Summer Reading Season Is Here!
- Sarah McLean
- May 27
- 3 min read
Summer Reading Season Is Here!
In my 20 years as an elementary school teacher and principal, I’ve seen the effort schools put into summer reading lists. And as a parent of three neurodivergent kids, I’ve also watched those lists be completely ignored!
When I saw the middle school reading lists in my inbox last week, I felt the usual mix of excitement (I love books!) and dread (my kids prefer YouTube and TikTok).
I thought it might be helpful to other parents to share some of our reading journey and how I'm approaching my big challenge for this summer.
Early Years: Read-Alouds and Picture Books
Reading has always been a summer priority for us. When our kids were younger, it was all about read-alouds. The hardest part was finding enough books, since the school library didn’t loan books over the summer. We used local libraries and built a neighborhood lending library.
We also bought a lot of books. Raising our kids bilingually between the US and Hong Kong, we hauled English books there and Chinese books back. When we moved permanently to New Jersey, most of our shipment weight was children’s books.
Tweens and Tech: Digital Tools Helped
During the pandemic, our youngest loved the Epic app, especially the “Read to Me” books. Later, we got a Kindle and a Kindle Unlimited subscription. For a while, our biggest issue was keeping up with the number of books our child devoured.
Yes, Graphic Novels and Audiobooks Count
As our kids got older, they shifted away from long fiction but embraced graphic novels and audiobooks. We followed their lead. We borrowed from school and public libraries via Sora and Libby. We got library cards in New Jersey and New York City and eventually subscribed to Audible.
From my years as a teacher and principal, as well as a parent to a dyslexic child, I know that reading takes many forms. My 17- and 12-year-olds, both audiobook fans, consistently score above the 95th percentile for reading. Intellectual engagement matters more than format.
New Chapter: A 12-Year-Old Who “Hates” Reading
Now I have a rising 7th grader who claims to hate reading (yes, this breaks my heart!) They dislike paper books and resist audiobooks. They love YouTube. I’m trying to meet them where they are without giving up. How can I encourage a child who dislikes reading to explore new ideas? Be exposed to new worlds? Be challenged by stories of people, real and imagined, from outside of their reality?
My Summer Reading Mission
Armed with the school’s summer reading list, I’m on a mission to make a few of these books irresistible (or at least palatable). I’m visiting the public library to browse every title, looking for the ones most likely to catch my child’s interest.
We’ll borrow some and buy others. I want them off screens as much as possible, so I’m leaning toward physical books, but we'll also try some audiobooks. I'll try leaving the graphic novels around the house and start a fantasy series as a read-aloud.
Wish me luck!
Your Input, Please!
Educators: Any other tips to help engage my reluctant reader?
Parents: How are you handling summer reading? Are you curating a shelf? Leaving books around like a literary snack tray?
Please share what’s working (and what’s not!) in the comments. I’d love to hear from you.
