The Joys of Summer Reading

One of my great growing up memories is throwing myself headlong into any summer reading program that came along. I usually had at least two going during the hot days of June, July, and August - one from the local public library and one from my church library. These programs weren't the mandatory summer reading lists required these days by every grade from kindergarten through high school. Nope. These were completely optional.

I loved having a new crisp, clean form with sections for Fiction, Biographies, Non-Fiction, and whatever categories some dear librarian wanted to toss my way. Oooh, the feeling of getting to carefully write in a finished book and its author - well, it gives me a thrill even today. Yes. I am a book-nerd, and obviously always have been.

Then when Daughter was 4 or 5 years old, we'd grab our library cards and participate in whatever summer programs the establishment had to offer. It was so much fun introducing her to joy of selecting her own books and finding a quiet time amidst summer activities to crack open a whole new world. It was a great daily habit that I hope she loved as much as I did.

Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books, Sydney Taylor's All of a Kind Family, and Edward Eager's Half Magic were some of our favorites. Yes, I may have had a hand in guiding her to the Ingalls family, but the others she found on her own. It was wonderful learning about Taylor's Lower East Side Jewish family or figuring out the right way to make a half-magic wish. Great stuff after a day's work and heat!

GrandBoy's still on board books so he's a little young for a library summer reading program. But just think how much fun it will be to let him choose a book - at a library, bookstore, Kindle or tablet store, or whatever new book delivery option will be available in 2-3 years - and share it with him! What new worlds and people will we meet?

Do you have a favorite summertime reading memory?