Sunscreen...Shade...Books!

How to help kids discover the joy of summer reading.

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Noah, a third grader, has made enormous progress in reading this year. In September, he was barely at a first-grade level—and not afraid to declare that “books are stupid” to anyone who would listen. But by winter break, something had clicked. His teacher read Chasing Vermeer aloud to the class, and Noah actually listened, asking for another chapter the same way he used to ask for extra recess. He began to approach his reading group assignments with new enthusiasm. Now Noah is reading mysteries on his own—he especially loves the Encyclopedia Brown series.

But Noah’s teacher is worried. From offhand comments he has made, she knows that he doesn’t have a lot of books at home. Noah’s mom skipped both of her parent conferences, and it seems likely Noah is going to spend the summer in front of the television with his sixth-grade sister as a babysitter. It would be such a shame for this child to backtrack, but Noah’s teacher can’t be there over the summer to ask him every morning how reading is going, or to hand him the next Encyclopedia Brown.

In fact, based on the latest research, Noah is likely to lose even more ground than his better-off peers who are enrolled in day camps, taking interesting vacations, and exploring their community with their families. Karl Alexander, a sociology professor at Johns Hopkins University, has found that up to two thirds of the ninth-grade achievement gap can be explained by what happens in elementary school during the summer months. While middle- and upper-class kids often increase their skills over the summer, disadvantaged kids fall back by several months—and the consequences of those losses are felt until graduation and beyond.

So what can Noah’s teacher do to help? And what steps can you take to ensure your students avoid the “summer slide”? Here’s what Alexander and his colleagues at the Johns Hopkins’ National Center for Summer Learning, as well as veteran teachers and other literacy experts we talked to, recommend.

1. Challenge kids to read four books or more.

Harvard University assistant education professor James Kim has found that students who read four or more at-level books over the summer do better than those who didn’t when they return to school in the fall. Encourage kids to sign up for Scholastic’s Summer Reading Challenge, an exciting online program that supports kids in reaching this goal. (See “Take the Summer Challenge.")

Before kids leave for break, help them identify lots of possible choices. As a starting place, check out our picks beginning on page 48. You can include recommendations in a traditional list, or think outside the box—some teachers send personalized reading recommendations via postcard, or drop an e-mail saying, “I saw this and thought of you.” Kids may be more likely to take you up on a recommendation if they know it is just for them.

2. Don’t stop at a reading list.

It’s not enough to give kids a list of recommended summer reading—or even to put those books in their hands. We have to give them the same kinds of rich reading experiences that happen during the school year. That means students need to read on-level material and have meaningful conversations about it. Provide families with a list of discussion prompts, as well as hints for knowing what books are right for their child. You can direct parents to www.scholastic.com/summer, or send home tip sheets from the site. You might even host an evening session for parents, modeling appropriate discussion. If possible, check in with each of your students once during the summer. “Hey, Eva. It’s Ms. Hernandez. I know you were going to read the last Harry Potter book over the summer—how’s that going?”

3. Lose the swimming-hole mentality.

While there’s no question children need time for play, summer can’t be a three-month vacation from mental effort. “We need to dispense with romanticized notions associated with summer break, look at what’s really going on, and consider the consequences,” says Harris Cooper, a reading researcher at Duke University. “Lots of kids get bored over the summer. Poor children spend lots of time unsupervised and with limited resources for any constructive activity.... People have a vision of what summer break ought to be that may not coincide with reality for most kids.” Talk with parents about what they have planned for their children, and encourage families to sign kids up for available summer programs in your community.

4. Provide access to books.

Unfortunately, the students at the greatest risk of losing their skills over the summer are also the least likely to have a shelf full of page-turners waiting for them at home. Some school libraries remain open over the summer, often operating on shorter hours or just one or two days a week. If that isn’t an option at your school, get to know the staff at your local public library. They probably have a summer reading program in place and may be willing to visit your classroom and introduce themselves to students. Make sure that kids know the library hours and schedule, as well as whether or not they can expect a visit from a Bookmobile or library-on-wheels.

If you feel comfortable with it, you might also lend out the books in your classroom library for the summer. Include a funny note in personal books you loan to remind kids to return the books to you in the fall, such as “The bearer of this book will have to repeat third grade unless returned to Mrs. G.”

5. Go beyond the Newbery.

Summer reading lists have traditionally been filled with books featuring lots of shiny stickers on their covers. While some kids will no doubt respond to (and love) books like Kira Kira and Because of Winn Dixie, be sure to include a wide variety of options that will appeal to a range of readers. Nonfiction books and graphic novels often appeal to kids who aren’t as interested in the latest award-winning tearjerker, and books that have been turned into movies offer a great hook and opportunity for discussion.

You can also encourage families to read newspapers and magazines with their children, read and prepare recipes together, or go online to read about a favorite hobby or interest. Whether we point students in the direction of a fantasy tome or a website about drag racing, together we can make sure kids remain strong and able readers.

For the New Middle Schooler

Rissa Bartholomew’s Declaration of Independence
by Lynda B. Comerford.
An incoming sixth grader “declares independence” from her old friends one week before middle school—and now she has to make new ones.

Amelia’s Middle School Survival Guide
by Marissa Moss.
A tongue-in-cheek handbook based on beloved Amelia’s “most unforgettable embarrassing moments.”

The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Middle School
by David Borgenicht, Ben Winters, and Robin Epstein.
This funny guide preps kids on handling homework, cell phones, and getting the cold shoulder.

The Trouble With Mark Hopper
by Elissa Brent Weissman.
Hilarity ensues when two kids named Mark Hopper wind up in the same sixth-grade class.

For the Dog Lover

News for Dogs
by Lois Duncan.
The much-anticipated sequel to the classic Hotel for Dogs, which was recently made into a movie.

Always
by Alison McGhee.
The author of Someday and Little Boy takes on the subject of love and loyalty between owners and pets.

Itty Bitty
by Cece Bell.
A tiny dog makes himself a home out of a giant bone—and then fills it with itty-bitty accessories.

I Don’t Want a Posh Dog!
by Emma Dodd.
This laugh-out-loud picture book celebrates pups that don’t care for being carried in handbags.

Mike Stellar: Nerves of Steel
by K. A. Holt.
Eleven-year-old Mike Stellar is coping with moving to Mars in this funny futuristic tale.

Doc Wilde and the Frogs of Doom
by Tim Byrd.
A legendary explorer and his two kids take on otherworldly amphibians—and the world.

When The Whistle Blows
by Fran Cannon Slayton.
Set in the 1940s, this story about a boy who wants to work on the railroad feels like a classic.

The Outlandish Adventures of Liberty Aimes
by Kelly Easton.
When Liberty sneaks a potion from her father’s laboratory, she leaves her past behind for good.

For the Wannabe Princess

Princess Pig
by Eileen Spinelli.
A pretentious pig has to choose between bubble baths and rolls in the mud in this funny tale.

Fortune’s Folly
by Deva Fagan.
Fortunata makes a good living telling fake fortunes—until she has to make her prediction for a prince come true.

The Little Secret
by Kate Saunders.
Jane must decide whether she will enter the magical world of her friend Staffa forever.

The Princess Plot
by Kirsten Boie.
Jenna thinks she’s starring in a princess movie—but is actually being used in a political plot.

For the Monster Buff

There Was an Old Monster!
by Rebecca, Adrian, and Ed Emberley.
A delightfully terrorizing riff on “There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.”

Monster Baby
by Dian Curtis Regan.
A friendly couple adopts a baby monster found on their porch.

How to Potty Train Your Monster
by Kelly DiPucchio.
Get a kick out of this toilet-humor-infused picture book.

Killer Pizza
by Greg Taylor.
A young adult novel about a monster-hunting operation masquerading as a pizza parlor.

For the Graphic Novel Guru

Dragonbreath
by Ursula Vernon.
A hilarious look at a dragon forced to attend a school for amphibians and reptiles.

The Brotherhood of the Traveling Underpants
by Greg Trine.
The latest chapter in the Melvin Beederman: Superhero series.

Max Disaster
by Marissa Moss.
A new series from the author of the popular Amelia books.

Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom
by Eric Wight.
An established graphic novelist delivers a series for middle-grade readers.

For those Who Like a Good Cry

Love, Aubrey
by Suzanne LaFleur.
A heartbreaking but powerful story about a girl abandoned by her mother after her father and little sister die in an accident.

Umbrella Summer
by Lisa Graff.
Annie is extremely anxious after the death of her brother Jared, but help comes in many forms.

If I Stay
by Gayle Forman.
A 17-year-old in a coma after an accident that kills her family must decide whether to live or die.

Intensely Alice
by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor.
The latest in Naylor’s popular young-adult Alice series.

Hannah Trierweiler is the assistant editor of Instructor.

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LESSON PLAN

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