The document encourages kids to read over the summer to prevent the "summer slide" and lose academic skills. It recommends participating in summer reading programs at the local library and setting your own reading goals. A list of authors and reading resources are provided to help kids find books to read over the summer. Students who show their reading log to their teacher by August 22 will receive a small prize.

1. HAPPY SUMMER!
Research shows that kids who do not read over the summer can suffer from
"summer slide" or "brain drain." This means that it can take longer to catch up and get
back in the swing of things when the new school year starts. Don't let this happen! READ,
READ, READ! If you need a little extra push or incentive to get you reading, there are lots
of summer reading programs out there for little kids, big kids, and grown-ups!
Participate in the summer reading program at the Lexington County Public
Library; participate in the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge; or come up with your
own summer reading challenge (you can even join Mrs. Byrd Fort and challenge
yourself to read a #bookaday this summer)!
Doesn’t matter how you do it, just as long as you READ!
Don’t know what to read? Check out this list of authors and resources! Mrs. Byrd
Fort will be sharing more suggestions on the Learning Commons Facebook, Twitter, and
Instagram pages throughout the summer – be sure to LIKE and FOLLOW the Learning
Commons so that you don’t miss out!
Valerie Byrd Fort, NPES Teacher Librarian
vfort@lexington1.net
Scan the QR code above to visit our webpage!
PS - Students who show Mrs. Byrd Fort their
reading log by August 22 will receive a small prize!
Authors/Illustrators for grades K-2
Best for K-2, but kids in 3-5 will like them too!
Tedd Arnold
Brod Bagert
Phil Bildner
Peter Brown
Eric Carle
Nina Crews
Tomie DePaola
Gail Gibbons
Kevin Henkes
Matthew and Jennifer Holm *Babymouse and Squish!
Steve Jenkins *Animal Non-fiction!
Oliver Jeffers
Ezra Jack Keats
Jon Klassen
Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Brain Lies
Leo Lionni
Robert Munsch
Jack Prelutsky *Funny poet!
April Pulley Sayre
Cynthia Rylant
Jon Scieszka
Dr. Seuss
David Shannon
Mo Willems
Authors/Illustrators for grades 3-5
Best for 3-5, but kids in K-2 will like them too!
Avi
Brod Bagert
Phil Bildner
Sharon Creech
Christopher Paul Curtis
Rahl Dahl
Kate DiCamillo
Matthew and Jennifer Holm *Babymouse and Squish!
James Howe
Jeff Kinney *Author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid series
Jarrett J. Krosoczka
*Author of Lunch Lady Graphic Novels
Megan McDonald
*Author of the Judy Moody and Stink books
Gary Paulsen
Lincoln Peirce *Big Nate series
Dav Pilkey *VERY FUNNY!
Patricia Polacco
Cynthia Rylant
Louis Sachar
Seymour Simon
Charles R. Smith, Jr.
Jerry Spinelli
*Ask the librarians at the public library OR email Mrs. Byrd Fort at vfort@lexington1.net for more ideas!

2. We hope to see you at one of these Summer Reading KICK-OFF events!
StoryFestSC
http://www.statelibrary.sc.gov/storyfestsc-2014
South Carolina State Museum, Saturday, June 7 9am – 4pm
Kick off summer reading with award winning authors Nina Crews and Brian Lies!
Lexington County Public Library Summer Reading Kickoff Party
http://www.lex.lib.sc.us/children.asp
Lexington County Public Library, Main Library, Wednesday, June 4 3pm – 6pm
Try these ideas to keep you reading over the summer!
• Visit Comic Nirvana in Lexington for COMIC BOOKS!
• Read The State Newspaper EVERY DAY (online or the print version) www.thestate.com
• See if your favorite book or author has an APP or website!
• Read a book on a device (Nook, Kindle, iPad, etc.)
• Visit the public library OFTEN! There are TONS of free programs to check out!
• Attend NPES Night with the Columbia Blowfish Baseball Team! Tuesday, June 10!
• Visit TumbleBooks (email Mrs. Byrd Fort for the password!) http://www.tumblebooks.com/library
Visit these websites and blogs for EVEN MORE suggestions of
great books and activities you can do this summer!
• ReadKiddoRead - www.readkiddoread.com
• GUYS READ - www.guysread.com
• South Carolina Book Award Program (check out the Picture Book list and the Children’s Book
list) - http://scasl.net/awards/book-awards/
• Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge – www.scholastic.com/ups/campaigns/src-2014
• Reading Rockets - www.readingrockets.org/calendar/summer
• DayByDaySC - http://daybydaysc.org
• WeGiveBooks.org Read for My Summer Challenge - www.wegivebooks.org/give/summer
• Book Adventure - www.bookadventure.com/Home.aspx
• Book It! Summer Reading Challenge - www.bookitprogram.com/summer/default.asp
• Google Maker Camp - http://makezine.com/maker-camp/