It’s funny how kids count down the days until summer vacation, only to complain of boredom a couple weeks into it.  While it is easy to alleviate boredom with video games, television, and wads of money spent on entertainment, there are far better options.  The first, and most obvious choice for me, is reading.  However, not all kids have the patience or ability to read for more than a few minutes.  So, a second choice is to find some simple crafts for your child to complete.

To help you find the perfect activity for your child, we have found some exceptional craft books.  The crafts in each vary from coloring to sewing to fairy house building and more.  Hopefully, one of these will be the just-right fit for your child!

The Complete Hawaiian Reef Fish Coloring Book by Monika Mira

Imagine an eco-friendly coloring book (printed on recycled paper) that will teach children how to identify over 80 species of reef fish! This book includes over 200 colorable illustrations that will not only help the reader learn how to identify each fish, but also teach them about their anatomical features, coloration, body designs, feeding habits and reproductive strategies. Each illustration is accompanied by a complete description of the fish including the common, scientific, and Hawaiian names. In addition, an overview of coral reef ecology has been provided to help the reader understand the relationship between the fish and the coral reef and the importance of conservation.

Dinosaurs on the Move by Cathy Diez-Luckie

With Dinosaurs on the Move, children can make movable paper action figures of ten of their favorite dinosaurs. This book just won the 2010 Book of the Year Award from Creative Child Magazine in the Activity and Crafts book category.

Fairy Houses. .Everywhere! by Barry and Tracy Kane

This book is a magical photographic journey of fairy habitats – showing inspirational ideas for choosing natural materials, locations to build, and tips for embellishing. This unique, entertaining nature-based craft activity is sure to inspire and entertain.

Journal Bliss: Creative Prompts to Unleash Your Inner Eccentric by Violette Clark

This is a book on art journaling and is great for tweens and teens.  It teaches lots of techniques to create backgrounds, borders, faces, doodles and more. After learning these techniques the teens can go on and document their summer, their vacation, things about themselves, etc. They will develop a lifelong love affair with art journaling.

Playing with Books by Jason Thompson

What’s cool about these crafts is every project utilizes old book pages, spines and covers, so you make useful, fun projects while recycling! From simple greeting cards to a nifty business card holder, these activities are sure to keep kids busy this summer.

Sew with Sara by Sara Trail

When a 15 year old is the author of the book, and her mother states that she never has a dull moment, you can be sure that this book will quell boredom.  This book has won a Best Parenting Award.

With school out for the summer, many children relish the homework-free time.  However, a little bit of daily reading is a great idea for all children.  Reading will keep their minds active, expose them to new vocabulary, encourage their imaginations, and introduce them to new information.

So, as you are looking for some good reads for your children this, who better to turn to for this information than a librarian?  Thanks to the Brooklyn Public Library selection librarians, we are pleased to offer suggested reads for children of all ages.

1. Babies
Mommy, Carry Me Please! by Jane Cabrera

See how animal mommies carry their babies.

2. For toddlers
Maisy’s Animals/Los animales de Maisy by/por Lucy Cousins

Meet Maisy’s favorite animal friends.
Conoce a los amigos animales favoritos de Maisy.

3. For pre-k and kindergarten
The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle

Watch a spider spin her beautiful web.

4. For 1st and 2nd graders

Uh-Oh, Max by Jon Scieszka; illustrated by David Shannon, Loren Long & David Gordon

When Max gets stuck, only his Trucktown friends can help.

5. For 3rd and 4th graders
Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl; illustrated by Quentin Blake

Crafty Fox fools three farmers.

6. For 5th and 6th graders
Summer Ball by Mike Lupica

Danny faces new rivals and a disapproving coach at basketball camp.

7. For teens
How to Be Bad by E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski & Lauren Myracle

Head south for the summer with Vicks, Mel and Jesse.

I am of the mindset that as long as the material is age appropriate, it is beneficial for a child to read any piece of literature.  So, whether it be a magazine, comic book, back of a cereal box, or chapter book, each of those materials has inspired your child to read, and that is a wonderful thing.  However, sometimes there are pieces of literature that offer more than the opportunity to read.  One such book is Miss Trimble’s Trapdoor by Lori Jordan-Rice.

This book, which is the first in a series of five books, tells the story of Tyler Thompson.  Tyler is a fifth grade student with whom many children can relate.  School isn’t particularly easy for Tyler, and sometimes he needs to work in his own special “quiet area” of the classroom.  Unlike many protagonists, he deals with typical school situations: not paying attention in class, trying to make new friends, and wanting to fit in.  Reading about Tyler reassures other children that their everyday struggles are normal and part of growing up.

While it would seem that reading about a child who is just like you could become boring, this series of books has an interesting twist.  In Tyler’s quiet area, there is a secret trapdoor.  Within this world he meets Barnabas Bailey, a brown and white dog that becomes his companion in his journeys.  When Tyler travels through the trapdoor he enters the world of history and begins to learn more about topics from his classroom.  These travels through the trapdoor give readers the opportunity to imagine experiencing life in different times.

Finally, this series teaches kids about history.  Covering events from Christopher Columber to Lewis and Clark, children will learn more about America’s history with a little help from Tyler, Barnaby, and the actual historical figures.

What more could you want in a children’s book?  This book offers history, an interesting storyline, and a character with whom many can identify.  It seems like a winner to me.

In “My Dirty Literary Secret,” the author mentions that the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy trilogy consists of five books that Douglas Adams himself wrote.  Did you know that there is a sixth book in the trilogy that is not written by Douglas Adams? And Another Thing by Eoin (pronounced as “Owen”) Colfer is the 6th book in the Hitchhiker’s series. Before he suffered a heart attack in 2001, Adams had told his wife that he planned on writing a 6th book, though he had been unsuccessful after several attempts. I bet I wasn’t alone in thinking, “If there’s going to be a 6th book for this series written by an entirely new author, he better be good, and he better get it right.” When Colfer was commissioned to write this 6th installment after Adams’ passing, with permission from Adams’ widow, I was pleasantly surprised, because I already knew who he was, and I already loved his books.

I started following Colfer’s Artemis Fowl series when I was in third grade. The first book (in what is now a six-book series) was published in 2001. When subsequent installments were published, each one would be the first thing on my Christmas list. The series stars Artemis Fowl, a teenage criminal mastermind who will do anything to become rich. It’s a fantastic fantasy book; Colfer himself describes it as “Die Hard with fairies.” The text isn’t too tricky, but it’s filled with wry humor, making it accessible to a variety of ages.

I also bought or borrowed other books that Colfer published, including The Wish List, a novel about Meg Finn, a teenage girl who was halfway between good and bad, and must earn her place in Heaven by returning to Earth to help the person whom she died attempting to rob. Colfer’s novels are entertaining but also encourage reflection.

Most agree that if anyone successfully could continue the Hitchhiker’s series, it was Colfer. He did the job well. If you or your child enjoys fantasy, adventure, or science fiction, Eoin Colfer is an author that you definitely should check out.

It is generally accepted that all people learn differently.  A learning strategy that works for one person may not work for another.  However, for some people not only is the style of learning different, it also is more difficult.  As a student, you don’t want to be known as the child who has difficulty reading, speaking, or solving math problems.  You just want to be a typical student.

Jill Lauren has written a book that addresses the issues of learning differently.  That’s Like Me! shares the stories of people for whom school was difficult.  She shares not only their struggles, but more importantly, their triumphs.  As children read this book, they will realize that they aren’t alone, that other people have grappled with learning and succeeded.

As you read this book, you will learn about people of differing ages and with different educational struggles who have found success.  From a sixth grader who is a talented soccer player to a veterinarian to a trapeze artist who performs in circuses around the world, you will learn about each person’s struggles and how each found his or her strength.

Just as the title says, children will read this book and declare, “That’s like me!”  In addition to realizing that they aren’t the only ones who struggle in such a manner, they will see that success can and will happen.

Looking for a book to share with your children during the holiday season?  Whether you are seeking a Hanukkah story, Christmas book, or even something about the winter solstice, we have some suggestions.  Our list of recommended reads is for children of all ages.  Peruse, and find one that suits your family best!

The Amazing Menorah of Mazeltown by Hal Dresner & Joy Fate

Mazeltown, in the Cry-Me-a-River valley, is a dreary village on the dark, cold days leading up to Hanukkah.  But everything changes when Molly and Max stumble upon an old and grimy menorah in their father’s junkshop.  After a quick polish Mazeltown starts to experience some strange goings on.  Night by night, the magic of the menorah is brightening the streets, whitening the sheets, lofting the bagels, making the river glow with life and lighting up everyone’s heart.

A Christmas Bear for Me by Jennifer Dewing

This is a beautiful, heart-warming, personalized story about a child’s Christmas wish for a special Teddy Bear friend. Each copy of the book comes with an adorable plush Gund® bear with the child’s name on the tag and a personalized letter to the child from Santa.  Written by Jennifer Dewing and illustrated by the nationally renowned artist Wilson Ong, A Christmas Bear for Me follows the child’s journey from longing and wishing to the magic of Christmas morning, when the child finds his or her special bear along with a personalized note from Santa under the tree.

A Nutty Nutcracker Christmas by Ralph Covert & G. Riley Mills

This is no ordinary Nutcracker! This time, it’s Fritz’s story. The traditional Nutcracker tale gets turned on its head in this rollicking Christmas adventure, based on the hit musical A Nutty Nutcracker Christmas by the popular family music rock star Ralph Covert and playwright G. Riley Mills. Includes a bonus CD of songs from the musical, featuring a read-aloud track with the music and story woven together.

Tinycandy’s Gift by Susan Estes

This book is a Christmas story of an elf named Tinycandy who is a little different from the other elves because he walks with a cane. Tinycandy is desperate to find his special “gift” in order to contribute to Christmas in Santa’s workshop and become accepted by the other elves. Tinycandy soon discovers that his gift is making special candies shaped like hooks that make Christmas a little sweeter for everyone. Impressed by Tinycandy’s new talent, Santa christens the special treats “Candy Canes.” Estes creates a unique history of how the candy cane got its name and weaves in a classic tale that conveys to children one of the pivotal rules of life.

William and the Christmas Moon by Laura Robinson

William stays up late to watch for Santa Claus.  While staring into the landscape he takes a visual journey through the moonlit surrounds where he and his grandfather spend their days exploring.  He then falls asleep, dreaming of a flight in his own grandfather’s sleigh, where “wrapped in sheets of soft moonlight, William glimpsed his gifts that night.”  William’s description of these gifts – his newfound appreciation of the moonlight and their time spent in the stark winter landscapes –in turn become his grandfather’s most treasured Christmas gift.  This book is a shadow-casting bedtime story, which transforms a child’s bedroom into a magical shadow theater. A special flashlight illuminates the text for the reader, while projecting large shadows of the intricate laser-cut illustrations onto the wall.

The Winter Solstice by Ellen Jackson

This book tells about the origins of winter holidays and celebrations all over the world, with an emphasis on Christmas. It ends with a beautiful Cherokee legend about the origin of the evergreen. It received  the Children’s Choice Selection award, given by the International Reading Association. It is a definite child favorite, as books are chosen for this award through children’s voting.

There’s a certain feeling in the air. It’s starting to get a little colder, a little brighter and a little kinder. It must be Christmas!

Are you looking for books about Christmas to get you in the spirit of this festive holiday?

1. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Everybody knows the story of A Christmas Carol. Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his late business partner, Jacob Marley, one Christmas Eve. He warns Scrooge that he will never be happy as long as he stuck to his greedy ways and that he will be visited by three ghosts. Just as predicted, Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past, who took him to his happy childhood, followed by the Ghost of Christmas Present, to the homes of his nephew and employee, and the Ghost of Christmas Future, who showed him a grim and unforgiving future. It is enough to scare Scrooge, and he becomes a different man, a kind, generous and compassionate man who embodies the spirit of Christmas.

2. The Polar Express by Chris van Allsburg

A little boy waits for the sounds of Santa’s sleigh one Christmas Eve, but instead, he hears the sound of a train coming. He goes out of the house, and the train’s conductor invites him for a ride on The Polar Express. Inside, he finds other children, in their pajamas, drinking hot chocolate. The train reaches the North Pole, and they discover all the elves gathered in a circle waiting for Santa Claus to start his Christmas journey. Before Santa leaves, he picks the boy to receive the first Christmas gift. He chooses the silver bell on Santa’s sleigh. Santa gives it to him, and he is devastated when, upon coming home that night, he loses the bell. The next day he wakes up, and his sister finds a small gift box for him. He opens it and discovers the bell inside. This bell will remind him to believe in the spirit of Christmas, even when others don’t.

3. The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum

The Life And Adventures of Santa Claus is a fantasy story imagining the life of Santa Claus from the time he was a kid until the “present time”. As a baby, he was found in the Forest of Burzee by Ak, Master Woodsman of the World, and raised by fairies, wood nymphs, gnomes and knooks. When he becomes an adult, Ak tells him he cannot stay in Burzee anymore and has to live amongst the mortals, since he is also a mortal. He resides in the Laughing Valley of Hohaho, where the immortals still get to visit him. In Hohaho, he became known as a man who always is kind to children. He starts making toys and giving them to the children in the village. But a group of evil beings called the Awgwas start to wreak havoc on the children. Santa begins to travel by night and deliver the toys through the chimney. Ak declares war on the Awgwas and wipes them out. Santa continues to deliver the toys to children peacefully. But when Santa turns 60, the disadvantages of his mortality begin to show, as he is nearing the end of his life. That’s when Ak and the other Immortal Kings decide to bless him with immortality so he can continue his acts of kindness.

Tune in for more books on Christmas!

Dropping by Oregon for a vacation? Why not drop by at these times and visit these literary festivals.

1. Oregon Writing Festival

The Oregon Writing Festival takes place every May at the Portland State University. Every year, they invite authors of books catering to kids from grades 4 to 12. This festival helps promote local writing activities and festivals, as well as connects writers to other Oregon writers and authors as well. They also take the time to honor and recognize outstanding student and teacher writers.

2. Tapestry of Tales Storytelling Festival

The Tapestry Of Tales Storytelling Festival celebrates its 10th year this 2009 as they continue to share love for the written word. Multnomah County Library hosts this festival every year in November. Create and share your story. Visit the festival with your family or friends.

3. wordstock

wordstock happens every year in Portland, Oregon, and gathers hundreds of readers, writers and storytellers in one place. The festival features author appearances, live storytelling performances and workshops for writers and students. This is the largest literary celebration in the Pacific Northwest, and one of the largest festivals in the US, with over 55,000 participants every year.

4. Southern Oregon Book and Author Fair

This literary fair takes place every November in Ashland, Oregon. Authors takes this opportunity to promote themselves, sell their books and meet other authors and, most especially, their readers. Dozens of Southern Oregon authors grace this event to promote reading and literacy nationwide.

So, what are you waiting for? Be sure to visit these literary fairs now!

Planning on visiting Boston between April and November? Then be sure to drop by these literary festivals!

1. Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair

The Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair happens every November at the Hynes Convention Center. The book fair features an extensive collection of antiquarian books exhibited and for sale, including rare collectibles and first editions. Other activities include author appearances and book signings.

2. Three Apples Storytelling Festival

The Three Apples Storytelling Festival occurs every September in the small town of Bedford, Massachusetts. To get people excited about the festival, the organizers arrange for Preview Performances, where libraries host free storytelling performances in preparation for the festival. They have Family Ghost Stories and Community Stage. There are also author appearances, as well numerous storytelling performances throughout the entire festival.

3. The Boston Globe Children’s Book Festival

Held at the Parade Grounds of Boston Common in September, the Boston Globe Children’s Book Festival aims to bring all lovers of children’s literature, whether young or old, together. There are author and costumed character appearances as well as book signings. Admission is free so be sure to come and witness local and national authors celebrate their passion for children’s literature.

4. Newburyport Literary Festival

Held all over Newburyport in April, the Newburyport Literary Festival celebrates readers and authors alike. There’s Dinner with the Authors and Coffee with the Poets, as well as book signings and author appearances, so be sure to bring the entire family. There’s at least one thing to do for everyone.

So, what are you waiting for? Book a trip to Boston now!

If you’d like us to feature a literary fair or festival, please leave a comment with the details, and we’ll do what we can to accommodate it.

Some books become classics for a reason. Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe is one of them. The actual title of Defoe’s book is The Life and Strange Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe of York, Mariner. The wordiness of the title on the cover is an indication of the story that lies beneath. Defoe’s writing is filled with long, cumbersome sentences that are delightfully layered with meaning and content.

Robinson Crusoe was first published in 1719, yet it feels relevant and fresh even in the light of the 21st century. Nearly three hundred years after it was written, Robinson Crusoe has a timeless quality that transcends the conventions of the era.

I was surprised to find, on reading this classic for the first time, that Crusoe did not become shipwrecked until the fourth chapter, or perhaps I should say more accurately that he did not suffer the shipwreck for which his story is so well known until the fourth chapter, that being actually his second shipwrecking of the novel. I confess that I am quite unable to do justice to Defoe’s distinctive writing style, but herein I am attempting to do so, filling each sentence with layers, and not only just layers, but also often contradictions, or seeming contradictions.

My high school English teacher would have emptied her red pen circling all the commas if I turned in sentences like Defoe’s. But in this book, it just works. Robinson Crusoe is an absolutely fabulous read. The story is written in the first person, as if the fictional Crusoe were relating his tale at a later point in his life.
Why every attempt to turn this book into a film has been a disastrous failure I do not know. Perhaps it is because the excellence of the book lies more in Defoe’s style than in the actual story. Page after page is devoted to such mundane details as the list of items Crusoe retrieves from the ship, but I never felt a lull, never desired to push through to the next exciting moment. In truth, there are scarcely any nail-biting moments right up until chapter 13, when the cannibals arrive. But every page is a joy for the reader who appreciates the innate beauty of language.