The summer is just flying by - I can see by the calendar and also by all the planes headed to EAA in Oshkosh. Summer school has ended and we have a few short weeks before we need to begin thinking about school again. As you and your children enjoy the final weeks of summer I want to remind you how important it is that students spend some time reading before school starts.
It is important for many academic reasons: so they can maintain skills and progress they worked so hard for during the school year, it is also the much needed practice students need to become more savvy at using the reading strategies they have been introduced to during the year and not the last or least reason; it provides them opportunities to build vocabulary by just encountering more words. Encourage, or demand if necessary, that your child save 15 minutes each day for reading. You could even read together!
If you are at a loss as to what books to suggest to your son or daughter I have some suggestions, of course! I have linked a few good websites to check out.
The first is Mighty Girl Read Alouds. This is a website that helps parents to provide strong role models for girls. The website is a wealth of information and probably better for parents than for the girls themselves. Mighty Girl Read Alouds
James Patterson is a very famous author. He has written books for all ages from elementary school through adults. He has some great suggestions for reading. James Patterson's Lists for kids
You may be familiar with Oprah's book club books for adults, well she has some great suggestions for kids as well. Oprah's Reading List for kids
This final list is a website called Guys Read. It is the brain child of Jon Scieszka. Mr. Scieszka has written many books for kids including the popular series the Time Warp Trio, the Stinky Cheese Man and the True Story of the Three Little Pigs. Though many of the books on his list will interest girls as well, the website is aimed at the boys. This is a website for both the boys and parents. Guys Read
The Ripon Public Library is a great resource to find any of the books you might be interested in, as well as checking out garage sales or the flea market! Happy summer reading!
