Summer Reading Adventures
Libraries Feature ‘Dragons, Dreams & Daring Deeds’

by Emily Lambert

Are you one of those people who loves to curl up with a good book?

That’s what libraries across the Delaware Valley are hoping your children will become. They hope by teaching children today that reading is fun and worthwhile, they will become lifelong readers.

If that’s too lofty a goal, consider the immediate future. “Studies show that children who don’t read over the summer lose three months of their reading skills,” says Patty Langley, senior librarian at the Delaware Division of Libraries in Dover, DE.

Studies also show that “children who read do better in school and have a jump over children who have not read over the summer,” says Carolyn DuBois, head of the children’s department at the Abington Township Public Library in Abington, PA.

If you want junior to keep up and develop a lifetime enjoyment of the written word, tapping into a local summer program can help.

Come In, Relax & Grab a Book
The theme for this year’s summer reading program at local libraries throughout the Delaware Valley is Dragons, Dreams & Daring Deeds. Says DuBois, “It’s a really exciting theme because children can go in so many directions,” including the Middle Ages, replete with knights and castles, and fantasy books such as Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, poised to hit bookstore shelves July 16.

Use of the theme varies by library but librarians all agree that reading should be enjoyable. “Children are so saturated with the have-to-read, we just want them to come in and have fun,” says Elizabeth Simmons, youth and teen services librarian at Kirkwood Highway Library in Wilmington, DE. “The reading club focuses on reading as a recreational activity.”

To be part of a summer reading club, your child simply picks up a reading log at the local library (pre-registration is sometimes necessary) and records book titles as they are read. Each library has its own reading goal for children to achieve.

In Delaware, the goal is 15 minutes per day. Most libraries in Pennsylvania and New Jersey encourage 20 minutes per day. Others have summer-long goals, such as Cherry Hill, NJ’s Public Library, where the goal is ten books for K-2nd graders and ten hours for 3rd-5th graders. Many libraries tie in summer crafts and events related to the reading club theme, but attendance isn’t mandatory. So if you go to the Shore for the summer, your child can still participate.

As far as what material can be read, almost anything goes. Delaware libraries include magazines, comic books and audio books, says Langley. Required school reading over the summer can be counted for Cherry Hill’s goal. And in many libraries, story times for little tots can be logged as reading time. In fact, younger children who can’t yet read are encouraged to participate. For them, parents keep logs of the books they read to their children.

At the end of the summer, with their completed reading log in hand, children receive a prize, most likely a book of their choice, a reading certificate and perhaps an invitation to a job-well-done party. Some libraries offer other incentive prizes along the way as well.

The Supporting Cast
If your child decides not to participate in a reading club, there are plenty of other library reading programs to try. Celia Frankford, branch librarian for the Roslyn Branch Library in Roslyn, PA turns reading into a game — literally. Children roll the dice, move their allotted space and “when they land, it tells them what kind of book to read,” she says. As they read their books, take new turns and eventually pass “Go,” they collect coupons to trade for prizes at the end of the summer.

The “Abington Reads” program at the Abington Free Library pairs children in grades K-2 with high school students. They select books and read aloud together for one hour each week. “It’s a great way to promote reading among the younger set,” says DuBois. Some township high school students get credit for completing the program.

Reading aloud is also a great way to promote fluency (reading with expression), notes Claire MacRae, reading specialist for Fort Washington Elementary School in Fort Washington, PA. She says fluent readers better comprehend what they read. An older child can be encouraged to read with expression by reading on tape, which also can make a wonderful gift for a younger child in the family.

Your Local Bookstore
The library isn’t the only place to turn for reading support. At Barnes & Noble, kids in grades 1-6 read any eight books of their choice (which don’t have to be purchased from Barnes & Noble), bring in their completed reading journal and receive a coupon for a free book.

Independent bookstores also have reading programs. Booktenders’ Secret Garden in Doylestown, PA features a family-friendly book club. “I like the reading groups to be parent-participatory. It’s connective. It makes the kids realize how important parents think reading is. And it offers a different perspective,” says owner Ellen Mager.

In the club, children read a book and participate in discussion groups about topics such as the main characters and what they like and don’t like. Children can also review galley books (books that haven’t officially been published yet) and earn points toward discounts on future purchases.

What to Read?
Help is available if you’re unsure of the right book to interest your child. Librarians and booksellers can help, or you can consult a list of recommended reading for your child’s age group. (See sidebar.) The important thing is to support your child’s choice, even if it means checking out yet another book about sharks.

“Children are curious. They might spend months on a subject and then go to another one. There’s no such thing as a bad book in the experience of reading, as long as they’re exposed to good books, too. I went from Nancy Drew to Shakespeare,” says Linda Meuse, children’s librarian at the Cherry Hill Public Library.

“Often times, kids are influenced by what is coming out in the movies. Lemony Snicket books are still popular from last summer’s hit,” says Simmons. Movie buffs might also want to check out Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory opens at movie theaters in July.

Home Is Where The Books Are
As with everything else, parents set the tone. “Being in a print-rich environment and seeing a parent read” supports reading, says Meuse. Getting excited about a novel you’re reading or the books you selected with your children at the library will help generate enthusiasm. Try holding a family reading night during which the whole family turns off the TV and reads instead. Keep books in the car and in easy-to-get-to places around your home. Summer offers many reading opportunities: at the park, at camp or in a comfortable, shady spot in the yard. All your child needs is to have a book handy.

Emily Lambert is a local freelance writer.