Have you ever gotten lost in a book? The first book I recall immersing myself in was Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet. I read it over the summer when I was ten years old and was transported to Northern Canada with Brian Robeson, the main character, as he learned how to survive alone in the wilderness. I completed the book in only three days because I was so absorbed in the story.

I recently shared the book with my eight-year-old daughter, thinking she would love it as well. To my surprise, she was not enthralled with the story. She put it down after only a few chapters.

At first, I thought maybe our contrasting reactions were due to age or gender differences. As I think about it now, however, I believe the problem actually came down to timing. I read the book over the summer while she tried to read it during the school year.

There is something magical about summer vacation when there are no homework assignments or teachers that are competing for your child’s attention. It is a time when kids are free to read something because they want to read it, not because it is required. If I had introduced Hatchet over the summer, she might have had the time to fall in love with it.

As parents, we need to seize the opportunity summer vacation presents and help our children discover the joys of reading. Below are three reasons why the summer is the perfect time to pull out your favorite book and share it with your children:

1. Fewer Interruptions – Research has shown that interruptions cause us to lose focus on the main task. The school week is full of interruptions, but summer allows for extended periods of free reading.
2. Less Competition – Summertime provides a break from book reports, reading comprehension tests, and mandatory reading lists. Not that those things are bad, but they can kill the love of reading.
3. Summer Reading Programs – On the other hand, if you child thrives on games or competitions, you might want to consider a summer reading program. Every year millions of children participate in library programs where they join a competition to read as many pages as possible by the end of the summer.

If your child doesn’t seem as interested in reading or you are not sure what they should read, you might want to look into Brain Chase. With Brain Chase, your child will be immersed in a wonderful world of adventure, challenge, and, most importantly, free reading.

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