One of the worst days in my childhood summer was when the dreaded summer reading list arrived in the mail. It came in a manilla envelope and seemed innocent enough until my mother opened it and took out the reading list, “Optional Summer Reading List”–what a joke. About 25 years ago, the list included such acclaimed books as Hatchet and Island of the Blue Dolphins— both of which I could not stand! Let me just say that books for young readers have come a long way since my childhood. In fact, the horrible scene with the black flies from Hatchet is still with me. Ugh…. With summer just around the corner, The Booky Mom is getting ready to make summer reading for Cinco and The Princess at little less traumatic! So here goes…
- Let’s Start With a Bribe. The children love yummy worms. So why not turn simple yummy worms into book worms? I am going to fill a mason jar with our “book worms” and each child can have one “worm” each time we sit down for our reading time.
- Summer Reading Programs. Our local library, and probably yours, offers a summer reading program for kids 0- 11. Read 5 books and earn a book buck, which is good for a book at the library used book store. Barnes and Noble is offering a program as well. Read 8 books, fill out the required form, take it to the store and get a free book from a pre-selected group. Of course, I cannot forget the Scholastic Books reading challenge.
- Using our Mom Camp Theme Days to Keep Reading Interesting. As part of our Mom Camp Theme Days, we will also be choosing books that match the theme. So, follow our theme days for ideas of coordinating books and projects that will hopefully make reading less painful.
The Booky Mom 