Escape in a Book

With summer approaching and the weather warming up, it's the ideal time to head outdoors and let imaginations flourish. Follow Alice in Wonderland outside for a magical meeting of the Better Homes and Gardens Reading Club. Alice and other fictional characters who have adventures in nature can be the inspiration for reading and activities about the great outdoors. Kids can keep their reading skills sharp during leisurely summer days.

"Every child should be encouraged to read through the summer, so when school starts they aren't playing catch-up," says Janet Carlson, a children's librarian at the John C. Hart Memorial Library in Shrub Oak, New York. The key is to keep it fun. To get started, check out these outdoor-theme books and activity ideas that will keep kids excited about reading. Pack a reading club picnic basket, find a shaded spot, and set out on a reading adventure.