Summer Reading Programs

Sometimes it takes a little incentive to get kids reading over the summer. The link below will explain different programs where kids can earn free prizes like books, pizza, and movies for the books they read this summer.  Don't forget to check out the activities at your local library.  Happy Reading!

Summer Reading Programs 

Preventing the Summer Slide

As your thoughts begin to turn to the end of the school year and vacation plans, I want to share some ideas of how to prevent what is known as "the summer slide".  Research shows that children who read over the summer continue to build their reading skills while children who take a break from reading can lose two months of reading performance.  The links below will give you ideas to help your children keep reading and keep building their brain power!

Summer ideas
Preventing the Summer Slide
  

March Madness and The Newbery Award

The Newbery Medal is awarded to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. This year the award went to Kwame Alexander for The Crossover.  While Kwame Alexander uses basketball as a hook to interest readers, The Crossover is about so much more.  It’s about family, brothers, identity, the consequences of our actions, and family illness. But one of my favorite things about this book is that it is told in verse! Once you have finished watching The Final Four, grab The Crossover (and a box of
tissues) and enjoy the 2015 Newbery Award Winner. Recommended for grade 5 and above.


Here is an interview with Kwame Alexander as he talks about The Crossover and writing:

Poet’s novel turns young sports lovers into book lovers

Reading 20 Minutes a Day

One of my favorite routines with my six-year old son is snuggling up on the couch and sharing a great book. With the many demands put on families, I know how hard it can be to find the time to read together or for your child to read independently, but the rewards are numerous.

Besides the joy of getting lost in a great story, the amount of reading a student does is a major factor in vocabulary growth.  The more the student sees a new word in connected text, the deeper the understanding becomes of a word. The graphic below shows the vast difference in the number of words a child will encounter throughout a school year based on the number of minutes he reads. It is a great graphic to share with your child to reinforce the importance and the reasons for nightly reading.  Happy Reading!

Warm up with a good book

It’s easy to go a bit stir crazy during these cold winter months.  If you are looking for an entertaining read aloud the whole family can enjoy, then find a copy of Neil Gaiman’s Fortunatley, the Milk. 

It is the imaginative tale of a dad left in charge of his two children while Mom is away on a business trip.  He sets out to purchase milk for the morning breakfast and returns with a wild story about his adventures while he was gone.  You will find aliens, pirates, vampires, a time traveling dinosaur and some wonderful illustrations. The story is a quick, enjoyable read.  Enjoy!

Amazon link

Book Suggestions

“What book suggestions do you have for a boy who doesn’t like to read?"  This is one question parents often ask.  Motivating an unmotivated reader is a challenge.  Fortunately, there is the website Guys Read to assist you in your task.  Created by author Jon Scieszka, Guys Read’s mission “is to motivate boys to read by connecting them with materials they will want to read in ways they like to read.” You will find book suggestions organized by: interesting topics, popular authors’ favorite books, books of the month, and information on boys and reading.  I hope this site helps you to find a book that sparks a love of reading. 

Remember, “Everyone’s a reader…some just haven’t found their favorite book yet.” ~ Anonymous