Pitching a Perfect Game: In Praise of the Ideal Summer Reading List

When it comes to summer reading lists handed out by figures of authority, I am of two minds. On the one hand I believe that over the summer children should darned well be allowed to read whatever they want. I am haunted by a memory of a summer when a father walked into the Jefferson Market Library Branch when I was but a wee slip of a lass. His reluctant 9-year-old trudged behind and the dad handed him Treasure Island because he wanted his son to be a reader. It was one of those moments when...