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The sound of paddling pools, ice-cream vans, and sizzling barbecues means but one thing: summer is finally here. We caught up with four of Oxford University Press' most seasoned travelers to see which books they recommend for trips to Thailand, Cambodia, Germany, India, and France.

The post A summer reading list appeared first on OUPblog.

Our favorite books this July include the final Elephant and Piggie book. a book to inspire community engagement and creativity, the story of one of your kids’ favorite summertime toys, a captivating novel for animal lovers and a smart and suspenseful novel for mature readers.

Read on to see all the great stories our book experts can’t get enough of this month!

For Pre-K –K (Ages 3-6):

The Thank You Book (An Elephant and Piggie Book) by Mo Willems

The 25th and final Elephant and Piggie book will warm the hearts of grown-ups and have kids in stitches! It makes a perfect gift for a friend, a teacher, or anyone to whom you want to say, “Thank you.”’

For 1st and 2nd Grade (Ages 6-8):

Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood by F. Isabel Campoy

“Beautiful” describes both the art and the story in this wonderful picture book (inspired by real events!) about the power of art, creativity, and community engagement. It may invite readers to see the potential for creative change in their own neighborhoods.

For 3rd & 4th grade (Ages 8-10):

Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions by Chris Barton

Kids will be fascinated to learn how their favorite toy was invented. This lively and interesting biography shows the importance of persistence, passion, and problem solving. It’s perfect for budding scientists and engineers!

For 5th & 6th grade (Ages 10-12):

A Dog’s Way Home by Bobbie Pyron

Kids (and adults!) will be utterly won over by this terrific, captivating novel. A deeply moving story of a girl separated from her beloved dog, it’s a true “must read” for any animal lover!

Grades 7 & up (Ages 13+):

Burn, Baby, Burn by Meg Medina

We love author Meg Medina! Smart and suspenseful, her powerful new novel is a great story of personal strength and family loyalty set in NYC during one tension-filled summer. A great choice for mature teens, it’s sure to prompt dynamic discussions about past and current events.

The post Monthly Book List: Our Five Favorite Books this July appeared first on First Book Blog.

Oprah’s O Magazine has released its summer reading list. The list of “42 Amazing Beach Reads You Won’t Be Able to Put Down,” is featured in the magazine’s July issue, which has just hit newsstands.

The list includes reviews from Natalie Beach, Hamilton Cain, Leigh Haber, Sarah Meyer, Elyse Moody and Richard Nash. The leading book on the list is Bennington Girls Are Easy By Charlotte Silver, followed by In a Dark, Dark Wood By Ruth Ware and Stalin’s Daughter By Rosemary Sullivan.

Andrea Gilles’s new novel, The Enlightenment of Nina Findlay, and Blackout By Sarah Hepola, are among some of the other selections.

Here are just some of our favorite titles for your Summer Reading List, available on the First Book Marketplace. Contributions are pulled from the fabulous lesson plans compiled by teachers on Share My Lesson.

One in the Middle is the Green Kangaroo – Judy Blume

Lately second grader Freddy Dissel has that left-out kind of feeling. Life can be lonely when you’re the middle kid in the family who feels like “the peanut butter part of a sandwich,” squeezed between an older brother and little sister. But now for the first time it’s Freddy’s chance to show everyone how special he is and, most of all, prove it to himself!

Thank you Amelia Bedelia – Peggy Parish and Barbara Siebel Thomas

Great-Aunt Myra is coming for a visit! Amelia Bedelia, in her usual style, takes all of her instructions literally, which yields some hysterical antics as she goes about her chores. Peggy Parish’s lovable character comes back yet again with more silly and delightful mishaps, trying to follow her employer’s orders before Great-Aunt Myra arrives.

Arthur Tricks the Tooth Fairy – Marc Brown

D.W. is jealous when her big brother Arthur loses a tooth and gets a visit from the Tooth Fairy. Arthur explains that the Tooth Fairy comes only when you lose a tooth and put it under your pillow at night, so D.W. dreams up some hysterical (but unsuccessful) plans to trick her into coming. Finally, Arthur decides to reward D.W.’s efforts by playing Tooth Fairy himself!  By matching picture stickers to words in the story, kids reinforce word recognition. With the extra stickers, they can create stories of their own.

Curious George Goes to a Costume Party – Margret & H.A. Rey

George and the man with the yellow hat arrive at a Halloween party—but they aren’t wearing costumes. No matter—there are plenty in an old trunk upstairs, and soon George is trying on all kinds of outfits. But when he wants to look in the mirror, George finds he has to jump on the bed. Downstairs, the partygoers begin to hear noises. Then the lights go out and they hear a crash! Uh-oh. Did someone say the word ghost?

Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse – Leo Lionni

Everyone loves Willy the wind-up mouse, while Alexander the real mouse is chased away with brooms and mousetraps. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be loved and cuddled, thinks Alexander, and he wishes he could be a wind-up mouse too. In this gentle fable about a real mouse and a mechanical mouse, Leo Lionni explores the magic of friendship.

Blueberries for Sal – Robert McCloskey

Little Sal and Little Bear both lose their mothers while eating blueberries and almost end up with the other’s mother.

Mercy Watson to the Rescue - Kate DiCamillo

To Mr. and Mrs. Watson, Mercy is not just a pig – she’s a porcine wonder. And to the portly and good-natured Mercy, the Watsons are an excellent source of buttered toast, not to mention that buttery-toasty feeling she gets when she snuggles into bed with them. This is not, however, so good for the Watsons’ bed. BOOM! CRACK! Mercy escapes in a flash – “to alert the fire department,” her owners assure themselves. But could Mercy possibly have another emergency in mind – like a sudden craving for their neighbors’ sugar cookies?

Mr. Putter & Tabby Clear the Decks - Cynthia Rylant

In the nineteenth book in this beloved series, Mr. Putter and his fine cat, Tabby, are itchy. Not because of fleas, but because it is hot, they’re bored, and they’re out of orangesicles. So when their neighbor, Mrs. Teaberry, suggests a sightseeing cruise, they’re excited to set sail!

The post 8 Books Not To Be Missed For Your Summer Reading List (4-8yrs) appeared first on First Book Blog.

2013 Summer Reading List

Here are just some of our favorite titles for Summer Reading and available on the First Book Marketplace. Contributions are pulled from the fabulous lesson plans compiled by teachers on Share My Lesson.

Little House on the Prairie – Laura Ingalls Wilder

Laura Ingalls and her family leave their little house in the Big Woods of Wisconsin and set out for Kansas. They travel for many days in their covered wagon until they find the best spot to build their little house on the prairie. Sometimes pioneer life is hard, but Laura and her folks are always busy and happy in their new little house.

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. – Judy Blume

It is the story of twelve-year-old Margaret Simon who is worried she’ll never have anything to put in her bra, won’t know how to kiss a boy when the time comes, and worst of all, will be the last in the PTS club to get her period. As if all that weren’t enough, she’s getting used to a new home and a new school. Her private talks with God are special to her, but is she supposed to be Jewish or Christian?

Sarah Plain and Tall – Patricia Maclachlan

Their mother died the day after Caleb was born. Their house on the prairie is quiet now, and Papa doesn’t sing anymore. Then Papa puts an ad in the paper, asking for a wife, and he receives a letter from one Sarah Elisabeth Wheaton, of Maine. Papa, Anna, and Caleb write back. Caleb asks if she sings. Sarah decides to come for a month. She writes Papa: I will come by train. I will wear a yellow bonnet. I am plain and tall, and tell them I sing.

Island of the Blue Dolphins – Scott O’Dell

“Winner of the Newbery Medal in 1961, this story of Karana, the Indian girl who lived alone for eighteen years on an island off the coast of California, still fascinates young readers. Her survival story–fighting the wild dogs and loneliness, hunting for food, and hoping to be rescued–is spellbinding.” — Children’s Literature

The Magician’s Elephant – Kate DiCamillo

When a fortuneteller’s tent appears in the market square of the city of Baltese, orphan Peter Augustus Duchene knows the questions that he needs to ask: Does his sister still live? And if so, how can he find her? The fortuneteller’s mysterious answer (an elephant! An elephant will lead him there!) sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that you will hardly dare to believe it’s true.

Henry Aaron’s Dream – Matt Tavares

Before he was Hammerin’ Hank, Henry Aaron was a young boy growing up in Mobile, Alabama, with what seemed like a foolhardy dream: to be a big-league baseball player. He didn’t have a bat. He didn’t have a ball. And there wasn’t a single black ball player in the major leagues. But none of this could stop Henry Aaron.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – L. Frank Baum

In L. Frank Baum’s original tale, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, readers will find themselves along a familiar yellow brick road and with their favorite beloved characters. After more than a hundred years since its first publication, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz continues to charm its readers on an adventure of self-discovery filled with excitement, Flying Monkeys, and Wicked Witches to the Emerald City.

The Indian in the Cupboard – Lynne Reid Banks

What could be better than a magic cupboard that turns small toys into living creatures? Omri’s big brother has no birthday present for him, so he gives Omri an old medicine cabinet he’s found. Although their mother supplies a key, the cabinet still doesn’t seem like much of a present. But when an exhausted Omri dumps a plastic toy Indian into the cabinet just before falling asleep, the magic begins.

Ramona Quimby, Age 8 – Beverly Cleary

All the Quimbys have their ups and downs, but none feels them more intensely than Ramona. Her low point is undoubtedly reached the day she throws up in class and Mrs. Whaley instructs the children to hold their noses and file into the hall. But three days later Ramona recovers her nerve sufficiently to give a book report in the style of a T.V. commercial, bringing down the house.

To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee

Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with rich humor and unswerving honesty the irrationality of adult attitudes toward race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s. The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence, and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina and quiet heroism of one man’s struggle for justice—but the weight of history will only tolerate so much.

Mary Poppins – Dr. P.L. Travers

An extraordinary English nanny blows in on the East Wind with her parrot-headed umbrella and magic carpetbag and introduces her charges, Jane and Michael, to some delightful people and experiences.

The post 11 Books Not to Be Missed On Your Summer Reading List (9-12yrs) appeared first on First Book Blog.

On the nightstand next to my bed, I have a stack of books and my Kindle with an ever-growing list of reading possibilities. Since school is out for summer, I can stay up all night and read to my heart's content.

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For his vacation on Martha’s Vineyard this week, President Barack Obama has packed a long list of books to read.

If you want to build a presidential reading list, we’ve put together Obama’s five reads with links to free samples of each title.

1. 1. The Bayou Trilogy by Daniel Woodrell Publisher Mulholland Books describes this work: “The Bayou Trilogy highlights the origins of a one-of-a-kind author, a writer who for over two decades has created an indelible representation of the shadows of the rural American experience and has steadily built a devoted following among crime fiction aficionados and esteemed literary critics alike.” continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

A colleague has informed me that Robert McChesney’s new book “Communication Revolution - Critical Junctures and the Future of Media” has been reviewed in Countercurrents. On Net Neutrality, the reviewer states:

Central to [media reform] is an emerging “classic struggle” very much in play but with no certain outcome over the most important issue of all - the future of the Internet and battle for Net Neutrality. That fight must be won, doing it is daunting, and the opposition is powerful media and other monied interests with friends in high places matched against others supporting the public. McChesney calls Net Neutrality “a defining issue for this critical juncture (and) the First Amendment for the Internet.” Media reform activists have drawn a line in the sand. This corporate-free and open space must be defended at all costs. The stakes are that high.

- DD

The latest issue of Canadian Dimensions is out, with a nice story on Net Neutrality.