Ten Reason Your Kids Should Participate in a Summer Reading Program

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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
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Giving Thanks: BOOK STYLE!

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by Laura Sassi


Every year at Thanksgiving, when all the relatives are gathered around the table ready to eat, my husband pulls out one of his favorite books.  Printed in 1858 in New York, it’s a worn, but still beautiful, old, leather bound copy of The Book of Psalms. As a US historian with a focus on religion in America, it’s no surprise he treasures it.  He purchased it many years ago in the little “attic sale” corner of my grandmother’s retirement community.  Not only is it a beautiful artifact from the past that reminds us of my grandmother, it also contains familiar and wonderful words that are loved by our family.


That book - and my husband’s joy in sharing it with us each year - reminds me of the richness books add to our lives - shaping us as we grow, helping us through tough times, sparking special memories, offering joy and laughter and more.  With that in mind, maybe it’s time this weekend to give a little thanks - book style!


We’ll be doing this as family - and all ages can participate. And here are three examples that stand out in our family: 


We are thankful for the way E.B White’s Charlotte’s Web helped my then eight year old daughter process her sadness at her grandmother’s passing.


We are thankful for the way Amy Krause Rosenthal’s  COOKIES: Bite-Sized Lessons led to such great conversations about living kindly and to lots of cookie baking!


My son remembers fondly the joy of reading every single Hardy Boys book - several times!  He loved them so much, that just like his daddy, he sometimes perused old book shops with him seeking old treasures like this 1942 edition of The Clue of the Broken Blade.

 

Want to “Give Thanks, BOOK STYLE!” with your family? Here’s how it works:


Gather:  Ahead of time, let your family and friend know that as part of the Thanksgiving festivities, you will be sharing a book that you’ve been thankful for. If possible, they should bring it.

 

Share: At a designated time, perhaps after the main course and before you serve up the pumpkin pie, let each person who would like share their book.

 

If they need help structuring their thoughts, it might go something like this:

This is name of book and I am thankful for it because ______________.  (Possible reasons could include:  it made me laugh, it reminded me of _________, it taught me that __________, it helped me when I was feeling _________ etc. )


Then, if you want, each person can share a favorite page or passage from the book.


Celebrate: When everyone is done, celebrate the blessings of books with dessert! 


Happy Thanksgiving!


Comments

Mindy Baker said…
Awesome tradition! I would love to incorporate this into our family’s celebration. The choices you shared are so personal and rich!
November 24, 2021 at 6:33 AM
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