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Summer is almost here. Are you ready?

With summer vacation right around the corner, now is the perfect time to start putting together a summer reading list for your students! Even though your kids may not love these assignments, research has proven that there are many benefits to assigning reading over summer break. To help you get inspired and learn more about the benefits of reading during the summer, we've put together a list of great summer reading resources:

- Keeping Kids Off the Summer Slide via Reading is Fundamental
- The Value of Summer Reading via California Library Association
- Avoid the Summer Slide with These Fun Summer Reading Ideas via Scholastic
- Lost Summers: Few Books and Few Opportunities to Read via Reading Rockets
- The Life-Enhancing Benefits of Reading in Out-of-School Programs via Afterschool Alliance

In a nutshell, reading during summer is essential.

All of these articles reinforce the fact that reading during summer break is fundamental. Reading during summer break reinforces reading skills learned during the school year, helps develop literacy skills outside the classroom and builds a strong foundation for the upcoming school year. There are many ways to encourage your students to keep reading, but the simplest way to ensure that they read during their break is to give a reading assignment.

Everything you need for your summer reading list...

BookPal's comprehensive 2015 Summer Reading Guide is designed specifically for teachers. There are over 150 reading recommendations listed in the guide, all categorized by grade level. With each suggested book, we also list key details including targeted age group, genres, themes and length — it's never been so easy to find books for the summer!