Library announced the start of its summer reading program with a record-breaking domino chain fall involving over 2,000 books and a team of steady-handed librarians.
Summer reading programs are an example of one of those rare things that is good for everyone involved. There is no down side to a summer reading program. The libraries get to circulate more books, parents get a fun way to encourage their kids to build skills over the summer, and kids get the fun of reading plus an excellent summer boredom-alleviator, plus the promise of prizes at the end of summer.
Reading programs are important, because without the pressure of school, most kids will lose ground on their reading skills over summer and start the next year with a skillset lower than they had the year before. But kids who participate in reading programs actually gain skills over the summer. And with so many great children's books and YA books available, every kid will be able to find a book that they can connect with and enjoy. In a world where academic skills are so critical, what kid can afford NOT to join a summer reading program?
Even if you don't have kids, you can support your local library's summer reading program by donating a prize. I chatted to a librarian recently who mentioned that blank books (like a Moleskine) are excellent prizes because they can be used for a wide variety of tasks (from keeping a diary to writing fiction or sketching), and they really appeal to the teen readers. Ask at your library - they will probably also be thrilled to get gift certificates to local age-appropriate businesses, or new copies of paperback books on their reading list.
Image courtesy Flickr/San Mateo County Library
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