We call it the “lazy days of summer” and we are right in the HEAT of it. I had hoped to lose myself in some sort of beach read – but instead found it easier to lift a remote rather than lift a book. Still, summer isn’t over and I could still squeeze in a few novels.

You see, I want to add more to my personal reading list than soup labels and Pier One catalogs. I also want to commit to reading more with my children. Frankly, it has not been a big priority and I have done a lousy job leading by example (putting a television in my bedroom was a BIG mistake). However, someone once wrote, “The failure to read good books both enfeebles the vision and strengthens our most fatal tendency – the belief that the here and now is all there is” – Alan Bloom. In addition, time spent out of the classroom and off books can cause some academic delays. The best way to get kids outside of their little worlds is through reading and I hope to provide the following structure to begin this process.

1.Dust off the Library Card
It is off the library!! Now that my oldest is a proud owner of his first library card, he joins me in browsing for interesting books. Plus, let’s remember ladies – IT’S FREE! No, we don’t get to walk around and smell the “new book smell” while sipping our Starbucks, but we do have access to new and old titles along with helpful librarians eager to lead us on our hardback treasure hunt.

2.Scheduled Reading Time
Although I try to read to my kids at bedtime, I have to confess that when the witching hour arrives, I try to find the smallest, thinnest book to share. My eight-year-old moans when I pull out “Go Dog Go”, but hey – I know it by heart and we can get to lights-out in 67 seconds flat. So, this summer, I am going to have scheduled reading time outside of bed time. It will not only be a way to get my kids off of the video games, but it will also provide a little quiet-time for me to lose myself in the latest romance novel.

3.Start a Knee-High Book Club
Summer is a great time to start a “Knee-High Book Club”. A Knee-High Book Club is just like a grown-up book club with this exception. Book reviews are not done with lectures or discussions. Instead, the kids perform scenes or play characters from the book for the grown-ups. Invitations can be sent in the form of book marks and activities can be planned that support the theme.

For a great way to jump-start summer reading for your family, check out “The Read Aloud Handbook” by Jim Trelease. In it, he explains how reading aloud improves language skills and kindles children’s imaginations. In addition, he suggests ways to create a “reader-friendly home” and offers specific book titles that are great for reading aloud.

I have included some of the titles below and organized according to age group:

Preschool – 2nd Grade
“Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault

“I’m Not Going to Get Up Today” by Dr. Seuss

“Snip Snap What’s That” by Mara Bergman

“Kitten’s First Full Moon” by Kevin Henkes

2nd Grade – 5th Grade
“ Mighty Jackie” by Marissa Moss

“Bridget and the Gray Wolves” by Pija Lindenbaum

“Amelia Bedelia: Under Construction” by Herman Parish

“Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White

6th Grade and Up

“Maximum Ride” by James Patterson

“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” by J.K. Rowling

“Salem Witch – My Side of the Story” by Patricia Hermes

Although summer is half over – I feel a new sense of commitment to avoid the Summer