No Time Like Summertime for Reading!

Summer presents an opportunity for more leisure reading and exercising the benefit of self-selecting books. Free choice is motivating when finding reading material and necessary when encouraging children to independently read every day. This is a time students can choose books based solely on their interests and deepen their understanding about a favorite subject, or revisit familiar characters on new adventures. And, it can be a chance to choose new places to explore, pick other time periods to visit, meet new characters with experiences that might otherwise be out of their reach. Whether we are reading for a mental vacation or to better understand our world, the American Academy of Pediatrics, librarians, and educators across the country recommend that children read or be read aloud to at least 20 minutes per day. This daily practice increases exposure to vocabulary and develops language skills, but it also helps build community and cultivate empathy through stories. Encourage your kids to read new genres or direct them to different topics, but ultimately choosing their own books will motivate them to read for pleasure and engage in skills necessary for life-long learning.  

Daily reading is important, as well as discussing books with your child to deepen their comprehension. Books can often foster conversations and meaningful connections between our family members, friends, and community. Ask open-ended questions to promote analysis and evaluation into their free-choice reading.

Book Discussion Questions (even if you have not read their book!)

About the book:

• Would you be friends with the main character?

• Which character did you like least?

• What place in the book would you like to visit?

• What do you think of the cover? How well does it describe the book content?

Change the book:

• How would the story change if the setting did?

• If you could hear the same story from another person’s point of view, who would you choose?

• If you wrote one more chapter, what would happen?

• What other title could you give this book? 

Beyond the book:

• Who would you recommend this book to and why?

• What is one thing you would ask the author if you could talk to them?

• What do you think the author wants you to remember the most from this book?

• What questions do you still have?

For more Book Club Discussion Questions see Book Riot’s 40 Great Book Club Discussion Questions for Any Book, or their printable version. 

Book Spotlight

Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini.

This book is a patchwork of quotes, poems, journals, stories, and activities arranged from A-Z on pages both beautifully written and illustrated. There is something for everyone in this book as it reflects on topics like having a voice, being an ally, finding strength, and giving pause in order to define the language needed for making the world a better place. 

More Book Recommendations:

Saint Andrew's Summer Reading Pinterest Board and Library Summer Recommendations

Summer Reading Challenge: Pre-Kindergarten - Grade 5 Library Challenge 

Online Resources:  

Read-Along with PBS Kids This YouTube channel features read-alouds of some of our favorite books by popular people like Michelle Obama and the Wild Kratts. Author and illustrator Christian Robinson, one of our students’ favorites, is featured doing a read-aloud of his newly released book, You Matter. He is also host of YouTube channel, Making Space with Christian Robinson where he talks directly to young kids about deeply important issues using simple, powerful words and gives students creative ways to express their feelings through art.  

Read and Learn with Simon Kids- a collection of videos from authors and illustrators, book trailers, read alouds, science and history lessons put together by book publisher Simon and Schuster.

Santa Clara County Library- watch live events, check out books curbside, or check-out ebooks. sccld.org

San Francisco Public Library- find book recommendations, summer challenges, and online games. sfpl.org