Summer reading is an important component of an overall reading program. Research shows that summer vacation often has a significant negative effect on student learning.

A recent article in the International Reading Association's Reading Today (June/July 2010) refers to this loss as "summer slide," "summer setback" and/or "summer slump." It states that three months or more of learning loss can take place, "especially those who may not have access to reading material during their vacation from school. Providing opportunities for students to read regularly during the summer can prevent this reading achievement loss. The bottom line is that students who read during the summer do better in the fall. (www.readwritethink.org).

Other ways to help prevent this "summer slippage"?

1. Make reading every day a priority. Schedule it in--reading just 20 minutes a day greatly impacts a child's literacy. Co-ordinate your child's interests and family summer activities with books. For instance on rainy days check out some craft books for interesting projects. When going on short trips find information books to complement the outing i.e. what lives in a pond/lake/the seashore, insects in the meadow/around my home?

2. Go to the local library. It has a summer reading club and a summer family storytime.

3. Take a "trip" around the world. Get a world map, choose a number of countries to "visit" and read two folk tales, two information books, two picture books/or novels (depending on the age of children) about each country. Bring in a bit of math by making a few recipes from that country.

4. Investigate your family history and make a family tree. Find folktales and information books about that country or countries; interview grandparents.

5. Study the night sky. Use such books as There Once was a Sky Full of Stars by Bob Crelin and Stars and Galaxies by Robin Kerrod.

6. Visit useful websites such as:

- Read Write Think at www.readwritethink.org. There are activities for all age groups that give wonderful ways for incorporating literacy activities for various age groups (four to eight, eight to 11, 11 to 14, and 14 to 18 years of age) all year long;

- Reading Rockets at www.readingrockets.org has information for teachers and parents, booklists for children and online activities;

- Read to Me! at www.readtome.ca;

- Canadian Children's Book News--www.bookcentre.ca;

- National Institute for Literacy--www.nifl.gov;

- Many authors and illustrators have their own websites - check out your child's favourites;

- Publishers have sites as well. For example, Kids Can Press has many activities listed. Click on Resource Room at the very top of the page;

- TD Summer Reading Club: www.td-club-td.ca;

- Scholastic Summer Challenge at www.scholastic.com/summerreading/index.htm. This site encourages children to sign up and log their minutes of reading.

- After 25 years as a teacher librarian in three districts, ranging from rural to metropolitan , Marilynne retired in 1999 then took her masters of arts in children's literature at UBC. She has given workshops on children's literature locally, nationally and internationally.