I’ve been thinking….
…about summer and in particular, summer reading.
Even in our A/C world where there is no reason to slow down for summer heat and humidity, we still revel in summer afternoons with “nothing to do” but relax and have fun. Hanging by the pool, sitting on the beach, swaying in a hammock in the backyard – iced drink ready and book in hand.
Deep in my psyche are the memories of hot summer afternoons (before having an air-conditioned house!) spent reading Nancy Drew mysteries. I went through one a day of the many titles in the series, until that fateful day when Nancy Drew was just too predictable, and — could I say it? — boring!
My mother understood. “They are written to a formula,” she explained.
“But what will I read now?!” I wailed.
“You will love my Nero Wolfe mysteries,” was her reply, and oh my, did I. His vocabulary! His total command of any situation! His clever and daring side kick, Archie! Again, fortunate for me, there were a lot of Nero Wolfe novels to enjoy.
Summer reading for my children included an almost daily trip to the Library. They were into the summer reading programs and delighted in picking out their books. Summer reading was a part of summer fun.
At some point —upper elementary, maybe — they had required titles to read during the summer for school. Heavy sigh. Summer reading was now a chore. And worst of all, they denied themselves the joys of picking out and reading their own books until the required reading was done. You know how that goes — homework always is last on the list. Summer reading stalled.
This would just not do.
After the first year of having summer reading joys squashed by having to “do school,” we took a few days at the start of summer vacation to get it done. Books read, reports written, and then, on to the wonders of real reading.
My grands enjoy their books, but they do most of their reading on their tablets. That’s cool. I’m impressed that these tablets can be programmed to limit game time, but books are available all the time. That works.
Nothing engages imaginations like reading. We need to help create the spaces in busy lives for kids — and for us — to just kick back and read — for fun.
Summertime, well spent!
