Take the boredom out of summer and visit your local library

When my daughters were young, it wasn't too far into summer vacation that they, along with their friends, complained about being bored.

"There's nothing to do," they said.

Nothing to do? On the contrary.

Among the myriad things a child can find to do over the summer months, one of those activities should be reading, and the best place to discover an endless supply of great reading material is the local public library.

Beat the boredom blues by making it a habit to visit your public library two or three times a week. Like magic - boredom will be gone, kids will be entertained, and their minds will be kept alert. That's reason enough, don't you think?

Books to Borrow

The following book is available at many public libraries.

"Matilda" by Roald Dahl, illustrated in black and white by Quentin Blake, Puffin Books, 240 pages

Read aloud: age 8 and older.

Read yourself: age 10-11 and older.

Matilda is a genius, only her family doesn't recognize it. Her father is a loud, obnoxious shyster who rips off the townspeople by selling crummy used cars. He thinks Matilda is an idiotic troublemaker. Her mother is a bingo addict and doesn't give a hoot about Matilda or much of anything else.

Then there is Miss Trunchbull, the headmistress of Crunchem Hall, where Matilda has just begun school. Miss Trunchbull is an Olympic hammer thrower and a living nightmare. She is unspeakably cruel to the students and has singled out Matilda as no good. Matilda's teacher, the sweet Miss Honey, recognizes Matilda's incredible intelligence and innocence. When she takes Matilda under her wing, Miss Trunchbull goes into a tailspin. But it isn't long before Trunchbull is scrambling for cover.

One of his very best accomplishments, Dahl has done it again.

Although Matilda has been made into a movie, by all means, read the book first. If your kids have seen the film, read the book anyway. Either way, this book is enormously entertaining, page after outrageous page.

Librarian's Choice

Library: Dayton Valley Branch Library, 321 Old Dayton Valley Road

Branch Manager: Theresa Kenneston

Choices this week: "Do Like a Duck Does" by Judy Hindley; "Time for Bed" by Mem Fox; "Enemy Pie" by Derek Munson

Books to Buy

The following books are available at favorite bookstores.

"Luck: The Story of a Sandbill Crane" by Jean Craighead George, illustrated by Wendell Minor, Laura Geringer Books/HarperCollins, 2006, 32 pages, $16.99 hardcover

Read aloud: age 4Ð5 and older.

Read yourself: age 7Ð8.

In the springtime Texas marshland, a young girl saves the life of a young sandbill crane that she names Luck. Luck flies off to join his parents as they begin their long migration north, following the same route they have memorized for thousands of generations by visual landmarks along the way. Joining other cranes, their numbers soar to 500,000 that form a 10-mile line, three miles wide, landing in the Platte River in Nebraska to eat and rest for almost two weeks.

Then as quickly as they had arrived en masse, the cranes depart, once again heading north to various points. Luck and his parents make their way to Siberia where he had been born, and back in Texas, the girl waits for his return in the fall.

A remarkable story based in fact, celebrated author Jean Craighead George once again has created a fascinating book celebrating the natural world. Coupled with the lush paintings of Wendell Minor, this selection is nothing less that outstanding.

"In the Garden: Who's Been Here?" written and illustrated by Lindsay Barrett George, HarperCollins, 2006, 48 pages, $16.99 hardcover

Read aloud: age 4Ð7.

Read yourself: age 7.

Author/illustrator Lindsay Barrett George is well known for her outstanding books about birds, animals, and fish in their habitats, and this new selection is every bit as excellent as her previous offerings.

Mom sends her children, Christina and Jeremy, into their garden to pick some vegetables. As the children take a closer look, they notice that something has been nibbling at several of their plants. Who's been here?

Join Christina and Jeremy on their scientific discovery as they uncover the fascinating world of the birds, animals, and insects that have been enjoying this family's garden.

• Kendal Rautzhan, a nationally syndicated reviewer of children's literature, can be e-mailed at kendal@sunlink.net.