Reading List: Anti-Boredom Month

After months of quarantine, what might have once been a welcome summer break might now seem terribly boring. However, in honor of July being Anti-Boredom month, these titles are sure to inspire fun activities to fill the time and encourage learning and exploration. From crafts to cooking to science experiments, the non-fiction titles provide readers with tangible ideas and projects to pursue—often with little to no money required. The fiction titles connect readers with characters fighting boredom themselves and showcase the things they do to combat that feeling. Ideal for readers aged 8-12, these books are a great place to start when those summer doldrums roll in.
Contributed by: Mary Lanni

	112 Ways for Kids to Have Fun Without Money By: Sam Gross and Kate Gross Illustrated by: Sam Rockwell Lists free games and activities that combat boredom, featuring such ideas as playing hide-and-seek, building a tree house, writing a book or comic strip, and setting up an Olympic course in the backyard.
	Aster and the Accidental Magic By: Thom Pico Aster is bored at her new home in the mountains in the middle of nowhere–until she meets an odd old shepherdess and her woolly dogs, a sneaky trickster, and an angry fox.
	Big Book of Building: Duct Tape, Paper, Cardboard, and Recycled Projects to Blast Away Boredom By: Marne Ventura Grab some paper, cardboard, duct tape, and other materials and get ready to blast away boredom! Inventive young builders will love creating awesome projects such as treasure chests, tin can robots, space stations, swords and armor, and a whole lot more. With easy to follow step-by-step instructions, readers will be building their own fantastic projects in no time!
	Build Your Own Mini Golf Course, Lemonade Stand, and Other Things to Do By: Tammy Enz Young do-it-your-selfers have a fantastic resource to build cool stuff they’re interested in. From constructing their own fort to assembling a rocket, the simple instructions in these books will have readers working on their own in no time! It features: Step-by-Step Instructions; Material Lists; Fact Boxes; Full Colour; Table of Contents; On-Page Definitions of Glossary Terms; Glossary; Index; Read More Resources; and, Safe Web Sites.
	Busting Boredom with Experiments By: Jennifer Swanson Feeling inventive? Get ready to bust boredom with wacky experiments! Learn how to create lightning bolts, build a catapult, and much more. With clear instructions and helpful photos, busting boredom with experiments has never been more fun.
	The Girls’ Summer Book By: Ellen Bailey and Nellie Ryan With activities like making fortune tellers and throw pillows, and tips such as how to plan the perfect picnic, girls are sure to love this activity book! It also includes spot-the-difference puzzles, doodle pages, mazes, and more!
	Indoor Games! By: Lisa Regan Whether it’s a rainy day, a party day or you are on the move, this imaginative and engaging bindup will have games to suit every need. Start playing!
	The Lava is a Floor! By: Justin Shady and Wayne Chinsang Illustrated by: Jeremy R. Scott Monster brother and sister Clarg and Blarg relieve their boredom by pretending to be human, since humans are much weirder than any of the other creatures they encounter.
	Math Lab For Kids By: Rebecca Rapoport and J. Yoder Even unenthusiastic math students will be fired up to learn with these hands-on labs! Math Lab for Kids is a fun, engaging, and colorful approach to the wide world of mathematics. Through a combination of math games, logic puzzles, activities, and hands-on demonstrations with things like prisms, kids will explore math concepts with renewed excitement. And don’t worry about expensive supplies; everything you need comes included or is easily found around the house!
	Mighty Mo By: Alison Brown Mo the raccoon is searching for something special that he can do to relieve his boredom, but all his attempts turn into disasters, until something happens at the zoo that requires Mo’s special skills.
	On a Magical, Do-Nothing Day By: Beatrice Alemagna Sent outside by their mother on a rainy day, a child is dismayed when their handheld game falls into the pond before they encounter giant snails, wet mushrooms, and other elements that awaken them to the sensory aspects of nature.
	The Phantom Tollbooth By: Norton Juster Illustrated by: Jules Feiffer Milo, a young boy with little interest in anything, takes a trip through the Phantom Tollbooth to the Lands Beyond where he meets an enchanting cast of characters that teaches him the importance of words, numbers, ideas, creativity, and enthusiasm for life. Includes an introduction by Maurice Sendak and “Celebrations of The Phantom Tollbooth” by various authors.