Photo: Common Sense Media

You know that feeling when you’re reading a book you can’t put down? When kids find a book like that, it can turn them into lifelong readers. And with reading levels steadily declining — and many kids checking their phones into the wee hours — it may not be such a bad thing if reading keeps them up past their bedtimes.

We’ve compiled a list of books for kids and teens that will have them on the edge of their seats, headed for a cliffhanger or a satisfying conclusion after many exciting twists and turns. From a beloved classic to recently published best-sellers, these are guaranteed to grab young readers and not let go.

Half-Magic: Tales of Magic, by Edward Eager, age 7+. Four siblings find a magic charm that grants half of what they wish for. Sometimes carefully, and sometimes recklessly, they find themselves transported on adventures both thrilling and terrifying — in a Middle Eastern desert, among King Arthur’s knights, and in their own neighborhood. This series feels fresh and funny, even though it was first published in 1954.

Word of Mouse, by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein, age 8+. A tiny blue mouse with unusual powers (such as reading) escapes from a research lab, determined to save his still-imprisoned family from awful fates. The fast-moving plot and highly relatable characters (both human and mouse, dealing with issues ranging from social anxiety and gender stereotypes to life-and-death danger) are irresistible.

Who Could That Be at This Hour?All the Wrong Questions, by Lemony Snicket, age 9+. The mysterious adult narrator of A Series of Unfortunate Events is a 12-year-old apprentice crime solver in this start to a four-volume noir mystery series. It’s full of Snicket’s trademark wordplay, literary references, and memorable characters, including an evil, elusive villain.

The Metropolitans, by Carol Goodman, age 10+. As the bombing of Pearl Harbor takes place half a world away, four 13-year-olds converge on the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Soon they’re swept up in the struggle to decode a secret message and foil a Nazi plot (possibly aided by magical forces) to poison the city’s population. It’s a thrilling adventure full of relatable issues, appealing heroes, and deadly peril.

The Sword of Summer: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, by Rick Riordan, age 10+. In this Norse mythology series start by the author of the popular Percy Jackson series, Magnus must stop the end of the world (Ragnarok in Norse myth). He dies at the beginning and is brought to the warrior paradise, Valhalla, where the adventure continues. Riordan sticks to his signature humor in the face of dire circumstances, so nothing gets too dark.

Under a Painted Sky, by Stacey Lee, age 12+. Two girls — one accused of murder and the other a runaway slave — disguise themselves as boys and join up with three young cowboys heading west to California on the Oregon Trail in 1849. This exciting, richly detailed adventure deftly blends in serious social issues like slavery, discrimination, and gender bias. The multicultural cast of characters lends authenticity to a story about settling the West.

The Diabolic, by S.J. Kincaid, age 14+. Questions of nature vs. nurture play out in unexpected and entertaining ways in this stand-alone sci-fi tale of a genetically engineered female killing machine who grows a heart. Given the compelling plot and memorable main character, fans of high-impact galactic intrigue will eat it up.

An Ember in the Ashes, by Sabaa Tahir, age 14+. Two characters are out to overthrow the Martial Empire, an alternate universe with a strict caste system in this dual-narrative fantasy: Laia, a Scholar (the oppressed class) whose brother has been arrested for treason, and Elias, a soldier in the Empire’s elite military academy. Adding to the complications: not a love triangle but a square, with four smitten young people.

Six of Crows, by Leigh Bardugo, age 14+. Six young outcasts are commissioned to pull off the greatest heist ever in this spin-off of the Grisha trilogy. It’s equal parts nail-biting Mission: Impossible-st‌yle excitement and intimate, compelling portraits of flawed and complex characters. Add to that two star-crossed love stories and the pages turn even faster.

The Sun Is Also a Star, by Nicola Yoon, age 14+. This touching love story about two teens who fall for each other during 12 intense hours together in New York City is a beautifully written, unforgettable romance. It follows Jamaican-American Natasha, who’s all science and logic, and Korean-American Daniel, a philosophical dreamer, from the moment they meet on a crowded street to them changing each other’s lives.

By Regan McMahon, Common Sense Media

 

Common Sense Media
Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Common Sense Media is an independent nonprofit organization offering unbiased ratings and trusted advice to help families make smart media and technology choices. Check out our ratings and recommendations at www.commonsense.org.

More and more kids seem to have Greek mythology on the brain these days. Maybe it’s the Greek myth subtext of the monster movie hit, Avengers: Age of Ultron, or perhaps it’s excitement about the upcoming Wonder Woman flick, now that she’s not merely an Amazon, but an actual daughter of Zeus. The Percy Jackson and the Olympians book series probably has something to do with it as well. Regardless, we say that just because school is out doesn’t mean you can’t get some fun learning in on the sly. Here’s where your kids can interface with the gods and monsters of the Mediterranean right here in NYC.

Metropolitan Museum photo: Erik Drost via Flickr

Take in Art of Mythic Proportions

Explore Greek Mythology at the Metropolitan Museum
The trend has not escaped the notice of the fine people at the Met. After all, not only is the Met bursting with art referencing Greek mythology, the opening scene of the first book, The Lightning Thief, actually took place at the museum. Stop by the visitor information desk at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to pick up your complimentary Percy Jackson and the Olympians Art Adventure Guide. (Yes, that’s a real thing.)

The guide features a map and quotes from the books that serve as clues to help kids find works of art related to Rick Riordan’s stories. The guide takes users on a tour of classic paintings, armor and statues of heroes like Hercules, Perseus and Athena. When the hunt is over, kids can carefully rip the guide as directed to turn it into a series of collectible trading cards. (For even more info from the author himself,  listen to a podcast of Riordan talking about his inspiration for writing a Young Adult novel inspired by Greek mythology, here.)

Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street
Upper East Side
212-535-7710
Online: metmuseum.org

Kids Programs at Onassis Cultural Center
Though the Onassis Cultural Center’s home base on Fifth Avenue is currently closed for renovation, its programming continues at other venues, including the Center’s annual Hellenic Humanities Series’ Musical Drama and Dance: Re-imagining Greek Theater summer camp at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. The Cultural Center is set to re-open in the fall, when they intend to continue regular family programming, such as Sundays at Onassis, with Greek mythology art projects for children ages 3-7.

Onassis Cultural Center
645 Fifth Avenue between 51st and 52nd Streets
Midtown East
212-486-4448
Online: onassisusa.org

Play Among the Gods

What’s better than a playground with cool things to climb on, swings to swing on, and, in the summer, sprinklers to run through? How about a playground with all that… and a Greek god watching over you the entire time? To mingle with the myth-makers of Mount Olympus without leaving NYC, check out these divine playgrounds.

Oracle Playground
Upgraded in 1997, Brooklyn’s Oracle Playground (named for its proximity to Adelphi Street), received not only basketball backstops, removable tennis court nets, and drinking fountains, but also a brand new Greek theme, including paving stones in a mathematical Greek key design around the fences, and animal art in the shape of a Trojan horse, as a hat-tip to Homer’s The Iliad.

Oracle Playground
121 Adelphi St.
Fort Greene
Online:  nycgovparks.org

Poseidon Playground
Located near the Coney Island boardwalk (where else would a god of the sea plant his trident?), Poseidon Playground boasts swings, handball courts, spray showers and — most importantly for parents — a wi-fi hot spot. (So if your child has any questions about the area’s namesake, you can Google some answers immediately.)

Poseidon Playground
Surf Avenue between West 25th and West 27th Street
Coney
Island
Brooklyn
Online: nycgovparks.org

Charybdis Playground
Named after Poseidon’s daughter, this Queens playground overlooks water as well: the East River. Upgraded as part of a capital campaign in 1997 and 2000, it features colorful slides, monkey bars, as well as swings that are accessible to children of all abilities.

Charybdis Playground
Astoria Park between RFK Bridge and Hell’s Gate Bridge
Queens
Online: nycgovparks.org

Prometheus photo: Sharon Mollerus via Flickr

Gods Ready for a Close-up (or Selfie)

It’s one thing to visit Greek gods in a museum, or to frolic in a playground named for one. It’s quite another to gaze up at their larger than life visages (especially if you’re only three feet tall to begin with). For that, you need to seek out towering statues of metal and stone. Luckily, NYC has you covered there, as well.

Prometheus
Once, this titan stole fire from the gods and was punished for eternity by being chained to a rock and having his liver eaten out. Now, he sits chained to a large metallic disk, watching ice-skaters in the winter and dining tourists in the summer, having his picture eternally taken; a selfie every self-respecting Greek mythology loving tot is required to have for their collection.

Prometheus
Rockefeller Center
Midtown
Online: rockefellercenter.com

Athena
A gift from the people of Athens to the people of New York in 1998, this bronze work of art standing over 10 feet tall is an exact replica of a figure first carved in 350 BC. (The  statue is a tribute to the Astoria neighborhood’s Greek-American population.) Athena’s namesake park includes an amphitheater, a playground, basketball courts, Doric columns and additional statues of Socrates, and Minerva, Athena’s Roman counterpart.

Athena
Athens Square
30th Avenue between 29th and 30th Streets
Astoria
Online: nycgovparks.org

Atlas photo: Leo Gonzales via Flickr

Atlas
It’s a small world takes on a whole new meaning when you leave the lower level of Rockefeller Center and head to Fifth Avenue, where this half-man/half-god stands enduring his eternal punishment: holding up our planet. A wonderful lesson for children either on the topic of actions having consequences, or a reminder that their life isn’t nearly as hard as they may believe it to be.

Atlas
630 Fifth Ave.
Midtown
Online: rockefellercenter.com

 

Where do you go to hang with the gods in NYC? Tell us in the comments below!

— Alina Adams

 

New Yorkers love New York. We love moaning about the sky-high rent and smelly garbage on the streets, but mostly we love living in the city that never sleeps – particularly if we’re parents to a mini-New Yorker who also never sleeps. Here are our favorite things about parenting in NYC.

1. The Subway
It’s fast and it takes you everywhere (except if you have a stroller, or if you need an elevator, or if it is a weekend, or God forbid, if you live in Brooklyn. Also, do not, ever, for the love of all that is holy, take the G train). Who needs a car?

2. The Performers On The Subway
For a $1 tip, it’s a lot cheaper than a music or dance class and keeps kids entertained on long subway rides. Exception: Urban pole dancing performers (stand back and watch out!).

3. Classes For Every Artiste
Got a future picasso on your hands? Or a potential member of the corps de ballet? NYC kids can takes classes from some of the best institutions in the world, like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Alvin Ailey School of Dance.

4. Friends In Walking Distance
It’s impossible to step outside without running into someone you know. And as a parent, that’s a good thing. Playdates are so easy to set up that your calling card is always full.

5. Playgrounds On Every Corner
When it’s one of the four months of the year when it’s warm enough to play outside, we’re lucky to be able to find a playground almost anywhere.

6. It’s A Cultural Melting Pot
You can celebrate holidays from around the world, with kids from every nation, especially at local block parties and festivals. Tolerance begins here.

7. Kid-Friendly Restaurants
New Yorkers love to eat out, and our kids are mini-foodies in training. Babies at Balthazar are welcome. BYO Cheerios.

8. All Niches Are Covered
Got kids who want to try parkour? Aerial arts? Or who want to be a Broadway star? There’s a class (or five) for that!

9. Central Park Is Your Backyard
How cool is that?

10. Broadway Shows
Even little kids can enjoy top-quality performances from toddler-age up. Annie? The Lion King? Seen it!

11. The Carousels
Is there anything more fun than taking a spin on an old world carousel? Jane’s Carousel, on the Brooklyn waterfront, possibly has the best location of any carousel in the world.

12. 24-Hour Bagel Shops
A great midnight snack for new parents pounding the pavement to get colicky babies to sleep. Or at least, a place to go in times of late night duress.

13. FAO Schwarz
Dancing on the giant piano and taking a selfie with a giant stuffed giraffe is on everyone’s bucket list.

14. Toys ‘R’ Us Times Square
A ferris wheel indoors. A moving T-Rex. Rainy days are sorted.

15. Tom Otterness Sculptures
His quirky statues pop up unexpectedly in places like 14th Street Station and Battery Park. Instant fun in ordinary circumstances.

16. Eat All Around The World Without Leaving The City
NYC kids grow up eating food from Greece, Japan, Mexico, India, Italy and China, and if they don’t like it, you can order it in after they go to bed.

17. Governor’s Island, Rockaway Beach, Fort Tryon Park
It’s like taking a refreshing break from the city, but you’re only a short ferry or train ride away.

18. Everything’s In Walking Distance
From museums to 24-hour drugstores, it’s never-ending amusement and supplies, all nearby.

19. We Wear Our City Pride On Our Chests
Is there a kid in King’s County who doesn’t own an I’m So Brooklyn or No Sleep Till Brooklyn tee?

20. We Live Where Everyone Else Wants To Be
We can whine about the weather and never getting a seat on the subway, but we also know we live in the best city in the world and it’s amazing to say this is where our kids are growing up.

Why do you love parenting in NYC? Tell us in a Comment!

–Christine Knight

What kiddo wouldn’t love stepping straight into a favorite storybook? Maybe Whoville, or where the Wild Things rumpus, or the room with the little old lady whispering “Hush” aren’t available for drop-in visits, but, lucky you – because all of New York City is a storybook setting! For families in the five boroughs, there are a myriad of opportunities to bring your child’s favorite bedtime stories to life. Check out some of our top picks for taking a picture book tour:

You Can’t Take a Balloon Into The Metropolitan Museum
The Story: This book has no words, just pictures, to tell the tale of a little girl out on the town with her grandmother who is stopped from bringing a yellow balloon into the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They tie it up outside but, what do you know – a mischievous pigeon comes along to set it free. As the little girl and her grandma enjoy the sights inside the museum, the frisky balloon takes its own tour of the city, passing by such landmarks as the Metropolitan Opera, Central Park and the Plaza Hotel (where old friend Eloise resides, natch).

Where to go: Following in the intrepid balloon’s footsteps would take you all over the city. But, if you’d like to get your fill under one roof, start at the Met, located on 1000 Fifth Avenue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge
The Story: Manhattan’s only remaining lighthouse was first made famous by this 1942 children’s book filled with atmospheric illustrations of a majestic, steel bridge looming over a bustling waterfront along the Hudson river and overlooking New York City “where the people lived.” The lighthouse, you see, was a very happy lighthouse – until the great big bridge was built right over it’s head, and then the lighthouse felt a touch threatened. However, the two eventually learned to live in peace and accept that each has an important job to do. Over a hundred years later, the bridge is still there, of course, and so, miraculously, is the little red lighthouse in Fort Washington Park. In 1948, the Coast Guard decommissioned and intended to sell it, but public outcry – primarily triggered by the book suggesting that lighthouses had feelings, and if it was upset about the bridge, imagine what being discarded would do to it – was so great, the plan was ultimately scrapped.

Where to go: Freshly repainted in 2000 (before that, it was kind of The Little Dingy Lighthouse), this family-friendly landmark is once again open for visitors to Upper Manhattan.

Mermaids on Parade
The Story: Vibrantly colorful drawings of Coney Island in Brooklyn cover every page of this tale about a little girl excited to march in the annual Mermaid Parade dressed up as a “Shy Mermaid Coming Out of Her Shell.” All the key sights are here, including Astroland’s Cyclone, Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs, the sandy boardwalk, and all the equally colorful characters who populate it. The book even comes with instructions for making your own mermaid’s tale!

Where to go: 2013’s parade date has already been set for Saturday, June 22 at 1:00 pm, and registration will be opening shortly. The Mermaid Parade is the largest art parade in the nation. Created as a celebration of the ancient mythology and honky-tonk rituals of the seaside, it showcases over 1,500 creative individuals from all over the five boroughs in an all-out welcome to summer. So read all about it – and go!

ABC in NYC
The Story: In New York City, where boys and girls take intelligence tests at the age of four for admission to kindergarten, nothing is more important than knowing your ABC’s (and your 1-2-3’s; and being able to recognize complex patterns while bubbling in the correct answer sheet). But while most teaching picture books offer up the standard, A is for Apple, B is Ball, C is for Cat, ABC in NYC boasts images city kids can really relate to.

Where to go: Hunt for all of the items in the book in your neighborhood and beyond. A is for Apartment Building. B is for Bagel. C is for Chrysler Building. D is for Dumpsters. And E is for Empire State Building. Also G for Graffiti, H for Horse and Carriage, L for Lady Liberty, M is for Metrocard… you get the idea. Plenty of places to visit. Plenty of opportunities to learn, NYC-style.

Danny and the Dinosaur
The Story: Danny and the Dinosaur might not take place in NYC proper (when he goes home to play hide-and-seek with his new friend, the area definitely screams suburbia; though it could be some areas of Brooklyn, Queens, even Riverdale). But are you aware of another museum that features Indians, bears, Eskimos and, of course, dinosaurs?

Where to go: Danny is at the American Museum of Natural History on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. And you could be, too! (For info on their non-dinosaur exhibits, click here).

Want more NYC storybook fun? For more on children’s picture books and illustrations, check out our piece on the Museum of American Illustration. And for walking tours of classic NYC chapter books, see Eloise at the Plaza and Stuart Little.

— Alina Adams

Images courtesy of Amazon.com & Luciefocus