Fact or fiction?

Consider your child’s interest and talents as you build their summer reading list. Older children have definite likes and dislikes when it comes to what they want to read.

Your children may have a specific interest or talent. Encourage them to select a non-fiction book on that topic or interest. Current children’s non-fiction is written on various reading levels and contains information, colorful illustrations and photographs on a specific topic.

Many children’s non-fiction books read like stories. You might consider the Magic School Bus series by Joanna Cole, which many children love to read. Jean Fritz writes interesting biographies about famous Americans aimed at grades three through six.

Other topics in the non-fiction section that may interest your child are poetry, gardening, joke books, animal books, cook books and books on sports heroes.

Check out your shelves for non-fiction books, or head down to your library to see if you can find some interesting non-fiction books to read.

Rosemary Wells has a new book geared for parents called “My Shiny Star.” This cute little book is simple and direct. Teachers all over the U.S. advised the author on what behaviors and attitudes affect successful learning in school. The message tells us that patience, honesty, perseverance, good habits, and doing good work will provide students with success in their school years. This is a must read for parents with children in school or going into school.

Well-known children’s book author Tomie DePaola has a new title, “Little Grunt and the Big Egg.” The colorful illustrations are classic DePaola, showing the emotional side of the characters in the story.

Little Grunt is sent out to gather eggs for brunch. The Ugga-Wuggas are coming to visit. Little Grunt doesn’t find any regular eggs, just one huge one, so he drags it home. During the night, the egg cracks open and out pops—a baby dinosaur.

Little Grunt convinces his village to let him keep the dinosaur. Of course, the baby dinosaur grows and so do the problems. In the end, the dinosaur solves the village’s biggest problem, and is allowed to stay.

Richard Peck’s newest novel for grades five through seven, “Here Lies the Librarian,” is set in Indiana at the beginning of the 20th century. Pee Wee and Jake are car mechanics struggling to stay afloat. Pee Wee adores Jake, the older brother who dreams of building and owning his own car. The Kirby brothers, the other car mechanics, are always trying to trip them up and sabotage their garage when they do get work.

After a twister hits Rubesburg, changes come for the siblings and the town.

Gawkers from the other villages come to see the damage. Irene Ridpath and two of her Library science classmates arrive at the scene.

Rubesburg decided to reopen the library (closed since the death of the librarian found lying among the stacks). Irene and her friends take over the library. They help transform the town, bringing about big changes in Jake’s and Pee Wee’s lives.

[Susan Couture currently is the librarian at the Western Sullivan Public Library and is owner of Shady Lane Quitlers.]