Get Reading Ready for the Summer Season

When we think of long road trips and waiting in a doctor’s office for an appointment, our minds often turn to books.

However, reading should not only be associated with passing the time during otherwise mundane activities. Plan a day to just take some of your favorite reads to the beach or lay out a blanket in the backyard with a new novel or an old favorite.

A little bit of laughter mixed in with a serious look at political and social institutions will keep your brain fed and your soul entertained. Head to the Merrick Library or North Merrick Library and pick up a copy of John Kennedy Toole’s A Confederacy of Dunces, a satire set in the French Quarter, mirroring components of life in general.

Mysteries are a popular genre in the summer months, when sunlight and fresh air keep avid readers from feeling too disturbed by mind chilling scenes and intense descriptions of murder, gore and other fears. Currently, at the library, a number of Catherine Coulter novels are available for request. Follow FBI agents Lacey Sherlock and Dillon Savich on their hunt for a serial killer in her latest novel entitled Split Second. Less recent novels of Coulter’s including Double Take, Hemlock Bay, Rosehaven and many others are available as well.

Consider trying a graphic novel this season, such as Maus: A Survivor’s Tale and Maus II: A Survivor’s Tale: And Here My Troubles Began by Art Spiegelman for a unique look at the tragedy of the Holocaust. Make sure to read both of these tales for the full effect of Spiegelman’s carefully crafted work.

Chances are, your children will have a list of summer reading books to prepare them for the upcoming school year. However, encourage them to read for enjoyment and to fully embrace their potential and ability to engage with written material. Channel the past with one of the library’s 30 selections of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books. Encourage a reading-or a re-reading-of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins or The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.

Introduce little ones to age appropriate books as well. Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann have left their mark in the literary world with colorful hits such as Pinkalicious and Silverlicious. Delight your children with favorites including Clifford and the Big Parade, Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy or Baby Bear’s Big Dreams, all of which are available at the library.