With summer vacation, we'd just like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that research shows that the best predictor of school success is the amount of time spent in free reading and enjoying books. Experts note that most young readers suffer a backslide in reading skills during summer downtime. But that needn't be the case.  Families can make reading a priority during the summer months, and children will learn that people never take a vacation from learning. Here are some great resources that may help your child enjoy a summer that makes TIME FOR LEARNING!!   Find links to summer reading booklists, clubs, and great literacy websites. Also, don't forget to click on the Library Internet Links on the Library portion of McKnight's web site to find links to lots of fun and educational sites arranged by Dewey number.  We even have grade level links at the top of the chart.

McKnight Summer Reading Suggestions - find recommended titles for each grade level.

Summer Reading Drawing

Want to have your name entered into the McKnight Library Summer Reader Drawing and earn a chance to win some neat prizes?  Every time you read a book this summer,  just use this Summer Reading Form to let us know.  Click on submit and the information will be on its way.  And...for each book you read, you increase your chances of winning.  Then we will celebrate when we return to school with daily drawings.  Good luck and have a great summer!!

Please DO NOT start registering for books that you have read until after the last day of school.  Any early entries will be DELETED!!!

Summer Reading Clubs 

Northland Summer Reading Program   Be Creative @ Your Library is the theme of this year's summer reading club at Northland Public Library.  You can even register online beginning June 1st!  Remember - McKnight Library will give a treat to every student who participated when school starts again.

Summer Activity and Literacy Websites

“Between the Lions”   This PBS show has a great web site for younger students, with recommended books for each episode and a weekly web adventure. 

Book Adventure is  a free reading motivation program at dedicated to encouraging kids in grades K-8 to read. With the help of Rex Reader and Bailey Bookmark, kids have more than 5,000 titles from which to choose. 

The Craft of the Day site is a recipe for summer fun. Check each day for directions to a different summer craft.

Eduplace is the website from our Houghton Mifflin reading program.  It contains monthly themes, complete with activities as well as games to help maintain skills.

Family Education features some great summer reading lists at its web site.  Also find activities and games, book quizzes, and book marks and travel journals that you can print and use all summer.

Family Fun Online - Lots of ads but some neat crafts and activities.

FunSchool  has some fun games organized both by grade level and subject. 

Good Night Stories - Everything you can do with a story- Read stories, see stories, create mad lib stories, and so on.

International Children's Digital Library - 904 children's books in 34 languages to read online

Reading is Fundamental has  a great summer site for kids and parents - find lists, activities, write stories online. all kinds of neat reading fun!

Starfall has some learn to read games that focus on specific skills for kids to work on. 

Story Hour from the Internet Public Library  has online books. Or click on their Reading Room Link to find online stories and books from all over the web.

Storyline The Screen Actor's Guild offers these stories online, where students can choose from different books and/or different actors to download an audio book.  There are also activities.

Tumble Books- E Books for  Kids   Thanks to Northland Library find access to on-line picture books, Chapter books, puzzles and more- a great site!  Click on the left for Tumble books or try some of the other websites recommended.

Summer Reading Lists and Bibliographies

McKnight Summer Reading Suggestions-  find recommended titles for each grade level.

Here you can find Carnegie Library's  Kid's Page    Use the Book Nook, check out the games,  and see Pittsburgh events that kids might enjoy.

Education World Summer Reading Lists by grade, along with reviews of new books, interviews with favorite authors, and lots of ideas for summer projects to extend reading -- projects for kids to do with friends or on their own and projects for families to do together!

Reading Rockets Each month, Reading Rockets presents a new list of recommended books for kids from ages 0-9, based on their interests in things like Harry Potter, dinosaurs, aliens, princesses, and more

Enjoy your summer of reading fun!  The library will be ready to welcome you with many great new books when school begins!