Book Pick Friday — Summer Reads for Kids

With Memorial Day weekend looming, we are getting ready to kick off the summer, right? Today’s Book Pick Friday is dedicated to good summer reads for kids age 8-18.

Here are some of my picks:

For teens and advanced readers:
Dragons in Our Midst Series by Bryan Davis. Fantasy is super-hot with teenagers right now and Bryan Davis is one of the best Christian fantasy writers in the market. I am reading the first book in this series, Raising Dragons to my nine-year-old, but I’d say it’s written more for teens. A teenage boy discovers a deep family secret — he is the son of a dragon. His heritage, and what he is becoming, puts him in danger from those who wish to wipe the world of dragons, forever. It will take faith and courage to overcome the evil that threatens to overwhelm him. This is a four book series: Raising Dragons, The Candlestone, Circles of Seven and Tears of a Dragon. I have not read all four, but I have purchased the set and can’t wait to finish them.

For young teen and preteen girls:

Wendy Lawton‘s Daughters of Faith series. These books take brave girls from the pages of the history book and deliver them into captivating chapter books that will teach, inspire and entertain. I recently read Almost Home with my kids. It is the story of Mary Chilton, a young passenger on the Mayflower. It follows her journey from Holland to England and on to America. God shares some mighty lessons with Mary as she searches the world for a place to belong. I know that my kids have a completely different understanding of the word “Thanksgiving” since reading this book.

For young teen and preteen boys:

Bill Myers’ My Life As… Series. This is also known as The Incredible Worlds of Wally McDoogle. There are 24 books in this series and (in my opinion) they are God’s gift to boys. If you kids snickered and giggled at Sponge Bob and Super Diaper Baby, they will love these books. And so will you. Because mixed in with the humor is the story of a boy who — even when everything (and I mean EVERTHING) is going wrong in his life — still finds a way to connect with God. So, even those boys who would never dream of picking up a chapter book, much less a Christian chapter book, will devour these stories and ask for more. My son and I have read several, including such great titles as My Life As a Smashed Burrito With Extra Hot Sauce, My Life as Polluted Pond Scum and My Life as a Bigfoot Breath Mint.

For more information on any of these books, and to read sample chapters, click on the titles.

Have a great summer — and get those kids reading!