Today, Education World surveys some of the best children's summer reading lists on the Web. Here, you'll find
an overview of great lists that you or your school's staff might use to create your own summer reading program.
Included: Tips for parents plus ideas for publishing students' book reviews.
Every educator knows it. So do most parents. Summer reading is essential for kids!
Reading experts note that most young readers suffer a backslide in reading skills during summer downtime. But
that needn't be the case. Families can make reading a priority during the summer months, and children will learn
that people never take a vacation from learning.
SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES OFFER SUMMER READING LISTS
Ed World's Lists
Don't miss Education World's Summer Reading page. Here, you will find
a list of books for each grade K through 8 -- books recommended by our readers -- with a brief synopsis
of each book.
Many local libraries have active summertime programs that encourage and reward children for summer reading. And
many schools provide summer reading assignments or summer reading lists.
The Web abounds with summer reading lists offering bundles of reading suggestions. Following are more than a
dozen of those lists. The selection here offers excellent resources for students who are searching for something
good to read, parents who are looking to help kids locate great books, or teachers who might be compiling reading
lists for kids to take home this summer or anytime.
A LIST OF GREAT LISTS!
Summer Reading List 2007
These lists of titles have been compiled by librarians at member schools of the Houston Area Independent Schools
Library Network (HAISLN). The lists include both fiction and nonfiction books by some of the best authors for
children and young adults. Lists presented for PreK-12.
Summer
Reading Lists
Charlottesville (Virginia) Catholic School presents these lists or required and suggested reading. Separate
lists for each grade K to 8.
Summer Reading for Kids
These books have been selected by Vermont public school librarians and are recommended for summer reading for
children and young adults. Published on the Vermont Education Association's Web page, Summer Reading offers
separate lists for students in grades K through 4, 5 through 8, and 9 through 12.
Summer Reading Lists
These lists, from the Mountain Brook City Schools in Birmingham, Alabama, recommend books for students in grades
1 through 3, 4, 5, 6, junior high school (grades 7 through 9), and high school.
Summer Reading Lists
Middlesex Middle School in Darien, Connecticut, provides reading lists for social studies and science, as well
as English.
Summer Fun Reading List
These lists include books for students in K through 5. Book lists are divided by grade levels of students entering
grades K and 1, 2 and 3, and 4 and 5, as well as into such categories as poetry, picture books, and classic
fiction to read aloud to the whole family.
Elementary Summer Reading
List
This list from the Wayland (Massachusetts) Public Schools includes fiction titles for beginning readers, students
in grades 2 and 3, and students in grades 4 and 5, as well as lists of books of poetry, books of fairy tales,
biographies, books for families to read aloud, and more.
Summer Reading Lists
This resource from Fairfax County (Virginia) Public Schools includes four separate lists -- for students going
into grades 6, 7 and 8, 9 and 10, and 11 and 12.
Boston Public Schools Summer Reading
Lists
Four lengthy book lists -- for students in grades K through 3, 4 and 5, 6 through 8, and 9 through 12 -- offer
titles sorted by genre. These lists, created in association with the Boston Public Library, include titles in
Spanish for students in grade K through 8.
ADDITIONAL SUMMER READING RESOURCES
Summer Reading Tips
for Parents
According to the LD Online Web site, "Studies show that most students experience a loss of reading skills over
the summer months, but children who continue to read actually gain skills." This site offers tips that encourage
parents to help children sustain reading skills during the summer. Although directed to parents of children
with learning disabilities, any teacher might include these tips in an end-of-year newsletter as a reminder
to parents.
Choices Booklist
Each year the International Reading Association (IRA) invites 10,000 schoolchildren to read and vote for the
best newly published books. This site provides the children's list as well as a list of teachers' picks for
the best books.
Publish Your Book Reviews
Have children publish their book reviews on Web sites that offer readers the opportunity to share their opinions
about books. This issue of Barbara Feldman's Surfing the Net with Kids newsletter offers links to a handful
of such opportunities!
