Interested in Ordering Kids' Books for Your Store? Click Here:
 |
Summer
Book Review
By Tina Dhamija
May 1, 2003
As
the summer heat sets in, kids flock to all things leisurely. But
for those parents that want to ensure some nourishment for the mind
this summer, here are some great books to keep brain juices flowing.
HARRY
POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX |
This
summer’s biggest splash will surely be made by the latest
addition to the Harry Potter Series: HARRY POTTER AND THE
ORDER OF THE PHOENIX (Scholastic Trade/Bloomsburg Publishing).
The fifth book in the immensely popular series is due to hit stores
by June 21st and profiles the pint-sized hero’s ascent to
wizardry, and ultimately, manhood. For those who absolutely cannot
wait, a Potter excerpt from the Barnes and Noble website enchants:
“Dumbledore lowered his hands and surveyed Harry through his
half-moon glasses. ‘It is time,’ he said ‘for
me to tell you what I should have told you five years ago, Harry.
Please sit down. I am going to tell you everything.’”
MAMA
PLAYED BASEBALL |
While
the world wishes for a quick end to the war in Iraq, many kids are
left trying to cope with the absence of a parent in the military.
For those that need to see a brighter side of life in war-time America,
MAMA PLAYED BASEBALL (Gulliver Books Harcourt Inc.)
is a look at life in a suddenly single-parent home. Written by David
A. Adler and set during World War II America, the historically-based
story may help kids realize that even the darkness of war can breed
something as positive as the first-ever professional baseball league
for women. Amy’s dad is away at war and her mom must find
a job to help with mounting family expenses. Much to Amy’s
surprise, her mom finds work as a player on the first-ever women’s
baseball league.
HOOPS
WITH SWOOPES |
HOOPS
WITH SWOOPES (Jump at the Sun/Hyperion) by author and photographer
Susan Kuklin will get kids reading without even realizing they’re
doing it. Readers follow WNBA star Sheryl Swoopes through a stunning
photo-layout and easy-to-read text showing the moves that have made
her one of the greats.
For
all the school-aged kids who can’t get enough of the yard
during summertime, THE KIDS CAMPFIRE BOOK (Kids
Can Press) by Jane Drake, A. Drake, Ann Love and Heather Collins,
helps convey the excitement of an old-fashioned campfire to the
PlayStation generation. Designed as a comprehensive kid’s
guide to camping, the book not only teaches how to pick the right
type of wood for a fire, but also covers such campsite etiquette
as recipes for open-fire cuisine, camp songs, ghost stories, what
to wear (and bring) when sleeping under the stars, and even some
words on interacting with our friends in the insect world.
MY
VACATION PLACE: A MEMORY BOOK |
Also
by Jane Drake and Ann Love is MY VACATION PLACE: A MEMORY
BOOK (Kids Can Press), inside which kids will discover
pockets to collect souvenirs and photos, as well as blank pages
for documenting adventures or creating stories of their own. Chapters
are designed to help organize summer memories under themes such
as "Feasts and Festivities" and "Nature and Weather.”
|
