Summer is quickly approaching and that means it’s time for summer reading! It’s important to keep kids reading throughout the summer to maintain the reading skills they learned all school year. But this can sometimes be a challenge, especially for those kids who would rather be moving around. For many kids, the secret to getting in those summer reading minutes is finding the perfect book to suit their interests. Here is a reading list for all ages to help them engage in and soak up all of the summer reading.
Babies/Toddlers, Ages 0-2
Board Books, touch and feel books, and books that implement animal sounds and noises are great choices. A few book options:
On the Farm by Jim Mc Donald
Can You Say It Too? Quack! Quick! by Sebastien Braun
Peep and Ducky by David Martin
Pre-Kindergarden, Ages 3-5
At this age, children are beginning to recognize letters, sounds, and sight words. “I Can Read/My First Books” are wonderful for building confidence with early readers. These are some great summer-themed books for this age group:
Beach by Elisha Cooper
Mouse’s First Summer by Lauren Thompson
Summer Days and Nights by Wong See
Growing Readers, Ages 6-8
Now for this age there is a five finger test when choosing a new book to read. Open the book to the middle and have your child start reading. Hold up one finger per word that they don’t know and stop at the end of the page. If your are holding up 1-5 fingers, the book is considered just right for their reading level. If you are holding up more than five fingers, the book is a challenge book. Here are some titles to consider:
The World Belong to Us by Jacqueline Woodson
Jose and El Perro by Susan Rose and Silvia Lopez
Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott
Tweens, Ages 9-12
If your family is heading for a vacation or road trip, audio books are a great choice to change up the style of reading. With this age group, chapter books and book series help retain your reader’s attention. These were some standout books:
Superworld: Save Noah by Yarrow and Carrie Cheney
Abby In Between: Ready or Not by Megan E. Bryant
Hands by Torrey Maldonado
Teens, Ages 13 and up
For your advanced reader realism, fantasy, mystery, paranormal, sci-fi or historical fiction may be right up their alley. These books are popular with this age group at the moment:
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
Fire Keepers Daughter by Angeline Bully
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
Summer Reading Tips
What I have learned along the way is to let your kids pick out their own books. It may not be your preference, but ultimately they are the ones who are reaping the benefits. Viewing books online through Amazon, Kindle, Feedbooks, Open Library or the International Children’s Library are great ways to find and have access to lots of different types of books. Also, be sure to check out your local Lansing-area libraries that offer Summer Reading Programs with incentives and prizes for kids to earn. Finally, help your reader make a cozy spot in your home or outdoors and let the book work its magic.
