Students across America are basking in the sun. Summertime provides the ultimate getaway from the rigors and stresses of school. It is important for students to spend time with friends and family and to enjoy themselves recreationally. However, often times one very important element is lost in the shuffle because of a lack of funding or foresight. For summer reading 2014, parents should consider purchasing 3-5 books for their children one of which could be a writing practice book. By taking this small step, parents can provide a lifeline to their kids who are embroiled in an increasingly competitive school atmosphere. Summer reading can also make one’s summer more memorable and defined.
Some schools mandate summer reading and provide summer reading lists to all of their matriculating students. As aforementioned, some public schools sadly lack the funding or wherewithal to plan for student activities during the summer months. This represents an opportunity for parents to intervene and heavily contribute to their children’s academic growth and development.
For instance, teenagers absolutely adore going to the movies. Why not keep their minds active by asking them to read the Divergent series by Veronica Roth, or The Book Thief by Markus Zusak? The Hunger Games trilogy is still a bestseller and to streamline the process, many bookstores such as Books a Million and Barnes and Noble have devoted space exclusively to/for summer reading selections for kids. Many of those books are Pulitzer Prize winners. As a bonus for the budding readers, you might consider taking them to watch the movies based on the novels, or even offering extra clothes (if affordable) and accessories for their willingness to read and learn and enjoy. All work and no play makes summer a dull time.
Not all summer reading lists should consist of pleasure reading choices. With the momentum behind the implementation of the Common Core Standards, it is equally as imperative that students read non-fiction as well. National Geographic, Seventeen, and Teen Vogue provide cutting edge stories that are both relevant and informative for today’s teenagers. Both Yahoo! and Google News provide a surfeit of current events stories in varying degrees of seriousness and entertaining preposterousness. Heavy reading about politics and medicine and world affairs would make for the ideal starting point. Afterward, moving on to sports and entertainment can provide a sort of mental dessert (the icing on the cake as it were).
Essentially, summer reading lists for 2014 should include both fiction and non-fiction books, magazines, and online offerings. Keeping your children’s minds fresh and active can allow them to rise to the top of their classes when the fall semester arrives. Staying in touch with one’s academic skillset is often the difference between scoring at the top of the class and floundering for weeks when those dreaded back-to-school days arrive.
