Summer reading for little bookworms

School's out, summer's here and you want to keep your kids reading between now and the first day back to class in September. Choosing books your child will actually read can be hit and miss, so we've made things easier by finding some great books to suit a variety of personality types. Here are our top picks for kids books -- and don't be surprised if you read them up, too.

For the child who likes to be silly
Duck & Goose, written and illustrated by Tad Hills
(Schwartz & Wade Books, 2006)
Ages 3-7
When Duck and Goose come across an egg in the middle of a field, each is quick to claim it as his own, and to protect it from the other. Through their efforts to keep the egg warm until it hatches, they learn to get along and even become friends. And when a bluebird points out that their egg isn't an egg at all, but a ball, the two friends show that they can play together, too. This charming tale will quickly become a classic in any child's library.

Once Upon a Blue Moose by Daniel Pinkwater
(Yearling, 2006)
Ages 7-10
Mr. Breton runs a restaurant at the edge of the woods, where he serves clam chowder and gingerbread, among other tasty dishes. One day, a blue moose shows up at his door, praises his food and quickly sets to work as headwaiter. Business is booming, and in the meantime, the blue moose gets into all kinds of wacky adventures that are sure to delight. This book contains three classic blue moose tales, the first of which was published in 1975.

Dude, Where's My Spaceship? by Dan Greenburg
(Random House, 2006)
Ages 6-9
When Klatu got his license, he decided to take his brother, Lek, and sister, Ploo, for a cruise around the galaxy. But it turns out he's not as good a driver as he thought, and he crashes his ship into Earth -- in the middle of the Nevada desert! Join the siblings in this first of a series of adventures as Ploo is captured by "aliens" but then escapes with the help of a new friend and they drive off to Las Vegas in search of someone to help them fix their spaceship.

For the child who loves nature
On Thin Ice by Jamie Bastedo
(Red Deer Press, 2006)
Ages 12 and up
Ashley Anowiak is in search of a polar bear that may be real or mythical. The half-Inuit teen, like all girls her age, is trying to find her path in life, but Ashley's journey takes place in a small Arctic town where climate change is evident, from a six-day blizzard to catastrophic floods -- environmental disaster as witnessed by the people of Canada's North, and based on real events. The story, says the author, a resident of Yellowknife, "is intended to feed young people's hunger for outdoor adventure while helping them come to terms with environmental uncertainties that touch their lives."

24 Hours Rain Forest by Fleur Star
(DK Publishing, 2006)
Ages 5-8
Spend 24 hours with the creatures of the Amazon rainforest. While finding out everything from how Brazil nuts grow to how tarantulas hunt, your animal-loving child will have a blast flipping through this colourful volume -- and you're sure to learn something as well!

Google e.guides: Plant by David Burnie
(DK Publishing, 2006)
Ages 8-12
DK and Google have collaborated in this series of books to create colourful reference guides with accompanying websites, thus making the books more attractive to computer-loving kids. In this volume, your child will learn about everything from how plants grow to their medicinal uses, through the explanatory text accompanied by informative photographs. This book would be a great addition to any outdoor family field trip.

Page 1 of 2