Friends of the Library

Walmart

Taco Bell

Zap Zone Laser Tag

Potter Park Zoo

Pam’s Pantry

The Salvage Yard Antiques

Macdowell’s Flower and Gift Shop

David J. Harkema, DMD

Hi Salon

Corner Cone

Why Is Summer Reading Important?

Sure, the GLADL Summer Reading Program is lots of fun—but it’s more than fun. Reading over the summer helps your imagination take flight, and is incredibly important for students and their academic achievement, from preschool to grade three and beyond:

• Children who don’t read over the summer experience summer learning loss, forgetting some of what they’ve learned during the school year. Worse, the effect is cumulative– children who lose reading skills over the summer may be up to two years behind their classmates by the end of 6th grade. Children actively participating in a library Summer Reading Program gain reading skills and increase literacy.
• The Summer Reading Program encourages kids to read whatever they want, to enjoy reading for recreation. Studies show children who read for fun often academically out-perform children who don’t.
• When families engage in summer reading together, they have meaningful conversations, share adventures and experiences while also making an impact on their child’s learning.
• The Summer Reading Program and all of its associated activities are FREE– safe, engaging, educational opportunities for all ages, all summer long!

For more about the importance of summer reading for our children, follow the link to an article from School Library Journal.  For an impassioned statement about libraries, reading and daydreaming for adults by Neil Gaiman, read this article from The Guardian. Thanks to the Madison Public Library and ed.gov for contributed material.