Letter to Parents

Dear Families,

Summer is an ideal time for children to enjoy “digging into reading” to help them maintain all the progress they have made over the course of the school year. During this vacation we ask that you encourage your child to read often, choosing from a wide variety of high-quality materials from many different genres: picture books, chapter books, historical fiction, non-fiction, magazines, graphic novels, poetry, fantasy, science fiction and the list goes on… Students can earn points for their Saint Michael’s Blue or White house team by participating in the summer reading program! Read on to find out more.

This year we are going completely digital with the summer reading program for students going into grades 1-4. All the materials that you will need will be attached to this email and on the Saint Michael’s website. Simply click on the “Summer Reading” tab and then the grade your child is going into in September. Note, that these materials will be posted on the school website by the end of June.

Summer Reading Requirements

Recommended Books

We recommend that students entering grades 1 and 2 read 5-10 books and students entering grades 3 and 4 read 3-5 books over the summer.

Book Log

Students should keep track of their summer reading using the book log attached to this email and bring the log to school in the fall to share with their class.

Book Review Activity

Students should complete a book review of one of the books they read this summer using the form attached to this email and bring this form back on their first day of school in September. All students who complete and return a book review to their classroom teachers will receive a point for their house. Go Blue and White!

Finding Books to Read

There are many ways for your child to access high quality books:

• Your local library is a great place to start.
• Digital books can be checked out using the Ocean State Library E-Zone. Simply log on with your library card number and then select and download a book to the device of your choice.
• Paper or digital books can be purchased from your local book shop or ordered from Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
• Students can reread favorite books that they already have at home.
• Students may read and listen to books using:
  • Epic! https://www.getepic.com/
  • Storyline Online https://www.storylineonline.net/
  • Pebble Go, Pebble Go Next or Capstone Books https://www.capstonepub.com/library/

To help you and your child select books, we have provided a summer reading list of titles that can be found attached to this email. In addition, here are links to the Rhode Island Children’s Book Award nominees for 2023 (https://olis.ri.gov/youth/ricba/winners.php) compiled by the State of Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Sciences and the 2023 Notable Children’s book list (www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/notalists/ncb) published by the American Library Association. Please note that these lists are only suggestions to help you get started. You and your child should feel free to choose any titles that are of interest, not just the ones on these lists.

Thank you for participating in our summer reading program! Have a fabulous vacation as you dig into reading! We look forward to sharing our summer reading adventures when we return in the fall.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have about the program.

Fondly,
Jean Cross
Reading Specialist

Summer Reading Tips

Summer is the perfect time for your child to practice and build upon skills learned during the school year. Reading books over the summer vacation can prevent summer learning loss and accelerate reading growth.

• Encourage your child to read this summer with these easy tips:
• Make reading part of your daily routine. Even 20-30 minutes a day can make a difference.
• Read aloud as a family to encourage your child to read independently too. Even older students still enjoy hearing a story read out loud!
• Support your child as they choose their own books to read based on their interests.
• Is there one title your child particularly enjoys? Contact the local library and ask a librarian for suggestions of similar titles to read next.
• Ask open-ended questions about the books your child is reading. “Why did you like (or dislike) this book? “How is it similar to or different from another book you have read?”
• Let your child see you reading! Children learn positive habits when they have positive role models.
• To determine if a book is a good fit for your child try the 5-finger rule

Click the drop down correlating to your student’s upcoming grade level to view all Summer Reading documents.