Summer Reading Events and Picks for Children

Children in Berkeley have a host of literary worlds to explore this summer, and plenty of ways to travel. The library's summer reading program provides plenty of fun-filled adventures, and Berkeley's local bookstores offer expertise in literary adventures for young ones.

Berkeley libraries are taking children on a trek around the world with the following events in July and August:

Jamie Coventry: It’s in the Can! Harmonica, clownery and edu-tainment!
Tues. July 19 at 2 p.m., (3rd floor, Community Meeting Room)

Phil Ackerly: Magic Around the WorldComedy, magic and fun all wrapped in one!
Wed. July 20 at 2 p.m., Mon. Aug. 1 at 2 p.m.,

Duo Cascada de Flores: Songs as Old As Trees — Bilingual singing games with two members of the popular musical group
Tues. July 26 at 10:30 a.m., 

Puppet Art Theater: Super Tommy — By day, he’s a mild mannered cheese salesmouse, by night, he battles his arch nemesis Chaos Kitty as Super Tommy! It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a... mouse?
Thurs. July 28 at 4 p.m., 

World Fashion Show: Kids take the stage in their own traditional and non-traditional outfits from around the world! Kids ages 5 and up who wish to model and outfit in the show, sign up by Sunday, July 24. Call (510) 981-6223
Thurs. Aug. 4 at 4 p.m.,  (4th floor, Children’s Department)

Tony Borders Puppets and Magic: Critter ContinentsMeet comical animal puppets from around the world!
Sat. Aug. 6 at 10:30 a.m.,

Rudy Trubitt: Acoustic music for families!
Tues., Aug. 9 at 10:30 a.m.,

Sadako and the 1000 Paper Cranes: Commemoration of Peace Day Learn to fold origami cranes, hear the story of Sadako, and listen to the beautiful music of the koto, featuring Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto and Brian Mitsuhiro Wong.
Tues., Aug. 9 at 4 p.m.,

Staff at Mrs. Dalloway's on College Ave. have hand-picked a selection of summer books for children, which are available in store. Anne Whaling, the children's book buyer for Mrs. Dalloway's, reminds Berkeley book lovers to shop locally and support their neighborhood bookstores. Suggestions from Mrs. Dalloway's staff:

Ballpark Mysteries #1: The Fenway Foul-Up by David Kelly (Random House, $4.99) for grades 1-4.

Attack of the Shark-Headed Zombie by Bill Doyle (Random House, $4.99) for grades 1-4.

Squish #1: Super Amoeba by Jennifer and Matthew Holm (Random House, $6.99) for grades 2-5. 

Kickers #1: The Ball Hogs by Rich Wallace (Random House, $6.99) for grades 2-4.

Dragon Keepers #3: The Dragon in the Library by Kate Klimo (Random House, $6.99) for grades 2-5

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall (Random House, $16.99) for grades 2-6.

The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone (Random House, $6.99) for grades 3-6.

Museum of Theives by Lian Tanner (Random House, $7.99) for grades 4-7.

The Friendship Doll by Kirby Larson (Random House, $15.99) for grades 4-7.

The Emerald Atlas by John Stephen (Random House, $17.99) for grades 4-7.

Boom! by Mark Haddon (Random House, $6.99) for grades 5-8.

Zora and Me by Victoria Bond (Candlewick, $16.99) for grades 4-7.

Keeper by Kathi Appelt (Simon & Schuster, $16.99) for grades 4-7.

The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan (Scholastic, $17.99) for grades 4-8.

Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World's Strangest Parrot by Sy Montgomery (Houghton Mifflin, $18) for grades 4-8.

Alchemy and Meggy Swan by Karen Cushman (Houghton Mifflin, $16) for grades 5-7.

The Notorious Benedict Arnold by Steve Sheinkin (Macmillan, $19.99) for grades 5-8.

Countdown by Deborah Wiles (Scholastic, $17.99) for grades 5-8.

Lafayette and the American Revolution by Russell Freedman (Holiday House, $24.95) for grades 5-8.

Year of Goodbyes by Debbie Levy (Harper, $16.99) for grades 5-8.

Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie by Julie Sternberg (Abrams, $14.95) for grades K-3.

The Popularity Papers: Research for the Social Improvement and General Betterment of Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang by Amy Ignatow (Abrams, $15.95) for grades 3-6.

The Popularity Papers, Book Two: The Long-Distance Dispatch Between Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang by Amy Ignatow (Abrams, $15.95) for grades 3-6. 

The Sisters Grimm Book One: The Fairy Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley (Abrams, $6.95) for grades 3-6.

The Sisters Grimm Book Eight: The Inside Story by Michael Buckley (Abrams, $6.95) for grades 3-6.

One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street by Joanne Rocklin (Abrams, $16.95) for grades 3-6.

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger (Abrams, $12.95) for grades 4-6.

NERDS (Book One) by Michael Buckley (Abrams, $6.95) for grades 4-7.

Operation Redwood by S. Terrell French (Abrams, $6.95) for grades 4-7.

The Big Splash by Jack Ferraiolo (Abrams, $6.95) for grades 5-8.

Marty McGuire by Kate Messner (Scholastic, $5.99) for grades K-3.

Invisible Inkling by Emily Jenkins (Harper, $14.99) for grades 1-4.

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic, $6.99) for grades 3-6.

Brixton Brothers Book One: The Case of the Mistaken Identity by Mac Barnett (Simon & Schuster, $5.99) for grades 3-7.

Trouble with May Amelia by Jennifer Holm (Simon & Schuster, $15.99) for grades 5-7.

Al Capone Shines my Shoes by Gennifer Choldenko (Penguin, $6.99) for grades 5-8.