Summer Reading: Color Our World Your Way!

By the Friends of the Reston Regional Library

June marks the beginning of the Fairfax County Public Library Summer Reading program. This year’s theme is Color Our World. What a perfect chance to let your kids put their own mark on their reading list!

By now we hope everyone knows the value of literacy for readers of all ages (Education! Empathy! Creativity! Critical Thinking!) And if you’re a parent, you’ve probably heard about the ‘summer slide.’ No, it’s not a fun feature at the Water Mine. It’s the dreaded idea that students might fall behind over the summer, losing literacy, knowledge, or skills gained during the school year. With that kind of concern on your mind, it can be tempting to put a lot of pressure on Summer Reading, and on Summer Readers!

But this summer, we encourage you to let your young readers do their own thing. There’s nothing worse for a kid than to pick up a book that seems interesting and then be told “You’re too young/too old/too fill-in-the-blank for that!” or “Why don’t you read something educational?” or, worst of all, “That’s not real reading!”

Don’t treat summer reading like homework. If you want kids to enjoy reading, then let them read what they enjoy. Let them choose a storyline, genre, or format they’ve always wanted to read but maybe haven’t had the time, resources, or confidence. Or let them re-read an old favorite, even if it's all summer long.

Resist those all-or-nothing expectations. Not everyone becomes an avid reader overnight, and not everyone takes the same path to a love of reading. 500 page novels or 5 minute short stories, a graphic novel next to the pool, or an audio book in the car – reading in big and small doses can foster literacy and a lifelong love of reading.

If you want to give your readers the best chances to find their own way to a love of reading, don’t forget to visit the library in person. Searching online is handy, and can give you results when you know what you’re looking for. But browsing in person, at any age, lets readers wander and discover. Browsers can respond to what catches their eye. Librarians work hard to put together displays to offer a variety of tantalizing prospects for readers. Don’t miss out on them! Like going into Costco for ‘milk, eggs, and flour’ and coming out with a cartful --- a trip to the library can bring a stack of unexpected treats.

To participate in the Summer Reading Adventure, readers can sign up online or in person. Once they start reading, they can use Beanstack or a paper log to track books and reading time, earn virtual progress badges, and complete goals. At the end of the summer, readers have a chance to win real prizes including gift certificates and coupons for all sorts of local businesses.

Information about the Summer Reading program can be found on the Fairfax County Public Library’s website: https://research.fairfaxcounty.gov/reading-challenges/summer-reading/

Wondering if adults can participate in Summer Reading? According to FCPL, “Absolutely! We want to involve adults in the summer reading experience. It promotes adult literacy and encourages people to interact with the library in different ways. Plus, adults like reading books, attending engaging summer events and receiving prizes, too!”

Stop by Reston Regional Library soon to get your family started on a Summer Reading Adventure.

Getting started: Here are some recommendations for your summer reading adventure. Add your own to the list! Remember, a bookshelf is like Minecraft…. “every world starts empty but holds infinite potential!”

Picture books

Build, Beaver, Build!: Life At The Longest Beaver Dam, by Sandra Markle

Finding Winnie: The True Story Of The World's Most Famous Bear, by Lindsay Mattick

Hello Lighthouse, by Sophie Blackall

Watercress, by Andrea Wang

“Ready For Chapters” Series Books

Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew series, by Carolyn Keene

The Third Grade Detectives series, by George Edward Stanley

The Unicorn’s Secret series, by Kathleen Duey

Graphic Novels for Summer Reading

Fuera de lugar, by Lucy Knisley

Just Pretend, by Tori Sharp

Sports Illustrated Kids: 8-bit Baseball, by Brandon Terrell

Sports Illustrated Kids: Spotlight Soccer, by Ricardo Sanchez

Library of Doom: Secrets in the Stacks, by Daniel Mauleón

Teen Titans: Starfire, by Kami Garcia

Zatanna: The Jewel of Gravesend, by Alys Arden

The Colorful Story Of Comics, by Patricia Lakin

Young Adults

America Redux, by Ariel Aberg-Riger

Imogen, Obviously, by Becky Albertalli

All You Have to Do, by Autumn Allen

Murtagh, by Christopher Paolini

You Should See Me in a Crown, by Leah Johnson

A Court of Thorns and Roses, by Sarah J. Maas

Check & Mate, by Ali Hazelwood

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, by Suzanne Collins

The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak

Throne of Glass, by Sarah J. Maas