M E R I D I A N     M A G A Z I N E

Books for Lemonade Days
By Holly E. Newton

Summer is the time to relax, enjoy the warmth of the sun and take a cool sip of lemonade. It’s also the best time to read! Here are some books to dive into that are as refreshing as a cool swimming pool on a hot day.

Summerhouse Time, by Eileen Spinelli, is a celebration of the anticipation of summer vacations. Eleven-year-old Sophie is counting down the days until her extended family will meet at the cottage at the beach. She can hardly wait to see her favorite and closest cousin, Colleen, and share a room and exciting adventures. But now that Colleen is a teenager, things have changed and she wants her own room and it’s as if she wants nothing to do with the younger Sophie. The light and lively free verse style, along with great character development, makes this quick read interesting and entertaining. There are wonderful black line drawings of family members and activities throughout, making this the perfect book to take on your family outing! This book is perfect for ages 8 through 11.

Lawn Boy, by Gary Paulsen, is a story about another exciting activity in summer — mowing the lawn. Paulsen has expertly spun a tale about a 12-year-old who inherits an old lawnmower that used to belong to his grandfather. Now Grandmother is giving it to him. This piece of equipment is about to change his summer, and his life, as neighbors begin to hire him to mow their lawns. When a stockbroker hires him and sees the potential of expanding a thriving business, the 12 year-old now has hired other employees to help. By summer’s end, you’ve learned what free enterprise is all about! This quick read (only 88 pages) is perfect for ages 8 and up.

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Pictures from our Vacation, by Lynne Rae Perkins, is a delightful picture book about a summer vacation. The young narrator embarks with her family on a two-day trip to the family’s unused farm. The drive to the farm seems uneventful except for her imaginative motel rooms that she draws in the back seat of the car. Her mother gave her a camera so she could take pictures of their vacation, but once the relatives arrive, she discovers that “it’s hard to take a picture of a story someone tells, or what it feels like when you’re rolling down a hill or falling asleep in a house full of cousins and uncles and aunts.” This good-feeling book, also illustrated by Perkins, has lessons to be learned before going on a summer vacation.

Here’s a story right from the beach. Singing Shijimi Clams, by Naomi Kojima, is a most unique picture book from a Japanese author. A quiet and retired witch brings home a bagful of shijimi clams for dinner. But as she begins to boil the soup to place the clams in, she just can’t bring herself to place the sleeping and snoring clams into the soup. Her funny cat, Toraji, thinks her master is ridiculous for not cooking the clams! "They’re just clams; we shouldn’t feel sorry for them.” So they both ate the broth without the clams. A few days later, the clams wake up and begin to wonder where they are. The witch and her cat decide to take the clams back to the beach, but how will they afford the cost of the train tickets? This funny little story reads like a gem and an old folk tale that will hold youngsters of all ages!

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The rest of the picture books are great for ages 3 to 7. Here’s an ocean book that is oversized and full of vibrant color. I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean, by Kevin Sherry, is a pleasant and optimistic octopus who dramatizes to all in the ocean that he’s the biggest in the sea. When a larger animal, the whale, appears, it’s all about to change for the octopus. Don’t fret, because it still ends happily and there are even ocean animal bathtub clings found in the back of the book.

Summer Beat, by Betsy Franco, and brightly illustrated by Charlotte Middleton, makes you want to tap your toes to the sounds of summer. “Clackity-clack, clackity-clack. My skateboard on the sidewalk squares. Gliding to Joe’s, clackity-clack. The sidewalk tune rings through the air.” From the sizzle of the barbeque to the drizzle of the rain, this book succeeds to turn the sounds of summer into a festival fit for the season!

Marshmallow Kisses, by Linda Crotta Brennan, is a simple picture book with a rhyming text that seamlessly sink into our season of sunny days. Mari Takabayashi has painted full-page illustrations with watercolors that seem to splash with sun and fun. The text goes perfectly with the pictures. “Sandwich picnic / Under trees. / Hang blankets / For teepees."

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The Growing Story, by Ruth Krauss, is a celebration of the growing season and how everything grows during the summer months. This includes a little boy whose concerned observations are that the grass, chicks and even his puppy are all growing but he doesn’t feel as if he’s growing. This tender story is considered a classic and was first written 1947. This updated edition has new glorious illustrations by Helen Oxenbury. Don’t forget to check out the back cover. 

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