Super Summer Reading for All Ages

There's plenty to do inside on rainy summer days, and if you have a child who's not a big reader, then there's no time like summer to get him interested in books. They're great to take along on road trips and airplanes, too, and it does today's kids good to unplug from video games and computers once in awhile. Scholastic.com partners with schools for book fairs and other events; give your child's school a call to see if ordering from the site can benefit the school as well. The Web site offers great resources in the form of printables where kids can record their progress, log their books and go a little deeper into reading comprehension. For younger readers, why not start with the books that have won awards this year? From the Caldecott to the Newbery, these are always good bets. Try Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same! for a set of twins or just for fun - it follows twin girls as they try to set themselves apart.


For a child with a sense of humor, try We Are in a Book! by Mo Willems, an award-winning author. Elephant and Piggie suddenly realize that, well, they're in a book. For older readers, How to Clean a Hippopotamus: A Look at Unusual Animal Partnerships explores the symbiotic relationship between animals, and for kids who like beach reads, Turtle in Paradise describes a girl growing up in Key West during the Depression. For high schoolers and beyond, some great books include classics like Joyce Carol Oates' Freaky Green Eyes, in which a teenager comes to terms with her mother's disappearance. Or try some scary historical fiction in the vein of the vampire craze -- Bloodline: A Novel follows a British soldier in World War I who finds out he's a descendant of Count Dracula. Frankenstein makes for a good, freaky read as well. Have your teen do a little research on her favorite shows and movies to see if there's a book version - that's a great way to pique their interest in reading.