Summer Reading Programs

PARENTS:
There are so many ideas for summer reading.  I mentioned the Fort Worth Public Library program in a recent post.  There are also reading programs offered at Barnes and Noble.  I was in the store yesterday and picked up one of the brochures.  Read any eight books and you can choose a free book from a list of titles.  Parents may enter a chance for a free Nook also.

On this page there is an interview with the author of Judy Moody books, Megan McDonald.  She talks about her inspiration for writing the Judy Moody series and the newest title for summer reading: Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer.

While searching for some ideas for encouraging summer reading, I came across an article highlighted by B&N by the author Jenn Berman.  Here are some of the important facts she discusses:  "It is up to you to create an enthusiastic reader, and summer is the perfect time to do that. It is a great time to start new traditions, rituals, and activities that make your family more print-friendly. Studies show that children who come from what researchers call a "print-rich environment" consistently score better in writing, reading, and math skills than children who come from a "print-poor environment." Print, in this case, relates to a wide variety of materials including books, magazines, newspapers, and even comic books. When researchers examined 21 kindergarten classes to see who displayed high interest in reading and who showed low interest, it became clear that the home environment and parents' reading habits were crucial factors.

Typically, kids who don't read during the summer lose academic skills over the break time. This is known in academic circles as "summer learning loss," and studies show that kids often lose two to three months of reading progress over the break. For older children and the economically disadvantaged the gap is even bigger. According to researchers Donald Hayes and Judith Grether, "The differential progress made during the four summers between 2nd and 6th grade accounts for upwards of 80 percent of the achievement difference."

With those statistics in mind consider Dr. Berman's ideas on developing a passion for reading in your child. 

My little granddaughters are coming to stay with me for a few days while their parents take a trip.  I plan to practice some of these ideas while they stay with me.  I have already planned some of our reading!  We like to read aloud because I know the value of reading aloud to my children and now my grandchildren.  (See the post about Read Alouds.)

Email me some of your ideas about developing the love of reading in your child and I will post them on our website. 

We had a winner for the gift certificate!  Keep watching for another contest!

Keep reading,
Mrs. Nader

Summer Reading Is a MUST!

Well, the library is actually closed down for the summer.  Rarely are the doors closed and locked!  A teacher commented that she had never seen the library so bare - no students, no teachers, no volunteers!  In the meantime, I look forward to sharing ideas with you about summer reading.  I have created a "page" within this blog to help you with reading ideas.  Click on the "Summer Reading" page at the top of the blog and you will find informtaion about AR books for the summer, links to websites that have many reading lists, and some activities related to summer reading.

Students, please ask your parents for permission to view this website and ask their permission to send me an email regarding your summer reading.  The first student/parent to email me the title of the book you are reading (tangalibrarian@gmail.com) will win a gift certificate to Barnes and Noble to pick out a new summer book!  I will send it to you in the "snail mail"!

I am reading a book that I plan to add to the Tales 4 Tigers reading list in the fall: The Trouble with Chickens: a JJ Tully Mystery by Doreen Cronin.  It is really funny!  Ms. Cronin also wrote The Diary of a Fly, Diary of a Spider, Diary of a Worm books.  Click here for more information about her and a list of all her great books. 

Check back often.  I will post more book ideas and more prizes! 

Keep reading,
Mrs. Nader