Summertime, and the reading is easy if you’re ‘Hooked on Books’

Summer vacation is the time to catch a few rays of sun at the beach, play games with friends, go on vacation with the family or visit the local mall. Summer, traditionally, is also the perfect time to curl up on a quiet day and read a book.

But most parents know it’s hard to get kids motivated to read during the summer.

KCET’s Hooked on Books aims to give kids the push they need to give up playtime for storytime. For the fourth consecutive year, KCET’s Educational Enterprises division presents a summer reading program for children, grades K through 8, which encourages family reading. The four-week daily program offers a collection of culturally diverse series and programs. Included are episodes of the award-winning PBS series “Wonderworks,” plus adaptations of such stories as “The No-Guitar Blues” (based on Gary Soto’s “Baseball in April”), “Molly’s Pilgrim,” “Ira Sleeps Over,” “Beware the Jabberwock” and “William’s Doll.”

“Hooked On Books,” weekdays noon-1 p.m. through July 31, KCET. For ages 5 to 14.

MORE KIDS’ SHOW

The Greatest Little Show on Earth: The Fruitfly Circus (today 2:30-3 p.m. Nickelodeon) looks at Australia’s unique Fruitfly Circus, which consists entirely of kids. For all ages.

In Jiminy Cricket: Storyteller (tonight 7-8:30 Disney Channel), the beloved “Pinocchio” character hosts a look at international fables, fairy tales and legends. Animated clips include: “The Tortoise and the Hare,” “The Grasshopper and the Ants,” “Old King Cole,” “The Pied Piper,” “Little Hiawatha” and “The Moth and the Flame.” For 5- to 12-year-olds.

Ace reporter Tintin and his faithful dog Snowy return this month with four new episodes of The Adventures of Tintin (Monday 7:30-8 p.m. HBO), based on the graphic novels of Herg.

For 6- to 12-year-olds.

In Teens Talk Aids (Monday 9:30-10 p.m. KCET), a group of adolescents talk about the facts and their fears of AIDS. For ages 11 and up.

Barry Bostwick plays the first president of the United States in a repeat of the 1984 miniseries George Washington (Tuesday-Friday 9 p.m. Disney Channel). The four-part drama, based on the award-winning biography by James Thomas Flexner, focuses on Washington the man, not the myth or legend. Patty Duke, Jaclyn Smith, David Dukes and Lloyd Bridges also star. For ages 10 and up and parents.

Sir Alfred Goes to the Zoo (Wednesday 2:35-3 p.m. Disney Channel) finds the lordly tortoise emerging from his winter sleep and journeying to the zoo, where he encounters lion cubs, giant elephants, bears, chimps and another tortoise. For 3- to 6-year-olds.

Long before Ronald Reagan became commander and chief, he starred in numerous movies, including the 1951 camp classic Bedtime for Bonzo (Friday 7-9 p.m. Family Channel). Reagan plays a college professor whose criminal father died in prison. In order to prove that environment determines a child’s future, he adopts a chimp. Diana Lynn co-stars. For all ages.

Sea World Summer Adventure Preview (Saturday 11 a.m.-noon Family Channel) offers an informative look at the Sea World amusement parks in San Diego, San Antonio, Orlando and Cleveland. Susan Ruttan of “L.A. Law” and comic Fred Willard host. For ages 4 and up.

In the 1939 action-adventure Susannah of the Mounties (Saturday 2-3:30 p.m. Disney Channel), plucky mop-top Shirley Temple plays the only survivor of an Indian battle in the Canadian West who is adopted by a handsome young Mountie (Randolph Scott). For 6-10-year-olds.

Eustace and his friend Jill escape class bullies and stumble into the magical land of Narnia in the fanciful three-part miniseries The Chronicles of Narnia III: The Silver Chair (Saturday 6-7 p.m. Disney Channel), based on C.S. Lewis’ classic children’s novel. David Thwaites, Camilla Power, Tom Baker (“Dr. Who”) and Warwick Davis (“Willow”) star. The series continues Saturdays through July 18. For 7- to 12-year-olds.