Books, Books, and More Books

It's summer time and all sorts of places are encouraging kids and families to keep reading. I know there's lots to do outside in the summer, and seeing how our season is short, it's good to take advantage of that. But, maybe you can squeeze some time in for a book or two also! :) Below are a couple links to reading reward programs....and another list of books I recommend. Let me know what books you've read recently too!

Clubhouse Summer Reading Challange:
" Read 2,500 pages of books-including at least one book from each of the six categories-between June 1 and August 31. We've provided some recommendations to get you started, but you can use your own judgment to decide if a book fits fiction, classics, devotionals or one of the other categories." (Note: You don't have to read the ones they suggest, just find books to fit in that category)

Half Price Books Feed Your Brain:
How kids 10 and under can participate:
1. Get a Feed Your Brain Reading Log at Half Price Books or CiCi’s Pizza.
2. Check off each day they read for 15 minutes or more.
3. Fill out a reading log, and have a parent or guardian sign it.
4. Bring the completed and signed log to Half Price Books or CiCi’s Pizza.
5. Get a Feed Your Brain Reading Reward: your choice of a $3 Shopping Card at Half Price Books OR a Free Kid’s Buffet at CiCi’s Pizza with the purchase of an adult buffet.
6. Repeat steps 1 through 5 every week through Saturday, August 2, 2008. (Note: Some have asked if they can turn in all reading logs at the same time, and it looks like you can)

Sylvan Learning's Book Adventure:
Book Adventure is a FREE reading motivation program for children in grades K-8. Children create their own book lists from over 7,000 recommended titles, take multiple choice quizzes on the books they've read, and earn points and prizes for their literary successes. Book Adventure was created by and is maintained by Sylvan Learning.

Barnes & Noble 2008 Summer Reading:
1. Kids read any 8 books.
2. Kids use the Summer Reading Journal to tell us their favorite part of each book. A parent/guardian signs it when it's complete.
3. Children bring their completed journal to a Barnes & Noble store between May 29th & September 2nd, 2008.
4. We'll give them a coupon for a FREE book! They choose from a list of exceptional paperback titles.

I remember doing the Pizza Hut Book It program when I was a kid. This program is only used during the school year, but you can also enter a summer reading prize drawing here.

Books I Recommend:
Devotionals

• Feeding Your Soul (Jean Fleming)
• Cultivating a Life for God (Neil Cole)
• Conformed to His Image (Kenneth Boa)
• Purpose Driven Life (Rick Warren)
• Big Girls Don't Whine (Jan Silvious)

Fiction * Adult ** Children

• Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry (Mildred Taylor)**
• The Orient Express (Agatha Christe)*
• Mark of the Lion (Francine Rivers)*
• Talieson (Stephen Lawhead)*
• The Middle Button (Kathryn Worth) **
• A Lantern in Her Hand (Bess Aldrich)*
• The Borrowers (Mary Norton) **

Non-Fiction

• Amos Fortune, Free Man (Elizabeth Yates)
• Endless Steppe (Esther Hautzig)
• God's Smuggler (Brother Andrew)
• Escape! The Story of the Great Houdini (Sid Fleischman)