Middle Grade Summer Reading List Suggestions

The Celestial Globe: The Kronos Chronicles: Book II by Marie Rutkoski- This is the second book in the series. If you haven’t read the first one, The Cabinet of Wonders, check it out first. The series follows the adventures of Petra Kronos, a far from ordinary girl who is on a mission to save the world. A fun mix of fantasy, adventure and mystery!

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein- When Kyle is picked to be one of the first 12 kids to step foot in the titular library for an overnight of fun, food and games, he’s excited. Then when morning comes and the doors remained locked, though, he and his friends must unlock the mystery to find a way out…and perhaps save their lives!

The Hidden Summer When Nell and Lydia’s moms have a fight, the two best friends are forbidden from seeing each other. Unable to stand the thought of going the whole summer apart, the two girls hide out in an abandoned golf course. There, they discover secret symbols all around. As they look for the meaning of the symbols, Nell begins to find a few other secrets as well. This would be a great coming-of-age story for middle grade girls.

Starbounders by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson. Zachary Night has barely started his top-secret Starbounders training at Indigo 8 when a space mission goes wrong. Zachary and his friends are accidentally sent to the front lines of battle, and they quickly discover a plot to destroy Indigo 8. Piloting a space ship under attack, they must get back to earth before the planet—is annihilated.

The Planet Thieves by Dan Krokos- Two weeks ago, thirteen-year-old Mason Stark and seventeen of his fellow cadets from the Academy for Earth Space Command boarded the SS Egypt. The trip was supposed to be a short routine voyage to log their required spacetime for summer quarter. But routine goes out the airlock when they’re attacked by the Tremist, an alien race who have been at war with humanity for the last sixty years.

Theodore Boone: The Activist (Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer) by John Grisham. So, apparently Grisham has been writing children’s books for a while now and I somehow missed it. This is the latest installment in the series, and finds Theodore dealing with his more dangerous case yet.

When the Butterflies Came by Kimberley Griffiths Little. Despite what everyone else seems to think, Tara’s life is far from perfect. Her grandmother just died, her mom’s depressed, and she can’t seem to get along with her sister. After he grandmother’s death, however, butterflies start following Tara everywhere. She believes her grandmother is reaching out to her to solve one last mystery. When she discovers a bundle of old letters, will she find herself in danger or discover her grandmother’s biggest mystery of all?

Killer Species #1: Menace From the Deep by Michael P. Spradlin- If your child loves adventure and thrills, check out this new series by Spradlin! Emmet Doyle was not thrilled about heading to the Everglades with his wildlife biologist father. He’s still mourning the loss of his mom and doesn’t really feel up to putting on a happy face. When they arrive, though, they quickly find out that things are not exactly peaceful in the Everglades when the body of a genetically engineered beast appears in the park. Unfortunately, this predator isn’t the only one of its kind, and the person behind the experiments is about to lose control!

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos. Jack’s vacation plans take a nosedive when his parents ground him for the summer and loan him out to a local elderly neighbor to help write obituaries. That may sound boring, but it ends up taking Jack on the strangest, most incredible journey of his life! Kids will love this humorous yet heartwarming coming-of-age tale that mixes truth and fiction with a dose of mystery.

Doll Bones by Holly Black. When three friends find a doll that may be haunted, they’re sent on the creepiest adventure of their lives. Zach, Poppy and Alice have always enjoyed their make-believe games about a magical land filled with pirates, mermaids and warriors. Now, their parents tell them it’s time to grow up and leave make-believe behind. But Poppy starts having dreams that indicate perhaps their made-up realm isn’t so made up after all.

More great summer reading books for Middle Grade kids:

• The Girl from Felony Bay by J.E. Thompson
• The Humming Room by Ellen Potter
• The Further Adventures of Jack Lime by James Leck
• Code: A Virals Novel by Kathy Reichs
• Seven Wonders Book 1: The Colossus Rises by Peter Lerangis

Can you think of any great summer reading books for Middle Grade kids that I may have missed?

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Throughout the ages, people have used herbs to make their food more palatable. It has only been comparatively recently that people have used artificially produced chemicals and refined sugars in their food. But studies are now showing that old fashioned, tried and true, natural ingredients are so much better for us than artificial chemicals. Getting your flavor zing naturally will be much better for your health in the long run, because natural ingredients work with your body, not against it. They also come paired with important nutrients like antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, oils, proteins, and fiber. Using herbs for flavoring is a win-win option. Here is a look at some of the more widely used herbs for cooking.

Garlic

Garlic is a commonly used ingredient in main dishes. It is widely used throughout the world, including in Italian, Mexican, Mediterranean, European, and North American cuisine. Recipes that include garlic often call for it to be minced or crushed, although whole cloves are sometimes used. To use garlic, remove the papery outer covering. Remove the desired number of cloves from the bunch. Once they are peeled and the ends are removed, you can use the cloves in the recipe. Garlic offers benefits for heart and circulatory health as well as anti-microbial properties and nutrients that enhance immunity and recovery from colds and other illnesses.

It’s a good idea to try to incorporate garlic into your entres on a frequent basis. One thing that makes using garlic really easy is a garlic press. Instead of having to peel each clove and mince it, you simply put a clove in the press, unpeeled, and squeeze. It takes about one minute to press five or six cloves. You can get a good quality garlic press for $10-$15.

Peppercorns

Black pepper is known as the “king of spice.” Pepper contains a variety of compounds that have health promoting and disease preventing properties. It has historically been used as an anti-inflammatory. It also may help to increase the body’s absorption of selenium, beta-carotene, B vitamins, and other nutrients in food. Black peppercorns also contain potassium, zinc, calcium, manganese, iron, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin A and other important nutrients.

Black pepper from the store comes from grinding black peppercorns. Using a peppercorn grinder, you can grind your own peppercorns as needed, and even use the grinder at the dinner table in place of a pepper shaker. Freshly ground peppercorns are generally more flavorful than pepper that has been ground, packaged, shipped, and sitting on a grocery store shelf for months.

 Rosemary

Rosemary is a tasty herb that is a basic for preparing poultry dishes. It is also pairs nicely with garlic in sautéed vegetables and in sauces. Grinding the dried leaves with a peppercorn grinder can help the flavor diffuse into the food more effectively. It can also break the leaves into smaller pieces so that the texture doesn’t take away from the palatability of the food.

Rosemary also contains compounds known to inhibit cancer growth. It has been used to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, boost immunity, cure migraine headaches, elevate mood, improve blood circulation, detoxify the liver, and improve memory, in addition to many other things. It is also used in aromatic products.

 Cilantro

Cilantro is an herb with a distinctive, unique taste that produces a mouth-watering, more-ish effect. One of the most common foods to encounter cilantro in is fresh Mexican salsa. However, it has historically been used in many places around the world. For instance cilantro essential oils were used in perfumes in Ancient Greece. Cilantro was also used to cover up the smell of bad meat in the medieval Roman civilization.

Cilantro is easy to grow and easy to use. It has a short growth cycle of just a few weeks. It’s easy to raise in indoor planting boxes or in outdoor gardens, and it takes very little space. To keep fresh cilantro ready for use on a continual basis, plant new seeds every 3 weeks or so. Once the leaves are ready for harvest use them fresh (without freezing or drying). You can cut them into small pieces and add them to the food using kitchen shears or a knife and cutting board.

Cilantro has strong anti-diabetic properties. In fact research suggests that using it in cuisine on a regular basis may be a remedy for diabetes. In addition, it has strong antioxidant activity, as well as anti-infammatory properties, antifungal and antibacterial activity, and is a source of several trace minerals and vitamins.

 Conclusion

If you haven’t already discovered the joy and health benefits of cooking with herbs, it’s time to start. Let your tongue get its flavor fix with beneficial herbs instead of harmful synthetic chemicals and refined sugars.

Lauren Hill is a contributing author for The Growers Exchange, an online gardening company offering potted plants and accessories for your herb garden.

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Rift Healer

Rift Healer is the first installment of the ‘Forest Magic’ series, a Young Adult Fantasy/Romance set in Central and Western Massachusetts.
After a minor earthquake, the enchanted forest in Bidwell, MA, is infested with monster-spewing rifts. Gisele Westerfield’s great nephew, the gifted Micah, and his distant cousin, Selena, arrive to assist. Together with Gisele’s summer students, twins Haley and Lacey, they will try to heal the magical forest.
Much to the consternation of the beautiful Selena, Micah identifies Haley as The One whom he’ll share his future. But after witnessing a terrifying display of Micah’s Gift, Haley cools to his advances and unexpectedly discovers her own Gift– she can heal the earth.
Monsters, mayhem, and teenage angst follow the small group as they confront evil in the forest and a dangerous prediction that ‘one will fall’. Will they heal the rifts in time? Can they save the unicorns? And is Haley really destined to be with Micah?

Amazon

Author Diane M. Haynes

Diane has lived in Massachusetts all her life where early on, her artistic talents were fostered, though her skills as an “excellent report writer” were often noted in previous employment.
On her brother Rick’s birthday, November 16, 2004, seven months after his death, she woke from an amazing dream which would not fade. She outlined the dream, made a few quick notes and days later produced a 12 page short story. After deciding her story was interesting but incomplete, she began writing her first novel, using her dream as its climax. She now believes the dream to be a ‘Spirit Gift,’ sent by her brother.
Diane continues to reside in Central MA with her husband and a very naughty Basset Hound named Basil and his new adopted sister-Basset, Ruby, both of whom cleverly wreak havoc on the Haynes’ formerly well-ordered lives. She spends her time writing, reading books about writing, talking about writing, painting with watercolors, antiqueing and attempting to train a very reluctant Basil and a willing, but highly comedic Ruby.

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Unfortunately, it is incredibly easy to pack on a few unwanted pounds during the summer.  But luckily, the extra weight gain is easy to avoid if you know what to watch out for.

Do Something Productive

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If you don’t have something to occupy your time, it is easy to spend the summer moving from sofa to fridge and back again.  The best way to combat laziness and unnecessary eating is by doing something productive.  Here are a few examples of things you could be doing:

• Volunteer – There are always organizations looking for helpers.
• Work – Don’t wait for the ultimate dream job to plop in your lap.  Just do something, anything.  A part-time job will get you off the sofa, out of the house, socializing with other people, and put a few extra bucks in your pocket.
• Take a class – No, not that kind of class.  Learn something fun.  Take a photography class.  Learn to play the guitar.  Don’t let your brain waste away this summer!

Plan Out Your Day

During the school year, you have an intense schedule.  Every minute of your day is accounted for.  Come summertime, you are probably excited to kick back and relax.

While you don’t need something super rigid, it is helpful to set a plan for your life.  Otherwise, you’ll start sleeping later and later each day.  After all, you don’t have any reason to get out of bed.

However, excessive sleep and an overall lazy lifestyle will start to affect your waistline.  Instead, inject a little structure into your day.  Set your alarm.  Wake up at a decent hour.  Eat your meals at the regular time (no 2pm lunches and 9pm suppers).

Plan activities at various times throughout the day; this will help keep your schedule on track and give you something to look forward to.  For example, offer to make dinner for the family a few days a week.  Not only will this keep you busy, it will also help ensure you are eating healthy foods.

Speaking of staying busy, when you are bored and have nothing to do, your body is low on both energy and enthusiasm.  Don’t let yourself get into that rut.

Limit your computer and television time to just two hours day.  Spend the rest of the time doing something.  Clean your room.  Organize your school supplies for next year.  Purge your closet of clothes you don’t wear anymore.  Take the dog for a walk.  Go to the library.

Not only will this help you avoid the cookie jar, it will also make you feel like you accomplished something that day.

Don’t Let the Heat Be Your Excuse

Yes, it is hot.  It’s summer, after all.  But don’t let the sun’s bright rays or elevated temperatures stop you from being healthy.  If you can’t bring yourself to exercise outside, take the workout indoors.

Don’t worry.  The stuffy, meat-market gym isn’t your only indoor exercise option.  Grab your friends and hit the bowling alley.  See if you can find a trampoline gym somewhere close by.  Strap yourself into a harness and climb a rock wall.

If you would rather exercise outside, that’s great.  Try swimming laps at the local pool.  Or, plan an early morning run before it gets oppressively hot.

Be Conscious of What You Eat

What are some of the most popular summer activities?  BBQs and picnics.  What do those events have in common? An unlimited supply of food.

Make these gatherings more about the people and less about the food.  Move away from the buffet table.  Strike up a conversation with someone and turn your back on the eats.

When it is time to dish up, don’t go overboard on portion sizes.  And make your food selections healthy.  A dish of fruit is better than a brownie sundae.

Summer vacation is a much needed break from the stress and obligations of the school year.  However, it can be an unhealthy time of year if you aren’t careful.  Be mindful of what you are doing and eating so you can avoid unwanted pounds.

Guest author Megan Rivas is a health and fitness writer.  It seems like just yesterday she was offering advice on avoiding winter weight gain.  Now, it is time to transition to summer! 

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