There is GREAT Value in Reading 5 or More Books During the Summer!
Numerous studies have shown that reading over the summer prevents “summer reading loss.” Did you know that summer reading loss is cumulative? Children don’t “catch up” in fall because the other children are moving ahead with their skills. By the end of 6th grade, children who lose reading skills over the summer are two years behind their classmates. Yikes! That’s pretty significant!
Reading 5 books over the summer can have a huge impact on not only retaining but also enhancing your child’s reading skills. According to Harvard professor Jimmy Kim, “…. summer book reading was positively related to fall reading achievement….”
Parents, make reading a part of your summer adventures too! Families have a major role to play in motivating children to read during the summer months. Read aloud with your child. Ask questions. Visit the library. Enthusiastically engage your child in conversations and increase their comprehension. Evidence tells us that a parent’s beliefs and attitudes about reading and the opportunities provided their children to engage in books greatly influences their child’s beliefs and attitudes.
Everyone knows that reading comprehension is crucial in every child’s education. Free, voluntary reading is essential to helping students become better readers, writers, and spellers.
12th Grade: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
Honors: the above and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.J.R. Tolkien
*11th Grade: Hondo by Louis L’amour
Honors: the above and The End of the Spear by Steve Saint
10th Grade: Night by Elie Wiesel (alternative available)
Honors: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (alternative available)
9th Grade: The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
Honors: the above and The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
8th Grade: Restart by Gordon Korman
7th Grade: Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
6th Grade: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
5th Grade: Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell AND at least 4 additional books of choice. If kids see the adults around them reading often, they will understand that literature can be a fun and important part of their summer days. Recommended books for fifth graders include Frindle, The Great Brain, A Wrinkle in Time, Midnight for Charlie Bone, Milkweed, Out of the Dust, Shiloh, Don Quixote, Sherlock Holmes, Gulliver’s Travels, Sing Down the Moon, or Old Yeller.
4th Grade: The Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing by Judy Blume AND at least 4 additional books of choice. Books that teach kids how to make or do something are a great way to get them reading and keep them occupied. Don’t forget to take your kids’ favorite reading series along on long road trips. Other books to consider: Animal Ark series, Pippi Longstocking, American Girl books, Socks, Lawn Boy, Summer of the Swans, Runaway Ralph, Ribsy, Courage of Sarah Noble, Sign of the Beaver, Aesop’s Fables, Stuart Little, The Cricket in Times Square, Shiloh, Nancy Drew series, Hardy Boy series, and The Mouse and the Motorcycle.
3rd Grade: My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett AND at least 4 additional books of choice. Summer provides lots of time when children can read what, when, and how they please. Don’t set daily minute requirements or determine the number of pages they should read. Instead, make sure they pick up books for fun and help find ways for them to choose to read on their own. You may even want to make bedtime a little bit later if you find that your child can’t put down a book. Your incoming third grader may enjoy these series: Magic School Bus, Nancy Drew, Adventures of Bailey School Kids, Miss Nelson, Young Cam Jansen, Cam Jansen, Black Lagoon, Lighthouse, Soccer Cats, Encyclopedia Brown, or Jigsaw Jones Mystery.
2nd Grade: Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown. Find time to read every day. Storybooks aren’t the only thing that kids can read for fun. Be sure to have newspapers, magazines, and informational material on hand that might spark the interest of a young reader. The Magic Treehouse, Harry the Dirty Dog, Young Cam Jansen, Pinky and Rex, Amelia Bedelia, Horrible Harry, Cul de sac Kids, The Littles, Little Ark, Scooby Doo series
1st Grade: When planning summer activities, remember to leave some time in your child’s schedule for daily reading. Some convenient times may be before bedtime or before breakfast. Popular books for students entering first grade include the Nate the Great, Frog and Toad, Little Bear, and Froggy series. Also consider authors Eric Carle. PE Eastman. Mercer Mayer, Theo Lesieg, Marc Brown and Arnold Lobel. Step Into Reading (Levels K or 1), Hello Reader (Level 2) and the I Can Read series (Level 1 and 2) are good choices too.
Kindergarten: A daily story time would greatly benefit your child. Parents play a critical role in helping their children develop not only the ability to read, but also an enjoyment of reading. Raise an enthusiastic reader by making story time a regular part of your daily routine. Read a favorite ABC book of choice at least 3-4 times a week, reviewing the sounds of the letters as you read. Popular books include
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Corduroy, Goodnight, Moon, The Gingerbread Man, The Three Bears, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Bread and Jam for Frances, Ira Sleeps Over, Swimmy, The Velveteen Rabbit, Hop on Pop, and Go Dog Go.