Dear Families, 

There are 3 types of articles included on this page to help families support the books being read, offer rationale for why it is so important to continue reading over the summer, and research supporting the benefits of allowing students a choice in what they read.  

Some of the books on the list present a perspective and experience that may greatly differ from your student’s, and questions and moments for discussion may arise. Talking to your child about about race and inequity can be a difficult topic to broach, but it doesn't have to be, and it is an important one.  Below are links to articles that may help your family with this topic.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/family/in-the-news/talking-about-race/

https://www.swampscottps.org/criticalissues/

Additionally, according to research* students who do not read over the summer can lose as much as 22% of their reading level. That means 2 months of school, down the drain! You can help prevent this summer reading loss by encouraging your child to read over the summer. Try to read something everyday, for 20 minutes, whether it’s a book, magazine, recipe, or a menu. Every word counts!

*Research from Reading is Fundamental (www.rif.org)

And lastly, there is a lot of research that shows when students are given a choice in what they read, the reading is more authentic, and it creates a more willing reader. Below are some articles that support reading choice. 

https://www.scholastic.com/readingreport/summer.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/05/27/why-we-should-let-kids-choose-their-own-summer-reading-books/

https://www.edutopia.org/video/motivating-students-book-choice

https://www.readingrockets.org/article/reading-motivation-what-research-says

https://ncte.org/blog/2019/05/reading-because-they-love-it/

☀️Wishing you a happy, healthy, and safe summer!

Keep reading!

Another great activity is the 1,500 Minutes Goal

Check out this great downloadable worksheet for your child: 1500MinutesGoal.pdf