School's out, now let the summer reading begin! The city's Department of Education is urging students and families to spend at least 20 minutes or more a day reading together to help prevent the so-called "summer slide". Students to sign up for the New York Public Library's Summer Reading Challenge 2015. This year's challenge celebrates heroes from popular fantasy, and graphic novels and book series.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- School's out, now let the summer reading begin!
The city's Department of Education is urging students and families to spend at least 20 minutes or more a day reading together to help prevent the so-called "summer slide".
"Setting aside even 20 minutes a day for reading can preserve and build a child's language skills," said City Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina.
"Research shows that students who don't keep their brains and bodies active during the summer risk the summer slide: when they lose many of the key concepts from the school year, and fall behind their classmates in subjects like math and reading," she said.
The DOE is urging students to sign up for the New York Public Library's Summer Reading Challenge 2015. This year's challenge celebrates heroes from popular fantasy, and graphic novels and book series.
Here is a sampling of the NYPL's top picks for summer reads, by age:
Pre-school and Pre-K (ages 3 to 5):
- "I Want to Be an Astronaut," by Byron Barton. See what it's like to work in outer space.
- "Flower Garden," by Eve Bunting. A young girl prepares a flower garden as a surprise for her mother.
- "Maisy Learns to Swim," by Lucy Cousins. A young girl wants to learn to swim, like the big kids do.
- "SuperHero ABC," by Bob McLeod. A superhero for each letter of the alphabet.
- "Animal Colors: A Rainbow of Colors from Animals Around the World," by Beth Fielding. An animal's color is a matter of survival. (Non-fiction)
Grades K to 5 (ages 5 to 10)
- "Happy Like Soccer," by Maribeth Boelts. Sierra wishes her auntie and neighbors could come see her new team play. (Grades K to 1)
- "Katie Saves the Earth," by Fran Manushkin. Katie has a plan to save the world and it involves a yard sale. (Grades K-1)
- "Hippos Can't Swim: And Other Fun Facts," by Laura Lyn DiSiena and Hannah Eliot. Learn about some of the heroes and villains of the animal kingdom.(Grades K-1, non-fiction)
- "Franny K. Stein: Lunch Walks Among Us," by Jim Benton. Mad scientist Franny tries to fit in with her classmates. (Grades 2-3)
- "Captain Awesome and the New Kid," by Stan Kirby. Is the new student Sally Williams a friend or foe for the captain? (Grades 2-3)
- "A Nation's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis," by Matt de la Pena. The story of boxing legend Joe Louis and his fight against a German on the eve of World War II. (Grades 2-3, non-fiction)
- "The Magic Shop: The Vanishing Coin," by Kate Egan and Mike Lane. Mike has a hard time in school, but a trip to a mysterious magic shop may turn everything around. (Grades 4-5)
- "President of the Whole Fifth Grade," by Sherri Williams. Can Brianna Justice win the school election with her creative campaign cupcakes? (Grades 4-5)
- "Titanic: Voices from the Disaster," by Deborah Hopkinson. The story of this maritime catastrophe seen through the memories of some of its survivors. (Grades 4-5, non-fiction)
Grades 6 to 8 (ages 11-14)
- "The Screaming Staircase," by Jonathan Stroud. Lucy Carlyle is going into business as a ghost hunter, if she can survive a night in one of London's most haunted houses. (Grades 6-8)
- "Better Nate Than Ever," by Tim Federle. Can Broadway hopeful Nate get to New York and audition for the new "E.T." musical without his family finding out? (Grades 6-8)
- "Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong," by Prudence Shen & Faith Erin Hicks. The robotics club goes up against the cheerleaders in a school election. (Grades 6-8, graphic novel)
- "The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen," by Susin Nielsen-Fernlund. The help of his friends and the Global Wrestling Federation help Henry get over a life-changing event. (Grades 6-8)
- "Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice," by Phillip M. Hoose. Before Rosa Parks, a 15-year-old girl refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus. (Grades 6-8, non-fiction)
High School (ages 14 to 17)
- "The Living," by Matt de la Pena. While Shy is working on a cruise ship, a massive earthquake hits California and sends a tsunami out to sea with disastrous consequences. (Grades 9-12)
- "Throne of Glassby," by Sarah J. Maas. Assassin Celaena must fight to the death to become the champion of the king, a man she has sworn to kill. (Grades 9-12)
- "Code Name Verity," by Elizabeth Wein. In WWII Britain, one girl becomes a pilot, another a spy. (Grades 9-12)
- "Stan Lee's How to Draw Superheroes," by Stan Lee. Drawing lessons from the creator of Spider-Man, the Avengers, Iron Man, and more. (Grades 9-12, non-fiction)
- "Shackleton: Antarctic Odyssey," by Nick Bertozzi. Can Ernest Shackleton and his crew brave the icy wilderness and become the first to reach the South Pole? (Grades 9-12, non-fiction, graphic novel)
Local librarians are also available to make reading suggestions. Visit the library website to learn more.