Reading: Cool Entertainment during the Dog Days of Summer

Did you ever wonder why the hottest, some would say the most miserable days, of summer are called “dog days?" You might think it’s because dogs laze around during the hot weather. Probably not.

You can blame the ancient Greeks and Romans. They believed that the close proximity of Sirius, the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major (Big Dog), to the sun in July and August caused the hot weather.

           

It really doesn’t matter why hot summer days are called “dog days.” What matters is finding ways to #beat the heat. The best way may not be to hide in air-conditioned buildings, but to find activities that are so engrossing you forget the heat. Time flies when you’re tinkering with electronic devices. However, you might be less frustrated and feel cooler, if you read a book instead of struggling with a new app.

Here’s an even better way to enjoy hot summer evenings, read a book to your children, grandchildren, or friends and family of any age. Why don’t you consider books and movies you enjoyed as child? The suggestions below are from lists of the best books for children and young adults. 

· The Cat in the Hat or any book by Dr. Seuss

· To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

· The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

· The Color Purple by Alice Walker

· The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

· The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

· The Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder or other books in the series

· A book in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowlings

· The Call of the Wild by Jack London

You may be surprised your memories of these books are faulty. I certainly noted different aspects in To Kill a Mockingbird when I reread it after also reading Go Set a Watchman, but that’s a topic for another blog.

As you read any of these books you’ll learn a bit about yourself. One or two of these books may seem dated and no longer appeal to you. I suspect you’ll realize several of these books are more complex and insightful than you realized as a teen-ager. In any case, I bet you and your audience will get a warm (not hot) feeling from sharing a great tale together.

So, #read for cool entertainment in August. 

You can even read to a pet. Bug loves the attention.