June 24, 2014

Summer's On: A Non-Fiction Book List



My final list for the summer includes a few non-fiction books that might be worthwhile to keep young readers occupied during the summer, as well as educate them about our Canadian weather.

NON-FICTION 

38 Ways to Entertain Your Parents on Summer Vacation
by Dette Hunter
Illustrated by Kitty Macaulay
Annick Press
48 pp.
Ages 4-9
2005

Get Outside: The Kids Guide to Fun in the Great Outdoors
by Jane Drake and Ann Love
Illustrated by Heather Collins
Kids Can Press
176 pp.
Ages 8+
2012

The Kids Cottage Book: Official Activity Book of Summer
by Jane Drake and Ann Love
Kids Can Press
208 pp.
1993

The Kids Cottage Games Book: Official Book of Games to Play
by Jane Drake and Ann Love
Kids Can Press

Sun and Storms: Canadian Summer Weather
by Nicole Mortillaro
Scholastic Canada
60 pp.
Ages 7-9
2005

Summer's On: A Young Adult Book List



Young adult fiction may have more mature themes and vocabulary than the books of my earlier summer book lists but, let's face it, they're all about spending time with friends, family, and strangers, at home or elsewhere, and experiencing new things, good or not.  Everyone is living in the moment, often a warm, sunny one! Onward with summer!
           

YOUNG ADULT
Acceleration
by Graham McNamee
Wendy Lamb Books
210 pp.
Ages 14+
2003

Before Wings
by Beth Goobie
Orca Book Publishers
203 pp.
Ages 14 and up
2000

Blues for Zooey
by Robert Paul Weston
Razorbill
272 pp.
Ages 13+
2014

The Darkest Corner of the World
by Urve Tamberg
Dancing Cat Books
251 pp.
Ages 12+
2012

Finding Melissa
by Cora Taylor
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
184 pp.
Ages 14+
2013

Finding My Own Way
by Peggy Dymond Leavey
Napoleon
173 pp.
Ages 12-15
2001

The Gravesavers
by Sheree Fitch
Doubleday Canada
336 pp.
Ages 12-15
2005

Grist
by Heather Waldorf
Red Deer Press
228 pp.
Ages 13-16
2006

The Isabel Factor
by Gayle Friesen
Kids Can Press
252 pp.
Ages 12-14
2005

Last Chance for Paris
by Sylvia McNicoll
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
204 pp.
Ages 12-15
2008

Last Summer in Agatha
by Katherine Holubitsky
Orca Book Publishers
185 pp.
Ages 14-16
2001

No More Pranks 
by Monique Polak
Orca Book Publishers
100 pp.
Ages 15-17
2004

Once Every Never       
by Lesley Livingston
Puffin Canada
302 pp.
Ages 12+
2011
Reviewed here

Every Never After
by Lesley Livingston
Razorbill
242 pp.
Ages 12+
2013
Reviewed here

Now and For Never
by Lesley Livingston
Razorbill
280 pp.
Ages 12+
2014

Second Chances
by Brenda Chapman
Dundurn
262 pp.
Ages 12-14
2012

The Silent Summer of Kyle McGinley
by Jan Andrews
Great Plains Teen Fiction
200 pp.
Ages 12-15
2013

Smokescreen
by Nancy Hartry
Tundra
202 pp.
Ages 12+
2013

Stolen
by John Wilson
Orca
119 pp.
Ages 10-13
2014

Summer of Fire
by Karen Bass
Coteau Books
295 pp.
2009

Swim the Fly
by Don Calame
Candlewick
345 pp.
Ages 13-15
2009


This One Summer
by Mariko Tamaki
Illustrated by Jillian Tamaki
Groundwood Books

Three Songs for Courage
by Maxine Trottier
Tundra Books
324 pp.
Ages 15-17
2006

Totally Unrelated
by Tom Ryan
Orca Books
120 pp.
Ages 11-14
2013

Truths I Learned from Sam
by Kristin Butcher
Dundurn
177 pp.
Ages 12-16
2012

Wave Warrior
by Lesley Choyce
Orca
105 pp.
Ages 11-14
2007

Way to Go
by Tom Ryan
Orca
214 pp.
Ages 14-16
2012

What Happened This Summer
by Paul Yee
Tradewind Books
178 pp.
Ages 15+
2006

Wicked Sweet
by Mar'ce Merrell
Feiwel and Friends
330 pp.
Ages 14-18
2012

Wild Orchid
by Beverley Brenna
Red Deer Press
156 pp.
Ages 12+
2005





June 23, 2014

Summer's On! A Fiction Book List



For readers of chapter books, whether they be early readers or middle grade, these summer reads have something for everyone: vacations with family, going to camp, adventures in the wild, pranks, mysteries, melancholy and humour.  But it's all courtesy of time off school and weather that lets you stay outside longer than other times of the year. Enjoy!  

FICTION
Adventures at Camp Lots-O-Fun
by Marilyn Helmer
Illustrated by Mike Deas
Orca Book Publishers
60 pp.
Ages 8-10
2010

After Peaches
by Michelle Mulder
Orca Book Publishers
106 pp.
Ages 9-11
2009

After the Fire
by Becky Citra
Orca Book Publishers
186 pp.
Ages 8-11
2006

Alberta Alibi
by Dayle Campbell Gaetz
Orca Book Publishers
189 pp.
Ages 9-12
2005

The Archaeolojesters
by Andreas Oertel
Lobster Press
192 pp.
Ages 9-12
2010


As Long as the Rivers Flow
by Larry Loyie with Constance Brissenden
Illustrated by Heather D. Holmlund
Groundwood Books
48 pp.
Ages 7-11
2002

Bat Summer
by Sarah Withrow
Groundwood Books
174 pp. 
Ages 10–13
1998

Becca At Sea  
by Deirdre Baker           
Groundwood Books
176 pp.
Ages 9-12
2007          

The Big Swim
by Cary Fagan
Groundwood Books
128 pp.
Ages 9-12
2010

The Big Tree Gang
by Jo Ellen Bogart
Illustrated by Dean Griffiths
Orca Book Publishers
61 pp.
Ages 7-9
2005

Bye-Bye, Evil Eye
by Deborah Kerbel
Dancing Cat Books
168 pp.
Ages 9-12
2014

Camp Outlook
by Brenda Baker
Second Story Press
245 pp.
Ages 9-13
2014
Days That End in Y
by Vikki VanSickle
Scholastic Canada
194 pp.
Ages 9-12
2013

Driftwood
by Valerie Sherrard
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
200 pp.
Ages 10+
2013

The Fossil Hunters
by Marilyn Helmer
Illustrated by Dermot Walshe
Orca Book Publishers
62 pp.
Ages 6-8
2009

Gemini Summer
by Iain Lawrence
Delacorte Press
261 pp.
Ages 10-13
2006

The Green Man
by Michael Bedard
Tundra Books
304 pp.
Ages 11-14
2012

Greysteel’s Ghost
by Robert Sutherland
HarperTrophy Canada
176 pp.
Ages 9-12
2005


A Handful of Time
by Kit Pearson
Puffin Books
186 pp.
Ages 8-12
1987

I Owe You One
by Natalie Hyde
Orca Book Publishers
126 pp.
Ages 8-11
2011

Johnny Kellock Died Today
by Hadley Dyer
HarperCollins
152 pp.
Ages 9-12
2006

Just J.
by Colin Frizzell
Orca Book Publishers
138 pp.
Ages 9-13
2007

Keep Out!
by Hélène Boudreau
Nimbus
82 pp.
Ages 6-9
2010


Losing Joe’s Place
by Gordon Korman
Scholastic
233 pp.
Ages 12-14
1990

Nobody's Dog
by Ria Voros
Scholastic Canada
150 pp.
Ages 8-12
2012
Off Track (Sports Stories, #62)
by Bill Swan
James Lorimer
106 pp.
Ages 8-13
2003

One Thing That's True
by Cheryl Foggo
Kids Can Press
128 pp.
Ages 10+
1997

On the Road Again! More Travels with My Family
by Marie-Louise Gay and David Homel
Groundwood Books
141 pp.
Ages 7-10
2008

Out of the Box
by Michelle Mulder
Orca Book Publishers
150 pp.
Ages 9+
2011
      

The Path of Names
by Ari Goelman
Arthur E. Levine/Scholastic
399 pp.
Ages 10-12
2013


Pete's Gold
by Luanne Armstrong
Ronsdale Press
188 pp.
Ages 10-14
2008

Sabotage
by Karen Autio
Sono Nis Press
293 pp.
Ages 10+
2013






Siena Summer
by Ann Chandler
Tradewind Books
142 pp.
Ages 12-14
2008

Sky Lake Summer
by Peggy Dymond Leavey
Napoleon Publishing
178 pp.
Ages 9-11
1999
Somebody Else’s Summer
by Jean Little
Viking Canada
180 pp.
Ages 9-12
2005

Summer Days, Starry Nights
by Vikki VanSickle
Scholastic Canada
221 pp.
Ages 11-14
2013

Summer in the City
by Marie-Louise Gay and David Hormel
Groundwood
150 pp.
Ages 8-10
2012

Summer of Discovery
by Eric Wilson
HarperTrophy Canada
96 pp.
Ages 9-12
1996





The Summer of Magic Quartet
by Andrea Spalding
Orca Book Publishers
Ages 9-12

The White Horse Talisman (Book One)
192 pp.
2003

Dance of the Stone (Book Two)
196 pp.
2003

Heart of the Hill (Book Three)
182 pp.
2005

Behind the Sorcerer's Cloak (Book Four)
227 pp.
2006

The Summer of Permanent Wants
by Jamieson Findlay
Doubleday Canada
241 pp.
Ages 10-14
2011

Summer of Suspense (Science Squad Adventure Series #1).
by Kristin Butcher
Whitecap Books
159 pp.
Ages 8-12
2002






The Summer of the Spotted Owl (A Dinah Galloway Mystery)
by Melanie Jackson
Orca Book Publishers
180 pp.
Ages 9-12
2005

Summer on the Run
by Nancy Belgue
Orca Book Publishers
139 pp.
Age 8-12
2005

A Taste of Perfection
by Laura Langston
Stoddart Kids (Fitzhenry & Whiteside)
214 pp.
Ages 10-13
2002

Travels with My Family
by Marie-Louise Gay     
Groundwood Books
119 pp.
Ages 7-10
2006

Trouble at Impact Lake (The Archaeolojesters, Book 3)
by Andreas Oertel
Lobster Press
185 pp.
Ages 9-12
2011

The Uncle Duncle Chronicles: Escape from Treasure Island
by Darren Krill
Lobster Press
335 pp.
Ages 14-16
2006

The Way to Schenectady
by Richard Scrimger
Illustrated by Linda Hendry
Tundra Books
163 pp.
Ages 9-13
1998

Wishing Star Summer
by Beryl Young
Raincoast Books
136 pp.
Ages 9-12
2001

Zach & Zoe: Bully and the Beagle
by Kristin Butcher
James Lorimer
117 pp.
Ages 7 -11
2009