Here are some books to keep your kids busy reading this summer:
Axel Storm: Polar Peril by Shoo Rayner: Axel is no ordinary kid, although his parents are doing their best to raise him like one. His mom and dad are members of a popular band, Stormy Skies, and Axel travels the world with them while they are on tour. In this book, Stormy Skies travels to the Arctic to make a music video. Axel checks into the ice hotel with his folks and then learns that his uncle is actually studying glaciers and climate change nearby. His parents agree to let Axel join his uncle while they are working; they think it'll be good for him to escape the paparazzi. Axel might be leaving the paparazzi but he's definitely not getting out of harms way. Melting glaciers and hungry polar bears await him at his uncle's research station. This is a fun series for kids who are just starting to read chapter books.
Giants Beware by Jorge Aguirre: Claudette isn't afraid of anything - not the bullies who tease her, not her father and definitely not a giant that eats babies. When the rest of her town is in hysterics over the return of the giant, Claudette decides she will be the next giant slayer. Prepping for a giant-killing mission is difficult. First, she needs to form a hunting party, then lie to convince her wannabe-princess friend Marie and her food-obsessed little brother Gaston to join her. She also has to steal her father's map and giant-killing supplies. When her father's friend gives her some protective magic Claudette thinks this mission will be a breeze. Unfortunately, she doesn't know that a killer forest, a cursed witch and a mad king stand in her way. This graphic novel has witty dialogue, colourful pictures, and is a great adventure story for kids eight to 12 years old.
Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu: Hazel doesn't fit in. Her imagination and sense of wonder used to be praised by the teachers at her old school. When her mom and dad get divorced, she moves to a new school, where she has trouble sitting still and paying attention. Luckily, her best friend Jack goes to the same school. They play made-up games and read together at recess. But suddenly, Jack stops being nice to Hazel. Her mother says that sometimes in the fifth grade, boys don't want to be friends with girls anymore. Hazel can't believe this is true. When she hears a strange story about Jack going into the woods with a witch, Hazel knows she's the only one who can save him. The quest takes her into a mysterious other world. A beautiful blend of realism and fantasy, Breadcrumbs is a great read any kid ages nine to 12 years who believes there is more to our world than meets the eye.
The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith: Sixteen-year-old Lucy Patterson has lived in New York City her whole life and loves it. Owen Buckley just moved to New York with his dad and is not settling in. Owen would rather be living in the country than the busy city. Owen's mother recently died in a car accident. Out of work and grieving, his dad took a job managing the apartment building that Lucy lives in with her family. Lucy and Owen finally meet when they are trapped in the elevator during a city-wide blackout. They spend one night together on the roof of their apartment building and discover that although they feel differently about NYC, they have an intense connection. When the power comes back on, their lives quickly change. Owen and his father decide to move out West while Lucy and her parents move to Edinburgh. As they move further and further apart, their connection remains strong. But how long can postcards and emails keep them together? A sweetly sad romance for teens looking for a more gentle The Fault in Our Stars.
Visit your local public library for these and other great books.
A Good Read is a column by Tri-City librarians that is published on Wednesdays. Dana Ionson works at Port Coquitlam's Terry Fox Library.
