Summer Reading

Summer Reading Encourages the Book Habit

"In elementary, junior and senior high school I spent long hours on a wicker chaise in our screened porch, reading book after book. I was a serial reader. We lived a block from the library, so it was easy." - David Dye, host of World Café on National Public Radio

You, too, have happy memories of summer reading. Summer reading is as much a natural pastime as baseball. Children have more time in the summer for personal reading. In addition, many schools now provide reading lists. Though it does sound a lot like HOMEWORK, these lists include books they will enjoy and cherish.

If the school doesn't supply a list, sit down with your child and plan summer reading. The local library will have suggestions and may have a summer reading program with incentives for reading books.

Other good suggestions for reading can be found online at the American Library Association, at Education World, and at the award-winning Mrs. Mitchell's Virtual School.

Add your favorites and include a variety of reading materials. As you plan summer reading with your child, think of places for reading breaks. You might go to a bookstore café for breakfast and reading one day a week or opt for the mall, where there are cold drinks, air conditioning, and benches. Remember to take a pile of books and magazines on vacation.

Summer reading camps offer an opportunity to improve reading skills. Often they are geared to children who have not done well on assessment tests. Success rates vary, but summer reading camps have reportedly helped students in Florida.

Other camps are focused on enrichment and may include writing, social studies, music, and art as well as reading. For some students, a summer academic camp may be beneficial and enjoyable, but for others, it may feel like too much school. You will have to judge what is best for your child and his progress. A short camp period with a summer break before and after may work best.

You might consider developing a summer reading camp for your child and his friends. Parents, relatives, and neighbors can take turns giving lessons and conducting activities. Start by talking to teachers and by reading information from the America Reads Challenge on starting community reading programs.