Need to Know: Coming Up with A Summer Reading List

Having a child read all summer long is a great way for them to pass the time, as well as to help prepare them for the year of school to come. Of course, coming up with an appropriate, and exciting summer reading list can be a real challenge. The following are some resources to look to for coming up with an age appropriate, properly challenging, and yet still exciting and fun summer reading list.

First, go to the best source for any information on books, your local librarian. Many libraries will already have summer reading lists for every grade level, and these are a great place to start as they have books that are at the median comprehension and skills level for that age group. Of course, if your library does not have pre-made summer reading lists, talk with the librarian about what they suggest for your child’s age and skill level. They should know the best books, or at the least the top sellers, and favorites, and can give you some clues as to how beneficial educationally the books will be for your child. Using this information, you can put together a very interesting summer reading list, and because the librarian is suggesting the books, chances are you can check them out from the library.

Library trips as a family are fun!

Next, check with the school your child goes to. Not all schools create summer reading lists, but many do. These are going to be great to use as a reference as they will have books that are similar to the books the child will read in school the next year, or at the very least at the same reading level. Having your child read them during the summer will help to prepare them for what they will read in school, improving their comprehension, reading speed, and ability. Unfortunately, sometimes the suggested books are not all that fun for your child, as they are more academic, and less in the real of fantasy and fun. So, you may want to mix in some of the top choices as well as what the school suggests.
Another great resource for helping you create a summer reading list is the internet. It is a great place to go for book reviews, what parents and children thought, a good synopsis of plot, as well as what reading level you can expect for the book to be properly understood. The internet also has tons of pre-made summer reading lists available. Some are from mom’s blogs, and others are created by book chains like Borders, or from celebrities like Oprah Winfrey. Regardless, when in doubt, it is a great place to browse for a time to find a list of books that will suit your child, and give them a summer full of reading fun.

Lastly, when creating a summer reading list, ask your child if there are any authors, genres, or subject matters, that they want to read during the summer.