How to Build a Winning Reading Program for Your Students

Summer is just around the corner, bringing long days filled with sunshine, pool parties, family vacations, and endless ice cream cones. For students, it also means no early alarms and homework, just fun. But while they are looking forward to all the summer activities ahead, there’s one more thing we should encourage them to be excited about: summer reading!

With the warm weather also comes the dreaded “summer slide”. The summer slide refers to the learning loss students often experience during the summer months when they’re not engaged in educational activities. According to a study by NWEA, students can lose about two months of reading skills and two and a half months of math skills over a single summer. 

Even more alarming is that this loss adds up over time. Some students may be nearly two years behind their peers by middle school if they don’t stay engaged during the summer break. Encouraging students to read during the summer is a proven strategy to combat this slide.

How to Create a Summer Reading Program

Encouraging students to read over the summer break is more than suggesting the best summer reads. It’s about creating programs that excite students about reading and engage them with material. 

To establish an effective summer reading program for your students, consider the following steps:

1. Set Clear Goals: Every child reads at different levels and has different interests. Determine the number of books or amount of time each student should read each week and encourage them to stick to it.

2. Provide Access to Books: Books can add up in price, we get it! Ensure a diverse selection of reading material is available for your students. Whether that’s providing them with books or encouraging them to use the local libraries or digital platforms.

3. Incorporate Choices: Allowing students to select their own reading materials can get them more excited and motivated to read. This also fosters a sense of ownership over their reading journey. 

4. Engage in Discussions: Encourage parents to talk about what their children are reading with them. Discussing content enhances comprehension and critical thinking skills. You can also create fun printouts to send home with them over the summer to help encourage them to discuss what they are reading. Encouraging your students to start a summer reading challenge or a summer read alouds group is another fun way for them to engage with books.

5. Utilize Incentives: Who doesn’t love rewards?! Implementing small incentives can motivate your most reluctant readers. Think of small prizes such as bookmarks, stickers, or certificates are fun and affordable ways to reward your students.

6. Lead by Example: Demonstrate your own summer reading list to show students the importance of reading over the break. Children are more likely to read if they observe adults doing the same.

New Releases to Get Your Students Excited

Now that you have the game plan on how to create a summer reading program for your students, let’s talk about some exciting summer reads coming out this summer! These are books that publishers and our BookPal Owls can’t wait to read and are the perfect books to suggest to your little readers.

Picture Books:

The Wild Robot on the Island by Peter Brown

Experience the beloved story of The Wild Robot like never before in this beautifully illustrated picture book! When Roz the robot washes up on a mysterious island, she must learn to survive with the help of its animal inhabitants. 

Millie Fleur Saves the Night by Christy Mandin

Perfect for budding botanists, Millie Fleur is on a mission to bring back the beauty of the night! While the rest of Garden Glen fears the dark, she knows that magic thrives under the moonlight. With moon pies and a glowing garden, Millie must convince the town to embrace the night in this whimsical tale.

Everything’s Wrong!: A Bear, A Hare, and Trouble Everywhere by Jory John

Jeff and Anders are ready for a perfect day… but chaos has other plans! From missing socks to power outages, everything that can go wrong does, sending this bear-and-bunny duo on a hilariously disastrous adventure full of laugh-out-loud moments.

The Marvelous Now by Angela DiTerlizzi

When big feelings take over, The Marvelous Now is here to help! This gentle and uplifting picture book teaches kids how to stay present, calm their minds, and embrace the moment. It’s a perfect reminder that even on tough days, joy can be found in the here and now.

Pajammin' by Ziggy Marley

Get ready to turn up the fun with this picture book inspired by Bob Marley’s iconic song! Follow a family’s unforgettable pajama party filled with music, games, and screen-free fun. A celebration of togetherness, creativity, and making lifelong memories, it’s the perfect bedtime read-aloud!

Elementary:

Sea Otter Sunrise by Mary Pope Osborne

Jack and Annie are off on another magical adventure! This time to Monterey Bay to help sea otters! Tasked with collecting sea urchins, they soon discover an injured otter in need of rescue. With a grumpy boat captain and an important mission ahead, can they do the right thing and save the day?

Growing Home by Beth Ferry

When a grumpy goldfish, a wisecracking spider, and two talkative plants discover they have magical powers, life at Number 3 Ramshorn Drive gets a whole lot more interesting! But when a mysterious man sets his sights on their enchanted fish tank, this unlikely team must work together to protect their home.

How to Train Your Dragon School: Doom of the Darkwing by Cressida Cowell

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third is back, this time in training school, where chaos is always on the syllabus! What starts as a simple lesson quickly turns into a stormy disaster, leaving Hiccup and his friends stranded at sea. This exciting new spin-off is perfect for young Viking-in-training readers!

Pete the Cat's Mars Mission by James Dean

Pete the Cat is on a far-out adventure and this time to Mars! When his friend Marty gets stuck, Pete blasts off on a mission to bring him home. With simple text and groovy illustrations, this I Can Read book is perfect for young explorers learning to read on their own.

The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby by Dav Pilkey

Get ready for a super-powered, diaper-clad adventure! This book follows the tiniest superhero around as he faces off against his villainous archenemy, Deputy Dangerous. This action-packed graphic novel is a hilarious and heartwarming read for heroes of all ages!

Middle School:

Chef’s Secret by Kelly Yang

Jason Yao is juggling a lot… being a chef, helping run a motel, and trying to be the best boyfriend ever to Mia Tang. But with big secrets weighing him down, he’s determined to plan the perfect first date, make new friends, and keep his true self hidden. 

Dream On by Shannon Hale

Cassie’s life feels a little off. Her family is busy, her best friend is drifting away, and she’s stuck in a small room with her sisters. When she wins a sweepstakes she dreams of fixing everything. But will material prizes solve her problems, or is something more important that she’s missing?

Snoop by Gordon Korman

Carter’s accident leaves him stuck at home with two broken legs and nothing to do until he starts spying on his town using cameras and a drone. As he uncovers strange happenings, Carter finds himself entangled in a mystery that could put him in real danger.

Girl Scouts: Anika and the Great Dog Rescue by Sayantani DasGupta and Girl Scouts

Anika loves animals, but when she finds a stray dog, she’s determined to help her on her own, despite her parents’ concerns. As she juggles school and family challenges, Anika learns the value of teamwork to save the dog. This is a heartwarming story of friendship and responsibility.

The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls by Judith Rossell

Maggie Fishbone expects little from the Midwatch Institute, but she’s surprised to find a place full of mystery-solving girls training to keep the city safe. As Maggie makes friends and uncovers secrets, she embarks on her first mission, solving the mystery of a missing woman.

Young Adult:

Glorious Rivals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The stakes are higher than ever as seven players continue their battle in the Grandest Game, where secrets, lives, and millions are at risk. As mysteries unfold and dangerous twists emerge, the competition intensifies, and every move could matter of life or death.

A Theory of Dreaming by Ava Reid

In this sequel to A Study in Drowning, Effy and Preston face the aftermath of their discovery. Effy has earned a historic spot at the literature college, but with it comes pressure and the loss of her fantasy world. As a war between mythical forces erupts, Effy and Preston must confront their deepest fears.

The Blood Phoenix by Amber Chen

In the sequel to Of Jade and Dragons, Ying is forced back into the political turmoil of the Nine Isles after a pirate attack by the mysterious Blood Phoenix fleet. Joining forces with the new Higher Commander, Ying must confront the pirates and their elusive mastermind. With betrayal and danger at every turn, Ying and her loved ones must make difficult choices to survive and protect the Nine Isles.

The Raven Boys: The Graphic Novel by Maggie Stiefvater and Stephanie Williams

Blue Sargent has always felt ordinary in her family of psychics until she’s drawn into the mysterious quest of Gansey and his fellow Raven Boys to find a sleeping Welsh king. As Blue steps into a world of magic, secrets, and danger, she realizes this journey may change everything. 

Let Them Stare by Jonathan Van Ness and Julie Murphy

From Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness and Dumplin’ author Julie Murphy comes a heartwarming story about friendship, love, and the unexpected magic of home. Sully is ready to leave their small town behind until a vintage bag and a ghostly drag performer changes everything. Sully’s summer turns into a journey of history, mystery, and self-discovery. 

Make This Summer a Season of Reading Adventures!

Summer is all about fun in the sun, but we hope we were also able to help you make it a season filled with good summer reads and learning adventures for your students! Whether it's through a creative library summer reading program, fun incentives, or simply finding the right books, every little bit helps keep their love of learning alive. If you have specific titles in mind for your students, don’t hesitate to request a quote and connect with one of our account managers. We’d love to help you find the perfect books to make this summer a page-turning success!