We are now well into the midway point of summer vacation. Here on the Life360 blog I’ve given you ideas on how to keep yourself and the kids busy during the long summer break. I’ve even given some ideas on ways to keep the kids brains working during the long days away from school. But let’s face it, sometimes as the temps outside reach 100 and the energy level inside reaches 0, you begging to feel like you’ve run out of stuff to do.
Those are the days made for spreading out beneath a shady tree in your backyard (or beneath the air conditioner in your living room) and spend some quality lazy time together as a family catching up on your reading.
But you don’t have to give in and read your kids favorites that you were hearing all year long during the school year. So, if you’re looking for something to read with the kids outside of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Judy Moody genre, I’ve got you covered.
Here is a list of some classic books that are great ways to kill the boring summer days when you and the kids don’t feel like doing anything but relaxing together. I went with a chapter books, because let’s face it all the best books are.
Treasure Island – Robert Louis Stevenson – We purchased a “young reader” version of this classic for $1.00 at Target. The young reader versions are just slightly easier to read to kids, enough so that your newer readers might even be willing to read a chapter or two out loud herself. And nothing will capture the kid’s attention more than the tale of young Jim Hawkins, Pirate Treasure and adventure. Look out Jack Sparrow!
Tom Sawyer – Mark Twain – Another book that we purchased the young reader version of at Target. Nothing says summer like the classic adventures of Tom Sawyer on the banks of the Mississippi.
Anne of Green Gables – L.M. Montgomery – While the classic series of books has always been a hit with young girls, the truth is the vivid imagination and wild adventures of the vivacious red head are enough to keep the attention of the boys too.
A Wrinkle in Time – Madeline L’Engle – This is another book that is a part of a series and if your child has an interest in magic, science, adventure and mystery then they will fall madly in love with the classic story.
The Neverending Story – Michael Ende – Though this movie is a classic in it’s own right, the book is even more magnificent. And trust me there is an entire different level of magic to the book when it is read out loud. Something that could never be captured by watching the movie.
What’s on your family’s summer reading list?
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{ 36 comments }
Haven't read Anne of Green Gables, but have read the others. Tom Sawyer may be a bit slow for our kid right now, though I enjoyed it. Treasure Island – probably not the right theme. I would consider the Neverending Story, though. That would likely be a great fit. Now to dig up a copy. I think we may have a new bedtime story for a week or two.
I may check out Anne as well – could be interesting to my kid.
For our stories – been digging up some things I read as a kid – 3 Investigators, Encyclopedia Brown, Happy Hollisters. The mystery/adventure theme seems to go over pretty well most times, especially in the less scary situations. Nancy Drew has also been a hit recently.
OH yea, Nancy Drew is great! I also forgot to add the Boxcar Children, those are good ones too.
Hi! These are a few of the books on our to be read list ~
Redwall
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Call of the Wild
Where the Sidewalk Ends: The Poems and Drawings of Shel Silverstein.
Many thanks, Cindi
LOVE LOVE LOVE Shel Slverstein! And Redwall.
My son just started A Wrinkle in Time
Haven't read a Wrinkle in Time, will have to try that. Myself, I am re-reading the Twilight series and the Fablehaven series as well. My reading grand daughter is also reading Fablehaven. The younger make visits to the library every other week and pick out a dozen books to read over & over during that time.
I haven't heard of Fablehaven, I'll have to check it out.
Haha. I woke up down today. You’ve ceheerd me up!
I've read all of them except for Neverending Story. I'd add the original Grimm's Fairy Tales to the list. I read them as a child and loved them. They are so much richer and darker than the Disney versions of the stories.
I have 4 boys ages 14, 10, 6, & 6, so the range of books varies with their ages!
My oldest has been reading the "Left Behind Series for kids" and "The Hunger Games Series" by Suzanne Collins.
My "middle son" (10 year old) struggles with reading, so he's reading some started chapter books that we found a the library about superheros…not sure the names of the books. I'm just happy that he's reading!!
My twins like to read those starter books…they read more by pictures than the actual words since they are still don't really know how to read yet.
Me, on the other hand, I've been reading "The Prodigal God" by Timothy Keller and "Heaven is for Real" by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent Both are really good!!
Any of the Laura Ingalls Wilder "Little House" books — so much better than the tv show!
My son is a young man now, but when he was a bit younger younger our favorite family reads were Watership Down, The Indian in the Cupboard, White Fang, The Hobbit, A Taste of Blackberries (I still cry over this one but it carries a good message), the Goosebumps series, and, of course, The Wizard of Oz. Amazingly, I see my son rereading some of these from time to time.
Add Little Women to the List! Reading is a timeless teacher.
My daughter and I have loved all of the Harry Potter books and read them all and then discussed them. This summer, she's reading Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice and Dorien Grey. She's also got several lighter books, more for just relaxing – says she really just wants to be able to read for pleasure during the summer since she has such a heavy load in high school the rest of the year (5 AP classes last year!)
Just cause it’s simple doesn’t mean it’s not super hlepufl.
These are all such good suggestions. I have the feeling that Life 360 readers would make a very interesting book group (or simply “group”).
A new series that has the feeling of an old, beloved classic is the Penderwicks books. I encourage you to check them out and see if they don’t bring back the feeling of books you loved in middle school.
Great idea Beth! A book club? Hmm….
We've got 2 of those books (Treasure Island and Anne of Green Gables) as audiobooks on our new iPhone app, Audiobooks For Your Kids.
http://itunes.apple.com/app/audiobooks-for-your-k…
Here's the website for more info: http://audiobooksforyourkids.com/
We've selected the best narrated audiobooks from the children's catalog at Librivox.org. 99 cents for over 30 books.
Easy to use, great value and we've done the legwork for you!
We love the old-school classics and want our children to be avid readers of same. We don't like the new-age children's stories, because they usually contain misleading messages and things that we just don't approve of. I like stories like "Heidi", "The Three Musketeers", "The Call of the Wild", "Grimm's Fairytales", etc.
on our list to be read-
Warriors series
The Golden Compass trilogy
Harry Potter books
The Railway Children by E. Nesbit
The Book of Three and The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander
This summer I want to introduce the kids to Mary Poppins, and the Green Knowe books by L M Boston
nblexp ( at ) gmail (dot) com
YOu know, I've never read the Mary Poppins books! I should totally look them up next time we're at the library.
I agree that all these books belong on anyone's summer reading list! I also would add The Chronicles of Narnia series. My mom used to read these to us and we would gladly "take naps" just to listen!
just started Anne of Green Gables – the book I have has 3 of the titles – love it already. My kids read Grapes of Wrath the last couples years in high school, and I want to re-read it
Harry Potter is definitely on that list
I have a 6 year old and a 5 month old. I loved the Neverending story movie as a kid and have never read the book. I will have to look that one up. I enjoyed reading through the comments and all the suggestions. Right now my son is all about Star Wars, but I like the idea of picking out a special book to read to him that will take a few weeks. Thanks for the suggestions!
Anne of Green Gables is on our list.
These are all wonderful suggestions. Anne of Green Gables would definitely be on my list too, as well as The BFG, and Harriet the Spy.
I listened to A Wrinkle in Time on audiobook. It was SO much better than reading it!
What a great set of books! We've really enjoyed the series of A Wrinkle in Time, as well as Anne of Green Gables and the rest of that series!
all great books! also reading Alice in Wonderland, Mobey Dick, Winnie the Pooh here on this rainy day in July!
my situation is a little different. i am 54 years old and about 6 months ago i suffered a near fatal brain anurysim. it was so severe that i was taken by ambulance to an out of state hospital. my doctor suggested that i play computer games and read to help with memory loss, but i take the reading one step farther. for every 2 or 3 chapters i read, i write down what i remember about the book, it started out really bad but now i can tell an improvement. i am reading books that i read in jr. high and high schoo because my longterm memory is better than shorterm. i am reading little women now the other books on my short list are the good earth, catcher in the rye, 1984, and books by janet evanovich because her books are so funny. i have some books that my 36 year old daughter left with me. after the anurysim, she quit her state job and moved back home from over 8 hours away to take care of me. tragically, she died in my arms from an unknown blood clot just four days after moving in.
I am currently on the quest to read most of the classics. Slow going, since new stuff comes out all the time! I will put Anne of Green Gables and A Wrinkle in Time on the list, for sure, but the others might have to wait until next year, as I have The Hunger Games books and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo books coming up!
I see some classics that I love! Our grandkids just visited and we read Amelia Bedelia and laughed and laughed! Now I think SHE'S a classic! ♥
As a teacher I recommended my students read books that have been turned into movies. I know whenever a movie – based on a book – comes out I cringe. It is almost always bad…like I sit in the movie theatre with a scowl bad…(insert Golden compass). I do have to admit that Harry Potter is the one exception to a movie doing a book justice.
So for a list of excellent books to read:
1. The Tale of Desperaux – the movie was ridiculously disappointing according to my students!
2. The Witches
3. Harriet the Spy
4. The Golden Compass
5. Matilda
6. Tuck Everlasting
7. Holes
8. The lion witch and the wardrobe
9. A Series of Unfortunate Events
I agree that the parents need their children back and I sort of place myself in their shoes as to what they feel about seeing their children overwhelmed with homework. However, I don`t think homework should be totally banned. After all, we have to prepare these children for the many professional challenges they`ll face further in life after they finish school. They have to learn to work on their own too, apart from school schedule. Look at me. I am twenty-eight and I have barely started my masters in public administration online. I have a lot of projects to do and I don`t mind because I understand the importance of applying what I learn into so-called homework. This could be of great use later on.