Cape Air provided the following. 

Cape Air will expand its reach with the addition of seasonal service between Hyannis and New York. Beginning on June 14, travelers can fly directly between Barnstable Municipal Airport (HYA) and Westchester County Airport (HPN) in White Plains, NY, or continue through to Manhattan using Cape Air's optional limousine transport, which takes passengers from Westchester County Airport to the heart of Manhattan at 35th Street and 8th Avenue.

The new New York to Hyannis route complements Cape Air's existing NY Connection, which includes service between Manhattan and White Plains to Provincetown, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. These fast, frequent flights to the Cape & Islands allow travelers to start their vacation easily and quickly - without the hassle of bridge traffic.

Customers can book their flights between Hyannis and White Plains or New York City by visitingCapeair.com, or by calling 800-CAPE-AIR. When booking service to 35th Street and 8th Avenue, online shoppers should select ZYP (New York City) as their destination.

Three homes sold this week in Falmouth, according to NewEnglandMoves.com.

1. 8 Nichols Rd, Falmouth, MA  02536

Sold For: $1,350,000 

Single Family | 3 Beds | 3 Full Baths

Sq. Ft.: 2,000 | Lot Size: 0.33 Acres

Sold Date: 5/16/2013 | Last List Price: $1,425,000

2. 9 Vernon Avenue, Falmouth, MA  02540

Sold For: $905,000

Single Family | 5 Beds | 3 Full Baths

Garage: 1 | Sq. Ft.: 2,527 | Lot Size: 0.21 Acres

Sold Date: 5/16/2013 | Last List Price: $925,000

3. 25 Point Rd, Falmouth, MA  02556

Sold For: $2,100,000

Single Family | 3 Beds | 3 Full Baths

Garage: 2 | Sq. Ft.: 2,330 | Lot Size: 0.91 Acres

Sold Date: 5/14/2013 | Last List Price: $2,395,000

Like pieces of a puzzle that don't quite fit together yet, the Big Three may have been separated at birth, but with each incremental step their destinies seem to grow more intertwined.

No, we're not talking about those Big Three - Gov. Deval Patrick, Senate President Therese Murray and Speaker Robert DeLeo - though they play major character roles in this thickening plot. 

Instead, three bills have come to define the early months of the 2013 legislative agenda and resolutions on tax hikes, local road funding and the annual state budget continue to be elusive and dependent on one another.

Patrick spent the early part of his week welcoming British Prime Minister David Cameron to Boston for a few quick meetings and a visit to the Copley memorial for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings before hopping a plane to Ireland for a rendezvous with Murray, already several days into her cross-Atlantic trade mission.

If legislative leaders detect a slight accent creeping in when Patrick returns to work at the State House next week they shouldn't be alarmed or confused. Then again, they haven't exactly been speaking the same language lately anyway.

The Senate Ways and Means Committee this week released its version of the fiscal 2014 state budget, a $33.9 billion spending plan that bore a striking resemblance to the House blueprint that roundly rebuffed Patrick's calls for massive new investments in transportation and early education.

Unlike the House, the Senate leadership's budget provides $15 million to expand access to pre-school, a step toward the governor's preferences. The budget proposal, however, backtracked from the House and governor's commitment to boost higher education funding to avoid tuition hikes next year at UMass and other public universities. All of that is to say, Senate leaders created ample room to maneuver for eventual conference committee negotiations with the House.

Of course, the divergence from Patrick was not unexpected given how House and Senate leaders already recycled the governor's expansive tax package that he proposed to finance the new investments, instead moving forward with a more limited, but still quite large $500 million tax increase on gas, tobacco and business.

"I find it interesting to put it mildly that the budget includes tax revenue apparently from a bill that hasn't passed yet. And not only hasn't it passed, my understanding is there's only been one conference committee meeting," Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr lamented.

Democratic leaders don't seem to care much that $430 million in the Senate budget is contingent on passage of the transportation financing tax bill. Ways and Means Chairman Stephen Brewer, who sits on the conference committee negotiating the tax bill, said he's confident the House and Senate are in enough agreement on that front to bank on it in the budget.

Meanwhile, DeLeo was left at home this week to mind the State House with Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray. The most action was on the first floor. There, court officers spent much of the week guarding a conference room where the House Ethics Committee held three days of inquiries into allegations of misconduct against a House member.

The 11 committee members, sworn to secrecy, have been too skittish to comment on even their break schedule, let alone the subject of the inquiry, but Worcester Rep. John Fresolo's daily presence with Beacon Hill favorite defense attorney Tom Kiley left little doubt of the subject. The nature of the allegations remains in question.

Conveniently timed to coincide with a House PAC fundraiser in the evening, DeLeo also convened a brief mid-week session to take the final vote on a $300 million Chapter 90 bill already behind schedule and anxiously awaited by municipal officials with local roads project in queue.

The Senate must still take one more vote on the road funding bill before it arrives on Gov. Deval Patrick's desk, and Lt. Gov. Murray eased, but did not totally bury, local concerns that the road funding could remained tied up and fall hostage to tax and budget negotiations.

The fact remains that the House, the Senate and the governor all support the $300 million funding level for Chapter 90. But the administration continues to waiver on whether it thinks the tax bill before the conference committee will generate enough new money to support the $100 million increase in the local infrastructure program.

"I can tell you unequivocally (the governor is) not going to kick the can down the road and spend money he doesn't think we have the ability to pay," Murray told local officials at a meeting of the Local Government Advisory Council. 

Even if the governor signs the bill, he must still file a separate authorization bill to borrow the funds before cities and towns see a penny, and local leaders said they worry the governor could try to use that step as leverage against lawmakers in revenue debate. Murray said he think Patrick might be open to releasing some funding on a "pro-rated, tentative basis."

If might have been a good week for Patrick to be out of the country given his penchant for peevishness toward questions about his political future.

With the White House in turmoil over the IRS targeting Tea Party groups, new questions about Benghazi and agitation over a Justice Department seizure of Associated Press phone records, the Chicago Sun Times reported on Friday, citing an anonymous "top White House source," that Obama will look to replace Attorney General Eric Holder when the furor in Washington dies down. 

And the president has an eye on Gov. Patrick or Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, the paper reported.

Patrick has steadfastly denied any interest in moving on before his second term expires after 2014, but he will likely field another volley of questions about his possible future in the Obama administration when he returns stateside.

STORY OF THE WEEK: Senate leader's release a fiscal 2014 budget as reliant on new taxes as the one passed by the House.

Each week, we'll feature a different outstanding criminal case from around the region. Information is courtesy of MassMostWanted.com. If you have any information regarding the case, contact your local police department.

Theft - Case No. 130112
February 18, 2013
Mansfield: Shaw's Grocery Store

Case Details:
At 1:18pm the suspect purchased a small bag of Doritos, Dentyne chewing gum and two 16oz Cokes for a total of $6.52 and passed a counterfeit $100 bill.

The suspect was a white or Hispanic male, thin, with chin strap facial hair. He was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a baseball hat with a gray visor with a large sticker on it.

If you have any information about the identity of this person, please contact:

Mansfield Police Department: (508) 261-7300 x 322
Investigator: Officer Bill Trudell
Case Submission No.: 130112

The Carousel of Light Food Truck Festival will be held on today (Saturday May 18) at Falmouth Marina Park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The festival will feature the some of the most popular gourmet food trucks from Boston and Cape Cod.

There is a $10 cover charge, which will go 100 percent to the non-profit carousel toward finding a permanent home for it on the Cape. Children 12 and under are free. There will be face-painting, juggling and live music. Official Carousel of Light T-shirts will be on sale.

Food trucks coming are Kickass Cupcakes, The Pasta Pot, Lobsta Love Truck, Grilled Cheese Nation, Fiddlestix, Cape Cod Cannolis and Boston's Baddest Burger & Sandwich Co.

Event sponsors are Amy Rader Photography, Cavossa Disposal, Cabo Cado, Geoff Way, Image 76, John Beninghof, The Other Band, The Brother’s Rye and Undercurrent Productions.

Editor's note: The following information is from police departments, courts and state agencies serving Patch towns. Where arrests or charges are mentioned, it does not indicate a conviction.

Man pulled from Oak Bluffs Harbor was drunk, reports say.

Stabbing victim reports incident on Blue Hill Avenue.

Police say Milton man and girlfriend targeted Hingham neighborhood to steal valuables.

Kingston Man arrested on charge of mistreating a police animal.

Fishing gear and bicycles taken in Braintree home break-in.

Debris smashes windshield, creates backup in Centerville.

Hull man arrested for indecent assault at Weymouth motel.

60-year-old Cape Cod woman arrested for shoplifting.

One drink could be the standard for drunken driving – at least for some people if the National Transporation Safety Board has its way.

On Tuesday, the NTSB recommended states lower the blood-alcohol threshold for driving under the influence from 0.08 percent to 0.05 percent.

What do you think? Is the proposal reasonable?

About 10,000 deaths a year are related to drunken driving. The NTSB says the lower limit would save 500 to 800 lives a year.

Officials at the American Beverage Institute called the proposal "ludicrous." It said the average woman could reach the 0.05 percent limit by having one drink.

There were 114 DUI fatalities in Massachusetts in 2012, which were 34 percent of traffic-related fatalities last year, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

What do you think? Should the DUI alcohol limit be reduced?

A cheering crowd of residents, business owners, elected officials, and reporters greeted the CapeFLYER passenger train the when it rolled into Hyannis on Saturday afternoon. By all accounts, despite running late, the train offered a quiet and smooth ride between Boston and Cape Cod, as well as some spectacular views along the way. 

Billed as a convenient and cost effective way to travel from South Station to Hyannis, and vice versa, the CapeFLYER is the first passenger train service to offer riders a direct train route from Boston to the Cape for several decades. According to the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority, the train will make stops in Braintree (Saturdays and Sundays only), Middleborough and Buzzards Bay.  The cost of a one-way ticket will be $20. Round trip tickets may be purchased for $35.  

The train, which will officially begin carrying riders next weekend, will depart from Boston’s South Station on Friday evenings at 5:12PM, and make stops in Middleborough and Buzzards Bay, before arriving in Hyannis at 7:50PM.  The same train will return to South Station on Friday evenings, departing from Hyannis at 8:30PM and arriving in Boston at 10:45PM.  On Saturdays and Sundays, the train will depart from South Station at 8AM and stop in Braintree, as well as Middleborough and Buzzards Bay, before arriving in Hyannis by 10:18AM. The same train will return to Boston on Saturday and Sunday evenings, leaving Hyannis at 6:30PM and arriving at South Station by 8:45PM. 

The CapeFLYER is wheelchair accessible, offers riders free Wi-Fi and luggage storage, and serves Cape Cod-based concessions. One of the most interesting and unique features of the CapeFLYER is free bicycle storage.  

The Joint Committee on Revenue in the Massachusetts legislature held a hearing this week on the notion of a potential meals tax holiday for August and one supporting group liking its chances.

According to the state's Restaurant and Business Alliance (R.A.B.A), the hearing held Tuesday for the Meals Tax Holiday Bill saw "no sign of opposition" to the measure.

Twelve legislators have signed on to the bill primarily sponsored by Rep. Keiko Orrall of Lakeville and Sen. Michael O. Moore of Millbury.

If passed, the legislation would go into effect from Sunday, Aug. 11 through Thursday, Aug. 15.

"We should offer a Meals Tax Holiday to benefit employees and small local business owners inside Massachusetts to help stimulate the economy," said Dave Andelman, R.A.B.A. president in a statement. "The Restaurant and Business Alliance is proud to support this legislation that will help every waiter, waitress, bartender and hospitality worker in Massachusetts."

"I am focused on helping small businesses and believe that this legislation is a great way to highlight restaurants in the Commonwealth. I am looking forward to seeing this pass this session," Orrall said in the same statement.

Moore said the legislation would "help relieve some of the burdens" of higher food costs for businesses.

But not everyone in the State House thinks the meals tax holiday is a great idea. It got shot down last year in the House by a vote of 116-to-36, according to the Boston Globe. Rep. Jay Kaufman (D-Lexington) called it  a "gimmick" and "bad public policy," adding that restaurants could use pricing specials or other promotions to encourage business, the Globe article states.

The man was found unresponsive in Megansett Harbor when another fisherman yelled to neighbors nearby for help, according to WCVB.

The Cape Cod times reports that the victim was taken to Falmouth Hospital in "life-threatening condition".

Public Safety Officials are investigating the incident that involved a large inflatable raft with fishing equipment and oars.

Editor's note: The contest is now closed to submissions. Please vote by stating the number of your favorite photo in the comments section below. Voting will close Friday, May 24, and a winner will be announced on Saturday, May 25. 

"Sunrise, sunset, swiftly flow the days."

At Patch, we know that our readers have captured these colorful paintings in the sky on camera. Upload your sunrise and sunset photos for this week's contest.

We’ve added a little incentive. The winning submission will get a $25 gift card, plus bragging rights.

To upload your photo, just click on the "Upload Photos and Videos" button. 

For more information about the rules, please see the rules document attached to the article. 

Cape Air has been named one of eight "Best Small Airlines in North America" by the Smarter Travel website.

Smarter Travel writer Ed Perkins praises the Vineyard-serving airline, which also does business as Nantucket Air, for finding "not one but five different niches," including the Northeast; Puerto Rico to nearby islands; Fort Myers to Key West, Fla.; St. Louis to regional Midwestern cities and the Guam-Saipan-Rota route.

The other small airlines Perkins picked, listed in alphabetical order:

• Allegiant (USA)
• Air Transat (Canada)
• Go! (USA)
• Interjet (Mexico)
• Porter (Canada)
• Spirit (USA)
• Sun Country (USA)

Cape Air made headlines earlier this year when it appointed the only woman airline president in the United States.

Do you fly Cape Air? What do you think of the travel site's choices for best small airlines in North America? Tell us in the comments.

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Pat Conaway admits he is "kind of a nut" about the environment, so when he retired from teaching in 2008, it didn't take long for him to find a number of productive ways to spend his time. 

"I wanted to get people fired up about the environment, to try to encourage citizens to get involved locally," said Conaway, founder of Big Hearts, Little Feet. 

A nearly constant presence on area roadways, trails and waterways, Conaway can be found leading groups of volunteers, including many students, to pick up trash, improve trails and remove invasive species.

From beer cans to soda and coffee cups, trash tossed by the roadside washes into local rivers and, if left alone, eventually finds its way to the ocean, where scientists have found plastic particles outnumber zooplankton that sustain fish and other species.

But Conaway believes the real source of the trash is a societal disconnect. 

"My personal philosophy is that this all has a lot more to do with our relationships. We have disconnected ourselves from each other and other creatures that we share this planet with. We are all encased in our own little bubbles and forgot how we can impact each other and the earth. We need to work on repairing those relationships."

At 67, Conaway thinks up-and-coming generations are being raised to be more mindful of their connections to the world around them.

"I think it's starting to change a bit," he said. "I am very hopeful that the universe is starting to bend a bit."

For those who want to help, Conaway has several ways to get involved.

His Trail Buddies group meets two mornings a week to do improvements on open space properties--they are also in the process of planting 100 red Oak seedlings. His Recycling Buddies program needs volunteers who can empty the recycling bins he has placed alongside public trash receptacles in Natick.

And through Big Hearts, Little Feet, Conaway frequently organizes groups that remove trash from trails and waterways, something you can watch here. For instance, local business MathWorks Inc. annually sends Conaway dozens of employees to help clean trash from Fiske Pond. 

Conaway can be reached at bpconaway@gmail.com, or through Big Hearts Little Feet at the Lake Cochituate Watershed Council Website. 

"There are a lot of big global environmental causes out there. What I try to do is get people to start looking at their own backyard and community first. Once you create that awareness, that's when things start to change."

[Editor's note: Author James Patterson's ReadKiddoRead Foundation provided this list of great summer books for kids.]

Great Advanced Reads

(For tweens and teens, ages 12 and up)

The Diviners

By Libba Bray

For ages 12 and up

A series of occult-based murders in 1920s New York City put Evie O’Neill and her uncle, curator of what’s known as “The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies,” center stage in investigating the crimes. The tightly woven plot and palpable setting combine with supernatural elements, rich themes, and terrific storytelling to make a compelling read.

On the Day I Died

By Candace Fleming

For ages 11 and up

Scary is always in season, and summer is an especially good time to welcome a shivery chill. On appropriately dark and moonless nights, kids will find themselves scaring friends with the stories in this collection, whether examinations of pure evil, ancient curses, alien encounters, or psychological dramas.

The Fault in Our Stars

By John Green

For ages 13 and up

Hazel Lancaster, a teen with cancer, dropped out of school at 13 to concentrate on getting well. Now 16, she meets Augustus Waters, a former basketball player who’s lost a leg to cancer. Their connection is instantaneous. Green skillfully uses their lives to ask the big questions: Why me? Why now? Why risk love? What does being alive mean?

Scarlet: Lunar Chronicles, Book Two

By Marissa Meyer

For ages 12 up

Another fresh view of a classic fairytale—with another stop-you-in-your-tracks cover. Scarlet (Little Red Riding Hood) and her street fighter boyfriend, Wolf, are in search of Scarlet’s grandmother. Their quest runs right into Cinder’s story as the three race to keep ahead of the evil Lunar Queen Levana. 

Or start with the first book in the series: Cinder: Lunar Chronicles, Book One

The False Prince                                

By Jennifer A. Nielson

For ages 13 and up

Carthya is on the brink of civil war. Conner, one of the noblemen, has a treacherous plan to install an imposter on the throne. But first he must find just the right young man to play the part: Could Sage win the role? As in any high stakes game, all is not as it seems. Amid layers of deception and manipulation, readers are in for surprises as Sage draws closer to the goal.

Shadow on the Mountain                                                                              

By Margi Preus              

For ages 12 up

Espen, a 14-year-old Norwegian boy whose country is occupied by the Nazis, joins the Norwegian resistance with his friends. Margi Preus reveals his story in an engrossing text that combines spy thriller with a teen coming-of-age story, enhanced by photographs, maps and brochures from the time.

Eleanor & Park

By Rainbow Rowell

For ages 14 and up

In 1980s Omaha, Eleanor, quirky and new to town, and Park, half-Korean, are outsiders in their high school. It’s worse for Eleanor, who has an abusive stepfather and bullying classmates—so bad that she accepts Park’s father’s invitation for her to stay with their family. In small steps, Eleanor and Park’s friendship grows into love. But Park realizes that the solution to Eleanor’s troubles means that she will have to move away.

After Eli

By Rebecca Rupp

For ages 12 up

Since his older brother was killed in Iraq, Danny Anderson has been keeping a “Book of the Dead” where he chronicles how people from the past have died. It’s his way of understanding loss. But it is not until three years later that Danny begins to pull away from grief: He falls for a girl, finds a new friendship, and works on a farm. A crisis at the end of that summer pushes Danny and his parents toward healing in this moving and emotionally rich novel.

Out of the Easy

By Ruta Sepetys

For ages 14 and up

“The Big Easy” has been anything but easy on Josie. She’s tried distancing herself from her mother—an addict, prostitute and thief. Josie dreams of escaping Easy altogether, but doesn’t believe she can make that happen—until she meets a tourist who offers her the encouragement she needs. Ruta Sepetys vividly describes the sights, sounds, and smells, as well as the shady underbelly of New Orleans in 1950, and breathes life into her cast of characters. Teens will be pulling for Josie as she moves ahead, learning that some decisions are anything but easy.

The Raven Boys

By Maggie Stiefvater

For ages 12 and up

For as long as Blue Sargent can remember, she’s been told that if she kisses her true love, he will die. And in her family—one filled with bona fide psychics—predictions are never taken lightly. Now 16, Blue befriends three Raven boys from the posh private school nearby and gets caught up in their quest and adventures. Blue fears that one of them just might be her true love. A compelling story from the outset, Stiefvater’s first installment in a planned four-part cycle will have readers on the edge of their seats.

The Cay  

By Theodore Taylor

For ages 12 and up

When World War II threatens the Dutch island of Curacao where 11-year-old Philip lives, he and his mother decide to return to the U.S. But on the journey, their boat is torpedoed, and Philip is stranded on a life raft with a cat and Timothy, a black man. Later, when Philip becomes blind, he has no choice but to overcome his prejudices and trust Timothy. Their friendship develops beautifully in this exciting survival story.

5,000 Awesome Facts (About Everything!)

National Geographic Kids

For ages 11 and up

From 15 peanut butter facts that stick and 50 furry facts about bears, to 100 facts about oceans that will make your head swim, this big, colorful, packed-to-the-brim compendium is sure to fascinate, entertain, and be a source of great conversations for everyone who takes a look. Photographs illustrate the great variety of information, a playful design makes every page inviting, and a ticker at the bottom of each spread counts the facts kids learn as they go through the book. You’ll find your teen dipping in and out of this book all summer long.

EXTRA CREDIT:

Life of Pi by Yann Martel 

The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann

Great Pageturners     

(For ages 9-12)

The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee: An Origami Yoda Book

By Tom Angleberger

For ages 8 and up 

In the third of the Origami Yoda books, Sara brings a paper fortune teller in the form of Star War’s Chewbacca (a Fortune Wookiee) to school to fill in while Dwight and Origami Yoda are suspended.

Or start with the first book in the series: The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

Never Say Die

By Will Hobbs

For ages 8 up

Nick Thrasher, a 15-year-old Inuit hunter, and his older half-brother Ryan, a wildlife photographer, are off in search of caribou. Soon into their travels they are thrown into the frozen Firth River. Back on land, their struggle to survive continues as they are pursued by animals, including a half-grizzly, half-polar bear. An exciting wilderness survival tale set in Canada’s arctic is the perfect read to cool down a hot summer day.

Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 4)    

By Jeff Kinney                                                                                                                                                    For ages 8 and up

This is not the newest in the series, but it might be the right book to begin with since it’s all about summer vacation. The weather’s great, and all the kids are having fun outside. But not Greg Heffley! He’s in his house playing video games and enjoying himself, thank you very much.  But Greg’s mom has other ideas about outdoor activities and “family togetherness.” Whose vision will win out? Will a new addition to the Heffley family change everything?

On the Road to Mr. Mineo’s   

By Barbara O’Connor  

For ages 8 and up

When we remember summers, there’s often a single event that stands out. For the folks in Meadville, South Carolina, this summer will be recalled as the one when a one-legged pigeon named Sherman flew into town. Where did Sherman come from? Only Mr. Mineo seems to know. For many young readers, this summer may be remembered as the one they met Stella and Amos and Sherman in the pages of this wonderful novel.

Hades: Lord of the Dead: The Olympians, Book 4

By George O’Connor

For ages 9 and up

Welcome to the Underworld. A mix of action, comedy, superheroes and Greek mythology, this graphic novel introduces Hades and Persephone.  

Or start with the first book in the series: Zues: King of the Gods

Wonder

By R.J. Palacio

For ages 9-12

August Pullman, 10, was born with a deformed face. Even though he’s been protected and homeschooled, he’s felt the stares and heard the whispers when the boldest jerks called him Freak or Freddy Krueger. Now his parents have decided that it’s time to enroll Auggie in school. The world he finds doesn’t only test his courage; it also takes the measure of everyone he meets.  A rare book that just might open a closed heart.

Middle School: My Brother is a Big Fat Liar

and Middle School: How I Survived Bullies, Broccoli, and Snake Hill

By James Patterson and Lisa Papademetriou, Illustrated by Neil Swaab

For ages 9-13

Two great new stories in the wildly popular Middle School series. When Georgia Khatchadorian heads off to her first day at Hills Village Middle School, everyone she meets immediately brands Georgia a problem child just like Rafe! When Rafe sneakily signs the band up to play at Georgia's first middle school dance, she's terrified she'll embarrass herself. Will she be able to overcome her fears?

Meanwhile, in How I Survived Bullies, Broccoli, and Snake Hill, Rafe is excited about summer camp—but he’s in for a letdown when he realizes it’s summer school camp. Luckily, Rafe quickly makes friends with members of his “Loserville” cabin. And they need all the help they can get as they battle off against the “Cool” cabin all summer long.

Or start with the first book in the series: Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life

Where the Red Fern Grows

By Wilson Rawls

For ages 8 and up

In an informal survey, I asked a bunch of grown-ups which childhood summer read they remembered most. Where the Red Fern Grows was the most frequent answer. Set in the Ozarks, the adventure tale of a boy, Billy, and his two hunting dogs, Little Ann and Old Dan, is recalled not only for the trio’s triumphs, but also for the story’s tenderness. Give your kiddos this classic book this summer.

The Egypt Game

By Zilpha Keatley Snyder  

For ages 8 and up 

Before role-playing computer games became so popular, Zilpha Keatley Snyder took young readers to an antiques store in California where Melanie and April, and later four other friends, create and play “The Egypt Game.” With costumes, secret codes and elaborate stories, the kids become more and more involved—until strange things start happening. It just might be time to stop playing. Readers, too, will find themselves caught up in the game and in this characterful novel.

Hokey Pokey

By Jerry Spinelli

For ages 9 and up

This is an allegorical tale where childhood is not just a stage, it is a place called Hokey Pokey. The readers meet Jack, who, like many of them, is starting to “age out” of Hokey Pokey. Spinelli’s novel is sure to help them celebrate and cope with all that is the past and all that is to come.

Navigating Early

By Clare Vanderpool

For Ages 9 and up

Jack is adrift after his mother dies, so his dad, just back from WWII, enrolls him in a boarding school in Maine. There he befriends Early Auden, a loner who rarely attends classes and whose brother, a soldier serving in France, is presumed dead. Early believes otherwise and so begins the two boys’ quest along the Appalachian Trail.

Angry Birds Playground: Animals: An Around-the-World Habitat Adventure

By Jill Esbaum; Illustrated with photographs

For ages 8-11

Those popular Angry Birds are tour guides on this photo-filled exploration of habitats including rainforests, deserts, oceans, grasslands and polar regions. The birds, who are on a worldwide search for their stolen eggs, introduce readers to five major habitats and the animals that thrive in each. With animal vital statistics in sidebars, descriptions in text, and funny asides from the birds on every page, this is the kind of book that gives nonfiction a good name!

Great Beginner Reads

(For ages 6-9)  

Cam Jansen and the Graduation Day Mystery #31

By David A. Adler; Illustrated by Joy Allen

For ages 7-10

Cam Jansen, elementary school detective, is up to her 31st mystery. She’s got to be doing something right! Children making the transition from picture books to chapter books have found Cam Jansen books a great help and motivator. In her latest case, Cam must use her skills and her photographic memory to catch the thief who stole Eric’s father’s graduation present.

The One and Only Ivan

By Katherine Applegate, Illustrated by Patricia Castelao Costa

For ages 8-10

“The Ape at Exit 8” is Ivan, a mighty silverback gorilla who lives in a circus-themed shopping mall. Based on a true story, this novel tells how Ivan uses his talent for drawing to rescue the other animals. Winner, 2013 Newbery Medal.

Ivy and Bean Make the Rules

By Annie Barrows; Illustrated by Sophie Blackall

For ages 7-9

Nancy, Bean’s older sister, is going to camp, but Bean can’t go: You have to be eleven to go to camp.  Never one to accept defeat, Bean and her best friend Ivy create a camp of their own.  A triumph of friendship, ingenuity, and fun!

Or start with the first book in the series: Ivy and Bean

Hello Nebulon!

By Ray O’Ryan; Illustrated by Colin Jack

For ages 5-8  

It’s 2120, and Zack Nelson and his family are leaving Earth to move to the planet Nebulon. Their space-aged house has all kinds of awesome gadgets that Zack will be using every day, but still Zack worries that he and his twin sister won’t have any friends. But then he meets a fellow student and slowly starts to realize that things on Nebulon might just be alright after all. Young readers will zoom through the story to find out what happens to Zack, entertained and delighted along the way!

Captain Underpants and the Revolting Revenge of the Radioactive Robo-Boxers

By Dav Pilkey

For ages 7 and up 

For once, the critics agree with what children have been saying for years: USA Today tells us: “Call Pilkey…the savior of the ‘reluctant reader.’” Newsweek says Captain Underpants is “a triumph of irreverence." And young readers say: “They are funny and crazy!”  Now, in the newest book in the series, everything is threatened. Could it be the end for Captain Underpants?

Or start with the first book in the series: The Adventures of Captain Underpants

Green Eggs and Ham

Horton Hatches the Egg

Oh, the Places You’ll Go

By Dr. Seuss

For ages 3-7, 4-8, 4-9

When it comes to new readers, we’ve got two words for you: Dr. Seuss.  His beginner books (like Green Eggs and Ham) are not only comical adventures, but also great confidence-builders as brand new readers master them and can read them on their own.  And what proud reader wouldn’t want to know Sam-I-Am (who definitely, absolutely, never wants green eggs and ham)?

As kids improve their reading skills, they’ll find reward in Seuss’s classic picture books. Yes, the language is often complicated, but it is always silly and fun. Horton Hatches the Egg is a great place to start because there are loving lessons in the values of persistence and kindness in this story of the elephant who is faithful, 100 percent.

If you want to give a child a pat on the back—along with a gentle push to move on—try Oh, the Places You’ll Go! It is wise, optimistic, filled with encouragement, and great fun to read.

Gone Fishing: A Novel in Verse

By Tamera Will Wissinger; Illustrated by Matthew Cordell

For ages 6-9

Nine-year-old Sam and his dad are going to the lake: “For fishing tomorrow/it’s just us two. Not Mom, not Grandpa/not Lucy…” In a series of engaging poems that narrate the day, they prepare their gear; plans change (Lucy does tag along); fish get caught; siblings get along; and all ends deliciously at dinner. We’re guessing that this delightful excursion will lead lots of kids to try their luck at fishing—and to try their hand at poetry!

Nic Bishop Snakes

By Nic Bishop; illustrated with photographs

For ages 5 and up

Super-sharp photographs show a great variety of snakes, sometimes at rest but often in action, while equally clear text presents basic facts about each.  The handsome design welcomes curious (and maybe even some fearful) children to get up close and learn more.

Great Illustrated Books

(For ages 2-6)

Llama Llama Time to Share

By Anna Dewedney

For ages 2-5

While Mama Llama and Nelly Gnu have tea, their two toddlers are left with a boxful of toys to share.  All goes well, until that Gnu girl decides to play with Llama’s treasured Fuzzy Llama doll.  Llama’s not ready for that much sharing.

Or start with the first book in this series: Llama Llama Red Pajama

Olivia and the Fairy Princesses  

By Ian Falconer

For ages 3-6

Olivia is one best-selling pig—and with good reason.  Strong-willed, high-spirited and, in this book, in search of her true identity—Olivia’s been keeping young children smiling (and recognizing themselves) for a dozen books now. She’s sure to please.

Or start with the first book in this series: Olivia

This Moose Belongs to Me

By Oliver Jeffers 

For ages 4-7

For the “Can I keep him?” would-be pet owner, this story of Wilfred and Marcel the Moose is a great fit. Wilfred and Marcel make a happy pair, but it isn’t long before Wilfred notice little things about the very big moose.  It seems he has some secrets, like the neighbor who greets Marcel as “Rodrigo,” and the fact that he prefers apples to, well…Wilfred. Still their friendship is real, their story is charming, and every page of this picture book is a visual treat. 

Yes, Let's

By Galen Goodwin Longstreth; Illustrated by Maris Wicks    

For ages 3-5

Preschoolers will happily follow one family’s day in the country, from the dedication page with its maze-like roads leading three cars through the woods to a stream-side destination, right to the evening return trip with the happily exhausted parents and children barely making it up the stairs to their bedrooms.  The short rhythmic text is simple, fast, and fun to read aloud, while the detail-filled cartoon-like illustrations invite long looks at every spread.

Creepy Carrots!

By Aaron Reynolds; Illustrated by Peter Brown

For ages 4 and up

Jasper Rabbit loves to eat carrots—especially the ones that grow at Crackenhopper Field…until the day the carrots start following him. This slightly spooky book will please youngest fans of scary tales while it delivers a subtle message about being greedy. 

Pete’s a Pizza Board Book

By William Steig

For ages 4-8

Pete’s dad turns a rainy day into lots of fun when he makes Pete into a pizza: Pete’s kneaded and tossed; covered with tomatoes (checkers) and cheese (bits of paper), put into the oven (the couch) and soon is ready to slice and be nibbled. But the sun comes out and the pizza runs out to play with his friends. Absolutely silly and great fun!