When someone mentions a summer reading list, I think of the year I switched schools. It was before fifth grade, and I had never heard of a summer reading list.
I felt the full impact of that terrible list. The books were hard. They were boring. They were long.
“But you love reading!” my mother insisted. It was true. I couldn’t argue, but still, the list looked smug. Daunting. Like someone else’s library bag. It had nonfiction!
It was a chore to read on vacation. It was like having to eat oatmeal when I could have chosen any variety of sugary cereal. I did it, though, because I am an oldest child over-achiever.
And I only remember one book from the list. It was Dorothy Sterling’s Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman.
I hated it until Harriet was hit in the head by a brick thrown by an overseer. She was only my age when it happened. When she recovered and decided to escape, I began to understand what freedom was. I began to walk in someone else’s shoes. I began to see that there is adventure even in nonfiction and that history is worth reading (and writing!) about.
I began to really enjoy reading, though I had loved stories for a long time.
I have four children, and all of them love stories. Reading, on the other hand, is a chore for two of them. We have tried lots of reading challenges over the years, and I have learned that not every list is for every kid. Maybe this child does better with just a reading tracker, or maybe that one benefits from having different categories of books. There are so many summer reading options out there, it is difficult to choose which one would be best.
It has been helpful for me to remember my summer reading list experience so that I don’t push them to read for acing a quiz or in order to check every box. Perhaps their summer reading is just about one book. Perhaps they may find just the book that helps them learn to love reading.
I thought it might be helpful to put together a list of lists to help all you caretakers out there find a summer reading challenge that works for your family:
- Many local libraries have great summer reading programs. Check yours out!
- Redeemed Reader (free)
- Read Aloud Revival: Shakespeare Summer ($67 / free booklists)
- Rabbit Room Summer Reading Challenge (free)
- Visual Theology’s Checklist (free, optional sticker add-on)
Another option is to make your own! Tailor a Summer Reading Challenge for each child or for your family. Listen to audiobooks. (Listening counts as reading at our house!)
Perhaps, instead of the hassle of a reading challenge, it would work best for your family just to set aside time each day for reading. Perhaps it will be ten minutes (if you have busy toddlers) or maybe it will be a leisurely hour, but everyone will be able to read for fun for those few minutes of the day. Don’t forget to join in yourself!
May summer reading blossom from chore to adventure for your family this summer as you explore the world through books.
At night, she writes articles, Bible study curriculum for children, and books, including her latest novel The Winning of Lady Wisdom. You can follow her adventures at SarahDixonYoung.com
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Here\’s another fun suggestion to add to the above list!
https://www.owlsnestpublishers.com/summer-book-club.html#/