AOL's Book Maven

I think that this time of year is the hardest in which to keep your kids reading, so I've come up with a short list of some books to tempt tweens and teens. I have a few ideas that go along with the list:

-- Look beyond the YA shelf at the bookstore or in the library when you're trying to find great books for your kids. It may take a little extra work on your part (or a little extra reading... see list, above), but many memoirs, nonfiction titles and classic novels are great choices for adolescents. For example, some of the animal stories on my list, like 'Marley & Me,' work beautifully for the middle-school audience. (Caveat Maven Reader: I am NOT suggesting that I know all children or your child; look at any adult-level book for yourself before you give it to your child. Just know that you can find some new and interesting picks out beyond the children's section.)

-- Speaking of classic novels, finding a lesser-known one can be a fun way to pique your child's interest. For example, I've included Frances Hodgson Burnett's 'The Racketty-Packetty House' on this list because it's being reissued this year. If your daughter loved 'The Secret Garden' and/or 'A Little Princess,' see if this Hodgson Burnett title has a place in her beach bag.

-- I've said this before (earlier this summer) and I'll say it again: go with their interests. After all, grown-ups buy books that work with their own interests: sports memoirs, travelogues, mommy lit. And while keeping kids reading so often has to do with a narrative, if your child has a hobby, a how-to/instructional book can be just as engrossing as a story.

-- A corollary of the lesser-known classic novel is the celebrity author novel (I've chosen 'The Monstrous Memoirs of Mighty McFearless' by very minor celebrity Ahmet Zappa) or this-just-in novel ('Gideon the Cutpurse'). Why should Mom dive in to a juicy tell-all yet insist that Junior read a vintage copy of the Bobbsey Twins?

-- Finally (and yes, this list is all about temptation; if you're able to keep your kids reading without it, you don't need my help), don't forget the temptation of a new book or three. Instead of paying for a round of miniature golf or a couple of ice-cream cones, allow your child to pick up a new paperback as an end-of-summer treat.

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• #1 Comment from sherylvalentine 
  8/27/06 2:45 PM | Permalink

  Ron Koertge writes books for teens and they are the only books I could get my son to read!  He's a great writer and also a poet. very good stuff. Sheryl