Splendid Books for Summer Break

Whether you are a bookworm or not, summertime is one of the best times to read. It's hot and a little bit lazy, and you can read and read and read. Here are some titles that you and your kids might enjoy over the next few sunny months. The age ranges are approximations – you know your readers best. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of these books myself, even though I am technically "12-and-up."

Also, public library summer reading programs for kids are getting started! Visit your local branch to sign up.

Charley Harper ABCs
Charley Harper 123s
(0 to 3 years)
Board books for teethers! I just love Charley Harper. His illustrative style is colorful, playful and inspired by the natural world. These books are full of well-defined shapes and lots of color contrast. His style is perfect for for babes.

All Alone
by Kevin Henkes
(3 to 6 years)
Kevin Henkes' first book is a treasure. In it, he explores the quiet, contemplative moments of childhood, when we are alone and can do all sorts of things – pretend, observe, imagine. Though we come back to our friends and our families, those moments alone can be as special as the moments we share with others.

Instructions
by Neil Gaiman
(5 to 8 years)
Summertime is a time of adventure and exploration. Schedules are looser, schoolwork is a ways off, and kids are creating worlds all their own. Gaiman's picture book Instructions is exactly that – a short guide for any adventuresome journeys to be had this summer.

Poetrees
by Douglas Florian
(5-10 yrs)
A book that opens up - literally. Florian's latest collection of poems celebrates the glory and splendor of the trees from seed to root to leaf, with lovely artwork that stretches vertically across two-page spreads. His wordplay is infectious, and kids will have fun reading these poems aloud. I recommend a walk in the woods with this one.

The Cricket in Times Square
by George Seldon
(6 to 10 years)
A classic. Chester Cricket, originally from Connecticut, winds up in Times Square one day via a picnic basket. He takes up residence in a newsstand, and there he befriends a mouse and a cat. The country cricket goes on a small adventure of his own in the big city, learning about friendship, playing music, and finding his own way home.

The True Meaning of Smekday
by Adam Rex
(7 to 12 years)
Gratuity Tucci is a 12-year-old girl who befriended a Boov during an alien takeover of Earth and lived to tell the tale – er, write the essay. I mean, draw the comic strip. Well, Adam Rex is at his best in this debut novel, piecing together her story through all manner of media. Even Internet media. Really. This book has its own Web site, and you should check it out when you read the book. Genre-bending, they call it. Oh, there are so many ways to tell a story.

By Erin Quick, Books Blogger for SmartParenting