Summer Reading Fun
Summer is a great time to rekindle a child’s love of reading at all ages, but especially in middle and high school when assigned reading is just too time-consuming to leave time for pleasure reading. Everyone’s approach to summer reading will need to be different. If your child already loves to read, then just go to the library and come home with a handful of awesome books. If you need advice on what to get, there is a list that follows this post. However, the local librarian is also a great help.
However, to kindle a love of reading in a reluctant reader, you will need to work a bit harder, and summer is a perfect time for some rewarding effort on your part. I am not an advocate for reading contests in general, but if you know this will motivate your child, go right ahead. You know best. Make a realistic goal based on your child’s ability to read, grab some books and start that contest. Be sure to be really encouraging after each finished book. If you want, you can offer a treat for every book completed or just one bigger one at the end. Let your child pick the prize, within reason of course!
Another way to really pump up the summer fun is reading aloud. We think reading aloud is only for the littlest of kids, but it isn’t. I loved reading aloud to my middle grade students, and they loved being brought back to their childhood. I read to both of my children ages 7 and 10 nightly. The trick to getting both to sit still? Pick a high interest book that will appeal across ages. One suggestion I have is The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill (2017 Newbury Winner). Hate reading aloud? Get a book on Audible, but be sure to listen as a whole family (we listen on Amazon’s echo or an iPad with speakers). Listening as a whole family is key to rejoicing in the love of words and the fun of a great story. If you can get into it, your kids will too.
If you have a high school student, you might already be facing down a long summer reading list. This always makes me sad because for me summer is the time to really kick back and get into a holiday book (one of those mindless reads that just rekindle that love of being lost in another person’s world). However, even with a daunting reading list, summer isn’t a total loss. When your teenager starts a book, ask if he or she would recommend it. If they do, read along with another copy and talk about it when you get a chance. Don’t push. Just be natural. Really talk from your heart. What is exciting to you? What makes you want to keep reading. You may be met with silence the first few times, but eventually your teen will soften up and join the conversation. Feel free to reach out to me if you have specific questions. If not, enjoy the list of book recommendations.
*Just keep in mind, every family is different. I recommend books with ages, but I am on the more lenient side with reading for my own children. We talk a great deal about what we read, and I have no problem answering difficult questions or reading a mildly bad word aloud. Read the publisher descriptions of books when deciding if one is right for your child.