Ten Reason Your Kids Should Participate in a Summer Reading Program

by Rebecca J. Gomez When my kids were young, summer reading programs were a sure thing. For the most part, my children were avid readers, especially my girls. A summer reading program wasn't necessary to encourage them to read, but we participated because it was a fun addition to summer. And the free pizza, books, and water park tickets definitely didn't hurt! There are lots of reasons to participate in a summer reading program or challenge, and here are ten of them: 1. Many summer reading programs offer prizes. And while we all know that reading is its own reward, some kids haven't figured that out yet. For those kids, a prize is just the incentive they need to stick their noses in a book now and then over the summer. 2. It's a fun way to reward those kids who will be reading no matter what! 3. For some families, trips to the library may help break up summer monotony.  4. Summer reading programs promote reading together as a family, especially for those with very young

Summer Challenge Week TEN: Make Waves with Ocean Books!

 


Welcome to week TEN of the Read, Discuss, Do! Summer Challenge. Summer is nearing an end, but there is still time to make waves! This week's theme is the ocean, and we encourage you to find some books that feature the ocean in some way, talk about the books you read, and have some ocean-themed fun! You could visit the actual ocean, create an ocean-themed craft or art project, take an imaginary ocean journey, or even do a project inspired by one (or more) of the books you read. Whatever you do, have fun making some waves!

Suggested titles: 

When a Dragon Moves In by Jodi Moore, illustrated by Howard McWilliam. This delightful book is all about the wonders of a child's imagination. And it might make you want to build "the perfect sand castle" yourself, just to see if a dragon will move in!

Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall is a beautiful historical fiction book about what life was like for a lighthouse keeper long ago. See this post for a story time idea to accompany this book. 

The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles by Michelle Cuevas, illustrated by Erin E. Stead. This book is as charming as its title suggests, an imaginative tale with themes of loneliness and friendship. 

If you have any favorite ocean-themed books, we'd love to hear about them!

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