A book is a book, and what do you do with a book? Read it of course. There are obviously different types of books – those that are informational and those that are fictional or non. However, if you’re looking for a summer read that is going to offer you something different from the ordinary, then I have some unique options for you!

Everyone is familiar with the traditional “book report” assignment. However, a Los Angeles-based organization has recently put a new spin on this old classic through “The Art Book Review.” Instead of reading traditional books that require a basic synopsis, this organization provides willing writers with a contemporary art book. The writers then write a review of the art within the book, and post their reviews on their “webzine”. So, if you have an interest in art and want to see what the reviewers have to say then I highly recommend this site. Even better, if you’re interested in becoming a reviewer, contact “The Art Book Review” so others can read your perspective!

My next suggestion isn’t too out of the ordinary, as the list I am about to suggest consists of “traditional” books. However, it is the content within the books that makes them so different, as well as hilarious. There really is a book out there for everything, and I mean everything!  This list of “11 Weird Books That Really Exist” offers a variety of books that range in topic from dating advice, to becoming a top-paying perogi maker. So, if you’re looking for a good laugh, or just a book that almost no-one else will have on their summer reading list, I highly recommend checking out this list – or making up your own!

Summer allows you the time to sit back and read for pleasure. However, that can get old after making it through a few books. If you’re looking to spice up your summer reading list check out some of these sites, and let us know what kind of unique books you’re reading this summer!

There’s something to be said about a good book. Finding a book that captivates your attention to the extent that you want to ignore all other obligations so that you can continue reading is one of the greatest feelings in the world. With summer rapidly approaching, now is the perfect time to start getting together a good “book list”. To help you capitalize on your down time with some great books, I’ve compiled a list including a few of my favorites that are great reads when laying  on the beach, by the pool, or just in your bed at night!

Bossypants by Tina Fey:  I absolutely love Tina Fey. I loved her on Saturday Night Live, and Mean Girls was hands down one of my favorite movies while in high school. Therefore, when her autobiography Bossypants came out, I knew I had to read it. As to be expected, Fey is able to hilariously tell the story of her childhood, her time spent on Saturday Night Live, and the creation of the popular tv series, 30 Rock.  Even if you aren’t very familiar with who Tina Fey is, I highly recommend this book if you’re looking for a light read that will keep you laughing throughout.

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein: Just as the back cover of this book says, this is the happiest sad book that I have ever read. The book is told from the perspective of Enzo, a dog who has lived a full life and who believes in the Mongolian legend that if he is prepared for death, he will be reincarnated as a human. Enzo is a loyal companion to his race car driver owner, Denny, and shares his observations of human life as he sees Denny experience marriage, parenthood, and death. Reading a book written from such a unique perspective is eye-opening and moving, and I highly encourage this book.

The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf: This is Gudenkauf’s first novel, and my only wish is that I could erase my memory so that I could read this book over and over again. I read it on a long plane ride and couldn’t put it down for one second. It’s a mystery thriller about two seven year old girls, Calli and Petra, who go missing one night. Calli is a selective mute who hasn’t spoken in three years, and Petra is Calli’s closest friend - who often serves as Calli’s voice. To find out exactly what has happened to their children, the families of these two girls must face some of their darkest secrets to reveal what possibly could have happened that night. The storyline of this book will captivate your attention, and leave you begging for more with the turn of each page.

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins: I actually wound up watching the movie before reading the first Hunger Games book, but I cannot say enough good things about this series. You won’t be able to put these books down! The entire series includes The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay. The storyline takes place in the distant future, in which the nation of Panem is divided into twelve poor districts that are ruled by the wealthy Capitol. As punishment for a prior rebellion against the Capitol in which all districts were defeated, the Capitol hosts the annual “Hunger Games” in which one boy and one girl, between ages 12 and 18, are randomly selected to participate. Everyone in the nation watches the televised game, and the “tributes” are forced to fight to the death. The trilogy follows the life of Katniss Everdeen, her experience as a tribute in the Hunger Games, and the symbol she becomes for the district members of the nation of Panem. Even if you’ve already seen the movie, I highly encourage you to pick up The Hunger Games series, and get to reading!

I hope you enjoy these books as much as I did, and if you’re interested in purchasing any of them they are all available on the biggerbooks website. Leave comments sharing some of your favorite books, and let us know where you’ll be doing most of your reading this summer!

I don’t know about you, but during the fall/winter I tend to go to the movies A LOT more. I think it might because once gets cold out there really isn’t much to do outside, so movies it is! Anyways, I also love going to see movies adapted from books, especially if I have already read them. Sure, sometimes it can be scary. You never know how much like the book it will turn out, and they always seem to leave out your favorite part, but it can still be really fun to compare. 

Well, this fall/winter there are a few coming out that I’m dying to see. The first one being the famous Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2. Most people are over the whole Twilight thing, but I’m one of the few who still gets excited about it. This comes to theaters on November 16, 2012- you better believe I will be at the midnight showing.

The second movie that I am really excited about is The Perks of Being a Wallflower! I’m excited to see Emma Watson outside of Harry Potter. I’m sure she will do great though! It comes to theaters on September 21, 2012,

A third movie I cannot wait for is The Hobbit. I am so ready for the first of the Hobbit trilogy to hit theaters. Even though I am ready for this one to come out, I’m also a little scared to go see it. I just hope the movie follows the book well. It comes out on December 14, 2012, so I guess we will see then!

There are tons more books to movies coming out this fall that I will most likely end up going to see. A few of them are:

Lincoln- this hits theaters on November 16, 2012. This book is based on Doris Kearns Goodwin’s A Team of Rivals.

Les Misérables- this comes to theaters on December 14, 2012. It’s an adaptation of the stage musical that is based on Victor Hugo’s classic novel Les Miserables.

Anna Karenina- this will be in theaters on November 16, 2012. This adaptation of Tolstoy’s tragic novel Anna Karenina starts Keira Knightley and Jude Law. Check out the official trailer below! 

When kids are in elementary school it is hard to find the right books to get them interested in reading, especially since they are first starting out. Also, girls and boys at this age have different interests so it’s important to have books that appeal to both. There are tons of lists that share great books for children to read. This is a condensed list of books that are perfect for primary elementary school children that have the potential to spark their reading interest.

For 1st graders:
•    Both genders: Once Upon an Ordinary School Day by McNaughton- Everything about this boy is ordinary- his breakfast, his walk to school, even his thoughts. But when he goes to his classroom, everything changes. His new teacher comes up with an idea. Suddenly, an ordinary day is no longer ordinary.
•    Girls: Little Ballet Star by Adele Geras- For Tilly’s birthday she gets to go behind the scenes at a real ballet performance. She witnesses backstage warm-ups, takes a trip to the dressing room, and has an unexpected wardrobe change for a surprise chance to take the stage!
•    Boys: Goof Off Goalie by Betty Hicks- Goose wants nothing more than to play goalie for his soccer team. On TV it looks like so fun and easy. But Goose has some trouble focusing. Fortunately, his friend Henry is willing to train him. Just as Goose starts to improve, something happens and Henry isn’t able to help him anymore.

For 2nd Graders:
•    Both Genders: The Jungle Grapevine by Alex Beard- Bird mixes up something Turtle says, and accidentally starts a rumor- the watering hole is drying up. One misunderstanding leads to another, and the animals begin making their own hilarious assumptions. Soon the animals are in an uproar from one end of the jungle to the other.  
•    Girls: Princess K.I.M. and the Lie That Grew by Maryann Cocca-Leffler- Kim is new at school and really wants the kids to like her, so she tells a really small lie-  her name is really “K.I.M.”—for “Katherine Isabella Marguerite”—and she comes from a royal family!  Soon all of the students know about Kim being a princess. She wears a tiara she got from dance class and big ring that she won. After awhile, her lie starts to grow.
•    Boys: The Greatest Story Never Told: The Babe and Jackie by Ray Negron- Skippy and Connor are stuck in the hospital together as roommates, and they hate each other. One day the boys get a surprise visit from a batboy who takes them back in time. They go on an adventure and meet legendary baseball players. They learn some lessons along the way and form a friendship.

For 3rd Graders:
•    Both Genders: The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies- Evan Treski is good at talking with people. His younger sister, Jessie, on the other hand, is not especially good with people, but great at math. So when a lemonade stand war begins, there is no telling who will win, or if it will ever end.
•    Girls: Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude by Kevin O’Malley- Once upon a time there was a girl and boy who had to come up with a fairy tale and share it with the class, but they couldn't agree on the story. Will it ever be told, and will everyone live happily ever after?
•    Boys: Goal Line by Tiki and Ronde Barber- At the start of ninth grade, Tiki and Ronde aree not only wiser and more mature, but they’re also taller and stronger. They couldn’t be more excited for football season. But Tiki wins a school-wide essay contest becomes the go-to person for advice and guidance. The school paper even wants him to have his own column! Tiki has to choose between playing football and having his on column in the newspaper.

This list is meant to give you some great book choices for your children to jumpstart their reading and help them take an interest. I hope you both enjoy them!

Having a child that hates reading books can be very difficult. They think books are boring and are uninterested. So how do you get them to take interest? The key is to make reading fun and to give them something to look forward to. There are many different ways to do this.

1. A Topic They Love

Start at the beginning with what your kid loves. Your child isn’t going to want to read a book about rabbits if they are really into cars. Whether its sports, princesses, trains, etc. find a book about that topic and feed on their interest from that.

Humor is another way to go. Kids love to laugh and have fun. There are plenty of books that will get your kid excited about reading because they are fun. Joke books are great starters for children. It gets them laughing and excited and you can ease them into reading different types of humorous books.

2. Start a Series

Reading a series can be really exciting. If you find the right one, your child will be enthusiastic about moving on to the next book. There are tons of book series made for children that have different topics. Using the “topic the love” advice, find one that sparks your child’s interest and let them fall in love with the book. Some really good children’s series are: Harry Potter Series, Classic Seuss Series and Percy Jackson and the Olympian Series.

3. Be a Reading Buddy

Read by example. If you are reading, your kid is most likely going to read also. In order for your child to take an interest, you have to take one yourself as a parent. There are some really great ways to be a reading buddy. You can read the same book as your child and after each chapter you can talk about what is happening. You can also get involved in reading with your child by taking turns reading- you read every other chapter. Show that you are really interested in the book and are excited about it and your child will do the same.

4. Books and movies

Get your kid excited about reading by getting a book that has been turned into a movie. Have your child read the book and when they finish you can watch the movie. Afterwards, you can compare the book and movie. It may start out as an incentive to read, but it can spark some real interest in reading. Some great children books that have been made to movies are: Bridge to Teribithia, How to Eat Fried Worms and The Invention of Hugo Cabret.

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Reading doesn’t have to be boring for your kid. Find different ways to be creative. Include yourself in the readings and try setting aside reading times during the day instead of TV or video game time. If you involve your kid and yourself in the readings, they will soon love to read and enjoy it. The most important thing is to be consistent. If your child doesn’t take to it right away, don’t give up. Following through is going to be what jump starts your child’s interest in reading.

Reading along with the #BiggerBookClub? Re-invent the classic novel and great literary characters of Great Expectations by using these ideas to throw a fun, creative themed party.

First things first: Decorations

So you could go a number of directions with this- you could print out pictures of Miss Havisham and hang them up (might be kind of creepy) or you could get a map of England and isolate the places Pip travels and put them up. But, I think your best bet and the most creative is to get a bunch of clocks and stop them all at twenty to nine. Also, create a decaying feast somewhere and add some spider webs to really make your guests feel like they are in Satis House. 

Don’t forget to dress the part

Dress up as a Victorian lady or gentleman. And if you really want to get into the spirit, dress up in a creepy wedding dress (this would be my choice- go big or go home right?).

You’ll need food of course!

When Pip steals from his sister to bring food to Magwitch, it is described as “beautiful round compact pork pie”. So what’s more perfect to make than pork pie? That’s right, nothing. I know it sounds gross but before you dismiss it, try it. Here’s the recipe.

What’s a party without music?

In the novel, Herbert gives pip the nickname of Handel who composed the piece “The Harmonious Blacksmith”. This song is obviously the best choice to have playing during the party. You can easily download the song or find it on YouTube.

Put all of these together and you’ll have the best Great Expectations party ever! Have fun!

This 4^th of July add these patriotic books to your reading list! Brush up on our nation’s history and maybe even learn some new interesting facts!

1776 by David McCullough

This book tells the story of the men who marched with George Washington when America was counting on their success- the year of the Declaration of Independence. McCullough tells us how Americans of all types came together to bring hope for independence.

Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Issacson

A narrative that records the journey of Franklin, who became America's best writer, diplomat, as well as one of its most realistic political leaders. Issacson talks about the reason behind Poor Richard's Almanac, the Declaration of Independence, the new nation's alliance with France, the treaty that ended the Revolution, and the negotiations that created a near-perfect Constitution.

Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation by Joseph J. Ellis

In this book, Ellis explores how Hamilton, Burr, Jefferson, Franklin, Washington, Adams and Madison dealt with all the challenges that led them to set the course of our nation. With six episodes, Ellis brings the issues of America’s most important decade to life.

10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America by Steven M. Gillon

This book points out less famous days that altered our country. Each event is recreated to come together as the history of our nation. You won’t find anything about July 4, 1776 or Neil Armstrong, instead you will read about events that set forth a chain of events that made our country what it is today.

Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation by Cokie Roberts

There have been many books written about the men who created the constitution, but the women behind the men have gone unnoticed. Roberts tells us the story of the women who fought just as much as the men in the Revolutionary War. She explores old journals and letters to reveal that without these women, the country may have not survived.

Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow

Chernow creates a new portrait of Washington in this book, revising the usual stereotype of him, by following him from his troubled childhood to becoming America’s first president.

Samuel Adams: Father of the American Revolution by Mark Puls

Samuel Adams is one of the most unrecognized founding fathers, but there would have not been an American Revolution without him. This tells the story of his place in American history and how Washington, Jefferson and John Adams all built our country on his foundations.

Burr: A Novel by Gore Vidal

 This book follows the life of the most misunderstood Founding Father, Aaron Burr. The book explores into his past as well as his political life.

A Son of Thunder: Patrick Henry and the American Revolution by Henry Mayer

Patrick Henry was an orator that was devoted to the pursuit of liberty and helped fuel the American Revolution. The book tells the story of Henry and his philosophy.

Rise to Rebellion: A Novel of the American Revolution by Jeff Shaara

Shaara brings to life the American Revolution by telling the story of the men who created the destiny of our nation. This is a dramatic description of the events that changed history and how a group of colonies became known as the United States of America. 

All of us here at BiggerBooks wish you and your loved ones a safe and happy 4th of July! Happy reading!