Our Kidsreads.com update is extra-special this month with new books and a special way for you to participate on Kidsreads.com. Let's start with how you can be part of the site in a new way this summer!

We have the opening scene from Barry Yourgrau for our ANOTHER NASTYbook Summer Story String Contest posted along with our first entry from Michael, who writes the next segment of the story! Want to help continue the story? Then click here for all the details. It's a chance for you to have your writing seen by a published author and be part of a big event being shared with all of our readers.

Also just up this month is our series feature for Warriors: The New Prophecy, where you can learn more about these fearsome felines, meet the series authors and play cool games.

Ology Fan Alert! PIRATEOLOGY: The Pirate Hunter's Companion --- the newest astonishing book in the bestselling Ology series --- is out now, and for us it's a Don't Miss. In this fourth title, readers of all ages can travel back in time to 1723, through the journal of Captain William Lubber --- a pirate hunter in search of an ill-famed and villainous female pirate responsible for plundering through the Atlantic. With great illustrations, we think you will love PIRATEOLOGY like you did the earlier books in the series: DRAGONOLOGY, EGYPTOLOGY and WIZARDOLOGY.

Are you a fan of everything creepy and crawly? Then the newest addition to our Books into Movies feature --- The Ant Bully --- is right up your alley. Based on the picture book THE ANT BULLY by John Nickle, The Ant Bully has a great cast and a sweet and funny story; be sure to catch it in theaters this summer.

Looking for more summer fun? Along with our regular reviews we are featuring PETER AND THE SHADOW THIEVES by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson and ROOM ONE: A Mystery or Two by Andrew Clements. We also have Cool New Books and New in Paperback (which includes the return of that famous boy wizard!) posted for July --- check out all these features for great summer reading ideas.

Here at Kidsreads.com we know you're on the lookout for cool ways to beat the heat this summer. We suggest jumping in the pool, going to an air-conditioned movie theater, staying in the shade with a good book and, of course, clicking away the hot and sticky days on Kidsreads.com. From features and contests to reviews and cool stuff, we're your one-stop summer survival destination!

Carol Fitzgerald for Kidsreads.com

WARRIORS: THE NEW PROPHECY by Erin Hunter
Have you ever looked into the dignified, intelligent eyes of your cat and wondered about her secret life? In this second series of books following the original hit series Warriors, an exciting fantasy adventure unfolds featuring cats living in Clans. These feisty felines undertake exciting quests and attend to prophecies. They seek friendship, family connections, and romance. They also suffer unbearable tragedies and ponder spiritual beliefs. In fact, although they would shudder to be compared to the dreaded "Twolegs" (my apologies, Clan cats!), the furry warriors and their kin experience feelings that are very human.

In this feature, you will learn more about these books of mighty furred warriors, the authors who have written them, and more.

-Click here to visit the official site of the Warriors: The New Prophecy series.
-Play Warriors: The New Prophecy Quest Game here.

As you know....to celebrate the release of ANOTHER NASTYbook, Kidsreads.com has teamed up with NASTYbooks series author Barry Yourgrau to create a wild, wacky and kinda nasty Summer Story String Contest. Barry will write a wacky, nasty and funny opening scene for a different story each month of summer --- there will be three stories altogether --- and YOU will have the chance to continue the story, week by week.

This week we are happy to share our first winning entry from Michael that has been added to the story. Now it's YOUR chance to keep the story going. Take a look at where the story is here and add your next installment.

Send your submissions to SummerStory@Kidsreads.com and Barry will choose his favorite, weekly.

We will announce the winners and add their string to the story, weekly as we say --- you can visit Kidsreads.com and watch the story unfold. We will also send out a newsletter every two weeks with the additions to the story. After we announce the third winning entry, you'll have the opportunity to wrap things up and write the story's nasty conclusion. Barry will join in on the fun and write his own conclusion, and we'll post BOTH versions on Kidsreads.com!

You can enter as many submissions as you wish. Remember, Barry will be starting three different stories over the summer, so if your submission isn't picked the first time around, it could be for story number two or three!

-Click here to read July's story and add your own string to it.
-Click here to read about ANOTHER NASTYbook.
-Click here to visit NastyBook.com.
-Click here to read Barry's bio.
-Click here to read a review of ANOTHER NASTYbook: THE CURSE OF THE TWEETIES.

PETER AND THE SHADOW THIEVES by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
In this follow-up to the hugely popular PETER AND THE STARCATCHERS, Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson offer up another swashbuckling prequel to the familiar Peter Pan story, with plenty of thrills, chills, and humor to boot. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

-Click here to read an excerpt from PETER AND THE SHADOW THIEVES.

ROOM ONE: A Mystery or Two by Andrew Clements
Ted Hammond loves a good mystery, and he's working on a big one. How can his school in the little town of Plattsford stay open next year if there are going to be only five students? But the mystery that has Ted's full attention at the moment is about a face he sees in the upper window of an abandoned farmhouse. Reviewed by Robert Oksner.

-Click here to read an excerpt from ROOM ONE.

PIRATEOLOGY: The Pirate Hunter's Companion by Captain William Lubber, edited by Dugald A. Steer
Avast! There be pirates ahead! From history books, literature and the big screen, figures like Edward "Blackbeard" Teach, Francis Drake, Captain Hook and Jack Sparrow have grabbed hold of our imaginations and whetted our appetites for danger and adventure with their swashbuckling conquests through the seven seas. But have you ever wondered what they were really like --- the sorts of crimes they committed, the drinks they preferred, their weapons of choice, or even their favored attire? Well look no further, because everything you've ever wanted to know --- and so much more --- can be found in PIRATEOLOGY, Dugald A. Steer's guide to these awful but equally awesome figures.

We at Kidsreads.com all agree --- the best way to beat the heat this summer is in an air-conditioned movie theater. We're pretty psyched about the film adaptation of John Nickle's 1999 picture book THE ANT BULLY. With its amazing cast, excellent story and too-cool computer animation, The Ant Bully is one of the best reasons to go to the movies this summer. Make sure you bring your gummy worms!

July's roundup of Cool New Books includes PETER AND THE SHADOW THIEVES, the riveting and adventure-packed follow-up to Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson's bestselling PETER AND THE STARCATCHERS; Lesley M. M. Blume's CORNELIA AND THE AUDACIOUS ESCAPADES OF THE SOMERSET SISTERS, a dazzling first novel that takes readers around the world and back again; and EATS, SHOOTS & LEAVES, a picture book version of Lynne Truss's bestseller for adults containing hilarious proof that punctuation really does matter.

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE, the sixth book in J. K. Rowling's enthralling series, is now available in paperback! July's roundup of New in Paperback titles also includes John Feinstein's LAST SHOT, in which eighth graders Stevie and Susan Carol (reporters at the NCAA Final Four) have just 48 hours to figure out who is blackmailing a star player...and why; ONLY YOU CAN SAVE MANKIND, book one in Terry Pratchett's fantasy series, The Johnny Maxwell Trilogy; HAPPY HAUNTING, AMELIA BEDELIA by Herman Parish, another hilarious misunderstanding courtesy of the world's most literal-minded housekeeper; and THE ANT BULLY, a picture book by John Nickle that will be coming to theaters as a computer-animated feature film on July 28th.

ANDREW LOST #14: WITH THE BATS by J. C. Greenburg
Thanks to an invention mishap Andrew, Judy and Thudd have been shrunk down to the size of bugs. That's a serious problem when they get lost in a deep, dark and bat-filled cave. Bats love to eat bugs! Will Andrew, Judy and Thudd find a light at the end of the cave? Or is that really a glowing insect just waiting to eat them?

The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance Award (SIBA) recognizes outstanding Southern Literature that Southern booksellers have "most enjoyed handselling in the previous year."
 
This year's winner in the Children's category is:

ROSA written by Nikki Giovanni and illustrated by Bryan Collier (Henry Holt, Ages 4-8)
Fifty years after her refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama, city bus, Rosa Parks is still one of the most important figures in the American civil rights movement. This picture-book tribute to Mrs. Parks is a celebration of her courageous action and the events that followed.

Curious about what books will be released in the months ahead? Then be sure to check out our Coming Soon section on Kidsreads.com. We have titles from July and August listed. Please note that we have not included every book coming out, but rather some that caught our eye --- and that we thought should catch yours as well.

ANOTHER NASTYbook: THE CURSE OF THE TWEETIES by Barry Yourgrau
Rollo's mom has been kidnapped by goblins. Summoning all his knowledge of manga hero Su-ichi Samurai Swordboy, and armed with an inexhaustible supply of NuttiNutz Bars, Rollo embarks on a quest that pits him against surreal villains, pseudo-allies and talking dentures. Reviewed by Brian Farrey.

-Click here to read an excerpt from ANOTHER NASTYbook.

ULYSSES MOORE #2: THE LONG-LOST MAP
Jason, Julia and Rick have crossed through the Door to Time into ancient Egypt, but before they can begin their next riddle-solving adventure, a passageway collapses around them and Julia ends up back at home in the present. Now Rick and Jason must find a secret but important map left by a mysterious traveler. Reviewed by Sarah Sawtelle.

VICTORY by Susan Cooper
Separated by a wide ocean and more than 200 years of history, two young people find themselves connected to naval hero Lord Nelson --- and to each other --- in this compelling time-shift novel by acclaimed author Susan Cooper. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

TANGLEWRECK by Jeanette Winterson
Award-winning author Jeanette Winterson brings her trademark intellectual curiosity and wide-ranging creativity to her first novel for young readers. TANGLEWRECK is a sophisticated fantasy that explores big ideas --- about time, science and religion --- in a playful manner. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

CORNELIA AND THE AUDACIOUS ESCAPADES OF THE SOMERSET SISTERS by Lesley M. M. Blume
Eleven-year-old Cornelia lives an incredibly lonely life. While her mother, a world-famous pianist, spends time traveling around the globe giving concerts, Cornelia immerses herself in books, finding words to be her only friends. But soon a new neighbor opens up a world of storytelling and adventure, and --- most importantly --- a dear friendship for Cornelia. Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman.

THE LEGEND OF ZOEY by Candie Moonshower
Thirteen-year-old Zoey is thrilled with the journal she receives from her grandmother. She immediately starts filling its pages with the trials of her parents' separation, the strange two-tailed comet in the sky, and her upcoming field trip to visit Reelfoot Lake. But on the way there, Zoey mysteriously travels back in time to when the lake formed, during the massive earthquakes of 1811-1812. Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman.

DOGBOY by Christopher Russell
Twelve-year-old Brind's life has been uneventful at best ever since he was orphaned as a baby. Now, he and the prized mastiffs he grew up with are joining their master, Sir Edmund, to fight at the Battle of Crecy where their greatest challenges are off the battlefield. Reviewed by Sarah Sawtelle.

How many books are you planning to read for pleasure this summer?
 
None
1-3
4-6
7-10
More than 10

What three books are you most looking forward to reading for pleasure this summer?