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Don’t discard books just because it’s summer

The summer months are an opportunity for youth to learn how to enjoy reading that’s not required work

ANDY WALKER SPECIAL TO SALTWIRE NETWORK awalker@pei.sympatico.ca

With school out for summer, reading may be the last thing on the minds of many students.

Rather than worrying about lost reading skills, some librarians and authors suggest the key to encouraging students to keep reading for the next couple of months is to take a laid back approach and incorporate reading into other activities.

“The number one thing is to let children read what they want to,” said Roseanne Gauthier, a children’s librarian at the Charlottetown Provincial Library. “Don’t get too hung up on reading levels — let them pick what they are interested in.”

During the school year, students have required reading and summer, she noted, should be a time when they can pick books of their choice. Gauthier said graphic novels are growing in popularity among young readers, adding many youngsters simply can’t get enough of them.

She added that some children may prefer to use audio books since they are comfortable with that technology and may want to take a break from reading off the page.

EMPHASIZE FUN

As the mother of a sevenyear-old, Emily Blackmore gets to view the issue of encouraging children to read from both a personal and professional perspective. In her day job as Children’s and Youth Collections and Services Librarian, she is in charge of children’s summer programming at all 92 public libraries in Newfoundland and Labrador.

As a parent, she practises what she preaches to others, saying the emphasis on summer reading should be fun and a chance for parents and children to spend time together.

The TD Summer Reading Club is one of the main summer activities for children in that province and includes a Youtube channel with a different video each week.

“There are different challenges throughout the summer — things like reading about a new hobby,” she explained. “When the kinds sign up to participate, they are eligible for prizes.”

One of the reasons behind the creation of the summer reading program, which is national in scope, is to make sure students keep up their reading skills when school is out. Blackmore agrees with her Charlottetown counterpart that many students like to read graphic novels, comics or audio books and she is sometimes asked by parents if that is all right.

“I say definitely,” commented Blackmore

As for youngsters reading what interests them, she recalls one youth who didn’t like to read, but was interested in mechanical things, so he liked reading books on how to fix things. While that is certainly not everybody’s cup of tea, Blackmore reminded that “everybody’s tastes are different.”

She also pointed out parents should not be hesitant to let their children know it is ok to stop reading a book they are reading for enjoyment if they don’t like it.

INCORPORATE CASUAL READING

Well-known children’s author Sheree Fitch of River John, Nova Scotia echoed similar sentiments. She said students do need the break from school and more structured learning that summer provides. However, she said there can be opportunities to incorporate reading into other summer activities.

“If you are going on a picnic or to the beach, suggest they bring a book along,” she suggested, adding there will likely be some days when they may not feel like reading and that’s fine too.

Like Gauthier, she said summer reading should be geared to topics the student is interested in. If they are a big basketball fan, for example, suggest some books on basketball. Reading can be incorporated into family summer activities too.

“I love reading with my grandchildren on the front porch swing and it is a fun family thing,” she said.

Blackmore scheduled a reading time for her two children every night just before bed and said it serves as a nice way to wind down the day.

Some students may read primarily for entertainment and many of the books they choose will be fiction, while others may be looking for non-fiction as they are reading primarily for information rather than entertainment. Gauthier said that can also vary from one day to the next noting “as adults, we don’t always want to read the same genre every time we read a book and children are no different.”

Those choices will often be guided by the child’s interest, added Fitch, noting “sometimes the non-fiction books can be about technology if that is one of their interests.”

They both felt the key is for parents to realize the books should be geared to their child’s interest and not theirs. Gauthier said parents shouldn’t be afraid to make suggestions, but not be offended if their offspring don’t embrace the request.

INSPIRATIONAL EARLY READING

One of the first books Fitch can remember having a major impact on her thinking was reading the Diary of Anne Frank. She said the memoir of the 12-year-old girl forced to hide from the Nazis during the Second World War just because she was Jewish made her realize there was a world beyond what she knew.

Fitch cautions against imposing children books that may be recommended by other parents, noting every child’s taste is different. Instead, she encourages parents to “model yourself as a reader. Let your children see you reading.”

Blackmore agrees, saying it is important not to send conflicting messages.

“If you keep telling your children it is important to read and yet they never see you read, what that says is you don’t really attach that much importance to it,” she explained.

The Charlottetown library is now in the process of moving locations from the Confederation Centre across the road to the former Dominion Building. The new location is slated to open July 6 and Gauthier said they will be offering many of their summer programs, including the TD Summer Reading Club, which is also popular across P.E.I.

The library in the provincial capital has been closed since April.

“I am looking forward to welcoming back readers of all ages,” said Gauthier. “This is our first full summer of programming since COVID and we are really looking forward to welcoming everybody to our new location here in Charlottetown.”

Libraries across the Atlantic provinces offer a host of programs over the summer, added Fitch said.

“They offer great opportunities to have fun and help foster a love of reading.”

ATLANTIC

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2022-07-04T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-07-04T07:00:00.0000000Z

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