Question of the Day: Summer Reading Rex?

It's that time of year again.  We're gearing up for summer vacation.  I wonder if you have some book suggestions for us.  I'll give you a few topics on each of our minds.  Pearl and Carrie's recent favorites are listed in the right-hand column.

Carrie: animals, sisters and brothers, books like LIttle Quack, Mama Cat, and Five Little Monkeys

Pearl:dogs, dogs, dogs

Marcia: quirky literary nonfiction, documentary films, ice cream trucks, and cultural studies

Robin: European murder mysteries, Haruki Murakami, stories involving Los Angeles, well-written lesbian fiction, and experimental poetry

Your suggestions are welcome.

[photo by Daniel Lestarjette via flickr]

Comments

[gabrielle]

don't have any dog book recommendations for pearl but as carrie and billy are a similar age he is enjoying Biscuit Bear( mini grey), Midnight at the Museum, Where is Little croc(Alison Boyle), Rah( Tor Freeman) and all the Charlie and Lola books. My favourite european mystery authors are Arnaldur Indridason , Henning Mankell and Karin Fossum

[eliaday]

I'm reading Alison Bechdel's autobiographical graphic novel, Fun Home.

Maybe for Carrie- Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes, and for Pearl, The Pokey Little Puppy?

[Carolina]

Hmm...some ideas for the kids if they do not already know/love them.

(I'm a nanny and so seldom get an outlet for all my beloved children's book recommendations, so forgive me if I get a little carried away here.)

Carrie:
- I love you, Blue Kangaroo by Emma Chichester Clark (treats both animal and sibling themes)
- Owl Babies by Martin Waddell (also animals and siblings)
- Small by Clara Vulliamy (not really siblings, but kind of animals)
- Farfallina & Marcel by Holly Keller (animals)
- Journey Cake Ho by Ruth Sawyer (animals)
- Dance Tanya by Patricia Lee Gauch (siblings)
- Titch by Pat Hutchins (siblings)
- The Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson (animals)

Dog books for Pearl(I did not know I was familiar with so many dog books until this moment):
- the Nate the Great books, by Marjorie Weinman Shermat (not solely about dogs, but about a kid whose dog is his detective partner)
- The Accident, by Carol Carrick (this was my favourite dog book as a kid, but it is about when a kid's dog dies, so perhaps too much of a downer. beautiful book, though)
- Boomer's Big Day by Constance W. McGeorge
- Whistle for Willie by Ezra Jack Keats
- Three Names by Patricia Maclachlan
- Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh
- Bark, George by Jules Feiffer (perhaps more to Carrie's liking, actually)
- Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion
- the Angus books by Marjorie Flack
- Trouble With Trolls by Jan Brett
- and one whose name I cannot seem to call to mind....

Making the second list has made me wonder: why so many books about a boy and his dog and next to none about a girl and her dog? Aaargh.

[Carolina]

Oh, and two more too good to have been forgotten:

- Here Comes Weezie by Sue Felt Kerr (siblings)
- Too Much Noise by Ann McGovern (animals)

[Matilda]

A really well-written lesbian fiction is Cry Baby Butch by Judith Frank. It's one of my all time favourites and well worth reading.

[valerie]

Maybe for Marcia: I'm not sure if it would count as literary, but I love the "nonfiction novel" genre and have just started reading "Sin in the Second City" by Karen Abbot. So far, so good.

[valerie]

Actually, not sure if that would even count as a nonfiction novel, but still so far so good. (forgive me--we got in from our roadtrip at 3 am and I'm still a bit "road lagged"!)

[Lisa]

I've been reading and enjoying your blog for a while, thanks for letting us share in your life!

I can't think of any dog books that have been big hits with my daughter, two sure things starring animals have been:

New Cat by Yangsook Choi - about a NYC cat who saves a tofu factory - a favorite of my tofu loving daughter!

Ella The Elegant Elephant by Carmela D'Amico

As for well written lesbian fiction...I loved The Sea of Light by Jennifer Levin. It's not new, so might be old hat at your house. It is set in the world of competitive swimming, however,so with the Olympics looming it might be a fun read! If you read anything that you love, please share!

[shannon]

I love your qualifier on the lesbian fiction. A-hem.

But anyhow, Winterson has a new one out. I read it. Not my favorite but I read all of her books the minute they hit the shelf.