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BY JULIE MCGUIRE

THE INTERNET REVIEW OF BOOKS

Summer vacation. Two words that send young hearts soaring, and leave me cold. My husband-a teacher-and our two sons are about to suffer a horrible fate. What in the world will they do with eight weeks of free time? What I'd give for eight weeks of free time. My list of must-read books is long enough to fill at least three times that! This brings to mind another reason I, and countless parents of 'tweens and teens, dread summer vacation. How am I going to keep my boys reading when the lure of the swimming pool, trips to the candy store, video games, and hanging out with friends is so strong?

I've seen research that suggests reading comprehension declines over the summer, especially for boys. But how do we combat that, and maintain our sanity?

Start by enlisting the help of your local school or library. Many of them have summer reading lists or programs designed to address this very issue.

Janni Lee Simner, author of Bones of Faerie, my number one summer reading pick for young adults, wisely suggests keeping it simple. Janni believes that "kids who read do so for the same reason adults do-because it's fun. So in summer especially, I think what's important is to somehow pull the emphasis away from books being good for you or required for school, and toward reading simply being something to do to escape and chill out." Janni re-reads some of her childhood favorites to escape. She suggests Madeline L'Engle's Swiftly Tilting Planet and A Wrinkle in Time, or Michael Ende's Neverending Story, Robin McKinley's The Blue Sword, and Patricia McKillip'sThe Changeling Sea.

I'm taking Janni's advice and chilling out. Here are my suggestions for a sanity-saving summer:

Keep it simple. Maybe you're the type to read the classics while the rest of us are delighting in trashy romance novels at the beach. Don't expect your kids to have the same sense of refinement. Graphic novels, comic books, and magazines count.

Keep it social. Find a book with a movie tie-in. Plan a family night to discuss the differences. Let the kids pick out some snacks, and maybe even allow them to put their feet up on the furniture.

Keep it competitive. Kids love to win things. Many local libraries have pretty nice prizes-I've read about iPods and even laptops. Give prizes of your own.

Keep it predictable. Kids may complain about routine, but most crave it. Set a daily reading time, or a weekly date at a local bookstore. Whatever the routine, stick to it. Kids like stability.

Keep it handy. Keep piles of the latest must-reads in strategic locations. No need to point it out. The splashy covers will eventually catch their eyes. Need help starting your pile? Here are my top ten for summer 2009:

• 1. Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner. A magically written post-apocalyptic faerie tale with pizzazz. Nice!
• 2. Rampant by Diana Peterfreund. There is a lot of buzz about these killer unicorns. They are not for sissies. Bring on the girl power!
• 3. Eva by Peter Dickinson. The Internet Review of Book's founder, Carter Jefferson, recommended this one to me. It's been quite a while since he was a young adult. But his instincts are right on. If you have the brain of a human and the body of a chimpanzee, just what are you?
• 4. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney. I'm a voracious reader. Regrettably, my youngest son is not. But he devoured this charming "novel in cartoons" and the entire series. Please write some more, Mr. Kinney!
• 5. Stephen R. Donaldson. I highly recommend letting your teen read something that is "for adults." The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant The Unbeliever, about a leper who becomes a hero, is magnificent. Still my favorite science fiction series.
• 6. Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede. An alternate history of the settling of the U.S. West. For history lovers, and fans of Harry Potter. Strange combination, right? Kids love strange combinations.
• 7. Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler. Please don't let the title throw you off. Frankie thinks that this summer Anna will finally have a boyfriend. Frankie doesn't know that Anna has already found, and lost, her true love. This is sweet, sad, and ultimately hopeful.
• 8. Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr. A gripping romance between a faerie queen and a mere mortal. I admit it; I can't get enough of faeries, vampires, unicorns. Bring on the supernatural.
• 9. Necropolis by Anthony Horowitz. A thriller set in exciting Hong Kong and its underworld. Like John Le Carré for young adults.
• 10. The Potato Chip Puzzles: The Puzzling World of Winston Breen by Eric Breen. Who doesn't like potato chips and puzzles? Throw in a little danger and your 'tween will have fun solving this mystery. For kids who like to be actively engaged in their reading.

Keep it simple. Keep it chill. Keep 'em reading!

Julie McGuire, fiction editor of The Internet Review of Books, is a paralegal. Her personal essays and poems have appeared in the Christian Science Monitor and several small periodicals. She and her family live in Virginia.