Summer is upon us. For those of us in the swampy South, there is a ever-present damp haze blessedly punctuated by afternoon thunderstorms.
For people accustomed to the steady hum of schoolyear activity, summer can leave you stranded in the doldrums. You’re trapped! While the idea of hanging around the house with nothing much to do is enlivening for a week or two, the prospect of unstructured weeks terrifies. For young children or older children with a baby still at home, extended trips to the beach and fancy-pants outings every day are not realistic. Not to mention the expense!
What is a mother to do? Find a pattern for summering well: time outside, rest and relaxation, and a life of true leisure found in predictable rhythms of reading, music, art, and the study of nature. That’s not to say months of having children at home in our hypervigilant society will look civilized all the time—likely it will not! Bickering, hairpulling, parasites, and general unhappiness will likely interrupt the bliss. But we can aspire.
On the reading front, you might opt for something with piles of snow to offset the heat. Or you might want something thematically aligned with your current temperature with which to empathize. One of the great consolations of living is the realization that you will never run out of good books to read. There are always more to be discovered. Just when you think the well is dry, you find another author with a stack of books you’ve never even heard of.
But you can’t read everything all at once and deciding what to read this summer is a pressing question for those with a houseful of “bored” children. A few suggestions to get you started:
- “The Five Children and It” by E. Nesbit- This unique book was recommended in a little list at Catholic Vote last year. Though it is not specifically a summer book list, this title among Nesbit’s dozens of books is especially suitable for hot, school-less vacation. The very believable siblings discover a magical creature that can grant one singular wish per day. And in increasingly comical ways the wishes always come to naught. A bit like the fairytale of the woodcutter with three magical wishes who is left no better off than before, Nesbit succeeds in demonstrating human nature and the failure of material things to satisfy.
As an added bonus, Nesbit has a long catalog of other stories suitable for children, including “The Railway Children” and “The Phoenix and the Carpet.”
- “Misty of Chincoteague” by Marguerite Henry- This marvelously written story of two children attempting to tame a wild horse takes place in the heat of summer with a climactic and refreshing scene of a full-blown summer thunderstorm. Beginning with a cinematic history lesson and developing into a moving personal story of man and horse, this is perfect summer read.
- “Thimble Summer” by Elizabeth Enright- A coming-of-age story, this book follows a memorable summer for a girl on a Wisconsin Farm. It’s very hot, and Garnet is beginning to see the world outside of her family and small community. From getting locked in the library to an ill-advised decision to run away from home, her adventures are wonderfully memorable. Garnet is a plucky girl with an independent spirit who demonstrates she also has a good heart.
- “Swallows and Amazons” by Arthur Ransome- Capturing the magic of independence tasted only in summer for some children, “Swallows and Amazons” is a favorite of many boys and girls. Like much of Nesbit’s fiction, the action revolves around a group of siblings, a dynamic that lends interesting facets to the characters’ interaction. The sibling squabbles are believable but not overly emphasized in a way to encourage imitation (the same cannot be said of some recent fiction attempts).
- “Brambly Hedge: Summer Story” by Jill Barklem- For something shorter and visually enthralling, “Brambly Hedge” is sure to satisfy. While many editions include all eight of Barklem’s stories in a big, satisfying collection, the stories are sold separately in more manageable books. The “Summer Story” in which Poppy Eyebright, the young lady mouse who manages the community dairy processing plant, and Dusty Dogwood, the miller, fall in love and marry is a perfect antidote for a dull, hot day. For that matter, any of Barklem’s books would do well to entertain at any time in the year, so pick any with assurance of a wonderful reading experience.
- “The Trolley Car Family” by Eleanor Clymer- The list was supposed to be five, but I could not close out the list without this wonderful summer story. The story of a city family moved temporarily to the country after job loss, “The Trolley Car Family” entertains and inspires.
