It’s that time of year again.  It’s hard to believe, but it’s time to start thinking about summer reading!  Our Spring Book Fair is taking place Thursday May 20th and Friday May 21st, and you and your child(ren) will be able to pick up some books that are full of appeal to young readers!  Please keep in mind that the lists that the librarians provide are not “must-reads” rather they are “can-reads.”

Lower School parents will find 5 lists to choose from for their children.  Jesse designs the “Early Childhood” reading list for ultimate enjoyment for our youngest students.  Stacy designs the First through Fourth Grade Reading Lists with the wide range of readers at LREI in mind.  There are books on all of the lists for independent reading, for sharing, and for reading aloud.  Our lists are simply suggestions of titles with some or all of the following qualities:  they are reflective of the LREI community, they are ALA award winners, they are classics, they are stand outs in their genres, they are quality read aloud titles, they have been suggested by classroom teachers.

Helpful Hints
Since we do not want summer reading to become arduous, here are some suggestions from your librarians and classroom teachers to help make summer reading fun instead of frustrating.
* Sit down with your child to map out summer reading.  Which titles will your child read independently?  Which will you read together?
* If your child is becoming frustrated with a particular book, try to find out what is going on.  Is it too difficult for independent reading?  If it is, take the opportunity to make that title a read aloud.
* Feel free to drop a title.  If your child is not enjoying a book simply for plot reasons, choose another book!  Not every book is made for every child.
* Don’t leave summer reading until the last week of August.    Reading should happen throughout the days of summer.
* Don’t feel too tied to our lists.  There are many opportunities for summer reading out there.  Check out the public libraries where your family will be during the summer.  New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library and Queen’s Borough Public Library all have summer reading lists and summer reading programs in which your children can participate.
* Create your own summer reading lists.  Have your child come up with 5 or so books that s/he wants to read this summer.  Set some goals, and read together!
* Take reading outside.  There is no reason to be cooped up inside…books are portable!  Have a reading picnic in a local park.
* Have a book swap.  Summer play-dates can be reading themed.  Have your child swap some well-loved books with their friends.
* Start a book club.  Get together with friends and choose some books to read together.  Then meet up to have a book discussion over snacks!
* Always carry some books with you!  If you are stuck in traffic, end up waiting somewhere, or have a moment, hand your child a book.  This helps to solidify the culture of the reading family.

As always, please see your librarians or your child’s teacher if you have any questions about book titles or reading choices.