Book 'em — Reading can be summer fun for the kids

"I'm bored."

"Go read a book."

"Reading is boring, and there's nothing to read anyway."

It's the inevitable exchange that comes up every summer as the heat drives kids and teens inside and the appeal of TV and video games starts to wane.

This doesn't have to be the conversation in your house, however. There are hundreds of thousands of books out there, with plenty of variety sure to keep even the most reluctant readers interested.

Not sure where to start?

Most libraries, bookstores, schools, newspapers (see accompanying material) and even online retailers offer lists of suggested materials for all ages and reading abilities.

Though reading guidelines vary from publisher to publisher, a general guideline for age categories is the following: picture books, ages 0–8; early reader, ages 5-7; middle reader, ages 7-12; and young adult, 13 and older.

Keep in mind each reader is at his or her own level. And while reading comprehension is important, so is fostering a love of reading.

Suggestions are great, but no two people are the same. Just because you loved "Wuthering Heights" as a youth doesn't mean your teenager will love it, too.

One of the best ways to find a new read is to browse. Allowing readers to take their time perusing books makes it a personal experience.

Sampling the first 20-30 pages of a book can sometimes save hours of frustration.

Remember, not completing a book isn't a tragedy, but forcing a young reader to finish something they hate in the name of "fun" could be.

Again, making them active participants will lead to a greater chance for success.

Even if your local library is small, chances are you can get books that aren't at that location. The Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County and Davis County library systems offer inter-library loans between branches. Requests can be made online from any location or at the branch itself.

If you want to skip the library and go straight to ownership, most bookstores will order books not in stock, and usually they'll pay for shipping, too.

Below are some fantastic new releases that just might get youths in your household excited about reading.

"THREE LADIES BESIDE THE SEA," by Rhoda Levine and Edward Gorey, NYR Children's Collection, $14.95 (ages 4-8)

Three ladies live beside the sea — Laughing Edith of Ecstasy, Smiling Catherine of Compromise and Alice of Hazard, who lives a dangerous life.

The three women spend much of their time together, but Catherine and Edith can't figure out why Alice is always up in a tree.

First published in 1960, this lovely picture book has now been reissued. It's a tale of love found, then lost and the never-ending search to regain it.