Quit playing outside and go read

Summer's a great time to take a break from all things related to school - like reading, right?

Wrong!

It's the perfect time to practice all those important skills learned during the rest of the year and to savor the experience: to read purely for pleasure, said Nuccia Choate, a youth services librarian at the Winfield Public Library.

"You don't want to lose what you've learned," she said. "You want them to continue practicing."

Additionally, summer reading isn't designed for scrutinizing textbooks and studying. It's for fun.

To encourage children to read, the library shows movies, then displays numerous books on topics related to the movie that children and students might want to read. They also started a storytime program for younger children at the gazebo across from the village library.

Choate said it's a good way to get youngsters interested in books while sitting outside during the summer before they're able to read for themselves.

Most libraries offer programs to encourage new readers and school-age children to keep reading throughout the summer months. Many bookstores even offer incentives such as free books to children who keep a reading log. For more information, contact your library or a local book store.