Richard L. Allington’s research left its mark on me when I read What Really Matters for Struggling Readers when I was in graduate school. Perhaps that’s why I’m a hardcore about insisting Isabelle read independently and be read to (by us) every single day. Exposure to lots of words and books matters!
I drove by the Governor’s Residence on Front Street nearly two weeks ago and saw something about a Summer Reading Festival. I investigated and learned the following:
A Summer Reading Festival at the Governor’s Residence (which I’ve wanted to take a tour of since we moved here)??? Count me in! However, I knew I would have to “sell it” to Isabelle since, as you may remember from earlier posts, reading doesn’t come easily for her. She continues to love being read to, but doesn’t enjoy reading independently. I can’t blame her. I wouldn’t enjoy doing something that was extremely difficult every day either!
Thankfully, an outing — just the two of us during Ari’s naptime — that would potentially include an art project was enough to entice her to attend the Summer Reading Festival.
We arrived around 2:45 p.m., but had more than enough time to complete all of the STEM activities and complete a scavenger hunt around the Residence grounds. On our way out, the librarians tried to entice Isabelle to sign up for their summer reading program. I was convinced she’d say no even when she heard there were prizes.
“What kind of prizes?” she asked. (Thankfully, she didn’t wrinkle her nose when they said books and the possibility of being entered into a drawing for a Kindle.)
“How much does she have to read to earn a prize?” I asked. (I cringed as I asked since I don’t think kids should be reading for prizes. However, if a kid — like mine — lacks intrinsic motivation to read, then sometimes an extrinsic motivator helps.)
“Ten hours,” the librarian said.
“That’s it?!!?” I was surprised.
She nodded.
“Isabelle, remember how we set a goal to read for 1,800 hours this summer when Mrs. H. sent home the optional summer reading log in May?”
Isabelle nodded.
“Do you remember how many hours you’ve already accumulated? We tallied up your progress yesterday.”
“Ugh, I don’t remember.”
“You’ve already read about 400 minutes since we started logging in late May, which is like…” my voice trailed off. I apologized for being a literacy, not a math, person, while I converted minutes to hours. “You’ve already read more than half of what the Library is asking you to read all summer!”
Isabelle smiled.
Moments later, Isabelle signed up for the library’s summer reading program.
Of course, the legwork for tallying the books we’ve read for the library’s summer reading program will fall to me. Thankfully, the library uses an app, Beanstalk, to help.
What’s really good is that when Marc asked Isabelle about her day (when they were writing in her line-a-day memory book at bedtime tonight), she told him a lot about the Summer Reading Festival. I’m thrilled that she not only said she had a good time, but decided to write about it in her memory book as well.
Raising Literate Humans 
What a neat experience…among many you seem to provide your daughter! How lucky she is to have a family who reads with her, sets goals, ensures access to books and experiences that promote them.
How wonderful. Whatever incentive works to get a child to read is worth it. I like how you broke down the hours Isabelle already read. Makes it seem like a more manageable number.
1800 hours?! You girls are champs! I hadn’t thought to track our reading. Maybe we should do that here. It would be interesting to know how much we accumulate.
Stacey, it is so wonderful that you and your husband are encouragers or reading and helping Isabel develop lifelong reading love.
Love summer mom and child experiences. My kids loved the library reading program when they were young. Sound s like a great day.
Love that that program is happening! I’ve been giving a lot of thought as to how we keep reading happening during the summer for ALL kids. I’ll definitely share this idea. BTW–would be a great picture book!