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Up To Date

Hot Summer Reads For Kids

woodleywonderworks/Flickr-CC

When you read a children’s book, you can peek in on aliens, take a nature hike or learn about friendship from a couple of hippos. 

On Wednesday's Up to Date, we talk with Johnson County librarians Kate McNair, Dennis Ross and Debbie McLeod about their recommendations to keep the active young minds in your life occupied this summer.

We want to know your suggestions too, so leave your favorites in the comments below.

The Lists

You'll find librarian Kate McNair's list of books for young adults here.

You'll find youth librarian Dennis Ross's list for young readers here.

You'll find  Debbie McLeod's list for youth here.

Here is a list of book suggestions from our callers:
1.) Letters to a Young Scientist by Edward O. Wilson
2.) My Beloved Brontosaurus by Brian Switek
3.) The New Phenomenon Series by Chris Raabe
4.) The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
5.) The Wizard of Oz Series by L. Frank Baum
6.) Where the Red Fern Grows and Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls
7.) Odd Duck by Cecil Castellucci
8.) Dodger by Terry Pratchett
9.) Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
10.) Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
11.) Ender’s Game Series by Orson Scott Card
12.) Hatchet by Gary Paulson

Listen more, earn more!

The Johnson County Library has an online summer reading program for all ages. Earn badges for reading & reviewing all summer long! Collect a special badge for listening to this episode by claiming badge code: uptodate

Kate McNair is the Young Adult Librarian at the Johnson County Library. She studied History at Iowa State University and Library Science at the University of Iowa.  Dennis Ross is the Youth Services Supervisor for Johnson County Library.  Debbie McLeod is the Adjunct Assistant Professor of Children's Literature at Johnson County Community College. She received her master's in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 

When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.