Parents: Why is it important to join Summer Reading?
It’s fun, it provides ideas for meaningful activities to share with your child and it helps to maintain your child’s reading ability while out of school!
- Students who participated in the public library summer reading program scored higher on reading achievement tests at the beginning of the next school year than those students who did not participate.
- Parents of children enrolled in the public library summer reading program reported that their children spent more time reading over the summer and read more books, were well prepared for school in the fall, and read more confidently.
- Teachers observed that students who participated in the public library summer reading program returned to school ready to learn, improved their reading achievement and skills, increased their enjoyment of reading, were more motivated to read, were more confident in participating in classroom reading activities, read beyond what was required in their free time, and perceived reading to be important.
General Rules
Game boards (a total of six): Pick up a game board and complete all the activities.
Prize and entry for drawing: Return the game board, receive a prize and enter into the Grand Prize drawing. Pick up a new game board until you have completed all six.
Bonus no-prize game board is available here to download and print: Early Learning: birth to 5 (en español), Kids: 6-11
(en español)
Certificates: Ask library staff for an official FVRL certificate when you have completed all six game boards. You can also print a Summer Reading Certificate of Recognition signed by Governor Chris Gregoire.
Programs: From magic shows to wild critters, we have programs lined up for the whole family to enjoy. Pick up a Summer Fun Calendar at your local library or use our online children's events calendar to find out what’s happening at your library!
Early Learning Summer Reading
Who can play?
What do I do?
Children birth through five can participate in Summer Reading when someone shares books, plays games, sing songs or talks with them. All of these activities lead to positive school-readiness experiences.
Sign up is from June 1 to August 15. Visit and sign up the child at any FVRL location or bookmobile to obtain a game board. Each game board has 15 activities. Your child can work through either the Early Literacy Game Board (for ages birth to 3 years) or the School Readiness Game Board (for ages 3 to 5 years.)
As you and your child complete an activity, mark it off. Bring the finished game board to your library to receive a prize. You can enter your child in an end-of-Summer Reading grand prize drawing that will be held at each library. A child can do both sides of the game board, but you can only enter once for each game board.
School-Age Summer Reading
Who can play?
What do I do?
Children age 6 (by August 31) or going into 1st grade through age 11.
Sign up at any FVRL library or bookmobile to receive a game board. Read and complete all of the activities on the game board in any order you like. Return the completed game board to a library or bookmobile to exchange it for a prize. Fill out and return the grand-prize entry form at the bottom of the game board for a chance to win a grand prize at the end-of-Summer Reading drawing to be held at each library.
Picture books to read together
Stellaluna - Janell Cannon
After Stellaluna accidently lands in a bird's nest, the birds raise the baby fruit bat as one of their own, and when she is finally reunited with her mother, she appreciates both her differences and her new friendships.
The very lonely firefly - Eric Carle
A restless firefly begins a search for other fireflies and is led to a lantern, a candle, the glowing eyes of a cat, dog, and owl, and a surprise celebration of light before he finds his friends and the reason for his journey.
Dream away - Julia Durango, Katie Belle Trupiano and Robert Goldstrom
At bedtime, a young boy looks forward to falling asleep and dreaming about sailing the ocean of stars with his father.
Tuck me in! - Dean Hacohen and Sherry Scharschmidt
An interactive bedtime storybook features a sequence of vibrantly colored, goggle-eyed baby animals who children can tuck into bed by turning large-sized flaps that serve as blankets.
Bats at the beach - Brian Lies
On a night when the moon can grow no fatter, bats pack their moon-tan lotion, blankets, banjos, and baskets of treats and fly off for some fun where the foamy sea and soft sand meet. 15,000 first printing.
Books for independent readers
The Memory Bank - Carolyn Coman and Rob Shepperson
When her beloved sister, Honey, is banished by their horrid parents for breaking their "no laughing" rule, Hope resolves to find her sister, unaware that Honey has been taken in by a group of organized misfits called the Clean Slate Gang. By the Newbery Honor-winning author of What Jamie Saw.
Sabrina the sweet dreams fairy - Daisy Meadows
When Jack Frost's goblins steal the night fairies' special bags of magic dust and Camp Stargaze is plagued with bad dreams, Kirsty and Rachel must help Sabrina the Sweet Dreams Fairy set things right again.
The Dream Stealer - Sid Fleischman and Peter Sís
A plucky Mexican girl tries to recover her dream from the Dream Stealer, who takes her to his castle where countless dreams and even more adventures await.
F is for friendship : a quilt alphabet - Helen L. Wilbur and Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen
Explores the history of quilting, patterns, techniques, and its role as an art form, in alphabetical prose and poetry.
In This Issue
Prizes and Programs
Grand prizes:
Grand Prize winners will be notified in September.
Children 0-5 years
One winner per branch.*
One winner per branch.*
Winner gets to choose 1 prize on their entry form from the following:
Portland Children’s Museum Premier Membership
OMSI Patron Membership
Oregon Zoo Patron Membership
One winner per branch.*
Winner gets a $300 gift card toward an overnight stay at Great Wolf Lodge Indoor Waterpark Resort in Grand Mound, WA.
Programs and Events:
There are plenty of fun activities for children of all ages throughout the library district this summer. You can find them by visiting the online children's events calendar, or by clicking on a link below to view a printable Summer Fun Calendar for each library:
North Clark & Cowlitz Counties
Battle Ground -- en español Ridgefield
Greater Vancouver Metro Area
Vancouver Mall Skamania & Klickitat Counties
White Salmon Valley -- en español
Summer Reading Programs are made possible by the generous contributions of our sponsors. Thanks to the following:
Presenting Sponsor:
Programs Sponsor:
Additional Supporters:
Games & Puzzles:
Games
Coloring Pages
Links
- Teen Summer Reading Too old for Kid's Summer Reading? Check out the program for teens with grand prizes more to your liking.
- Newsletters for Kids & Parents Looking for more reading suggestions? Sign up for our regular newsletters. Browse the list of topics and sign up for as many as you like.
- Library Catalog Looking for a book not on our suggested reads list? Check in the library catalog!
- Ask A Librarian Want a librarian to help you find a book or answer a question? Just ask!
- Library Locations Need to know where to go to catch a performance or storytime?