Into the Gaunlet, the final book in the 39 Clues series is being released today!  If that’s enough to send your kid into a fit of manic giggles, you’ll want to read on. 

Today at 4:00, all seven of the 39 Clues authors will unite to present a live webcast and answer real readers’ questions!  The group will offer behind-the-scenes information on the Cahills, provide insight into their favorite parts of the clue hunt, and even reveal new information! 

Click here for more information or to view the live webcast.  It’s free!  And if you can’t make it live, don’t fret — it will be available for replay immediately after the event.

We were fortunate to receive him just in time for our 80th Birthday Bash this weekend. Check out the pictures from his visit or read more about Tucker’s adventures on his blog!

The days of Dick and Jane are gone my friends.  As this article says, boring beginning reader books are so yesterday.  Today’s readers are funny and engaging.  Kids actually want to read them!

Toon books are in a graphic novel (read: comic book) format and are great place to start for boys and reluctant readers.

Many parents are already familiar with Mo Willems and his fantastic picture books like the Pigeon and Knuffle Bunny series.  But those same parents are often unfamiliar with Mo’s hilarious beginning reader Elephant and Piggie series.  Mo also has a new series about Cat the Cat.  Don’t be fooled by the traditional picture book look of these books, they’re intended for beginning readers as well.

And if you haven’t introduced your new reader to the Fly Guy series by Tedd Arnold, you’re both missing out!  When a fly on the hunt for something tasty and slimy to eat crosses paths with a boy named Buzz who’s looking for a smart pet for The Amazing Pet Show, a beautiful friendship is born.  And of course, hilarity ensues.

Also worth a mention are the Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa series, Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same, and the Annie and Snowball series.  And check out our list of Geisel Award winners and honor books.

Higher!  Higher!

A little girl being pushed on a swing has just one request:  Higher!  Higher! 

Her grown up pal happily complies, pushing the girl so high that she makes friends with a giraffe, some kids playing board games on the roof of an apartment building, a mountain climber, travelers on a plane, and many others.

Kids will delight in this fantastical story.  And with only a handful of words in the entire book, many will be able to read it on their own!  Or you can sharpen your child’s vocabulary and narrative skills by having her tell you the story or describe what’s happening in the pictures.

If Higher!  Higher! isn’t in and you can’t stand the wait, check out some of Leslie Patricelli’s other books.  She’s quickly becoming one of my favorite authors!

So I don’t understand why you haven’t registered for our fantastic Percy Jackson Party.

That’s right, this Friday July 9th at 2:00 p.m. you, too, can be a hero in training!  Come dressed as your favorite Greek god, goddess, Titan or monster.  Discover your inner demigod or demigoddess.  See a special demonstration from the Royal Arts Fencing Academy, then test your own sword fighting skills with real equipment!

Seriously, you want to miss that?

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick

Homer P. Figg and his big brother Harold are alone in this world.  Homer’s father died before he was born.  His mother passed away when he was just a young sapling of a boy leaving Homer and Harold at the mercy of their uncle Squinton Leach, the meanest man in Maine.  (Ooooh, Squinton Leach.  Just writing down his name gives me the shivers. )

Squint’s meanness reaches a new level when he sells Harold to the Union Army in place of a rich man’s son.  When Homer finds that the enlistment isn’t legally binding because Harold is underage, he knows he has to rescue his brother.  His journey includes (but is not limited to) getting swindled, being kidnapped once or twice, starring in a traveling show as a vicious pig boy, a balloon ride, and a final stop at the Battle of Gettysburg.

Don’t let the goofy cover of this Newbery Honor Book fool you — this humorous book doesn’t gloss over the ugliness of war.  Homer sees the front lines, and he doesn’t like it one bit.  Still, Homer’s ability to spin a yarn will entertain just about every reader.

Well have I got some good news for you!  You can still register for the Summer Reading Program anytime before August 9th!

This year we’ve even got a program just for pre-readers, full of fun pre-reading activities you can do in just a few seconds.  Add that to our programs for kids, teens and adults, and we’ve got something for everyone!  So sign up online or visit our friendly teen volunteers in the youth department and get started today!

Imagine my surprise when, as an adult, I learned that those fun times had a hand in building literacy skills.  As you probably know from many previous posts, singing is a great tool for building phonological awareness because the different notes break words down into smaller parts.  And telling stories is a great way to work on narrative skills, which are an essential first step towards reading comprehension.

So there’s your excuse for some good ol’ quality time around the fire with the kids.  It’s not only fun, it’s a learning experience in disguise.  So break out your guitar (or just check out some CDs with great songs for kids), check out some great books for reading aloud or storytelling, and wait for sun down.

And don’t forget about Family Campfire at the library — we’ve got the stories, songs, and (fake) fire, with none of the bugs!

Need help getting started?  Check out our suggested books for: reading aloud; babies, toddlers and preschoolers; very beginning readers (kindergarteners); readers who are moving up (first grade); second graders; third graders; fourth graders; fifth graders; middle schoolers; and teens.

And don’t forget to come to our Summer Reading Program Kick-Off Party this Thursday, June 10th from 9:00 — 5:30.  We’ll have balloon animals, face painting and jugglers! 

Don’t worry, even if you miss the party, you can still sign up for the SRP anytime starting Thursday.  With programs and prizes for pre-readers, kids, teens, and adults, we’ve got something for everyone!

NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman

I’m a little late to the praise party for this book, but I can’t help myself from jumping on the bandwagon.  Disclaimer:  I don’t like to read non-fiction, and I have never successfully completed a “parenting book.”  But I devoured this book.  Why?  Because it’s written in a completely accessible style and it’s not a “parenting book.”  It’s a book about how kids (of all ages) work, and ways that we’ve been completely misinterpreting them for years.

For example, most of us praise our kids, for all kinds of mundane things, all the time.  It’s the best way to instill confidence and self-esteem, right?  Wrong!  Read chapter 1, “The Inverse Power of Praise” to find out more.

And what’s up with teens, anyway?  They’re so angsty and moody.  But, I guess that’s just the way things are, they’ll grow out of it.  Or maybe it’s that chronic sleep deprivation increases moodiness, adversely affects problem solving skills, and actually causes our brains to process unhappy experiences more effectively than happy ones.  Chapter 2, “The Lost Hour” explains it way better than I ever could.

And I wish I could copy chapter 10, “Why Hannah Talks and Alyssa Doesn’t” and hand it out to every mother I see with an infant or toddler in tow.  See, we’ve always been told that the most important thing you can do to develop your child’s language skills is talk to them.  A lot.  About anything.  But that’s not it at all — it turns out how we respond to our child’s babbling has a lot more to do with language aquisition than what we say to them.

But wait, there’s more!  Chapters about race identification, why kids lie, “gifted” children, sibling relationships, teen rebellion, self-control and social skills literally offer something for every parent, regardless of the age of your child.

So here you go — a non-fiction book anyone can appreciate.  Don’t be put off by the science and the scary number on the spine.  You’ll like it, I promise.  I’d never steer you wrong.

And it this doesn’t float your boat, check out some of our other parenting books to find something that works for you.