Summer Reading

It took a bit longer here in Texas to arrive but summer is FINALLY here!

It's only been one week and I think I have already heard "I'm bored!" 50 times.

One way we are trying to bore-proof our summer is READING!

If you search reading incentives or reading charts there are a billion around and I was having a hard time choosing what would be the easiest way to keep up with our reading and encourage the girls to want to read. I went to my sister's house (Jessica's) and saw what she made for her kids. I immediately said I need one for my girls and that we needed to share it with our friends.

At the beginning of the school year, I (Jessica) put together a reading notebook for all my kids.  In the end, it proved to just be too much work.  I may post it one day for those super ambitious.  This summer I knew I wanted to keep it simple but put a little more responsibility on the kids.  They love to read but they don't like to do anything else with the books.  My kids also read ALOT.  We decided that a good solution would be to start a book blog where they report on each book they read.  We came up with a simple rating system to use.  Some books they will do a short book report on and other books they will do a longer book report on.  It really is up to them.  My goal was for them to read a chapter book a week.  Julianna-Marie usually reads a chapter book a day, though! Johnna Katherine is a new reader so her books are much shorter and she only completes the short book reports on some of the books.  I put together a book binder for each of them.  Again, keeping it pretty simple.  If they complete the whole reading packet by the end of the summer, they get a BIG prize!  (not sure what yet)  In the meantime, we signed up for several summer book reading programs to help award them along the way.  Below I will post some of the best ones we found.  So far, this method is working! We will see how it goes as the summer progresses.  

Here are the files I threw together. Click on the hyperlink to get to the file.  (nothing fancy)

Cover Page - I just went with a blank cover so they could draw their own pictures.

Log - (older kids) 

Log - (younger kids) I wish I had included a space so that if she reads the same book over she could mark it.  I like for her to read the same book atleast 3 times.  We may use stickers to help indicate the times she reads them.

Longer Book Report - I included 10 in the booklet. One for each week.  The kids helped me design this file.  It usually only takes them about 10 minutes to complete. I am using this info to add to our new book blog.

Short Book Report - This is for all the extra books they complete.  Johnna Katherine (who just finished K) uses this form for all her books. 

We have packets printed and bound at Office Max for a low cost. Each child has their own Reading Packet. Here is the combined reading packet. 

Other than this packet, I have the kids look up the book on Book Adventure http://www.bookadventure.com/  This is a great site that has AR like test for certain books.  We use this site more during the school year but the kids like it so I am encouraging them to keep it up.


Below are a few of the summer reading programs we are participating in: 

Pizza Hut 

Half Priced Books 

Barnes and Noble Summer Reading 



Happy Reading! We would love to hear about any other great reading summer programs or ways you are encouraging your kids to read this summer!