Last Days of Summer
August is a symbol of the end of summer to most school-age children and teens. Many actually begin their school year in the month of August; others start back to school after Labor Day. Almost all will spend the remaining days of summer soaking up last bits of fun before they have to focus on their studies once again. Summer reading programs may be ending in public libraries, but that doesn’t mean that reading should end. There are so many ways that libraries can celebrate the end of summer with patrons, even with those who haven’t participated in the summer reading program. Consider some of the following ideas?
- Have older readers write an online essay for the library website called “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” from the point of view of the main character in a book that is set in the summer. Suggestions from Random House include:
Chomp by Carl Hiaasen (middle grade)
Crow by Barbara Wright (middle grade)
How Tía Lola Saved the Summer by Julia Alvarez (middle grade)
Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool (middle grade)
Paperboy by Vince Vawter (middle grade)
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall (middle grade)
The Quilt by Gary Paulsen (middle grade)
Turtle in Paradise by Gary Paulsen (middle grade)
The Watsons Go to Birmingham–1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis (middle grade)
The Living by Matt de la Peña (young adult)
Mexican Whiteboy by Matt de la Peña (young adult)
Orchards by Holly Thompson (young adult)
- Encourage younger readers to share orally how main characters in books spent their summer vacation. Suggestions from Random House include:
The Berenstain Bears Go to Camp by Stan and Jan Berenstain (picture book)
Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold (picture book)
Tomás and the Library Lady by Pat Mora and illus. by Raul Colón (picture book)
Going, Going, Gone! With the Pain and the Great One by Judy Blume and illus. by James Stevenson (easy reader)
- Ask readers to share a main character with whom they would most like to spend the last days of summer. Then play charades and have readers act the activity that they and the main character are likely to enjoy. Some readers may choose the following main characters:
The grandfather from Song and Dance Man (picture book) by Karen Ackerman and illus. by Stephen Gammell
Junie B. Jones from the series (beginning reader) by Barbara Park
Alvin Ho from the series (easy reader) by Lenore Look and illus. by LeUyen Pham
Calvin Coconut from the series (easy reader) by Graham Salisbury
Piper Reed from the series (middle grade) by Kimberly Willis Holt
Brian from Brian’s Return (middle grade) by Gary Paulsen
April or Melanie from The Gypsy Game (middle grade) by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
Ned from Jelly Belly (middle grade) by Robert Kimmel Smith
Stanley Yelnats from Holes (middle grade) by Louis Sachar
Georges or Safer from Liar & Spy (middle grade) by Rebecca Stead
Jack from Hokey Pokey (middle grade) by Jerry Spinelli
Amanda from Zero (young adult) by Tom Leveen
Mikey from Lord of the Deep (young adult) by Graham Salisbury
Sammy Keyes from the series (young adult) by Wendelin Van Draanen
Simone from A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life (young adult) by Dana Reinhardt
Zach from Road Rash (young adult) by Mark Huntley Parsons
- Finally, because even the youngest school-age students have summer reading lists, the public library may have a summer reading night for readers and their parents or caregivers. Make it fun and suggest that readers share a summary of the book in rap.
