Lucy Calkins agrees children should be encouraged to read over the summer, but stresses the importance of making it an activity they will enjoy. "If summer books are too hard, the reading experience isn't pleasant, it's a chore--it's like school!--and they don't want to do more," says the director of the TC Reading and Writing Project.

Most educators believe children should read over the summer months to avoid falling behind in school once they return in the fall, a condition they label as the Summer Slide Syndrome. "Reading builds on itself,"says Calkins. "The more a child reads, the better his comprehension, fluency, speed, and cognition."

The article, entitled "Wherever You Go, Bring Some Books," appeared in the June 10 edition of the Boston Globe.

Published Tuesday, Jun. 15, 2004