We are on the final few days of school. I'm excited to have some more flexibility with the kids but also wary enough to try to find enough things for them to do. I recall those early weeks of summer can be hard to transition into. I want to avoid to the fullest extent possible the plaintive cries of "I'm bored!". We've got some fun in California planned for early June to see my nephew graduate (gulp!) from high school. We've got Cub Scout sleep away camp in late June. We've got a few weeks of swimming lessons in late July. I'm trying to scatter activities through the summer.

I also am working on summer reading lists for the kids. Feel free to add your favorites! I spent some time doing some research this week so that each kid can have a list to start with when we get to the library and they say "I don't know what I want to read." Cate's ready to read just about anything but is a picky reader and puts lots of rules on which books she'll read (no mysteries, no adventures, not too hard, not too easy, a few pictures mixed in with chapters, etc.). In addition, she tried some books a year ago and didn't like them. I think she could try them again now and with her added maturity and reading skills she'd find them perfect. Books starring the likes of Judy Moody and Ramona fall into this category. My goal for the summer? To expand her horizons by helping her finish a few books she doesn't think she will like so that by Fall she's over that hump. I know not every book on the list will be a good fit, but I'm hoping it will give a good nudge in the right direction.

CATE SUMMER READING LIST:

Evangeline Mudd and the Golden-Haried Apes of the Ikkinasti Jungle by David Elliott

Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr

Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner

Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia Maclchlan

Catwings by Ursula Le Guin

Freckle Juice by Judy Blume

Skylark by Patricia MacLachlan

Matilda by Roald Dahl

Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary

Albertina the Practically Perfect by Susi Gregg Fowler

Akimbo and the Lions by Alexander McCall Smith

Judy Moody by Megan McDonald

Half Magic by Edward Eager

Cinderella (As if You Didn’t Already Know the Story) by Barbara Ensor

How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

Betsey Tacy

Molly’s Pilgrim by Barbara Cohen

Sarah Morton’s Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl by Kate Waters

Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger by Louis Sachar

Christopher's an avid reader so I haven't spent as much time on his book lists this year. This summer, though, I'd like to make sure he's getting in some good classics. He's old enough and a thoughtful reader so I think he can get a loot out of them. We may even try a book club with friends over the summer to encourage this. Again, I don't think he'll read every book on this list, but I'm trying to give him a good direction to get started on some classics that I can maybe even enjoy re-reading with him and discussing.

CHRISTOPHER'S BOOK LIST:

Young Samurai: The Way of the Warrior by Bradford

War Games by Couloumbis

The Castle Corona by Creech

The Gypsy Crown by Forsyth

Diamond Willow by Frost

Orphan of the Sun by Harvey

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Spencer

Artemis Fowl

Where the Red Fern Grows

Inkheart

Finding Spirit Bear

Tom Sawyer

Junebug by Israel

A Wrinkle in Time by L’Engle

Flowers for Algernon by Keyes

Murder on the Orient Express by Christie

The Call of the Wild by London

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Doyle

The Jungle Books by Kipling

The Princess Bride by Goldman

The Red Badge of Courage by Crane

The Time Machine by Wells

Around the World in Eighty Days by Verne

The Giver by Lowry

The Shadow Thieves by Ursu

And why the picture of Pippi? It's our new read-aloud. Cate told me she didn't like Pippi and didn't want me to read it. I suggested we try one chapter. The result? The kid loves Pippi. That's not surprising -- who doesn't love Pippi? I'm hoping for a similar change of heart over the summer with some of her self-read books.