I’m a big fan of letting kids pick the type of books that they read based on their interests. Because they don’t have as much schoolwork, summer is the perfect time for kids to try out a variety of different books, magazines, comic books and such to see what they personally enjoy reading. I have sons, so I want to share some of their suggestions of exciting books for boys to read this summer. (If you have any other suggestions, please let me know. Thanks!)
1. There are differences between the current movie that is out in theaters and Roald Dahl’s classic The BFG book. (A comparison and contrast “assignment” between the two would be be a fun, educational summer activity.)
(7 Greatest Roald Dahl Books According to My 9 Year-Old includes six other really good Roald Dahl book options.)
2. We’re big fans of Rick Riordan’s books at our home. My son Michael appreciates that his latest release, The Trials of Apollo, Book 1: The Hidden Oracle, is told from the viewpoint of a god.
3. My kids enjoyed Jeff Kinney’s latest book Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Old School that was released on November 3, 2015. My son Sean especially liked how Greg’s character rejected tales of the “good old days” in favor of being a “modern man”. [Kinney’s next book, Double Down is scheduled to be released on November 1, 2016.]
4. Rick Riordan’s Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, Book 1: The Sword of Summer was released on October 6, 2015. My oldest son Michael, who enjoys mythology, really enjoyed being introduced to the Norse gods in this book.
5. Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes was released on August 18, 2015. This beautifully illustrated book tells the stories of twelve of the original Greek heroes.
6. Michael enjoyed reading the classic Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. (It has some racial and language things that need to be explained but overall, I appreciate that he is enjoying a “classic” book.)
7. After seeing the Goosebumps movie, both of my sons started to enjoy reading the Goosebumps books that are filled with a variety of creepy creatures.
Bonus
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – Parts One and Two will be released on July 31, 2016.
