Alessandra Gass, Features Editor
@agasscourant
As the transition into the final stretch of the year begins, the fantasy of endless days consumed by summer rays will soon become reality. School-related workload during the school year is strenuous, and these few months of leisure allow students to unwind before resuming labor in the fall. Understandably, school-related tasks are typically neglected during this sacred time. However, there’s a relatively simple way to balance both academic stimulation and serenity throughout the duration of summer. Unsurprisingly, it’s reading.
Reluctant readers everywhere rejoice at the sound of the last school bell, as they won’t be forced to stare at another book for a few months. However, choosing to only read assigned chapters during the school year can cause more harm than good. “The absence of summer reading can actually create a summer slide, or a loss of learning over the summer,” said librarian Monica Sheehan. “It has actually been proven that kids who read over the summer test better after returning to school than those who do not.”
Reading for pleasure is typically intertwined with assigned reading for school, discouraging those who may not gravitate towards a book in their free time. But, summer reading is nothing like the classic literature lessons held in class. You hold complete control over the genre, pacing and length of the book you choose. “Summer reading is an opportunity to dive into reading,” said english teacher Maggie Hammil. “You can build a lifelong love for reading without the stress of academic work throughout the school year.”
While many may be opening up to the concept of summer reading, the tedious process of finding appealing books can be tricky. As a solution to this problem, our library staff carefully constructs an extensive summer reading list each year, that roughly consists of somewhere between 75 and 100 titles.
The librarians aim to ensure the literary success of each student, and therefore ensure that the list is appealing to all. “When creating the list, we first look at award winners. This includes the Youth Media Award, the Prince Awards, the Alex Awards, the Coretta Scott King Award, and a multitude of others,” says librarian Michelle Luhtala. “We also take suggestions from students and staff, book clubs, and book reviews on Publishers Weekly and the School Library Journal. We want to make sure that we’re both inclusive and are aware of everything out there.”
The summer reading list has also proven valuable to numerous students, as the taxing hunt for the perfect book is eliminated. “When I look at the summer reading list, all the stress of looking for a book disappears,” said freshman Danielle O’Malley. “I am able to find one that interests me by looking at the listed descriptions, and I can either check it out at the public library the next day or look for it in a bookstore.”
When assembling the list, the diverse student body is taken into account. All reading levels are represented, meaning that there truly is something for everyone. “We have at least two books in every genre: one adult, one young adult. We assume that we’re going to have more 9th and 10th graders that may be more interested in young adult and the upper-level students more into adult,” says Ms. Luhtala, “We also teach many AP courses, so we have to be very mindful of Seniors who will be taking AP Lit.”
“What we try to emphasize about the summer reading list is that there is a book for every kid on the high school on that list, however, not every book on the list is for every kid in the high school,” says Ms. Luhtala. “There is an important distinction between those two things, so we really try to aim for representation when making sure that our community is represented in the collection.”
Wondering where to find this coveted list? The librarians have ensured that it will be easily accessible to each student. “As of May 20th, the summer reading list is posted on the NCHS website. It will also be available in Classlink, under the Library section under books and in the English folder,” said Ms. Luhtala.
Books tend to be pricey, especially when buying more than one. However, each book listed on the summer reading list will be available for checkout via the New Canaan Library. “At the end of the school year, we pack up all of our summer reading and send it over to the library where it has it’s own special section on a cart, so kids can circulate those materials all summer long,” Ms. Luhtala said. “We are also going to try to send kids home with a book for the summer, where they can go to the town library and swap it out for a new book.”
When preparing for your plans this summer, make sure to pack a book – or two. “I like reading in the summer because it feels separate from school, and I know I’m doing it for myself,” said Danielle. “It keeps my mind active, and I always feel prepared for new learning.”
