2025 Summer Reading Program
Summer is here, and we are inviting all youth ages 5-18 with a Talking Books account to “Level up” their summer reading by playing the Books & Dragons Summer Reading Game! No registration is required. Email us at talkingbooks.info@slo.oregon.gov for more information and to get your gameboard.
NLS Summer Reading Events
The National Library Service (NLS) is also providing some fun summer reading events that are open for all. Each event will be held online via Zoom, and you must register for each event you want to attend by clicking on the sign-up links below.
Summer Reading Program Kickoff
Monday, June 16, 10 to 11 a.m. pacific time
Join author Mac Barnett for this live Summer Reading Program kickoff event with a reading of his book “Extra Yarn (DB127239),” available from NLS in audio. This year’s theme is “Color Our World”—and in addition to this amazing storyteller, we will have more information on how you can join us all summer long. So get ready to dive into summer reading and color our world with books! And learn more about Mac Barnett now.
Master Gardener Roger Erpelding
Monday, June 23, 1 to 2 p.m. pacific time
Summer is a great time to get your garden growing. Master Gardener Roger Erpelding is here to help you do just that! Roger is a patron of the Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled and will provide tips and tricks for sighted and blind gardeners alike. This session will have time for questions, and we’ll have a list of Roger’s favorite gardening books from the NLS collection. Be sure to check out Roger’s recorded presentations about gardening, “Gardening: In the Beginning” and “How Your Garden Grows,” both full of information on how to color your world with plants! Learn more about Roger Erpelding here. Links for these two recorded presentations will be available soon. In the meantime, check out Roger’s suggested reading list:
“Accessible Gardening for People with Physical Disabilities: A Guide to Methods, Tools, and Plants (DB52241)” by Janeen Adil
“All New Square Foot Gardening: Grow More in Less Space! (DB69864)” by Mel Bartholomew
“The Backyard Beekeeper: An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Keeping Bees in Your Yard and Garden (BR21396)” by Kim Flottum
“A Backyard Vegetable Garden for Kids (DB68370)” by Amie J. Leavitt
“Beginners Guide to Growing Great Vegetables (BR24303)” by Lorene Edwards Forkner
Storyteller Donna Washington
Thursday, June 26, 1 to 2 p.m. pacific time
This one’s for the kids—or kids at heart. Donna Washington will lead an inclusive storytelling hour for children, engaging with participants in a fun and accessible way. Kids will find fun and inspiration in this hour of creativity and be encouraged to color their world with summer reading. Learn more about Donna Washington now.
Master Chef Christine Ha
Monday, July 14, 4 to 5 p.m. pacific time
When Christine Ha won the third season of MasterChef, she was the first blind contestant on the show! Join us for a night of conversation about cooking, reading, and everything in between. Christine will tell us her story and maybe even share a recipe or two. Check out her books “Recipes from My Home Kitchen: Asian and American Comfort Food from the Winner of MasterChef Season 3 (DB76676)” in audio and “Recipes from My Home (BR20085)” in braille. Learn more about Christine Ha here.
Musician Jono Manson
Thursday, July 24, 4 to 5 p.m. pacific time
Color your world with music! Jono Manson has been playing his brand of music for decades, collaborating and touring with some of the biggest names in the business. Join us for a lighthearted interview that captures some of Jono’s stories and memories, as well as what he’s got planned for his next project. Learn more about Jono Manson here.
Take a virtual tour of the Library of Congress
Here’s one highlight from the 2024 Summer Reading Program that you can still enjoy: a virtual tour of the historic Thomas Jefferson Building at the Library of Congress!
The Thomas Jefferson Building is the oldest and grandest of the three buildings that make up the Library of Congress campus on Capitol Hill. You can discover artwork and architecture that connect to knowledge and creativity, past and present, through our audio tour of this magnificent building.
Anyone can enjoy the tour through the player below. If you’re an NLS patron with BARD, you can download this Audio Described Tour of the Thomas Jefferson Building at the Library of Congress (DB121189), or you can request a digital cartridge from your local NLS library. (All references to navigation refer only to the talking book and do not apply to the audio as played through the link below.)
https://stream-media.loc.gov/nls/Thomas-Jefferson-Building-Tour.mp3
Why Participate in Summer Reading?
- Reading keeps your mind active. Students who do not engage in educational activities over the summer can lose retention of up to two months or roughly 22% of what they learned during their school year. This is called the “Summer Slide”.
- Children who participate in Summer Reading Programs and read a minimum of six books over the summer score higher in reading AND math when they return to school.
- Numerous studies show that access to books and magazines and the amount of time children spend reading outside of school is directly related to higher reading achievement. Children who are read to in the home and who use the library perform better in school and are also more likely to continue to use the library as a source of lifetime learning.
Source: Reading Is Fundamental (www.rif.org); article “Keeping Kids off the Summer Slide.”
Source: Dominican University IMLS-funded research: Public Library Summer Reading Programs Close the Reading Gap http://bit.ly/dom.ed