green.
When Erin inherits a plastic crystal ball and
a set of cryptic instructions, she and her two
best friends discover that this particular ball
has a knack for being accurate. But as with
all magic, nothing is as simple as it seems.
Unless Erin and her friends can fix the damage,
the magic will turn on them. The crystal ball
gave them answers about love and life but at
what price? Exciting reading for the young adults.
 A
GOOD HORSE by Jane Smiley - Ages 11-up
Eighth grader Abby Lovitt knows there's no
place she'd rather be than her family s ranch
--- even with all the hard work of tending to
nine horses.
But some chores are no work at all, like grooming
young Jack. As for Black George, who is such
a good horse, it turns out he s a natural jumper.
When he and Abby clear four feet without any
problems, heads start turning to the ring. Then
a letter arrives from a private investigator,
and suddenly Abby stands to lose not one horse
but two. The letter states that Jack s mother
may have been stolen and then sold to the Lovitts.
A mystery unfolds, more surprising than Abby
could ever expect. Will she lose her beloved
Jack?
 Bright
Young Things by Anna Godbersen
- Ages 14-up
BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS is the first in an epic
four-book series about three teenage girls finding
their way in the glittering metropolis of New
York City and the glamorous mansions of Long
Island. It's 1929. Letty Larkspur and Cordelia
Grey have escaped their small Midwestern town
to chase big dreams and they share even bigger
secrets.
In New York, they meet Astrid Donal, a flapper
who has everything she could ever want, except
for the one thing Letty and Cordelia have to
offer --- true friendship. Set in the dizzying
summer before the market crash, against the
vast lawns of the East End and on the blindingly
lit stages of Broadway, the three girls search
for romance, intrigue and adventure.
 SOLOMONS
THIEVES by Jordan Mechner, illustrated
by LeUyen Pham and Alex Puvilland - Grades 6-10
Martin is a young member of the Knights Templar
who seeks to regain his one true love. But his
actions will kick off a series of events that
will pit the knights against the church and
the king, leading to death, mayhem and fast-paced
adventure. Historical adventure at it's best.
 GOOSEBUMPS
HORRORLAND #17: THE WIZARD OF OOZE by R.L.
Stine - Ages 9-12
If you love the creepy fun of a good horror
story, R. L. Stine has done it again.
While visiting HorrorLand, Marco Gonzales and
Gabriella Smith discover a rare edition of The
Wizard of Ooze, a popular graphic novel
series, inside Jonathan Chiller s creepy store.
But when Marco finds instructions on how to
gain super powers on the back of the comic,
things go horribly wrong. Some unsavory characters
want the book for themselves, making Marco wish
he really had those powers.
 DEAR
AMERICA: THE FENCES BETWEEN US:
The Diary of Piper Davis - Seattle, Washington,
1941 by Kirby Larson - Grades
4-7
Before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor,
Piper Davis was a normal girl. But now her brother
is stationed in the Pacific, and her brother-in-law
is fighting in Europe. To make matters worse,
her father s congregation gets interned, and
she has to move to Idaho. But with the help
of a new friend named Betty, Piper realizes
the importance of these events --- and that
she has to write them down. History that the
history books don't tell us about.
|
