Boomer reading a book in a tent.
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Books are a magical method of transportation. Like a time machine, a book can take you into the past or into the future. Time travel is possible when you lose yourself in the pages of a book of historical fiction, science fiction or fantasy. 

Books can take you to faraway places without the use of a plane or a rocket ship. A book is a virtual reality device that allows you to see the world in a unique way—even envision an imaginary world—without the aid of an expensive headset or any new-fangled tech. If you have summer vacation plans, a book is a great traveling companion—it can go anywhere you go and keep you entertained while you are EN ROUTE. Audiobooks can be fun for the entire family during a road trip.

Author Nnedi Okorafor reflects, “I love books. I adore everything about them. I love the feel of the pages on my fingertips. They are light enough to carry, yet so heavy with worlds and ideas.”

A book introduces you to people you might never otherwise meet, and gives you a way to see through their eyes and better understand their experiences. You can learn about real people in a MEMOIR, history or non-fiction book. While sometimes made-up characters become real to you—some become lifelong friends that you revisit over and over again.

E.B. White, the author of beloved classics “Charlotte’s Web” and “Stuart Little” noted, “Books are good company, in sad times and happy times, for books are people—people who have managed to stay alive by hiding between the covers of a book.”

According to the American Library Association, kids who participate in a summer reading program are less likely to suffer from summer slide, the loss of skills that happens when kids are out of school. The key to successful summer reading is finding the right books, ones that spark a kid’s interest and keep them engaged with the story. 

A great way to find books that are right for you is to talk to your librarian. Visit your library’s web page—many offer reading lists and book reviews. You can also visit your local Bookmans to find a variety of books and much more!

You can find summer reading lists for kids, and lists of recommended audiobooks and graphic novels, too, at ala.org/alsc/booklists.

Enter to WIN Boomer’s 

Book Review CONTEST!

Write a book review and send it to Boomer!  You could win four LEGOLAND Discovery Center/SEA LIFE Aquarium annual passes. Plus, your review may be published online or in the pages of Bear Essential News. Let other kids know what books they should check out! See page 12 in this issue for more details.

Boomer’s Bookshelf Faves

PICTURE THIS!

Fun stories for kids of all ages:

Abuela by Arthur Dorros

Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty

The Bear Ate Your Sandwich by Julia Sarcone-Roach

A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin

Click, Clack, Moo by Doreen Cronin

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard

Hair Love Matthew A. Cherry

How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by Jane Yolen

If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson

Otis by Loren Long

Where Are You From? by Yamile Saied Méndez

You Are (Not) Small by Anna Kang

FOR YOUR FUNNY BONE 

The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey 

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Frindle  by Andrew Clements

Knights vs. Dinosaurs by Matt Phelan

Sisters by Raina Telgemeier

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume

PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SHOES

Barbed Wire Baseball by Marissa Moss 

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

El Deafo by Cece Bell

Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell

Matilda by Roald Dahl

The Sea in Winter by Christine Day

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

ANIMAL TALES 

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden

The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

The Simple Art of Flying by Cory Leonardo

WILD ADVENTURES 

The Borrowers by Mary Norton

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

Holes by Louis Sachar

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

FOR OLDER KIDS

Cool books for middle school readers:

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor

Almost American Girl by Robin Ha

Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac 

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai & Christina Lamb 

Legend by Marie Lu 

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai & Christina Lamb 

Legend by Marie Lu 

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Your Local Library Has a Reading Program for You this Summer!

No matter where you live, odds are your local library has a summer reading program just for you! Some of these programs include fun family events and celebrations, and you may even be able to win some fabulous prizes. The possibilities are endless!

Maricopa County Reads will have 65 libraries and tens of thousands of kids and teens participating this summer. Kids can earn cool prizes by joining this summer reading program, which runs from June 1 to Aug. 1. Registration is now open at MaricopaCountyReads.org or CondadoDeMaricopaLee.org.

Kids, teens and even adults can earn fabulous food or activity prizes by reading books, listening to audiobooks or attending online or community events. Earn enough points and you can get tickets to a Phoenix Mercury game or an Arizona State Park pass. Weekly drawings and the grand prize will award some lucky readers with passes to Legoland Discovery Center, SEA LIFE Aquarium or tickets to Childsplay or the Superbowl Experience.

The Maricopa County Reads summer reading program went online in 2013. Participation has reached up to 88,000 readers in a single summer! This award-winning online summer reading program is provided by the Maricopa  County Library District to all public libraries within Maricopa County.

Participating libraries include these districts:

• Avondale Public Library • Peoria Public Library

• Buckeye Public Library • Phoenix Public Library

• Chandler Public Library • Scottsdale Public Library

• Glendale Public Library • Tempe Public Library

• Mesa Public Library • Tolleson Public Library 

The reading program encourages kids to read at least 20 minutes a day, whether it is a physical, digital or e-book. This year’s theme, Oceans of Possibilities, reminds readers that books offer endless choices. Just like a deep-sea diver, a reader can plumb the depths of a different world, explore diverse perspectives and get insights into new experiences just by opening a book!

To learn more about the Maricopa County Reads summer reading program or to sign up, visit your local library or go to:

MaricopaCountyReads.orgCondadoDeMaricopaLee.org

Bookmans Entertainment Exchange has a Summer Reads program for you, too! Every customer who purchases a book receives a stamp card. When you buy 10 books, you get one free and Bookmans donates a book to a local nonprofit. There are also fun activities planned at Bookmans as part of the weekly Summer Kids Events series. Check at your neighborhood location or visit bookmans.com later this month for more details.

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