NDG book review: Great children’s books for summer reading

By Terri Schlichenmeyer

They played every game in the house – twice – and invented a few too.

You rode your bike everywhere, went to the swimming pool almost every day and finished all your chores ahead of schedule. What do you do now?

How about a great new book to spend time with this summer?

Why not dream? In “Willis Watson Is a Wannabe” by Carmen Bogan, illustrated by Charyl “Ras” Thuesday ($18.99 Simon & Schuster), Willis wants to be a superhero because his grandfather says he can be anything he wants to be. When the neighborhood boys tell Willis there’s no such thing as superheroes, isn’t that a challenge? Your four- to six-year-old will find it just that way with the inspiration from this book.

Why not fall in love with a new pet? In Not My Cat by Stacey Patton, illustrated by Acamy Schleikorn ($18.99, Simon & Schuster), Staceypants finds something she’d rather not have: a cat. Cats make messes and scratch things. Staceypants doesn’t like cats at all. You may be wondering, but this cat isn’t hers. Or is it? Based on a true story, kids ages five to seven will love finding out—especially if they’re cat lovers.

Why not start a new hobby? In All the Rocks We Love by Lisa Varchol Perron and Taylor Perron, with art by David Scheirer ($18.99, Penguin Workshop, out 7/16), you’ll read about something you probably barely notice: rocks! “There are rocks everywhere we look,” say the authors, and they’re all very different. Some are cool and smooth. Some glitter, and some even float! Take a few on vacation this year, and if you’re between the ages of four and ten, you can use them to decorate your room.

Why not meet a new heroine? In Go Wilma, Go! by Amira Rose Davis and Michael G. Long, illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow ($18.99, Bloomsbury, out 7/16), read about Wilma Rudolph, an athlete in the 1960 Olympics. It’s a great honor until she learns that her hometown has planned a Wilma Rudolph Day, and she’s shocked. Wilma is black, and the celebration is not open to people of color. What happens when she “gets involved” is a great story that children ages six to 10 will love.

And finally, for the older readers (ages 12 and up), there’s “Stamped from the Beginning” by Ibram X. Kendi, adapted and illustrated by Joel Christian Gill ($24.99, Penguin Random House)? It’s a long, detailed look at racism in America that takes young readers from the 17th century to racism today, with stops for key historical events and heroic deeds along the way. This is the kind of book you’ll gift to your teen, but don’t be afraid to borrow it again yourself this summer.

And if these books aren’t enough to keep your young reader occupied and entertained, be sure to ask for more at your favorite bookstore or library. They have plenty of summer books for kids of all ages and adults too. They might even have a game or two to play.