June 2022 Newsletter

 

When I go to the doctor, I assume they are up to date on the most current research on my condition and I trust they will make sure I get the cutting-edge treatment and medications I need. Of course, I do, because I know my doctor is ethical and wants the best for me.

 

So how can we be so far off the mark when it comes to reading instruction and, as a result, failing so many students? Research has shown that 95% of students in a classroom, regardless of their background, can learn to read proficiently or better if they are provided with high-quality structured literacy instruction.

 

About 15% of these students will need some extra support to help them on their way. And yet, only 35% of our students are reading proficiently—and that number is lower for Black and African American students.

 

In case you missed it, Channel 6/WPVI TV aired a story on 6/6/22 featuring Reading Allowed. Angela reminded viewers that roughly 50 certified and experienced tutors with Reading Allowed are changing the lives of about 170 students. 4th-grade-student Aniyah Robinson (pictured above) and her tutor, Colette McElwee talked about why the work Reading Allowed does is so important.

Summer is a time for rest and relaxation, but there are ways to stay busy that are fun, engaging, and will support your student for the upcoming school year. The graphic above provides some easy tips!

Reading Allowed wants to hear all about your achievements, accomplishments, and accolades. Did your student recently graduate? Did your young learner reach a milestone? Does your family have big news? Share with us so that we can update the community in next month’s newsletter! Send us an email so that the Reading Allowed community can celebrate with you!

Reading Allowed is the proud recipient of The Dollar General Literacy Foundation Grant. This foundation supports nonprofit organizations, schools, and libraries that target Pre-K – 12th-grade students who are new readers and below-grade-level readers. Additionally, they also assist readers with learning disabilities.

 

Thanks to the generosity of The Dollar General Literacy Foundation, Reading Allowed will expand our summer reading programs.

The Free Library’s Summer of Wonder is for everyone. Children can ask a Librarian for an Activity Passport and set a goal for reading and activities to accomplish over the summer. Teens and Adults can enter raffles at a neighborhood library by reading, attending library programs, and much more. Sign up online for the Virtual Reading Challenge or try a virtual Activity Adventure. Wherever you are, the Free Library has an experience just for you.

 

Attend Library programs, find new books to read, and explore activities to keep your mind growing throughout the summer. Visit your neighborhood library, use the Activity Passport to track your reading and activities, or participate in an online challenge. You choose your own Summer of Wonder adventure! Reading and other activities can keep your mind active, which can help stop the gaps in learning that can happen between school years.

Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry.

When Stick rescues Stone from a prickly situation with a Pinecone, the pair become fast friends. But when Stick gets stuck, can Stone return the favor? In this funny story about kindness and friendship, Stick and Stone join George and Martha, Frog and Toad, and Elephant and Piggie!

The Brilliant Deep: Rebuilding the World’s Coral Reefs: The Story of Ken Nedimyer and the Coral Restoration Foundation by Kate Messner

Growing up, Ken Nedimyer enjoyed snorkeling in the Florida Keys and taking care of the many aquariums in his bedroom. One hot summer when he was older, Ken noticed that the coral reefs he loved were dying. Years later, Ken and his daughter were operating a live rock farm (growing invertebrates such as algae and sponges for aquariums), and decided to try a new idea: gluing small coral colonies to limestone surfaces that had once supported a healthy reef. The transported coral grew, reproduced, and flourished, offering hope for reef restoration around the world.

And Then Comes Summer by Tom Brenner

When school is out and the sprinklers are on

when every day is luxurious like a weekend and the family hops in the car for a road trip to the

lake house, when lemonade stands and ice-cream trucks pop up on every street and sleeping bags are unfurled in tents, then you know it must be summertime.

Hedgehog Needs a Hug by Jen Betton

When Hedgehog wakes up feeling down in the snout and droopy in the prickles, he knows a hug will make him feel much better. But none of his animal friends are eager to wrap their arms around Hedgehog’s prickles, and he’s too smart to fall for Fox’s sly offer. Then Hedgehog gets a surprise: Another animal in the forest is feeling exactly the same way. Luckily, both are kind and brave enough for the perfect hug.

This Day in June by Gayle E. Pitman

This picture book uses rhyming couplets to convey the fun and exuberant feelings associated with a pride parade. Substantial endnotes discuss each scene and provide context for the people and groups represented, along with parental tips.

Lost and Found Cat: The True Story of KunKush’s Incredible Journey by Doug Kuntz

During a summer night in 2015, Sura arranged for herself, her five children, and one hidden treasure to be smuggled out of Mosul, Iraq. This treasure was their beloved cat Kunkush. Sura knew that they couldn’t leave him behind-even if that meant keeping him hidden in a small carrier during car and bus rides and hours of hiking through mountains and forests. Unfortunately, Kunkush’s carrier broke, and after landing in Greece he escaped, devastating the family. Although it took four months, volunteers, the Internet, and a journey spanning thousands of miles, Kunkush and his family were eventually reunited.

11 Experiments that failed by Jenny Offill

Is it possible to eat snowballs doused in ketchup–and nothing else–all winter? Can a washing machine wash dishes? By reading the step-by-step instructions, kids can discover the answers to such all-important questions along with the book’s curious narrator. Here are 12 “hypotheses,” as well as lists of “what you need,” “what to do,” and “what happened” that are sure to make young readers laugh out loud as they learn how to conduct science experiments (really)!

Out of the Woods: A True Story of an Unforgettable Event by Rebecca Bond

Based on a true story about the author’s grandfather. Antonio Willie Giroux lived in a hotel his mother ran on the edge of a lake. He loved to explore the woods and look for animals, but they always stayed hidden away. One hot, dry summer disaster struck: a fire rushed through the forest. Everyone ran to the lake-the only safe place in town-and stood knee-deep in water as they watched the fire. Then, slowly, animals emerged from their forest home and joined the people in the water. Miraculously, the hotel did not burn down, and the animals rebuilt their homes in the forest, but Antonio never forgot the time when he watched the distance between people and animals disappear.

All Different Now: Juneteenth, The First Day of Freedom by Angela Johnson

On June 19, 1865, a young slave girl and her family go about their daily routine, unaware that their lives are about to change. They wake to the smell of honeysuckle before they get ready to work all day in the hot fields of Texas. Before long, word spreads even to them: “We were all / now and forever free / and things / would be / all different now.” Thus begin the celebrations that will be commemorated as Juneteenth, the day Texas slaves finally learned about their rights as freed people, a full two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

by Jacqueline Davis, Jacqueline

Evan and his younger sister, Jessie, get along well, and their natural strengths complement one another. Jessie is a math whiz, but “feelings are her weakest subject.” Evan is great socially, but he is not such a good student. Disaster strikes the summer between Evan’s third and fourth grades when a letter arrives announcing that he and his “skipping-third-grade” sister will be in the same class. This starts the “Lemonade War” to see which sibling can make the most money during the last week before school.

It seems everyone but Judy has big plans for the summer. To avoid getting bummed out, Judy invents a contest to earn thrill points. But her dares go awry, and she misses opportunities for fun with friend Frank, her Aunt Opal, and her brother Stink (who is hunting Bigfoot). (Amazon Teacher’s Pick!)

Babymouse and family head to the beach for a vacation. Babymouse dreams of surfer stardom, but her plans are foiled by crowds, nasty waves, sharks, and little brother Squeak.

When bully Bryce Billings bets Fish Finelli that he can’t find Captain Kidd’s long-lost treasure, Fish and his friends embark on a quest to find real-life pirate treasure. Between sneaking into the library to track down Captain Kidd’s map, stowing away on a boat, and trespassing on an island, Fish and his friends have their work cut out for them.

Jamila Waheed is not looking forward to a lonely summer in a new neighborhood–until she meets Shirley Bones. Sure, Shirley’s a little strange, but both girls need a new plan for the summer, and they might as well become friends. Then this kid Oliver shows up begging for Shirley’s help. His pet gecko has disappeared, and he’s sure it was stolen! That’s when Jamila discovers Shirley’s secret: She’s the neighborhood’s best kid detective, and she’s on the case. When Jamila discovers she’s got some detective skills of her own, a crime-solving partnership is born.

School’s almost out for the summer, and A.J. is dreaming about all the fun things he’s going to do on vacation. But A.J. ‘s dream quickly turns into a nightmare when three familiar spirits appear to show him summers past, present, and yet to come. Will they be able to convince him to leave his bad ways behind? Or will this summer end up being a total bummer?

During a family vacation at Lake Michigan, nine-year-old cousins Willow and Delia, desperate to avoid being flower girls in their aunt’s wedding, try to demonstrate that they would do better as chefs for the reception.

Despite all attempts to avoid reading and extra work, Charlie Joe Jackson finds himself at Camp Rituhbukkee (pronounced “read-a-bookie”)–a place filled with grammar workshops, Read-a-Ramas, and kids who actually like reading. But Charlie Joe is determined to convince the entire camp to hate reading and writing–one genius at a time.

Reading Allowed participates in the United Way’s Donor Choice Program. Our Donor Code is 55108