Summer reading that goes beyond academics

Now that school is over and you’ve finished all your required summer

reading -- what, you haven’t finished yet?

Take a break from those schoolbooks and check out some of these

titles for a fun summer read.

All fast-paced and enjoyable, nobody will be asking you to

interpret the themes or compare and contrast any imagery.

For those of you yearning for a little adventure, meet Alex Rider,

the young protagonist in a new series of spy thrillers by Anthony

Horowitz. “Stormbreaker,” the first title in the series, finds Alex

discovering that his guardian, Uncle Ian, was mysteriously killed and

was not the mild mannered banker he appeared to be. In fact, Ian was

a spy for the British government, and now they want Alex to take over

his uncle’s mission. And so the adventure begins. Think James Bond as

a 14-year-old.

Now if you prefer something on the lighthearted side, “Once Upon a

Marigold” by Jean Ferris is for you. Christian has been raised in the

forest by a troll called Edric, but as Christian nears manhood, he

feels the need to venture out and see the world -- or maybe just

across the river to where the lovely Princess Marigold lives. Having

adored Marigold from afar through his telescope and by sending her

admiring p-mails (sent by carrier pigeon, of course), young Christian

lands a job in the Royal Court to win his love.

For a quick and creepy read, try the science fiction title by Ann

Halam, “Dr. Franklin’s Island.” When the plane carrying Semi, Arnie

and Miranda crashes on its way to a camp for young conservationists,

they are the only three to survive on a seemingly deserted island.

Stranded and alone, they stumble into the hands of Dr. Franklin, a

mad scientist who’s been waiting for them and is eager to use them in

his genetic-engineering experiments. If you’ve ever wondered what it

would be like to breathe underwater or have wings, this story is for

you.

Another great title to check out this summer is “Boston Jane,” by

Jennifer Holm, a historical adventure with a plucky heroine. Jane

travels from Philadelphia to the wilds of the Great Pacific Northwest

in 1854. She decides to leave behind her life as a tomboy in

Philadelphia to travel to the west coast to meet her fiance and

become a proper lady. Unfortunately, when she arrives, he is nowhere

to be found, and there is nothing proper about Jane making her own

way in this rugged, adventuresome land.

Remember to sign up for the Teen Summer Reading Program that began

June 21 at all Newport Beach Public Library locations. All the titles

you read for fun or for your required summer reading will earn you a

chance to win great prizes.

* CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public

Library. This week’s column is by Terri Wiest. All titles may be

reserved from home or office computers by accessing the catalog at

https://www.newportbeach

library.org. For more information on the Central Library or any of

the branch locations, please contact the Newport Beach Public Library

at (949) 717-3800, option 2.