A picture book and two novels have taken parts of the classics into new editions: "The Wanderings of Odysseus I," by Rosemary Sutcliff and Alan Lee (Frances Lincoln Books), portrays the time after the siege of Troy (for readers 10 and up). Also for older readers are "Ithaca" and "Troy" by Bele Geras (Harcourt), which have fictionalized parts of the Iliad.

Special read-alouds:

"You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Fairy Tales to Read Together," by Mary Ann Hoberman and Michael Emberley (Little Brown), follows others in the series: "You Read to Me , I'll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together" and "Very Short Mother Goose Rhymes to Read Together."

"Past, Perfect, Present Tense," by Richard Peck (Dial), are short stories by a Newbery Award winner.

Picture books for the young reader:

"Lilly's Big Day," by Kevin Henkes (Candlewick). Lilly's fans will love her being a bridesmaid.

"Click, Clack, Splish, Splash," by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin (Atheneum). Others by this author/artist team: "Click, Clack, Quackity Quack: An Alphabetical Adventure," "Click, Clack Moo" and "Diary of a Worm."

"Bumpity Bump," by Pat Hutchins (Greenwillow). This is a take-off on Little Red Hen.

"The Adventures of Edward Dulane," by Kate DiCamillo (Candlewick). This charming tale of a bunny whose adventures are metaphors for life is worth reading over and over.

"Waiting for Gregory," by Kimberly Willis Holt and Gab Swiatkowska (Henry Holt). Sometimes it's so hard to wait for important things to happen, especially when it's a new baby in the family. This is the winner of the National Book Award.

"Down the Back of the Chair," by Margaret Mahy and Polly Dunbar (Clarion). Ever stick you hand down under the chair cushions and find something surprising? Here you'll find all kinds of surprises down the back of the chair.

Fiction for summer enjoyment:

My favorite series is the Bartimaeous trilogy: "The Amulet of Samarkand," "Golem's Eye" and "Ptolemy's Gate," by Jonathan Stroud (Hyperion).

"Academy Princess," by Shannon Hale (Bloomsbury). A Newbery Honor for 2005. This Utah author also wrote "Enna Burning."

"Gossamer," by Lois Lowry (Houghton), tells of dream givers that provide pleasant sleep countering the Sessisteads (nightmares).

"Surrender," by Sonya Hartnett (Candlewick), is one of the best-written thrillers I've read in a long time. This will leave the reader guessing to the very end.

"The Wright 3" and "Chasing Vermee," both by Blue Balliett (Scholastic), are mysteries surrounding works of art — the first, Frank Lloyd Wright's famous Robie House, and the second, a famous Vermeer painting. Interspersed are clues with mathematical ideas that will keep the sophisticated reader searching for more.

"Inkspell," by Cornelia Funke (Scholastic), follows the popular "Inkheart," and both are wonderful reading. Her "Dragon Rider" also is a great novel for summer days.

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