Erica S. Perl is the author of children's books including Dotty; Chicken Butt!; and Chicken Bedtime Is Really Early, as well as the young-adult novel Vintage Veronica. Her new middle-grade novel is the critically acclaimed When Life Gives You O.J. (Alfred A. Knopf, 2011), about a 10-year-old girl whose grandfather devises an unorthodox strategy to help her convince her parents she should have a dog.
Connecting with grandchildren can be challenging sometimes.
Oh, sure, they worship you when they're little, but by the time they turn 8 or 10? Please! They don't fit on your lap. They don't always laugh at your jokes. And when you try to teach them stuff, 9 out of 10 times they simply don't listen. But you love them, and you really want to find something that you can still share. Something that keeps you connected so that as they grow up, you grow together, not apart.
What's the answer? Books.
But which books? Not the books you loved as a child. No offense, but no matter how great they are – and some of them are truly great – they may be tough sells to kids today. That doesn't mean you need to pick something "trendy" with a wizard or a vampire on the cover, mind you. There are some wonderful new books that your tween-age grandchildren will devour, and that you'll enjoy reading and discussing, too:
Bigger Than a Breadbox, by Laurel Snyder
A magical breadbox that delivers whatever you wish for — as long as it fits inside? It's too good to be true! Twelve-year-old Rebecca is struggling with her parents' separation, as well as a sudden move to her Gran's house in another state. For a while, the magic breadbox, discovered in the attic, makes life away from home a little easier. Then suddenly it starts to make things much, much more difficult ...
When Life Gives You O.J., by Erica S. Perl (Yes, I'm the author!)
For years, Zelly has tried to convince her parents to let her have a dog. After all, practically everyone in Vermont owns one, and it could go a long way toward helping her fit in since she moved there from Brooklyn. But when her eccentric grandfather, Ace, hatches a ridiculous plan involving a "practice dog" named O.J., Zelly's not so sure how far she's willing to go for a pet. Is Ace's plan so crazy it just might work, or just crazy?
The Inquisitor's Apprentice, by Chris Moriarty
When the police learn that Sacha can see witches, he's apprenticed to the department's star Inquisitor, Maximillian Wolf. Their mission: Stop magical crime. And New York City at the beginning of the 20th century is a magical melting pot, where each ethnic group has its own brand of homegrown witchcraft, and magical gangs rule the streets from Hell's Kitchen to Chinatown. Soon Sacha has his first case — discovering who's trying to kill Thomas Edison.
Peter Nimble and His Magic Eyes, by Jonathan Auxier
A blind, 10-year-old orphan has been schooled in a life of thievery. One fateful afternoon, he steals a box from a mysterious traveling haberdasher — a box that contains three pairs of magical eyes. When he tries the first pair, he's instantly transported to a hidden island where he's presented with a quest: Travel to the Vanished Kingdom and rescue a people in need. With the magic eyes and his loyal sidekick, a knight who has been turned into an unfortunate combination of horse and cat, he embarks on an unforgettable, swashbuckling adventure.
Tips for Sharing
1. Don't push it. Resist the temptation to announce, "I just know you'll love this" (even if it's true). Just leave the book in an obvious spot or slide it to your grandchild with a noncommittal Post-It note. My usually opinionated, outspoken grandfather did this and since – for once – there was no lecture involved, I ate the books up. The best part was, he had a real gift for finding weird and wonderful books I'd never seen before. He introduced me to graphic novels long before they were called that, including Crockett Johnson's Barnaby (Remember that one? It's about a kid with a cigar-smoking, barrel-bellied fairy godfather named Mr. O'Malley). He knew I would love it, but he also knew enough not to tell me so.
2. Take your cues from them. If they love a book you suggested, they'll let you know. If they don't, don't be discouraged. Ask questions. See it as an opportunity to find out more about what kind of books they do like. Visit a bookstore or library together to explore other books or reading materials. A grandchild may express a lack of interest in books, but take an interest in magazines or audiobooks.
3. Share across the miles. Start a Skype book club with your grandchild. Ask his opinions about the book and share your favorite parts. Check out the author's website, and if you find additional information about the book there, like a book trailer, send your grandchild the link to enhance your talk.
Bottom line: Sharing books can help you discover that you and your grandchild have more in common than either of you ever realized, and it will provide a way of sharing these connections that neither of you will ever outgrow.
Find more great reading ideas on Grandparents.com:
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