The summer is a great time for your students to relax, but all that downtime
can result in a phenomenon called the summer slide. Studies show that
students lose up to 20% of the academic gains they made in the previous year.
Encouraging reading is a great gift to give your students. They will sail
through all those high school and college texts and with every book, they
are learning new facts and improving their reading, writing, comprehension
and communication skills while expanding their vocabulary. Help your student
to get ahead this summer with these enthralling reads.
Poop by Nicola Davies, 2007. A wonderful fecal adventure through the many ways
in which animals poop. This is a fun, engaging, scientific exploration
of the animal kingdom through the same fart-joke humor your students no
doubt already enjoy.
The invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (2007). Hugo is an exceptional boy who can fix just
about anything. Orphaned at a young age, Hugo finds an ‘automaton’
built by his father who shared his inventive spirit. Hugo is sure that
if he is able to repair the robot, it will write a message from his father.
This is a wonderful book about the incredible bravery and indomitable
spirit of youth. Don’t be surprised if they can’t put this
book down!
Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary (1992). Ramona has an entire series of books that deal
with the inevitable conflicts of young life. In this novel, Susan’s
bouncy curls prove irresistible to Ramona who can’t help but pull on them.
Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez (2003). This is a gripping recount of how the son of migrant farmers leads
a 300-mile march for worker’s rights. It’s a truly touching
tale that explores the real bravery and incredible resolve of one of the
greatest champions of non-violent protests. A great way to learn about
a pivotal historic figure.
Molly Moon’s Incredible Book of Hypnotism by Georgia Byng (2004). Molly’s rather dull existence is transformed
by the discovery in her local library of a book that teaches her how to
hypnotise. She leverages her new-found talents to get the life she’s
always wanted until her efforts are thwarted by a criminal mastermind.
If your children love Roald Dahl or J.K. Rowling, then they will love
this book.
Dogku by Andrew Clements (2007) is a great way to introduce your students to
the haiku. This is a sweet story about a stray dog who finds a loving
home. Each page is written in a haiku format and beautifully illustrated.
Atomic Ace (He’s Just My Dad) by Albert Whitman (2004). A truly funny tale of how superhero Atomic Ace
deals with family life. Great comic book-style illustrations give the
book a hybrid feel and make this a great choice for the visual student
who may be a reluctant reader.
Don’t let learning take a vacation this summer! Get all your favorite
stories at your library and encourage your students to participate in
the library activities.
pic by Justin Houk
