Dennis Pierce

Summer reading is critical for so many reasons: It helps prevent learning loss while students are off for the summer. It supports children’s social-emotional development. It reinforces the idea that learning doesn’t end when school is out of session. Most important, it’s a time when kids can read just for fun.

Nearly three years after COVID-19 shut down schools from coast to coast, parents and educators are still trying to help kids make up for interrupted learning resulting from the pandemic—and libraries play a pivotal role in their success.

With the first “normal” school year in two years about to start, educators, librarians, parents, and—of course—children, are looking forward to it with some trepidation. The major spikes in the pandemic seem to be in the rearview window, and the prospect of an uninterrupted school year appears more assured. That doesn’t mean that it won’t be without its challenges.

School librarians know that representation matters. Seeing themselves reflected in the books they read is empowering for LGBTQ+ youth. But it’s just as important for other students to hear LGBTQ+ voices amplified.

STEM education has been in the spotlight in recent years as part of a national push to involve more students in STEM careers. While this is certainly a worthy goal to advance innovation and ensure the nation’s competitiveness, the truth is that all students need to develop STEM literacy—whether or not they choose a career in these fields.

Students can get lost in a good story or a compelling nonfiction book on a topic that engages them—and that’s the kind of experience publishers are aiming for with their summer reading lists and programs.

If there’s a commonality to be found in these stories, it’s the existence of compelling, multidimensional characters who are finding their identity and learning how to cope within a complex environment—conflicts that resonate especially with young readers.

Audiobooks help engage children who struggle with reading or who are reluctant readers. What’s more, children can listen to more complex texts than they can read on their own, thus exposing them to a broader range of stories while helping them develop vocabulary, listening, and literacy skills.

Publishers are increasing their efforts to produce works for children and teens that engage, inspire, and empower young readers to take action on environmental issues.