Are you working with children or young adults this summer? Have your own children uttered the word ‘bored’ one time too many? Are you a kid at heart? You may be surprised to hear that the Mudd circulates a comprehensive collection of children’s and young-adult literature! From classics like Sounder, Heidi, and Charlotte’s Web, to contemporary award-winners such as The One and Only Ivan and Song and Dance Man, the Mudd’s collection of juvenile literature has something for even the pickiest of young readers. Fables, myths, and legends have stood the test of time and are sure to inspire hours of imaginative dreaming, while story and picture books like Frog and Toad Are Friends and Inch by Inch are perfect for downtime in the heat of the midday. Fantasy lovers can feast on the works of Ursula Le Guin and J.R.R. Tolkien, while toddlers and preschoolers will learn valuable skills through the gentle guidance of story books, including When Sophie Gets Angry-Really, Really Angry and My Many Colored Days. If summer vacation has you or the children in your life longing for some academic rigor, check out a controversial and award-winning title like Speak or The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, or sink your teeth into All Shakespeare’s Tales, Gulliver’s Travels, or Johnny Tremain. Best-selling series are available, too, from Harry Potter to Twilight. Foreign-language enthusiasts will be pleased to find an abundance of youth literature in languages from German to Japanese, as well as books fostering cultural literacy such as the Story of the Chinese Zodiac and Great Swedish Fairy Tales. My Side of the Mountain, Caddie Woodlawn, or any of the books from the captivating Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder are perfect read-aloud choices to pack for your next camping trip, or to welcome some natural adventure into your home. Fiction and nonfiction titles are available in a variety of topics, too, from horses to music.
You’re sure to be amazed by the multitude of children’s and young adult titles available for check-out from the Mudd. All of the books from our juvenile literature collection have call numbers beginning with PZ, and are housed on the third floor of the library. So whether you’re babysitting preschoolers, hoping to encourage your reluctant teenage reader, or looking for some fun summer reading for yourself, make sure to visit the library’s third floor to take advantage of our extensive juvenile literature collection. The youngsters in your life are sure to be pleased by what you found in the Mudd!