WHS Summer Reading 2025

 Information for Parents

We were so excited to invite students to participate in this optional program, and while we know some students may not choose to read this summer, we are hoping that many, many will! 

We KNOW that reading over the summer is really beneficial to students because it helps to avoid the summer slide. What is the summer slide, you ask? The summer reading slide happens when children go most of the summer without opening a book. They forgo reading and instead treat the time off like one big vacation where learning of any sort is prohibited. The problem with this is when school starts back up, they have lost anywhere from two months to half a school year’s worth of knowledge.

Reading during the summer does not need to be laborious. It can be FUN, ENGAGING, and yet still HELPFUL to students! Our summer reading program is designed to be just that! 

All students are invited to join us in our “Summer of Fantasy!” To participate, they may read ANY fantasy novel of their choice. We handed out many free books during the last week of school, but if your student didn’t get one, they can still participate! They may read a fantasy book they already own, they may check out a book from the library, they may even listen to an audio book! We have sponsored 4 mystery books (see flier above), and students may choose to read one of those or another fantasy book of their choosing. (Each book is linked to amazon if you would like to order a copy to own. Local libraries are also a great place to start.) 

If your students speaks a different language at home and can read in that language, it is also perfectly fine if the students wants to read a book in their home language! Research shows that strengthening literacy skills in your first language also will positively impact literacy skills in your second language! 

PLEASE help us get students reading this summer by encouraging your student to pick up a book and read! If you would like to further support your student as they read over the summer, please read through the talking points outlined below. 

In the fall when we return to school, all students who participated in our summer reading program, whether they read one of our sponsored books or a different fantasy book of their choosing, will be invited to join us for a lunchtime book discussion (lunch provided!). This is a time where they can share about their books and learn about other interesting books they may want to choose as their next read! 

Thank you for your support! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Happy summer, and happy reading! 

Rebecca Kinnee

rebecca.kinnee@d214.org 

English and Fine Arts Division Head 

TALKING POINTS FOR PARENTS: 

Talking to your children about the books they read is one of the best ways to support your child’s literacy development. Your child needs to engage in critical thinking to discuss a book — a key skill for success in school as well as life. Here are some tips on how to start and sustain a book discussion with your child:

Before your child reads a book, ask:

• Why did you select this book?

• What makes you think this book is going to be interesting?

• What do you think the book is going to be about?

• Does this book remind you of anything else you’ve already read or seen?

• What kind of characters do you think will be in the book?

• What do you think is going to happen?

While your child is reading a book, try asking:

• Will you catch me up on the story? What’s happened so far?

• What do you think will happen next?

• If you were that character, what would you have done differently in that situation?

• If the book was a TV show, which actors would you cast in it?

• Where is the book set?

• If the main character in that story lived next door, would you be friends?

• What does the place look like in your head as you read? Would you want to visit there?

• Did you learn any new words or facts so far?

After your child has finished a book, ask questions like:

• What was your favorite part of the book? Why?

• Who was your favorite character? Why?

• What was the most interesting thing you learned from the book?

• Why do you think the author wrote this book?

• Would you have ended the book differently? Did it end the way you thought it would?

• Did the problem of the book’s plot get solved?

• If you could change one thing in the book, what would it be?