Summer Reading: The best-laid plans

One isn't supposed to work up a sweat reading (I guess it can happen). When the mercury's rising, though, and one has a dozen or so books due at the library tomorrow (this "one" might be hypothetical, of course) there's just no way to read fast enough. To add insult to injury, no matter how fast one flips pages, reading just doesn't pass for aerobic activity.

What to do?

It's July, dear readers. We're all a tad hot and bothered, no? Let's share our must-read lists and tips for getting through them this summer. And please, dear readers, you go first. "One" of us has to go to the library...

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WHAT'S THAT? You don't have too much to read? Well, I'm not going to give you a recommendation, what with my own books piling up around my ears. But you can take a quick quiz to find  just the right book here:
http://justtherightbook.com

Red & Blue & Color Me Jaded

Primary Colors. Remember the anonymously-penned political novel from 1996? I think its time has come, again. Join me and add your insights and point out the ironies as you re-read it or discover it for the first time. I'm starting August 1st. Hope to see you here!
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Those of you who were old enough to vote in 1996 probably remember that whole anonymity thing didn't last long for the author. After the fuss died down, however, it worked out pretty well for him. For perspective, read The Telegraph's thoughtful piece on the situation some time after Joe Klein's not-so-shocking confession from that he, indeed, wrote the book.
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You know me, I always suggest the library as your first stop for a book (except mine!) but if you want to buy it to save a few bucks and a tree, consider the Kindle version or the Random House ebook.

You're not a Twit, Veronica!

>>file under, hey, somebody reads this blog!<<

Thanks to a friend's comment in response to my post about The Twits and other "old" children's books, I've just started in on The Phantom Tollbooth. I thought my 8yo had a good vocabulary, but wow - we're both learning some new words from Norton Juster's highly imaginative novel, first published in 1961.

Thanks for the loaner copy, my friend!

So, anyone want to read along? It's sure to be a fun trip into the Land Beyond...

Twits and old friends

I've thoroughly enjoyed some "old" books so far this summer, all of which were new to me. I wonder how many parents have introduced their elementary-school age offspring to The Twits?

Almost certainly best-known for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl's whole list is worth reading, and I encourage you to look beyond the titles that have made it to the big screen.

Dahl's unique take on things is at least amusing for young readers and at times quite insightful for parents reading along. The Magic Finger and The Twits are my current favorites. (The Twits, detailing worms in spaghetti and other revolting but hilarious antics of the disgusting couple, would likely appeal to many reluctant readers.)

What old books have become your new favorites to recommend this summer?

Which ones do you plan to read with your kids before they go back to school?

Kids' Stuff: Reading & Typing

Summer reading. It's highly recommended by teachers and parents everywhere. Yeah, yeah. We know. While I'm a very enthusiastic supporter of the whole reading thing, I'm taking a break from that lecture to remind parents that keyboard skills are important to a child's education, too.

Here's a fun typing game for kids I found recently. Maybe your kids will appreciate a break from your particular lecture repertoire, too?

http://www.clubhousemagazine.com/games/type-logger

Several Shades Better

You want to be like everybody else? Carry 50 Shades of Grey to the pool this summer. If you want to read a really good book - albeit one that might qualify for a chick-lit label - heft Diana Gabaldon's Outlander wherever you go. The author's storytelling skills guarantee a great deal of escape, and an equally well-written bit of smut only adds to the adventure.

Apparently, Outlander was a bit of escape for the author, who began writing it while she was a university professor. Degrees in zoology, marine biology, and ecology notwithstanding, Gabaldon managed to weave a tale that takes us on a time-travel jaunt from post-WWII England to the Scottish Highlands, circa 1743. Aye, and it's a bonny journey!

I highly recommend this book and won't spoil your enjoyment by going into plot details. In a nutshell, if you like adventure, romance, and botany, this is going to be one of your favorite books. If you'd like a well-crafted description of what a very strong female lead finds under an even stronger Scotsman's kilt, well, what are you waiting for? Go get Outlander. And read it quickly, without remorse -- there's a series of seven books waiting for you, with an eighth expected early in 2013. 

And you know all those silly typos and redundancies in Shades of Grey? You won't find 'em here. Enjoy!
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Better than #ShadesofGrey