Three Johnson County Librarians share some of their favorite summer reads for kids from infancy to young adult.Books hold the power to influence children, shaping their lives in a way few other things can.
So, why not pick the best books to read to your kids?
Johnson County librarians Debbie McLeod, Dennis Ross and Kate Pickett to explore the best summer reads for your infant to your high schooler on Up to Date with Steve Kraske.
List of Recommended Books:
Debbie McLeod
A Dog's Way Home By Bobbie Pyron
After a car accident leaves them stranded at opposite ends of the Blue Ridge Parkway, 11-year-old Abby and her beloved sheltie, Tam, overcome months of physical and emotional obstacles to find their way back to each other.
Freedom Stone By Jeffrey Kluger
With the help of a magical stone from Africa, Lillie, a thirteen-year-old slave, travels to the battle of Vicksburg to clear her father's name and free her family from bondage.
The Hidden Gallery By Maryrose Wood
15-year-old Miss Penelope Lumley, a governess trained at the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, takes the three Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place to London, where she learns that they are under a curse.
Hurricane Dancers: The First Caribbean Pirate Shipwreck By Margarita Engle
In free verse poetry, the first recorded Caribbean pirate shipwreck is recounted through the voices of multiple characters.
Just in Time, Abraham Lincoln By Patricia Polacco
Brothers Michael and Derek visit a Civil War museum in Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, and find themselves in a very realistic setting where they see the Antietam battlefield and meet historic figures in the aftermath of that momentous battle.
Most Wanted By Kate Thompson
AIn first century Rome, in the turmoil after a rumor circulates that mad Emperor "Littleboots" is dead, young Marcus brings home a horse that the emperor had proclaimed a consul.
Ponyella By Laura Joffe Numeroff
Ponyella's dream of showing Princess Penelope her tricks at the pony championship come true with the help of her fairy godmare.
Spinster Goose Twisted Rhymes for Naughty Children By Lisa Wheeler
Mother Goose's sister, Spinster Goose, knows just how to deal with children too naughty for Mother Goose.
Dennis Ross
100 Most Disgusting Things on the Planet By Anna Claybourne
Presents facts about disgusting things, organized into such categories as animals, food, and the human body.
A Tale Dark & Grimm By Adam Gidwitz
Follows Hansel and Gretel as they walk out of their own story and into eight more tales, encountering such wicked creatures as witches, along with kindly strangers and other helpful folk. Based in part on the Grimms' fairy tales.
Comet in Moominland By Tove Jansson
Moomintroll encounters a mouth-organist, a moth collector, and a lovely maiden, and discovers the danger of a threatening comet when he takes a journey to seek advice from the Professor. A thoroughly charming classic.
Fantasy An Artist's Realm By Ben Boos
Readers are invited to immerse themselves in the sovereignty of New Perigord, brought to life through the artistry of the author and illustrator, Ben Boos.
Lulu and the Brontosaurus By Judith Viorst
Lulu's parents refuse to give in when she demands a brontosaurus for her birthday and so she sets out to find her own, but while the brontosaurus she finally meets approves of pets, he does not intend to be Lulu's.
Okay for Now By Gary D. Schmidt
As a fourteen-year-old who just moved to a new town, with no friends, an abusive father, and a louse for an older brother, Doug Swieteck has all the stats stacked against him until he finds an ally in Lil Spicer--a fiery young lady. Together, they find a safe haven in the local library, inspiration in learning about the plates of John James Audubon's birds, and a hilarious adventure on a Broadway stage.
How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous By Georgia Bragg
A look at the deaths of several famous people throughout history and the circumstances surrounding those deaths.
Kate Pickett 
The Knife of Never Letting Go (recommended on audiobook) By Patrick Ness
Pursued by power-hungry Prentiss and mad minister Aaron, young Todd and Viola set out across New World searching for answers about his colony's true past and seeking a way to warn the ship bringing hopeful settlers from Old World.
Please Ignore Vera Dietz By A.S. King
When her best friend, whom she secretly loves, betrays her and then dies under mysterious circumstances, high school senior Vera Dietz struggles with secrets that could help clear his name.
Revolution (recommended on audiobook)By Jennifer Donnelly
An angry, grieving seventeen-year-old musician facing expulsion from her prestigious Brooklyn private school travels to Paris to complete a school assignment and uncovers a diary written during the French revolution by a young actress attempting to help a tortured, imprisoned little boy--Louis Charles, the lost king of France.
Stolen By Lucy Christopher
Sixteen-year-old Gemma, a British city-dweller, is abducted while on vacation with her parents and taken to the Australian outback, where she soon realizes that escape attempts are futile, and in time she learns that her captor is not as despicable as she first believed.
By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead By Julie Anne Peters
High school student Daelyn Rice, who's been bullied throughout her school career and has more than once attempted suicide, again makes plans to kill herself, in spite of the persistent attempts of an unusual boy to draw her out.
Before I Fall By Lauren Oliver
After she dies in a car crash, teenage Samantha relives the day of her death over and over again until, on the seventh day, she finally discovers a why to save herself.