For some, the countdown is over, and for others it is nearing the end. It’s time for summer reading! A wonderful source for reading ideas is your local library. I can’t imagine a public library without a summer reading program, so check out the one nearest you. Your library website may have suggestions for books that will appeal to the children in your life. (Whenever I am on my library’s site, I come across so many great choices, I seem to lose track of time.) Below are some other places to find ideas for summer reads. And while you’re at the library, don’t forget to pick up something for yourself.
A Few Book Lists
- A committee of the Association for Library Service to Children has identified a list of notable Children’s Books for 2018. The list reflects books appropriate for children through age 14.
- Here is a list of 22 baseball books that may be home runs for summer reading.
- Goodreads has lists of children’s books organized by category. Anyone can read the lists and reviews by the Goodreads community. Readers 13 and older can join for free and start tracking books read.
- The Center for Children’s Books at the University of Illinois offers annotated bibliographies on a variety of topics from Aliens to Women in Action.
Try a Book Swap
Former colleagues and third-grade teachers at Northfield Elementary School in Northfield, Ohio, hold a lunchtime book swap with their students every month. It’s easy to organize. Students bring in a book they have already read and would like to swap. Collect books in the morning, giving you time to organize into categories. Teachers can add a few books to the collection for good measure. Anyone who brings a book gets to come to the swap and select a gently used book to read. Students can add Post-it notes with book reviews to their books as a helpful selling point! If your book swap is a success, consider running one every month throughout the year.
Free Books
Barnes and Noble bookstores offer a program in which students earn a free book after reading eight books and keeping track in a reading journal. Get more information here.
And Don’t Forget Summer Solutions!
- Summer Solutions workbooks are available in six subject areas for children pre-K through grade 8. They can be shipped directly to your home all summer long and are an effective way to prevent summer slide.
