Published: June 20, 2007 09:52 am         

Diving into a book one way to beat summer heat

By Libby Cluett
lcluett@mineralwellsindex.com

Rainy or hot and humid days may not appeal to most people, however, they are a perfect time for all ages to plunge into their summer reading list.

A good book can entertain, educate and engage a reader’s brain.

According to Boyce Ditto Public Library children’s librarian Mary Baugh, children who do not read during the summer can suffer during the school year.

“Children in grades kindergarten through third forget how to read in the summer,” said Baugh.

She said that those who participate in the library’s free reading program, and remember how to read, can end up saving the school district funds “from September to December on getting them back to read [at their level],” added Baugh.

Boyce Ditto and most libraries throughout the state have a state-supported summer reading program for children ages 3 through 13. Baugh said that she currently has close to 230 children enrolled in the summer program that meets Wednesdays until the end of June.

Seventh grader Caleb Bandy – awarded several academic honors during his sixth-grade year – did not wait until summer to work through his favorites books. The former Travis Elementary student led the school with 456.8 accelerated reading points – awarded based on a book’s thickness and reading level – exceeding the school record by more than 70 points.

Young readers can gain from Bandy’s experience, for he has a suggested reading list of books on the fifth- through ninth-grade levels. His top picks are:

• The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling and the Charlie Bone series by Jenny Nimmo.

• “Lightning Thief” by Rick Riordan (part of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series).

• “Ink Heart” by Cornelia Funke (which he is reading now).

• “Titans’ Curse” by Rick Riordan (also part of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series).

The Association for Library Service to Children has a lengthy list of books for varying ages of readers among its 2007 Notable Children’s Books, what ALSC identifies as the best of the best in children’s books. The 2007 Notable Children’s Books list can be found at www.ala.org/ala/alsc, then click on “Awards and Scholarships” on the menu to the left, then on “Children’s Notable Lists.”

The ALSC suggests that one key to children’s reading success is making their reading experience entertaining, relaxing, and enjoyable.

“Allow children to choose their own reading materials and be aware of their reading interests. Help them find books that pique their interests,” the organization states on its Web site.

Baugh said that Boyce Ditto Library has books that have received the Caldecott and Bluebonnet awards and it has the Battle of the Books volumes for Travis sixth graders. Bluebonnet awards winners and Battle of the Books titles are listed on the Travis Elementary Web site. To navigate there, go to www.mwisd.net and select Travis Elementary under “Select a School.” Once on the Travis site, look under “Our School” and “Library” for the menu of books.

Whether it’s newspapers, comics, cereal boxes or books – provided the content is appropriate for the child’s age – Baugh’s final advice for parents is let children “Read anything.”