Greatest Summer Reading For Kids

27th June, 2011

A Blogger's Books has done a global walkabout to bring you this list of greatest summer reading for kids. This list includes a mixture of craft books, reading books, activity books. Books for younger kids and older ones.

Books bring back the simple joys kids get from reading a fantastic, adventure story. There's no worry about leaving expensive 'toys' in the bus on the way to camp, or forgetting iPods on the beach. Books are sheer fun and the easiest presents you can find. This summer your kids don't need the equivalent of over-priced Corporate Gifts. Present them with one of the following and let's get summer on the road! 

Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping, by Peggy Parish

Ages 4-8

Amelia Bedelia has never been camping in the great outdoors before. She's trying her best to do exactly as she's told, but pitching a tent is not the same as throwing it into the bushes, and catching a fish with your bare hands isn't easy. As usual, the mixed-up housekeeper makes this camping trip one hugely entertaining adventure.

The BFG

Ages 9-12

Big Friendly Giant! This BFG doesn't seem all that F at first as he creeps down a London street, snatches little Sophie out of her bed, and bounds away with her to giant land. And he's not really all that B when compared with his evil, carnivorous brethren, who bully him for being such an oddball runt. After all, he eats only disgusting snozzcumbers, and while the other Gs are snacking on little boys and girls, he's blowing happy dreams in through their windows. What kind of way is that for a G to behave?

How to Survive Summer Camp by Jacqueline Wilson

Ages 11-15

Stella's mum and step-dad have gone off on holiday and have dumped Stella at the Evergreen Holiday Camp. She's not happy! Especially when she finds out she's expected to learn to swim - the one thing her mum promised she wouldn't have to do. She's determined not to enjoy herself and settles down for a nightmare summer, but in the end she finds herself making friends, getting into scrapes, and having much more of a good time than she ever could have imagined!

Summer Adventures With Grandma by Marilyn E. Freeman

Ages 4-8

Twins, Amy and Allen are sure they'll have a boring vacation at Grandma's. They soon find out Grandma is anything but boring.  She goes bowling, fishing, camping, skating and joins in on many other adventures. At the water park, Grandma finds herself at the top of a giant water slide and tries to talk her way back down the ladder. The children in line give her no choice but to slide down into the water. Grandma learns to ride a scooter and finds herself being chased by Bentley, a huge dog.  Allen convinces Grandma to play on their softball team. The twins introduce Grandma to the world of computers. Grandma thinks surfing the web involves water.  They can't believe the fun they had with Grandma. The summer is full of adventures. It's a summer Grandma, Amy and Allen will never forget.

The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexand

Ages 9-12

Millions of young readers have been enthralled by the adventures of Taran the Assistant Pig-Keeper and his lively companions as they journey through the magical land of Prydain. First published more than thirty years ago and translated into twenty different languages, Lloyd Alexander’s beloved series has become the standard of excellence in fantasy literature for children. Among their many accolades, the award-winning Chronicles of Prydain count a Newbery Medal, a Newbery Honor, and more than two million copies in print.

Haddix: Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Ages 9-12

This is one of the best Margaret Peterson Haddix books I have ever read. Bethany is an average, girl, that is, until both her parents seem to go under some sort of manic depression. This is serious, not at all a funny situation. Bethany's parents have always acted slightly odd around her, seeming to be able to predict things, such as when she needs glasses. Also, always being overprotective over her safety, as when Bethany rides her bike without a helmet. Her dad shouts, screams, and yells at her, saying she could have been killed. Bethany never thought of it as odd, until her parents leave her alone with an aunt and cousin she's never known.  The mystery deepens even more  until it may be too much for you to bear. However, a very surprising ending will have you smiling as you read the last lines of this great novel. (Customer review).

Last Day, Hooray!

For Laughing Out Loud; Poems to Tickle Your Funny Bone

The Boys' Summer Book

Ages 9-12

This book is sure to be a hit with boys! It's filled with puzzles, quizzes, and activities, not to mention tips on how to pitch a tent, how to make your own treasure map, and how to build a powerboat! This book is a must-have on any summer road trip packing list. Just grab a pencil and you're good to go!

The Girls' Summer Book







Ages 9-12

With activities like making fortune tellers and throw pillows, and tips such as how to plan the perfect picnic, girls are sure to love this activity book! It also includes spot-the-difference puzzles, doodle pages, mazes, and more!

Carbone: Stealing Freedom

The Story of the Frog Belly Rat Bone

 Cherry Cake and Ginger Beer by Jane Brocket

All ages.

Find lots of recipes that kids would love to make over and over again during the summer. Keep them active and learning at the same time!

There, you have it! Your one-stop list of great summer reads for your kids. Keep them active while travelling or just spending time at home in the garden. Books are for all seasons and summer is the best one of all!

How Writers Build Their Characters

                                                                       image source

Ideas for stories swing by very often in a writer's head. So do setting and dialogue. One of the hardest things I find about writing is developing my characters. No matter how gripping and original your story is, if your readers don't feel, or can't relate to your characters' plight/position, they cannot completely engage with your novel.

So how do writers build their characters? Where do the ideas come from?

Real life

Of course you won't write a character based entirely on someone you know - unless your story is non-fiction. However, 'stealing' something here and something else there can make up a very interesting character indeed. Use people you love and people you dislike for a good mixture of characters. Diverse characters encourage more real-life situations and interesting conflicts in your story. Make sure that originality stands out.  

• Example: you want to use your mum as the skeleton for one of your characters. Your mum is a great cook (which is fantastic for you) but in terms of a character, a mum who can cook is slightly boring. You may want your 'motherly' character to feed her family with TV meals. She may not cook meals, not because she can't, but because her dad used the cooker to punish her when she was naughty. The possibilities you can get from this are endless. A mum who can cook, is a mum who can cook. Period.

No extremes

Avoid using extreme characters. We see a lot of those on TV ads and dramas these days. Writers want to get away from traditional characters like the stay-at-home mum so they write their leading ladies as hard, masculine, career women who can't boil an egg without burning it. This is overdone and frankly, boring to say the least. 

• Example: if your characters are evil, they should have a touch of humanity. They may have a soft spot for a dog or are prepared to catch a spider and gently release it outside rather than stepping on it. This 'show' of gentleness serves not only to highlight their cruelty, but to flag the reader to the stay of humanity that's somehow buried deep inside your 'baddie.' Being kind to a spider does not make your bad a guy good. It makes him more evil by way of comparison. Your reader will bear in mind the gentleness he showed to the insect the next time he beats the face off his old girlfriend. This makes him complex and more scary. A bad guy doing only bad things is a one-dimensional thug.

Watch people

Always pay attention to what people do. Does your daughter pull at her hair when she's lying to you? Does your boss go bright red when he gives a speech?   What about your local shopkeeper? Does he spit when he talks to you? All these attributes help you to write fewer words. They help you to show the story as opposed to telling it. For example, if you know what your character does when she's lying, you could make her do that instead of telling your reader she's lying. As long as you let them know once that she bit the skin off her lip when she lied, they will 'suss' her out the next time she's nibbling on her lip.

• Write down certain things you see strangers do. Do you need to be told the woman at the supermarket this morning was an alcoholic? No. Likewise, show your reader the jaundiced woman with trembling hands, who had clinking bottles in the bag she clutched to her chest. Her oily hair and skinny legs and whiff of vodka are just extras to confirm your suspicions. 

image source

Feel for your characters

Feel scared. How does your body react? Now write your character's scared episode. The eyes grew bigger, the heart beat faster, the palms felt moist, breath came in short spasms. It's a lot better to say this than just to report, 'Susan was scared of him.'

Having said this, remember that your characters are different from you. They will behave differently so you have to let them. Otherwise, they all will react in exactly the same way you would. Just know them inside out so you'll know that while Susan is a little like you and will freeze when scared, Jill will scream and take flight. 

How do you write your characters and what helps you to 'understand' them better?

My Follow Friday - Authors Promoting Authors

As writers we're aware of how difficult it is to get your foot on the first rung of the literary ladder. This impossible 'feat' never happens for most potential writers. For the few who've made that first step, it wasn't without the help of colleagues and well-wishers who helped to promote them and their craft.

I follow Authors Promoting Authors because this is a blog set up to specifically support and promote other writers.



In our small slice of the world, most of us have turned to the Internet as a way of building our fan-base and writing platform. Sites like these are exactly what writers need to cast their promotional shadow on new audiences. I suggest clicking the link to the blog to read their FAQs if you have a book you'd like promoted, or a suitable guest blog idea.