Kids, read these books now, area librarians suggest
Keeping kids entertained over the holiday break can be a daunting task as families face the yearly Christmas rush coupled with weeks off from school.
But just because students are headed into some well deserved time off doesn’t mean they have to stop learning. Reading is a great way to keep students’ minds sharp over the holidays while giving them a fun activity that cankeep them occupied.
Here’s a list of book recommendations Western Pennsylvania school librarians and teachers that can keep children busy over the break, or that can be added to the pile of presents under the tree.
Patricia Mooney, volunteer at McKeesport Area School District’s
Francis McClure Elementary School, retired elementary librarian
Ms. Mooney, a former teacher and librarian in the McKeesport Area School District, said students need to try different books to find what they’re interested in.
“There’s all kinds of things out there,” Ms. Mooney said. “It’s just finding what your child is interested in.”
Here’s what she recommends based on popularity. Picture books: “Pete the Cat” by James Dean, a series about a groovy, blue cat that keeps his cool no matter where he goes.
“Pinkalicious” by Victoria Kann, featuring a little girl who loves pink. The books have been turned into a show on PBS Kids.
“The Pigeon” series by Mo Willems, which stems from the 2003 book “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!” “Arthur” by Marc Brown, a series about the lives of Arthur Read, an aardvark, his friends and family. The popular books are also a TV show on PBS Kids. “Amelia Bedelia” by Peggy Parish and her Herman Parish. The series about the housekeeper has been around since 1963, with new books published as late as 2022. “If You Give …” series by Laura Numeroff, featuring demanding characters including mouse, dog, moose, pig and cat.
Older elementary school students, Ms. Mooney said, are interested in graphic novels:
“Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series by Jeff Kinney, which follows Greg Heffley as he records daily trials and triumphs of friendship, family life and middle school. The popular series has been turned into several movies available on Disney+.
“Captain Underpants” by Dav Pilkey, a series that starts when fourth graders George and Harold accidentally hypnotize their principal, turning him into Captain Underpants.
Also by Mr. Pilkey, “Dog Man and Cat Kid” features a heroic hound with a nose for justice.
“Dork Diaries” by Rachel Russell, a series that chronicles Nikki Maxwell’s life through text and art.
Rebecca Minella, a librarian at Bethel Park School District’s George Washington Elementary
and Milana Popovic, a librarian at the district’s Lincoln Elementary
Ms. Minella and Ms. Popovic said that reading at least 20 minutes a day can help kids do better in school. They also suggested cookbooks, a fun activity the family can do over the holiday break.
“If you’re not sure what your child or whoever you’re shopping for is interested in, a really great way to figure that out is to pop into a public library … or a local bookstore and just see where your child gravitates to,” Ms. Minella said. “And do not be shy about asking the librarians to help because this is like one of the best parts of our job — getting a chance to try to connect a student with their next favorite book.”
They categorized their suggestions by age. Picture books:
“The Sour Grape” by Jory John, a book about a Sour Grape that holds grudges for any reason.
“You Are My Friend: The Story of Mr. Rogers and His Neighborhood” by Aimee Reid, a homage to Latrobe’s Fred Rogers and his popular television show.
“Cozy” and “Cozy in Love” by Jan Brett, which follows a musk ox from Alaska that gets separated from his family during a winter storm and has to learn to survive on his own while helping other animals along the way.
“A Big Bed for Little
Snow” and “A Big Mooncake for Little Star” by Grace Lin.
Books popular among older elementary students include:
“Pizza and Taco” series byStephen Shaskan,a series for kids ages 5 through 8 about a slice of pizza and a taco that are trying to fit in with their peers and start a band.
“Animal Battles,” which details facts about some of nature’s top predators. The book series is recommended for kids ages 8 to 12.
“Weird But True!” are National Geographic books for kids ages 8 to 12 that give random facts about things such as animals, New York City, holidays and more.
“Chinese Menu” by Grace Lin, a book for kids ages 8 to 12 that discusses folklore behind Chinese food such as fortune cookies and wonton soup.
Jessica Seidl-Kim, an elementary teacher at Baldwin-Whitehall School District’s J.E. Harrison Education Center
Ms. Seidl-Kim said reading is a “great way to keep holiday joy alive.” Here are some of her favorite holiday books for kids in third through fifth grade:
“The Last Holiday Concert” by Andrew Clements, about a boy who works to direct his school choir during its holiday concert.
“The Polar Express” by Chris Van Allsburg, a classic about a mysterious train bound for the North Pole. The book was made into a 2004 movie.
“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” by Dr. Seuss
“Horrible Harry and the Holidaze” by Suzy Kline, which follows the student Harry, who does not care about the holidays.
“Polar Bears Past Bedtime” and “Christmas in Camelot” by Mary Pope Osborne, both Magic Tree House books.
“Winterhouse” by Ben Guterson and Chloe Bristol, a series based around the mystery of the hotel Winterhouse.
“The Lotterys More or Less” by Emma Donoghue, which features the Lottery family, made up of seven kids who share their house with four parents, one grandfather and five pets.
Kristy Skerbetz, librarian at the South Fayette Intermediate School
Ms. Skerbetz gave several recommendations for students in third through fifth grade:
“Bob” by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead, a fantasy book about Bob, a short, greenishcreature who needs help finding his way back home.
“Before the Ever After” by Jacqueline Woodson, about a professional football player suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a brain disorder likely caused by repeated head injuries.
“The Strangers” by Margaret Peterson Haddix, a mystery book full of adventures and plot twists. It is the first of “The Greystone Secrets” series.
“Unplugged” by Gordon Korman, a work of fiction that follows the son of a famous tech billionaire as he learns to unplug from his electronic devices.
“The Westing Game” by Ellen Raskin, a classic, Newbery award winning mystery first published in 1978 in which 16 people called together for the reading of a will are tasked with completing a game that could earn them a $200 million prize.
Krystal Schulte, a Baldwin-Whitehall High School teacher
Ms. Schulte based her recommendations off of what students at Baldwin-Whitehall are currently enjoying. Here’s what she suggests for high schoolers:
“Stolen Focus” by Johann Hari, nonfiction that dives into how people can’t focus for long periods of time due to the influence of screens and big tech.
“The Haunting of Hill House” by Shirley Jackson, a classic, supernatural thriller first published in 1959.
“All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr, a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths converge in occupied France during World War II. The novel has been made into a four-part limited Netflix series.
“
There’s all kinds of things out there. It’s just finding what your child is interested in.” Patricia Mooney retired elementary librarian