Ohio educators encourage diverse books for summer reading

By Nadia Ramlagan

Ohio educators say summer can be an important time to make sure school-aged children have access to diverse books and keep up a regular reading habit.

Experts recommend at least 15 to 30 minutes of reading each day during the summer to help prevent learning loss, according to American Libraries Magazine.

Staying consistent can help students remain engaged and ready to learn when they return to school in the fall, said Airica Claym executive director of the Ohio Education Association.

“The other thing that we know is when students continue to read over the summer, it reinforces what they learned throughout the year,” Clay said. “It continues to help build their vocabulary over the summer.”

An analysis from the Pew Research Center shows fewer 9- and 13-year-olds are reading for fun. In 2020, about 4 in 10 9-year-old students said they read for fun almost every day, down from 53% in 2012. Among 13-year-olds, 17% reported reading for fun daily, down from 27%.

Clay said allowing children to choose books that spark their interest can help turn reading into a habit. She said libraries are a key resource, and many local nonprofits also provide free books to communities.

Clay pointed to Preschool Promise, which promotes kindergarten readiness and connects young learners with community resources.

“Preschool Promise, which promotes kindergarten readiness and gets community resources to young learners with the highest needs,” Clay said. “So I think they’re a great resource.”

Last month, Dayton-area families picked up thousands of free K-12 books featuring diverse characters and written by diverse authors. The event was sponsored by the Ohio Education Association, the Dayton Education Association and other community partners.