Summertime and the Reading is Breezy

SCBWI Publishes First-Ever Summer Reading List

 By Bonnie Bader, SCBWI PAL Coordinator

Summer is a carefree time for kids, but not necessarily for educators, parents and caregivers.  They have to be wary of a very well documented phenomenon-the summer slide in reading achievement. Enter the summer reading list. Today, over 95% of libraries have summer reading programs to help prevent the summer reading slide. Research has shown that kids who enroll in library-run summer reading programs return to school not having lost any reading skills, and as more interested and engaged readers.

            Taking a cue from librarians, SCBWI is developing its first ever Summer Reading List. In order to be included, you need only be an SCBWI member and submit one PAL-published book. Our list will be organized into fifteen regions (the same regions as used for the Crystal Kites), and organized by grade level - K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 and genre.  Not only will the SCBWI Summer Reading List offer lots of choice, but the kids will be able to select books by local authors-all books will denote the author and/or illustrator's place of residence. The first SCBWI Summer Reading List will be available mid-May, both in hard copy and in downloadable form.