Check it out: Books to cure the summer blues
It’s hot and humid. The kids are getting bored. And in just one month, most of them will be heading back to school.
What can cure the summer doldrums? A good book.
And we have plenty to choose from.
Book publishers have been printing fast and furious this summer with a slew of new releases just for young and teen-age readers. Here’s a snapshot of some of this summer’s new releases.
Read out loud
* “Biscuit Goes to the Fair” by Alyssa Satin Capucilli (HarperCollins, $6.99 hardcover). Biscuit is back with a brand new pull-tab rebus word format.
* “My Beach Book” and “My Shell Book” by Ellen Kirk (HarperCollins, $5.99 hardcover). These board books feature shells, waves, sea gulls and more.
* “Sputter, Sputter, Sput!” by Babs Nell and Bob Starke (HarperCollins, $16.99 hardcover). Riding in a car can be lots of fun. But what happens when the car gradually slows down with a “sputter, sputter — sput”?
* “Sergio Makes a Splash” by Edel Rodriguez (Little Brown Books, $15.99 hardcover). Sergio is a penguin who loves fish, soccer and water — especially water. But Sergio has one big problem when it comes to water — he can’t swim. Will he miss the class field trip to the ocean?
* “The Blacker the Berry,” poems by Joyce Carol Thomas and illustrated by Floyd Cooper (HarperCollins, $16.99 hardcover). This collection of poems and illustrations honor the many colors of African-Americans.
Young readers
* “Coraline” by Neil Gaiman; adapted and illustrated by P. Craig Russell (HarperCollins, $17.99 hardcover). This bestselling tale is now available as a graphic novel. When Coraline steps through a door in her family’s new house, she finds another house, strangely similar to her own (only better). At first, things seem marvelous. But there is another mother there and another father, and they want to keep her there forever.
* “Bringing the Boy Home” by N.A. Nelson (HarperCollins, $15.99 hardcover). Two boys from the same Amazon tribe prepare to embark on vision quests in order to achieve manhood in this fast-paced adventure.
* “The Mystery of the Martello Tower” by Jennifer Lanthier (HarperCollins, $16.99 hardcover). Hazel and her brother Ned solve the mystery of the Martello Tower with the help of family they never knew they had.
* “Football Hero” by Tim Green (HarperCollins, $16.99 hardcover). This sports adventure stars Ty, a true underdog with a whole host of troubles.
Tweens to teens
* “Life as We Knew It” by Susan Beth Pfeffer (Harcourt, $6.95 paperback). Sixteen-year-old Miranda and her family struggle to cope and stay alive in rural Pennsylvania after the moon is knocked off kilter and changes life as we know it on Earth.
* “The Dead & the Gone” also by Pfeffer (Harcourt, $17 hardcover) is the newly released companion to “Life as We Knew It.” In this story, she follows 17-year-old Alex Morales as he struggles to survive in a devastated New York City.
* “Down to the Bone” by Mayra Lazara Dole (HarperCollins, $16.99 hardcover). In this first novel, Dole writes about a Latina teen who is kicked out of school and out of her home when she reveals she is gay.
* “Streams of Babel” by Carol Pulm-Ucci (Harcourt, $17 hardcover). Bioterrorism has come to a small town in New Jersey. As the government tries to figure out what deadly biochemical agent has been released, a 16-year-old in Pakistan works as a virtual spy for the U.S. aiding in the discovery of “red vinegar.”
* “Bird Lake Moon” by Kevin Henkes (HarperCollins, $15.99 hardcover). Spencer thought the house might be haunted. Mitch knew it wasn’t. These two friends discover they are keeping lots of secrets from each other.
For teen girls
* “How to Be Bad,” three bestselling authors, E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski and Lauren Myracle, come together to write this novel about three girls on the open road, each escaping something different back home. (HarperTeen, $16.99 hardcover)
* “Picture Perfect” and “Banana Splitsville” by Catherine Clark (HarperTeen, $5.99 each paperback). Summer reads about friendship, sunshine and romance.
* “Interns: The Fashionista” and “Interns: The Truth or Fashion” both by Chloe Walsh (HarperTeen, $8.99 each paperback). These are the first two in a new fashionable series about teens interning at Couture magazine in New York City.
* “Forbidden Boy” and “The Other Boy” both by Hailey Abbott (HarperTeen, $8.99 each paperback). Abbott, author of the successful “Summer Boys” teen series, is back with two more novels about sun, sand, spaghetti straps and romance.
* “Save the Date” by Tamara Summers (HarperTeen, $5.99 paperback). Five crazy older sisters, two hideous bridesmaid dresses and one incredibly hot wedding planner’s son make up this summer read.
* “The Temptress Four” by Gaby Triana (HarperTeen, $16.99 hardcover). Four best friends learn to embrace the future while on an unforgettable graduation cruise.
* “Lucky” by Rachel Vail (HarperTeen, $16.99 hardcover). This novel begins just as scandal rocks three sisters and their wealthy, glittering world, exploring the glamorous life. The first book in a trilogy.
* “Frenemies” by Alexa Young, (HarperTeen, $8.99 paperback). The first in a new four-book series for girls who love “The Clique.” “Frenemies” is a fierce and funny portrayal of perfect friends who become perfect enemies.
* “Stealing Heaven” by Elizabeth Scott (HarperTeen, $16.99 hardcover). Eighteen-year-old Danielle and her mother have been stealing things for as long as Danielle can remember. But things take a turn in the town of Heaven, where Danielle finds friends, happiness and a guy who steals her heart.
What can cure the summer doldrums? A good book.
And we have plenty to choose from.
Book publishers have been printing fast and furious this summer with a slew of new releases just for young and teen-age readers. Here’s a snapshot of some of this summer’s new releases.
Read out loud
* “Biscuit Goes to the Fair” by Alyssa Satin Capucilli (HarperCollins, $6.99 hardcover). Biscuit is back with a brand new pull-tab rebus word format.
* “My Beach Book” and “My Shell Book” by Ellen Kirk (HarperCollins, $5.99 hardcover). These board books feature shells, waves, sea gulls and more.
* “Sputter, Sputter, Sput!” by Babs Nell and Bob Starke (HarperCollins, $16.99 hardcover). Riding in a car can be lots of fun. But what happens when the car gradually slows down with a “sputter, sputter — sput”?
* “Sergio Makes a Splash” by Edel Rodriguez (Little Brown Books, $15.99 hardcover). Sergio is a penguin who loves fish, soccer and water — especially water. But Sergio has one big problem when it comes to water — he can’t swim. Will he miss the class field trip to the ocean?
* “The Blacker the Berry,” poems by Joyce Carol Thomas and illustrated by Floyd Cooper (HarperCollins, $16.99 hardcover). This collection of poems and illustrations honor the many colors of African-Americans.
Young readers
* “Coraline” by Neil Gaiman; adapted and illustrated by P. Craig Russell (HarperCollins, $17.99 hardcover). This bestselling tale is now available as a graphic novel. When Coraline steps through a door in her family’s new house, she finds another house, strangely similar to her own (only better). At first, things seem marvelous. But there is another mother there and another father, and they want to keep her there forever.
* “Bringing the Boy Home” by N.A. Nelson (HarperCollins, $15.99 hardcover). Two boys from the same Amazon tribe prepare to embark on vision quests in order to achieve manhood in this fast-paced adventure.
* “The Mystery of the Martello Tower” by Jennifer Lanthier (HarperCollins, $16.99 hardcover). Hazel and her brother Ned solve the mystery of the Martello Tower with the help of family they never knew they had.
* “Football Hero” by Tim Green (HarperCollins, $16.99 hardcover). This sports adventure stars Ty, a true underdog with a whole host of troubles.
Tweens to teens
* “Life as We Knew It” by Susan Beth Pfeffer (Harcourt, $6.95 paperback). Sixteen-year-old Miranda and her family struggle to cope and stay alive in rural Pennsylvania after the moon is knocked off kilter and changes life as we know it on Earth.
* “The Dead & the Gone” also by Pfeffer (Harcourt, $17 hardcover) is the newly released companion to “Life as We Knew It.” In this story, she follows 17-year-old Alex Morales as he struggles to survive in a devastated New York City.
* “Down to the Bone” by Mayra Lazara Dole (HarperCollins, $16.99 hardcover). In this first novel, Dole writes about a Latina teen who is kicked out of school and out of her home when she reveals she is gay.
* “Streams of Babel” by Carol Pulm-Ucci (Harcourt, $17 hardcover). Bioterrorism has come to a small town in New Jersey. As the government tries to figure out what deadly biochemical agent has been released, a 16-year-old in Pakistan works as a virtual spy for the U.S. aiding in the discovery of “red vinegar.”
* “Bird Lake Moon” by Kevin Henkes (HarperCollins, $15.99 hardcover). Spencer thought the house might be haunted. Mitch knew it wasn’t. These two friends discover they are keeping lots of secrets from each other.
For teen girls
* “How to Be Bad,” three bestselling authors, E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski and Lauren Myracle, come together to write this novel about three girls on the open road, each escaping something different back home. (HarperTeen, $16.99 hardcover)
* “Picture Perfect” and “Banana Splitsville” by Catherine Clark (HarperTeen, $5.99 each paperback). Summer reads about friendship, sunshine and romance.
* “Interns: The Fashionista” and “Interns: The Truth or Fashion” both by Chloe Walsh (HarperTeen, $8.99 each paperback). These are the first two in a new fashionable series about teens interning at Couture magazine in New York City.
* “Forbidden Boy” and “The Other Boy” both by Hailey Abbott (HarperTeen, $8.99 each paperback). Abbott, author of the successful “Summer Boys” teen series, is back with two more novels about sun, sand, spaghetti straps and romance.
* “Save the Date” by Tamara Summers (HarperTeen, $5.99 paperback). Five crazy older sisters, two hideous bridesmaid dresses and one incredibly hot wedding planner’s son make up this summer read.
* “The Temptress Four” by Gaby Triana (HarperTeen, $16.99 hardcover). Four best friends learn to embrace the future while on an unforgettable graduation cruise.
* “Lucky” by Rachel Vail (HarperTeen, $16.99 hardcover). This novel begins just as scandal rocks three sisters and their wealthy, glittering world, exploring the glamorous life. The first book in a trilogy.
* “Frenemies” by Alexa Young, (HarperTeen, $8.99 paperback). The first in a new four-book series for girls who love “The Clique.” “Frenemies” is a fierce and funny portrayal of perfect friends who become perfect enemies.
* “Stealing Heaven” by Elizabeth Scott (HarperTeen, $16.99 hardcover). Eighteen-year-old Danielle and her mother have been stealing things for as long as Danielle can remember. But things take a turn in the town of Heaven, where Danielle finds friends, happiness and a guy who steals her heart.
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