Raising Your Reader | Stay Sharp This Summer

LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BIG WOODS

As a girl growing up in the midwest, I always felt connected to Laura Ingalls Wilder and her home near the great plains. And who knows? Stories of this simple yet challenging era may inspire your young reader to set aside the iPad and play in the "prairie" of your own backyard. Recommended Ages: 8 to 12 years.

About: The book that started it all! This is the first book in Laura Ingalls Wilder's treasured Little House series, which was based on her life growing up as an American pioneer.

Told from four-year-old Laura's point of view, this story begins in 1871 in a little log cabin on the edge of the Big Woods of Wisconsin. Laura lives in the little house with her Pa, her Ma, her sisters Mary and Carrie, and their trusty dog, Jack.

Pioneer life is sometimes hard for the family, since they must grow or catch all their own food as they get ready for the cold winter. But it is also exciting as Laura and her family celebrate Christmas with homemade toys and treats, do the spring planting, bring in the harvest, and make their first trip into town. And every night they are safe and warm in their little house, with the happy sound of Pa's fiddle sending Laura and her sisters off to sleep.

And so begins Laura Ingalls Wilder's beloved story of a pioneer girl and her family. The nine Little House books have been cherished by generations of readers as both a unique glimpse into America's frontier history and a heartwarming, unforgettable story.

VAMPIRES DON'T WEAR POLKA DOTS

I devoured the Bailey School Kids series as a child; it was a relief to know I wasn’t the only kid who thought adults were peculiar enough to be vampires or sea monsters or trolls.These books are fun, accessible, and great for reluctant readers. Recommended Ages: 7 to 10 years.

About: The kids in the third grade at Bailey Elementary are so hard to handle that all of their teachers have quit. But their new teacher, Mrs. Jeepers, is different to say the least. She's just moved from the Transylvanian Alps and she seems to have some strange powers that help her deal with these mischief-makers. Her methods may be a little unconventional, but, then again, Mrs. Jeepers may be just what the Bailey School kids need.

MUMMIES IN THE MORNING

This is the third installment in the Magic Tree House series, and it is my personal favorite. This series will forever be a staple in my history as a reader, and it’s still running today—book #53, SHADOW OF THE SHARK, releases on June 23, and I’m glad today’s kids can still travel with Jack and Annie more than twenty years after their first adventure. Recommended Ages: 6 to 8 years (though I read them much longer).

About: Jack and Annie don't need another mummy.

But that's what they get when the Magic Tree House whisks them back to ancient Egypt. There they meet a long-dead queen who needs their help. Will Jack and Annie be able to solve the puzzle, or will they end up as mummies themselves?