A Simple Way to Make Summer Reading More Fun

The importance of summer reading is well documented. The problem is that for many young people, summer reading feels like a chore. This is why, as educators, we must do everything we can to make summer reading enjoyable. And in my experience, one easy way to make summer reading enjoyable is to make it social.

Think about the last time you read a book you loved. As soon as you finished, you probably wanted to talk about it with – or recommend it to – friends or family members. When we read something we enjoy, we have this innate desire to share our enjoyment with others. It’s the same with young people.

A few years ago, I created an easy way to help my students share books they love with each other during the summer. I found that having students record videos of themselves reviewing books helped make summer reading more fun for many of them, while also providing a way for them to connect with – and learn from – each other from a distance. 

Here’s how it works:

Before the school year ends, explain to your students that they’ll each record a video of themselves sharing a review of one book they read over the summer. Ideally, you’ll have them choose their books from a list with plenty of contemporary options. Here are some good options: 
 

1. Each spring, School Library Journal publishes book lists with fantastic summer reading recommendations. I direct my students (and their adults) there.
2. Follett has a new summer reading choice board, which includes summer reading books recommended by teacher librarian Shannon McClintock Miller.
3. Follett’s free curation team which is composed of licensed teachers and certified librarians, can help you select titles in the most accessible formats for your students.

Tell students that when they finish recording, they’ll drop their videos into a shared Google folder so that they can watch each other’s reviews. Encourage them to record and upload their videos as early in the summer as possible. This way, their classmates will have more time to watch and more opportunities to learn about which books they should read next.

You’ll also want to make sure your students understand the difference between a book review and a book report. Book reports are just summaries, while book reviews share the writer/speaker’s opinions about the book and ultimately let readers/listeners know whether they should read it. A mini lesson on this distinction should do the trick. 

Finally, share a Google folder with your students and make sure you send home (and/or post online) a letter that explains your expectations and how to record and upload their videos. 

Here’s some language you can use in your letter:

Choose one book that you enjoyed and jot down your responses to these questions:

• What is the book’s genre? Or, would you describe it as having multiple genres? If so, which ones?
• What did you enjoy about it? Anything you didn’t enjoy? Try to address specific literary elements, such as characters, setting, dialogue, and action.
• What are some of the themes or big ideas in the book? What did you think of how the author addressed these themes?
• To what kinds of readers would you recommend this book? (e.g., “This one’s perfect for fans of Rick Riordan, because...”) 

When you’re ready to record, have your notes nearby but don’t read directly from them. Look at the camera as you speak and try to sound as conversational as possible. 

Record yourself using any device that records video. Phones, tablets, and computers all work just fine. (e.g., Photo Booth on an Apple computer, or Camera on a Windows machine.) If you have a copy of the book you’re reviewing available on the day you record, hold it up for a few seconds at the beginning and/or end so your audience can see it.

The length of your video should only be a minute or two. When you finish recording, save the video file and drop it into the shared Google folder. 

Whenever you have time, watch your classmates’ videos and make sure you jot down the titles of any books that you’re interested in reading! Pro tip: You can call or email your closest public library and see if they have the book(s) you want available in paperback, hardcover, or eBook format. Or, if your school library uses Follett Destiny Discover®, you can search your school’s eBook catalog.

When school starts again in the fall, you might also consider providing access to the videos to all students in your school by adding them (or asking your librarian to add them) into a Collection within Follett Destiny Discover. This way, your entire student population can view the video book reviews when browsing your school library’s catalog. 

Another idea for repurposing these videos is to obtain permission to share a few of them at a time on your school’s website or social media channels.

Video book reviews just like these have become quite popular on YouTube and TikTok, so there’s a good chance that if you work with middle or high school students, they’re already familiar with the format. In fact, many high school librarians report that more and more students are inquiring about books they just learned about from someone’s “BookTok” on TikTok.

The activity I’ve outlined here can go a long way toward building similarly exciting momentum around summer reading. The crucial part is it allows students to communicate with each other. With minimal structure and facilitation on your end, you can help increase your students’ appreciation of summer reading, thereby building and/or supporting a more positive reading culture.

Head over to Titlewave^® to check out book recommendations and more for summer reading. 

RYAN TAHMASEB
Ryan Bani Tahmaseb is the Director of Library Services at the Meadowbrook School in Weston, Massachusetts. His first book for educators, The 21st Century School Library, was published in November 2021 by John Catt Educational, and his first picture book, Rostam and the Pusteen, will be published by Charlesbridge in the summer of 2024. He lives in the Greater Boston area with his wife and two young children.