Excerpt: The Sherwood Ring July 25, 2005 • In this book originally published in the 1950s, young Peggy Grahame meets ghosts and gets involved in a mystery as she explores her family's ancestral estate.
Excerpt: Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds June 29, 2005 • Written with elementary school students in mind, this book tells the story of Sammy Lee, a Korean-American kid who discovered competitive diving when he was a kid. But he couldn't practice much: His Fresno, Calif., hometown was segregated, and "colored" people were restricted to one day a week at the public pool — which was then drained, cleaned, refilled and off limits until the following week.
Summer Reading Picks for Kids: Full List June 22, 2005 • Washington Post columnist for kids John Kelly offers these selections as a fun alternative to the usual summer reading-list fare.
'Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman' June 18, 2005 • The police have captured career criminal Montmorency. In the process he has been grievously wounded and it is up to a young surgeon to treat his wounds. During his recovery Montmorency learns of the city's new sewer system and sees in it the perfect underground highway for his thievery.
Excerpt: 'How I Became a Pirate' June 16, 2005 • Jeremy Jacob's day at the beach with his family is interrupted when a pirate ship sails into view, skull and crossbones flying. Soon he's enlisted to help the scurvy dogs bury treasure.
Excerpt: 'A Wizard of Earthsea' June 15, 2005 • This story, recommended for fans of Harry Potter, tells the adventures of sorcerer Ged and the difficult tests he must face before he can attempt to re-establish the balance of power in his world.
Excerpt: 'Summer Reading Is Killing Me!' June 14, 2005 • Author Jon Scieszka is intent on producing books that are an antidote to the dusty titles that populate summer reading lists. Here, kid-lit characters come to life when a summer reading list from school is accidentally put inside a magic book.
Excerpt: 'The Tarantula Scientist' June 14, 2005 • This latest book in the "Scientists in the Field" series, recommended for fourth through sixth grades, explores how and why researchers study the biggest and hairiest spiders on Earth, taking readers from the rainforests of French Guiana to a tarantula-filled laboratory.
Excerpt: 'How to Train Your Dragon' June 14, 2005 • "First catch your dragon" is the initial step in this loopy tale of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, "a smallish Viking with a long name." Read an excerpt from this title, part of our summer reading picks for kids.
Excerpt: 'The Travels of Benjamin of Tudela' June 14, 2005 • More than a century before Marco Polo packed his bags, a Spanish Jew embarked on a 14-year journey through France, Italy, Greece and into the Middle East, told in this colorfully illustrated book.
Excerpt: 'The Magician's Boy' June 14, 2005 • In this summer book pick for kids, a boy grows tired of his apprenticeship to a magician which seems to consist mainly of polishing wands and washing rabbits.
Excerpt: 'The American Plague' June 13, 2005 • The author draws on primary sources for this nonfiction book recommended by Washington Post columnist John Kelly, evocatively describing the medical missteps and political infighting that characterized an outbreak of yellow fever in 1793.
Excerpt: 'Mr. George Baker' June 13, 2005 • In this tender picture-book tale from our list of summer picks for kids, a 100-year-old jazz drummer and a first-grader both learn to read.
Excerpt: 'Hachiko, the True Story of a Loyal Dog' June 13, 2005 • Reviewer John Kelly recommends this title for readers in first through third grades, the story of a real dog who lived in Tokyo and faithfully waited for his master at the train station, even when the owner could not come to meet him.
Excerpt: 'Bindi Babes' June 13, 2005 • "Of course we didn't want her," 12-year-old Amber Dhillon says of her Auntie, in this title from our list of summer book picks for kids. "We didn't need her."