Twins!

The non-fiction book Twin Tales: The Magic and Mystery of Multiple Birth by Donna M. Jackson is as popular in our school library with singletons as it is with twins! Twins also show up frequently in fiction such as the Children of the Lamp fantasy series by P.B. Kerr, Cryptid Hunters by Roland Smith, Lost and Found by Andrew Clements, and many more.

Want to read about twins? Just do a library catalog search for Twins - Juvenile Fiction to find books for elementary through high school students. Here's a short reading list for middle and high school students to look at too!

Book Crush

Greetings from Finland, where I am visiting family including my newborn niece, Hilla! I hope everyone is having a lovely summer. It has been very nice to have extra time to read - on planes, while relaxing at my in-laws' house in the country, and so on. In case you are wondering what book to pick up next, keep reading!

Nancy Pearl is known to many as the first librarian to have her own action figure! This Seattle legend was the brilliant mind behind the "If All of Seattle Read the Same Book" program that rapidly spread around the country. She's also tremendously well read in a wide range of genres.

Pearl has written several reading guides, including Book Crush, aimed at ages birth-18, as well as Book Lust and More Book Lust for adults. Organized by theme, they are not intended as exhaustive guides to all the "best" books, but rather as starting places for exploring literature. My own 13-year-old daughter likes to dip into Book Crush, choosing a section at random and sometimes even challenging herself to try books in genres she usually avoids. Whether you're stuck for reading ideas or not, you'll find plenty to enjoy in these books.

Nancy Pearl is also an engaging speaker - a warm and witty presence. If you ever have the opportunity to hear her speak, take it!

The joys of summer reading

What's on your summer reading list? My tottering piles of books represent only a fraction of my actual "to read" list! However, one of the joys of the slower pace of summertime living is sneaking in more opportunities to read - on a park bench, on an airplane, anywhere I find myself with a spare moment or two...

A book for parents that I'm currently reading is The New Global Student by Maya Frost. I've only just begun it, but am quite intrigued by her family's adventures abroad. I'm also in the middle of a suspenseful mystery novel for middle schoolers, Rescuing Seneca Crane by Susan Runholt. It's the second in the Kari and Lucas series about two very intrepid young women who find adventure in the most unexpected places.

School Library Journal recently asked a few notable children's and young adult authors what they're reading this summer. Check out their answers - maybe you'll see some books on their lists that you want to read too!

Ramona Quimby

These days we are fortunate to have a wide range of feisty heroines of their own realistic fiction series, from Junie B. Jones to Judy Moody to Clementine and so many more. However, back when 94-year-old Portland, Oregon native Beverly Cleary was a child, this was not the case!

After attending library school at the University of Washington, Cleary thought back to her own youth - ironically, she hated to read as a child - and decided to write the kind of books she wished she could give to her young patrons who felt the same way she had about books: down-to-earth stories about normal people living normal lives. Thus were Henry Huggins, Ramona Quimby and her whole colorful cast of characters born.

You can read more about the life of this remarkable woman who changed the face of children's literature in her two memoirs, A Girl from Yamhill and My Own Two Feet.

Also, do take a look at the article Ramona Quimby: The Mischievous Girl Next Door that talks more about Cleary's life, her characters' enduring popularity with fans 60 years after publication and the recent release of the movie Ramona and Beezus.

Internet safety

Want to learn more about how to keep your kids safe online? The Federal Trade Commission's OnGuard Online website has a section just for parents called Net Cetera. Order a free copy of their printed guide or view and download it online.

Check out books from the public library to read together by searching using the subject header: Internet -- Safety measures -- Juvenile literature.

One important point to keep in mind is that scare tactics don't work! A better approach is balanced, realistic education and ongoing conversations.

The internet offers endless opportunities for learning and exploration, but like any other tool it's important to learn how to use it safely and effectively.

The intrigue and excitement of the Crusades

With all the news about present day conflicts in the Middle East, it is important to understand the historical background to these modern disputes. The Crusades continue to exert a grip on our imaginations, as evidenced by the popularity of books such as Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code.

School Library Journal has put together a short reading list about the Crusades for grades 2-9 that includes non-fiction in both graphic (comic) and traditional text formats, as well as historical fiction.

One way to get children hooked on history is exposing them to times of great drama and intensity - that is the perfect antidote to the common complaint that "history is boooring!" It's a question of finding well-written books such as these about exciting topics. Why not give these a try?

Exceptional websites for children

The Association for Library Service to Children maintains a listing of Great Web Sites for Kids ages 14 and under. This site was recently updated with additional sites of exceptional merit. They cover a wide range of topics, from books and authors to science, math, history, social studies and more. If you're trying to stay cool indoors with our impending heatwave, why not take a look?