CHECK IT OUT

Books will launch a galaxy of fun for readers of all ages during

Newport Beach Public Library’s summer reading programs. From Monday

through Aug. 18, children, teens and adults can sign up for one of three

programs, all revolving around a space theme and offering a chance to win

prizes for reading all kinds of books. Program details are in library

flyers and at o7 https://www.newportbeachlibrary.org.f7

For preschoolers through sixth-graders, the Books and Beyond: Take Me

to Your Reader program may inspire literary escape into other worlds.

Those as young as age 4 can get into orbit with Franklyn Branley’s “The

International Space Station,” offering a fascinating look at the

million-pound construction project now underway in outer space.

From the same author, there’s also “What the Moon is Like” and “The

Planets in Our Solar System,” in the Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science

series. Geared for first- through third-graders, these are fine

introductions to space exploration.

Kids interested in concentrating on the red planet can check out

“Destination: Mars” by award-winning science writer Seymour Simon. Those

curious about a closer neighbor can board a virtual mission with

Alexandra Siy’s “Footprints on the Moon.”

All these literary jaunts may help in answering weekly quiz questions

that will appear on Tuesdays on the Kids Page link at o7

https://www.newportbeachlibrary.org.f7 Each week, contestants who submit

the correct answer will be eligible to win a free pass to the Orange

County Discovery Museum.

For teens participating in 2001: A Book Odyssey, the journey might

start with “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” a classic sci-fi satire by

Douglas Adams, whose untimely death last month shocked fans. The

whimsical romp through space kicks off the inaccurately named,

five-volume “Hitchhiker’s Trilogy,” which pokes fun at just about every

societal convention with wry British humor.

Young adult author Lois Lowry takes a more serious look at an

imaginary society ruled by greed and cruelty in “Gathering Blue.” The new

companion volume to teen favorite “The Giver” is a thoughtful yarn that

inspires speculation about community, values and the future of humanity.

Readers over age 18 participating in Make Space for Books, the adult

summer reading program, are sure to enjoy Philip Pullman’s “His Dark

Materials” trilogy, a fantasy series that weaves themes of truth, love

and morality into stories about struggles against dark forces. Launched

by “The Golden Compass,” the adventure begins in a universe where humans

are paired with “daemons” -- manifestations of their souls in animal

forms.

There’s a more high-tech vision of the future in “Neuromancer,”

William Gibson’s 1984 tour-de-force that captured the holy trinity of

sci-fi honors: the Hugo, the Nebula and the Philip K. Dick Awards. For

mature readers interested in just how much Gibson got right when he

introduced the world to cyberspace, this could be the best selection for

launching summer literary adventures.

* CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public

Library. This week’s column is by Melissa Adams, in collaboration with

Andrea Jason and Gina Moffitt. All titles may be reserved from home or

office computers by accessing the catalog at o7

https://www.newportbeachlibrary.org.

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