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

Acrostics and Diamantes from our readers

It has been fun to see the poems that some of our readers and their children have been writing over the past two weeks as part of the Parent and Child Poetry Challenge! Here are some of the poems they have shared with us, and a few of our own. First up, acrostics!

By Nic and Harry (and Mom)

This one is by Rebecca and her daughters, inspired by a scene in THE TWO TOWERS by J. R. R. Tolkien:

OLIPHAUNT

by Julia McMullen, Samantha Coté, and Rebecca J. Gomez

Oh, how I've longed to gaze upon these grey-skinned
Legendary beasts, earth-shattering steps
In time with the ominous drum. I crouch to steal a glimpse, they
Plod along, and, but for our quest, this scene would hold me
Here. But Frodo urgest me
Away from this view, from the stew left
Uneaten in the pot.
No one back home will believe this
Treasured tale from a hobbit's adventure.

 

Two acrostics by Elizabeth E.:


Sweet relief from

Life's

Ever going

Existence and

People



Some time after winter

People smiling with glee

Rays reach from the sun

It warms up the tree

Nature leaps from the soil

Green covers all we see



We have a few diamantes to share too!



By Nic and Harry (and Mom)


by Jude

By Joseph


By Marci Whitehurst


Thank you to everyone who shared poems with us. Don't forget to write shape poems this week! We hope to have several more reader poems to share at the end of the month! 

Comments