Terrific new reads for kids
to enjoy summer reading

SUE CORBETT, Book Editor, Miami Herald
scorbett@herald.com

...

With the release of the [Harry Potter] series' fifth installment just days away, Harry Hype may give people the impression it's the only book young readers ought to read this summer.

In fact, there are tons of terrific new reads, just as there are some readers who aren't interested in what's happening at Hogwarts.

All that's left to decide is what to read. A book is not a winter coat--you shouldn't get one that's one size too big. Match books with your kids' interests and ability, and let them read purely for pleasure. Letting them choose prevents it from seeming like just another academic exercise (even though, shhh!, that's what it is).

BASEBALL, PLUS

The Boy Who Saved Baseball by John H. Ritter (Philomel, $17.99, ages 10 and up) is my favorite new book of the year. It's a baseball story, yes, but it's more. The complex plot involves a 100-year-old prophecy, a former Major League Baseball star turned recluse who knows the ''secret to hitting,'' and a Big Game finish with the entire fate of Dillontown hanging on the outcome.

The boy of the title is Cruz de la Cruz, who crosses the mountains separating Mexico from Southern California on horseback in time to join a rag-tag bunch of ballplayers intent on saving their ballpark from developers' bulldozers. Readers can visit the Cruz family's website at www.cruz-on.com.

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