Here’s an idea to get your kids reading more this summer – help them find a series they like. The right series will send them looking for the next books as soon as they turn the last page of the one they’re reading.
Sarah Mlynowski, an author who loved reading series when she was growing up, describes the appeal of reading multiple books about the same characters this way:
“The characters in the series become your friends,” she says, “and you want to spend time with them and you want to spend time in their world.”
Mlynowski says she wants readers of the series novels she writes to have a similar experience.
Here are a few ideas of series for your kids to check out. Ask your librarian or helpful workers at your local bookstore for more suggestions.
Ages 8 to 12
Whatever After by Sarah Mlynowski – Abby and her brother Jonah step through a magic mirror in their basement and into a new fairy tale in each book of this series. What follows adds a twist, or two, to familiar stories.
Camp Rolling Hills by Stacy Davidowitz – This new series (two books so far) follow the adventures of tweens as they return to summer camp, meet up with old friends, make some new ones, and generally have fun.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan – The Lightning Thief started off this series about half human, half god Percy Jackson, who goes on a quest to prevent a war among the Greek gods.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum – In the book that inspired the movie, Dorothy really does travel to Oz and back. She returns again and again in this classic series that follow her on adventures with all sorts of fantastical creatures in the Land of Oz.
