Summer Reading K to 1St

Go to library and let him pick out a book a week that is fun. Summer time is to have fun. If they are not interested, I would let it go. I am a big believer in summertime fun for little ones. Reading can be incorporated in everyday living.

I would just take her to the library because she has to see what she likes and what catches her eye.

I was buying new books, but soon discovered after they are read, she has moved on to the next and doesn't go back to read the book ever again.

During the school year, I buy the books second hand because we don't have time to go to the library, but during the summer I will take full advantage.

These are all series books so if your little one likes them there are loads of them.
Magic Treehouse series
Horrible Harry
Ramona the pest
Way side school
Fancy Nancy
Amelia Bedelia
Amber Brown

The next few might need your help but are wonderful
Charlottes web
Stuart little
The little princess
The secret garden
Heidi
Bambi

My son loved Fly Guy at that age.

The library and let her browse. Talk to the children's librarian. We went every week when I was little. We were allowed to check out as many books as we could carry :).

the school reading lists are often unbearably bland. i would mix up books that YOU want to read to her with books that she herself picks out at the library. oh my, how we loved library trips when i had kids this age!
i'd be reading some dr suess (you're never too old for suess) along with other classics like the wind in the willows, alice in wonderland, where the wild things are, classic fairy tales, alice the fairy, james and the giant peach......
my boys would be picking out books on trucks and dinosaurs.
bliss all round!
:) khairete
S.

Assuming that you do have access to a library, I will echo that taking the kid to the library and letting them look around in the stacks is the best option. He or she (and you) might find something new which you never would have thought of. Also, the library gives you the resource of the librarian, who has years of watching kids and their tastes in books.

In terms of books which might be appealing, I can say that our kids both enjoyed the Magic Treehouse series by Mary Pope Osborne and The Secrets of Droon series by Tony Abbott; our daughter loved the Rainbow Fairy series, and our son loved graphic novels (basically cartoon books) until he took off with reading after 2nd grade. Even though a graphic novel doesn't necessarily build the child's ability to read lots of sentences in a row, at the child has a book in hand and is learning about the joys which can be found in reading. Reading to the child is really important too. Have fun!

It depends on what reading level your child is at. Ask the teacher, she can provide a list directly through Scholastic, or check with the children's librarian, this is what they do!

Most public libraries have recommended reading lists. My little guy is going into 1st and LOVES Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems. All of the Dr. Seuss books are good too! The Elephant & Piggie books and the Dr. Seuss books do a great job of reinforcing kinder/1st grade sight words.

How well does your child read? There is a HUGE range at this age. My son was reading chapter books in kindergarten while others in his class are still struggling with basic text as they finish up first grade.

If you're ready for chapter books, Magic Treehouse is a popular series. My son really likes the Arthur Chapter books and Cam Jansen Mysteries as well. Both Arthur and Cam come in reader-level books if you're not at the chapter book stage yet.

Other popular readers - Henry & Mudge series, Young Cam Jansen, Oliver & Amanda Pig series, anything by Arnold Loebel

My son LOVES sports and is a huge fan of the books by Matt Christopher.

At our schools, each grade level sends home a reading list for children to practice over the summer. I always found that helpful and a good place to start because the reading material suggestions were based on the overall reading levels of the students. These lists are also posted on the school district website.

Our public libraries are wildly popular with summer reading programs. Out school librarian introduces the program toward the end if school. The public library usually has some sort of theme and a intro video for the summer program which includes prizes as well.

The libraries ( we have 6 I think) each have story/reading time weekly based on age levels.

I don't know how structured it is but the local bookstores such as Barnes and Noble also have weekly reading times with incentives.

Good luck!

Yes to browsing at the library but also be sure to ask your local library's children's librarian! The librarian will be so pleased to help you and your child! Libraries have story times all summer, and ours used to have story and craft times where they tied the craft to the story. Great stuff, and free.

Make library trips a regular part of your week, several times a week. If your child does OK with the idea of reading books at the bookstore and not buying every single one of them, a bookstore can be a great hangout as well. (Do buy a few over the summer!)

I second all of Sherry's list and would also add any books by Jane Hissey (especially if your child loves a stuffed toy....Hissey brings them to life beautifully); books by Rosemary Wells but especially her Hilltop School books which gently help kids navigate school worries without preaching to them; the "Henry and Mudge" books; Encyclopedia Brown (yes, he's still around and you will need to read with her but these are short stories and a lot of fun). So much more!

If she has a particular interest, spend a week keying the book choices to that interest. She loves kitties? The characters Skippyjon Jones and Bad Kitty are hilarious (to adults too!). She likes to help out in the kitchen, cooking and eating? There are lots of books about food, cooking, even about different cultures' foods, all appropriate for her age. Search online for titles and ideas but use the library.

Find books too that are more advanced so you have to read them to and with her (as Sherry noted!)I think it helps advance kids' skills if they are read to at levels above what they can read themselves.

It somewhat depends on how much you want the child to read solo and where your child is in ability. For example, some of my DD's friends are in chapter books, but we are only in chapter books (for her reading herself) if you include things like Dragon's Fat Cat. But she likes to be read to as well as read. I've ordered a selection of books, from Junie B. Jones to Mo Willems and Pete the Cat. Some on her level, some above, some below. You might also take your kiddo to the library and talk to the children's librarian and see what they have. We got Dragon's Fat Cat in the younger kids' section, next to the beginning readers. If your child likes science, try Magic Schoolbus and Fly Guy, too.

My daughter LOVED Geronimo Stilton at that age. There are tons of these.

For any books you are considering, I would recommend taking a trip to your local library to look over your selections. You may decide to just check them out of the library and return them. It's a heck of a lot cheaper that way. Especially if you really have a reading fiend on your hands, like I do/did. Even the cheap Geronimo Stilton books add up (They're like $7 a piece)... and she would read them in a few hours and be ready for the next.