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Summer Reading

The research is clear that children who don't read during the summer can lose up to three months of reading progress and that loss has a cumulative, long-term effect. The following resources and articles provide information about summer reading and summer learning loss. Plus you'll discover great activities to encourage kids to learn, read, and have fun in the summer sun. See also Topics A-Z: Summer Reading.

Take the Start with a Book blog tour! May 13–19

Six amazing children's librarians who blog will be taking readers on their tour of our Start with a Book (SWAB) resources. Readers have a chance to win a bundle of themed picture books! Join the road trip:

May 13: The Show Me Librarian (Amy Koester, Children's Librarian, Wentzville, MO) Topic: Introduction to SWAB resources and our bloggers for tour.
May 14: Tiny Tips for Library Fun (Marge Loch-Wouters, Children's Librarian, La Crosse, WI) Topic: How the 24 SWAB themes can be used to build library booklists and aid in developing collections.
May 15: GreenBeanTeenQueen (Sarah Bean Thompson, Youth Services Librarian, Springfield, MO) Topic: Digging into the theme library and encouraging storytime at home.
May 16: Abby the Librarian (Abby Johnson, Children's Librarian, New Albany, IN) Topic: Using SWAB resources to help get children ready to read.
May 17: Read Sing Play (Kendra Jones, Children's Librarian, Vancouver, WA) Topic: Connecting with under-served populations through tip sheets in other languages, text messages and video.
May 18: Reading with Red (Brooke Rasche, Children's Librarian, Carrollton, VA) Topic: Incorporating early literacy resources from SWAB into storytimes.
May 19: The Show Me Librarian (Amy Koester, Children's Librarian, Wentzville, MO) Topic: Take-home storytime kits on SWAB themes.

Featured resources

Start with a Book

2013 Summer Booklist

Adventures in Summer Learning

Find more summer reading resources:

Parent tips

Finding a Great Summer Program: A Checklist for Parents
Early and sustained summer learning opportunities lead to higher graduation rates, better preparation for college, and positive effects on children's self-esteem, confidence, and motivation. High-quality summer programs keep students engaged in learning, teach them new skills, allow them to develop previously unseen talents, and foster creativity and innovation.
Strategies for Summer Reading for Children with Dyslexia
Here are a dozen simple strategies to help your children keep the academic skills they learned during the school year. Support them as they read. Give them material that is motivating — and some of it should be easy. Help them enjoy books and feel pleasure — not pressure — from reading. The summer should be a relaxed time where their love of learning can flower.
Day Trips for Book Lovers
Not everyone lives near Chincoteague lsland off the Maryland and Virginia coastline (Misty of Chincoteague) or has a chance to visit the Laura Ingalls Wilder house museum in the Ozarks (Little House on the Prairie). But books can inspire some exciting day trips.

For teachers and librarians

Get Ready for Summer! Ideas for Teachers to Share with Families
Reading Rockets has packed a "virtual beach bag" of activities for teachers to help families get ready for summer and to launch students to fun, enriching summertime experiences. Educators will find materials to download and distribute as well as ideas and resources to offer to students and parents to help ensure summer learning gain rather than loss.
Summer Reading Loss
Do you spend most of the fall reviewing what was taught last spring? Help prevent summer reading loss by finding out why it happens and encouraging family literacy while kids are at home for the summer.
Lost Summers: Few Books and Few Opportunities to Read
Many kids lose ground during the summer months, especially those from low income families. Part of the problem is that many students don't have easy access to books. This article presents some suggestions for what schools can do.
Making a Splash With Summer Reading
If you're a children's librarian who wants to promote an upcoming summer reading program at your public library, start by targeting the local schools. After all, that's where the children are.