15 June 2011

Summer Summer Summer Summer Summer Challenge

Join The Sisters tomorrow June 16, 2011 at 1pm
we're helping Benzonia Public Library kick off
their Summer Reading Program!
Summer Reading, what's the buzz all about? Just search these two words, go ahead just like this: “Summer Reading”. Can you believe how many things come up? Now change the search parameters to include most recent activity, try a Realtime Search –isn’t that wild, there is a new post just about every MINUTE on Twitter. Try a News Search, all the latest news articles that include “Summer Reading”. Pretty wild, it seems everyone is talking about reading this summer!

So, what’s the big deal? Oh, that’s right it’s almost SUMMER! We’ve been listening as friends count down the days to Summer Vacation, were you counting down? Summer officially begins in the Northern Hemisphere on June 21, 1:16pm (Eastern Daylight Time).
Are you excited about Summer Reading? Do you have different plans for reading while school is out? Does your library have a Summer Reading Program?
"One World, Many Stories" 2011 theme for Library Summer
Reading Programs,
 set by the "Collaborative Summer Library
Program (CSLP)
, a grassroots consortium of states working
together to provide high-quality summer reading program materials
for children at the lowest cost possible for their public libraries."
According to the American Library Association the benefits to readers in a summer reading program include:
  • encouragement that reading become a lifelong habit
  • reluctant readers can be drawn in by the activities
  • reading over the summer helps children keep their skills up
  • the program can generate interest in the library and books
The Books for Walls Project has BIG plans; during July and August our Challenges will focus on Summer Reading, helping YOU find your way to books and authors that you might enjoy. In addition, we'll offer Writing Challenges; ever wonder how writers come up with all those stories. Imagine: there is a story in every book, every book! and a human being (just like you) dreamed the story up! Now imagine this: you have a story inside of YOU, this summer we are going to share tools to help you tell your story.

We’ve enlisted the help of librarians (thank you, wonderful librarians) who are going to comment on Challenges and share their wonderful wisdom. Did you know that one of a librarians jobs is to be available to YOU and help you find a perfect book? Librarians are constantly reading and researching trying to find ways to help readers find their way to library resources that they need. (If you are a librarian and want to join the ranks, send us an email and we’ll share the details.) In addition, we asked poet Sarah Kay(Project V.O.I.C.E) for permission to use one of original, amazing, and simple tools to help you find the way to your own story and she said, "yes!"

The Books for Walls Project Summer Reading and Story Program starts on July 6th 2011. So after you're done celebrating, picnicing, and watching fireworks on the 4th stop by and join us. If you’d like to receive our posts via email, sign up here:
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Now, for the Summer Summer Summer Summer Summer Challenge, tell us about your Summer Reading:
  • Do you make plans?
  • Have a required reading list from school?
  • Know any great tools for finding books? 
  • Can you think of a perfect book to read during the summer? 
  • What are you up to this summer?
  • Join in, tell us a story!

7 comments:

  1. It is 8:30am and it is definitely Summer here. The Sisters are asleep and will be for a while --they were up late reading!

    I did do something different this summer in hope of helping The Sisters enjoy the summer. We did not sign up for anything, no lessons, no classes --nothing! And we are working hard to keep the schedule as unscheduled as possible --so the girls can just while away the hours doing whatever they please.

    Working on the BFWP Summer Reading and Story Program is a simple way for us to stay in tune with alllllll the good books out there.

    Personally, I plan to bring stack of books along when we camp and at least one in my purse at all times. I am in the middle of all sorts of research so there is always a book to read --now to just try to ignore everything and read... that is the trick!

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  2. since we're unschooling, our lives are always free to do what we love! :) that helps, with reading, year-round. but summer? summer is magical with reading - there's something about being out in the sun and breeze, that makes the words *extra* special.

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  3. Beth, Trevor, and Kaile1:14 PM

    The kids do have a summer reading list and they are not hot on it. Struggling a bit with it but they love to be online, we're signing up and hopefully we can all join in this summer.

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  4. Accidental Librarian12:15 PM

    It's funny...summer reading is hot for schoolkids who have the freedom to choose whatever reading material they want, and I'm assuming that reading time for adults is primarily winter. Mine summer reading is practically frozen!

    But, being the accidental librarian means running my own summer reading program at my tiny library. It's interesting how mostly young children participate, and there's a big gap of participants in the pre-teen and teen group. So, I'm on the slow quest of figuring out how to reach everybody (essentially every librarians quest!)...and how to keep the program about the books, not the crafts and snacks!

    So...if you participate in a particularly fascinating summer reading program, add that to your post here! All librarians will appreciate!

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  5. Wow, looks like we are on to something! What a great group of kids --perfect size and perfect ages and wonderful conversation.

    The Summer Reading Program here at Books for Walls Project is a HIT! Accidental Librarian, we can share our Reading and Story Journals --we'll work on getting a donation so we can make a bunch. Starts July 6th, already we have some kiddos on board that need help finding books and are willing to ask our BFWP Readers and our growing list of Librarians to help!!

    Stay tuned!!!! And thanks to all who helped (and are helping) us with the program!!

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  6. Summer is a dim but longed for memory where I live right now. But my ideal summer read is a waterproof one. I love to read in the pool but hate to damage my books, so audio books work well. Aside from that, I am looking forward to reading some new picture books I want to review; and my next adult books will probably be Eyewitness Travel:Prague, and Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind.

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  7. Eveleen10:28 AM

    I stumbled upon your website via twitter. Just wanted to say Thank you for being a family who loves books and libraries. I work in a children's library here in California. We too are having fun with this years SRP!

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