Think back to those long days at the beach or the lake as a kid. I don’t know about you, but one of my favorite memories is plopping down on the couch after a day in the sun, ready to be transported to a new land.
The Zita the SpaceGirl graphic novels and the Wingfeather Saga are exactly the kind of fantasy novels that your kids will devour — on a porch swing, beach chair, or trying to procrastinate summer school assignments just a little longer. They grip you from the first page; they’re both series so you can keep on reading and reading; and are both written by Christian authors who get that true adventure is rooted in the quest for goodness and beauty.
That’s my kind of summer reading. These books are just two of many wonderful reads on Aleteia’s 2024 Summer Book List for Kids.
ZITA THE SPACEGIRL
I just read Ben Hatke’s Zita the SpaceGirlfor the first time this summer. My boys, now 10 and 12, have been reading and rereading them for years. In fact, when my second son was in first grade, he won’t mind if I tell you he was struggling with learning to read. But when his Easter basket was stocked with these graphic novels, he blew through them and returned from the school break no longer needing extra reading help.
“I like that there’s adventure, different alien species — some of them look so weird — and comedy!” is his strong recommendation.
Meteors, a giant mouse, and ETs
Graphic novels are not my normal genre, but I was immediately delighted by Hatke’s illustrations of spunky Zita and her companion Joseph out playing on what seemed like an ordinary day. But when the two find a meteor and a mysterious button, Joseph disappears and Zita sets out on an adventure to find him.
With a green cloak, a giant mouse nicknamed “Mouse,” and extraterrestrial adventures wherein Zita refuses to leave her friend behind, Zita the SpaceGirl could easily keep 7- to 12-year-olds (or their parents) glued to their seats for an hour or two. And if you run out of Zita books, Hatke has other series that are just as riveting.
THE WINGFEATHER SAGA
The Wingfeather Saga — also a newly released television series by Angel Studios — is equally engaging, though perhaps for a slightly older audience. I first read these books by Andrew Petersen for myself when my now 12-year old was a baby. I guess I was overeager to introduce them to him when he was 7 or so. I’d say this series could be a read aloud at 7+ and a solo read for middle-grade or young adult readers.
Young readers quickly identify with the Wigby siblings — Janner, Tink, and Leeli — and their seemingly simple lives with their mother and grandfather. The siblings are quickly swept from a festival day into a grand adventure, one in which they discover who they truly are.
Focused on family
“I like how it’s a different sort of fantasy than others I’ve read, focusing more on family.” My oldest son loves how you get to delve into each individual sibling’s journey, but also get to follow along in their relationship with one another. With four fairly lengthy books in the series, readers watch as the siblings grow in heroism and virtue.
I will throw in a warning that some of the scenes can be intense for sensitive readers. I have heard from some parents that scenes such as ones with a black carriage that takes away children can, understandably, be a bit much. As a parent you know your kid best, so while I highly recommend the series, perhaps decide whether they are better read aloud or if you want to preview them first before handing the stack over.
Beauty in darkness
Andrew Petersen explains why things get a bit heavy in the series and, for me, hits the nail on the head about what makes these books so unforgettable.
“Sometimes it is necessary to paint the sky black in order to show how beautiful is the prick of light. Gather all the wickedness in the universe into its loudest shriek and God hears it as a squeak at best. And that is a comforting thought. When a child reads the last sentence of my stories, I hope he or she drifts to sleep with a glow in their hearts and a warmth in their bones, believing that all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.”
I hope your children delight in many-legged aliens, toothy cows, giant mice, and the heroism of some really brave kids in these two fantastic series. Pretty soon your copies may look as beat up and well-loved as ours!
And today we celebrate...