The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it.
~James Bryce
Summer is a time for relaxation and fun, to be sure, but all students need to keep their minds active. One way to do this is by using a Summer Reading List. Summer reading keeps the brain engaged and builds foundations for understanding like no other activity can do.
Your school might provide a suggested summer reading list, or you might be free to choose your own selections. Your librarian or bookstore will be happy to assist you in finding the books that are right for your student, as well.
Summer reading is vital to school success, even if your school program does not provide a listing of recommendations. The readings represent our shared culture, and the things students learn through reading literature of all sorts will help them as they analyze the world around them and complete assignments in their classes throughout the coming year. Wide reading opens doors to unfamiliar genres, ways of life and philosophies. It also provides fodder for examples, comparisons and contrasts that can support opinions in school essays. Teachers and professors throughout the school years will refer to famous quotations and characters, and it is only through reading the books that these references can be fully understood.
Perhaps of the most immediate and short term importance is the leg-up that summer reading will give students on the high-stakes standardized tests that are now so much a part of education. Familiarity with these classic books will help students score higher on tests like the SAT, the ACT, the English Literature AP Exam, and many more. Why not ensure that your student has every possible advantage?
Here at VSSO, good books will be suggested each week. You’ll find links to discussion and analysis as well as study guides to help students get the most from the reading. Remember that reading the book is only half of the equation! Students need to engage their minds and respond to the book in some fashion, as well.
These books have been discussed in posts here at VSSO. The titles are listed in alphabetical order within broad age groups. If you don’t see a book on the list yet and are interested in having it discussed, please just drop us an email or leave a comment!
Lower Grades (K-3):
Stuart Little
Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Schoolbus
Middle Grades (3-6):
Treasure Island
The Borrowers
A Wrinkle in Time
Middle School Grades (6-9):
Tuck Everlasting
Flowers for Algernon
The Hobbit
High School Grades (9-12):
A book is the only place in which you can examine a fragile thought without breaking it, or explore an explosive idea without fear it will go off in your face. It is one of the few havens remaining where a man’s mind can get both provocation and privacy.
~Edward P. Morgan