Towards the end of each school year many parents ask what their children should work on over the summer break. More specifically some ask for a suggested reading list. Below you will find some helpful ideas by grade level. But first, what are the benefits of summer reading, and how should it be done?
Reasons Students Should Read Over the Summer Four specific benefits of reading are 1) improving comprehension, 2) building communication skills, 3) improving grammar and 4) building character. If someone struggles with a skill, the best way to improve the skill is to practice it. Thus if your student struggles with comprehension or communication, reading will help with both of these. At the same time, reading improves grammar. As one reads, the sentences repeatedly expose him to the syntax of the English language. Finally the characters in books and the situations encountered in stories will help build a reader's own character. Or weaken his morals.
Books are teachers. Look carefully at the books your child reads. What kind of language is used? What do the characters act like? Who is the hero of the story? Books will teach your child vocabulary and speech patterns as well as morals, so choose wisely!
Summer Reading How To's and Tips In addition to selecting books based on eloquent language and values, select books that are at or below a student's current reading level. Something difficult may frustrate a child; he will see it as work rather than recreation.
Once you have your selected books, it is time to read. If your child is not yet reading, you can read to him providing the same benefits as independent reading. Next, narrate. Once the story has been read, ask your child to tell you what the story was about. Who are the characters? What did they do? Why? How did it end? Narration will help with comprehension as a child has to not only think about what happened, but he has to choose the words to explain it aloud.
After the narration has been given, delve into a discussion. Asking questions will help your child think on a deeper level and begin to instill or solidify values in his mind. If you aren't sure what questions to ask or how to have a discussion with younger students this page has terrific step-by-step suggestions.
If your child seems to struggle with the discussion questions or comprehension in general, consider having him work through a Reading Detective book. This series is excellent practice for comprehension and reasoning skills. Answers must be evidence based. This keeps a student from simply guessing, quickly being done and not thinking through his decisions.
Suggested Reading by Grade Level & Trusted Reading Lists If your child is not yet reading, take time to read to him throughout the summer. Perhaps have two copies of a book so that he can follow along as you read, seeing AND hearing the words and sentence structure. Good choices for read-alouds are picture books with beautiful illustrations (Jan Brett and Paul Zelinsky) or whimsical pictures (such as Tommy dePaola or Virginia Lee Burton). Rhyming books are also great options for emergent readers; books by Iza Trapani and Margaret Wise Brown (she uses many approximate rhymes) are fun and ear-catching.
For those who are able to read and for proficient readers, below you will find some suggestions. These are books that you may not be as readily familiar with. And at the end of the lists are a couple of links to reading lists with classics that you may have forgotten.
Pre-Reading Stage Read aloud to your child from picture books by the following authors:
Jann Brett
Paul Zelinsky
Tommy dePaola
Virginia Lee Burton
Iza Trapani
Margaret Wise Brown
Rising First and Second Graders
Step Into Reading Series
Gail Gibbon Books
Boxcar Children Series (Only Books 1-19 are by the original author)
Mercy Watson Series by Kate DiCamillo
Books by Arnold Lobel (Author of Frog and Toad Series)
Freddy the Detective Series
Sophie the Mouse Series by Poppy Green
A Toad for Tuesday by Russell Erickson
Little Golden Books such as Favorite Fairy Tales, Good Night Little Dragons, My Little Golden Book About God
Rising Third and Fourth Graders
Books by Donald Sobol including Nate the Great series
Heartwood Hotel Series by Kallie George
Little House Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
100 Cupboards by N.D. Wilson
The Borrowers Series by Mary Norton
Historical Books by Diane Stanley
Usborne Science Books
Margaret Henry’s Horse Stories
Rising Fifth and Sixth Graders
Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Historical Books by Olivia Coolidge
Sinking City by Christine Cohen
Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson
Ashtown Burials Series by N.D. Wilson
Wonders of Creation Books by Master Books
The Dark is Rising Series by Susan Cooper
Redwall Series by Brian Jacques
Junior High Level
A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter
The Light Princess by George MacDonald
Books by Roger Lancelyn Green
David Macaulay Books
The Keeper of the Bees by Gene Stratton Porter
The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Bankes
Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls
The Pushcart War by Jean Merrill
The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit
Senior High Level
Bulfinch's Mythology
Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin Abbott
Short Stories by James Thurber
Dandelion Wine and Short Stories by Ray Bradbury
Of Other Worlds by C.S. Lewis
The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
Father Brown Mystery Series by G.K. Chesterton
Ten Little Indians (alternate title, And Then There Were None) by Agatha Christie
The Thirty-Nine Steps by Paul Buchan
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
OTHER TRUSTED READING LISTS AND RESOURCES
Discover Poetry. Begin either with the “Poem of the Day” tab which will give a poem to read and memorize by day of the year. Or, begin with the “Start Here” tab or “Teach Poetry” tab. Really, anywhere you begin your poetry journey on this website will be beneficial.
The Institute for Excellence in Writing is a trusted publisher which we use many materials from. Here is their recommended reading list.
AmblesideOnline, is a wealth of information and resources on Charlotte Mason education. They have a master booklist that is indexed by year and by general subject (history, science, literature).
American Literature is a misleading name for this website because it has a collection of short stories, poems and chapter books from authors that are not only American. These are classics and are for a range of ages.
Read Aloud Revival has lots of lists and programs to encourage family read-aloud time. The blog author also has a summer Shakespeare reading program.
Making Summer Reading Recreational for Reluctant Readers
Make it a competition! The Second Lady has put together a summer reading challenge. Those who participate will receive a certificate and a prize from the White House.
Make it a family activity. Ask a grandparent or other relative to read with your child over Zoom, Google Meet or a similar platform.
Watch a movie! But first read the book. Then schedule a night to watch a movie adaption. This is especially fun for older students. Films such as Hitchcock's Rebecca or the movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty are based on printed works. Young children may enjoy watching a cartoon adaption of Virginia Lee Burton's classic, The Little House, and discussing the differences.
Entice with comfort. Make a cozy reading nook in the house or outside. Children love building forts and teens often prefer to stay in their bedrooms. Add a few special pillows, a book light, and of course, a book to create a special reading spot. Add snacks so there are no excuses to stop reading.
Ask your child what he would enjoy reading. What interests does he have? What reading captured his attention during the school year? What is one of his favorite movies? Is it based on a book?
Emergent readers may be drawn into reading if you allow them to color as you read. Dover has many coloring books that are inspired by classic children's stories.
Participate in the BookIt! Summer program where students can earn a personal pan pizza for reading. Here’s a link to the 2025 Summer BookIt: https://www.bookitprogram.com/
This post was originally published on OH! Blog Summer of 2022.
