By Terri Schlichenmeyer
School’s in session and you like that a lot.
You have a nice teacher and you’re making new friends, doing things you’ve never tried before, and you’re learning, which is your job now. But sometimes, you just want something fun to read, so try these great books…
Think about your grandma or grandpa. Are they quiet and calm? Or are they more like the grandparents inside “My Grandma and Grandpa ROCK!” by Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, illustrated by Tiffany Everett (Sourcebooks Jabberworky, $18.99)?
Everybody’s grandparents are different. Some “wear funny clothes and have funny hair.” Most like music and they can sing a lot of songs. Ask them about Led Zeppelin or Garth Brooks. Ask them about Tupac. If you’re 4-to-8-years old, ask them to read this book to you.
It may be hard for a kid to believe, but we are all made of stars and in “Together, United” by Tami Charles, illustrated by Bryan Collier (Scholastic, $18.99), will see that we are not as different as we may seem.
Even kids ages 4 to 8 can make change. They can be a part of a team because they are talented and capable of making dreams come true. This book helps them understand that and it’s quite empowering, even for grown-ups.
If there’s a pet in the house, it’s natural to want to know what they want and in “My Dog Smudge” by Sujean Rim (Atheneum, $18.99), a little girl asks around.
What is Smudge trying to say? For smaller kids, ages 3-to-5, this interactive book will be a hit, with its open-the-door flaps and nonsense words that you’ll want to sound out, for extra giggles. And the ending…? Sweet as can be.
New parents will absolutely want to see “Love Stays Strong” by Paula Schneider, illustrated by Nicole Wong (Philomel, $18.99) among the shower gifts this fall. It’s a soft, quiet book about love, how it stays, how it grows, and how a child can count on love being around forever. For the littlest reader ages 1-to-3, this book is like wrapping up in a cozy blanket.
And finally, if you remember how much fun those “Choose Your Own Adventure” books were back when, look for “The Curiosity Chronicles: Time Machine Trouble” by Chris Ferrie, Byrne Laginestra, and Wade David Fairclough (Sourcebooks Explore, $14.99).
Uh-oh. The possibly-evil Norvax Corporation may be planning to use their secret time machine for nefarious purposes. Can your 8-to-12-year-old and their friends stop them? This book is part of a series, an update on those choose-your-own books of your childhood, and your preteen will find them just as much fun as they always were.
And if these books aren’t enough for your young reader, head to your favorite bookstore or library. The staff at both places will be able to figure out what book is perfect for even the most reluctant reader. They’ll find the next book in a series, or a whole new series to enjoy. They can help make reading something your kid likes a lot.
