Summer Reading Programs!
Summer Reading Matters
Summer reading is one of the easiest and most rewarding ways for Montessori students to keep learning while enjoying a slower pace of summer. Whether children are revisiting a favorite series, exploring a new topic, or reading with family, books keep imaginations growing, vocabulary expanding, and curiosity alive. Reading also helps children maintain important literacy skills, build lifelong habits, and even reduce stress.
Encourage Your Child To:
Choose books that interest them. Dive into LEGOs, dinosaurs, flowers, graphic novels, mysteries, biographies, or award winners like Caldecott and Newbery titles.
Read together. Elementary and middle school students are never too old to read with family members. Shared reading creates opportunities to explore new ideas, discuss challenging topics, and enjoy meaningful conversations together.
Focus on engagement, not just minutes read. Instead of tracking time, encourage thoughtful discussion:
Why did a character make that choice?
Does the author’s portrayal feel believable?
What surprised, frustrated, or inspired you?
Reading is about more than decoding words on a page. Conversations about characters, structure, storytelling, and ideas help children develop critical thinking skills and learn to support their opinions thoughtfully.
And don’t forget audiobooks and podcasts! Listening to stories together builds comprehension, sparks discussion, and models thoughtful engagement with media of all kinds.
Here are some local resources to provide additional motivation – for adults too!
Plant a Seed, Read – 2026 Summer Reading – Northland Public Library
GROW with Summer Reading at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (all branches)
Unearth a Story!
@ Andrew Bayne Memorial Library
Jurassic Training – Northern Tier Library
STORYWALK with the Allegheny County Library Association – visit all the sites near you!
More ideas:
Jerome Bettis Summer Reading Program – Chance to win four tickets to the first Steelers home game in SeptemberÂ
Riverstone Books (McCandless and other locations) is offering Summer Reading Programs for:Â
K-5 – earn a free book!Â
6-12 – earn a free book!Â
Adults – earn a $10 gift card for a new book!
Barnes & Noble – Read 8 books and get ONE FREE! For grades 1-6
Half-Price Books – visit your local Half-Price Books to receive a Summer Reading Log, cool camp stickers, and information on how to earn $5 Bookworm Bucks in June and July !
Chuck E.Cheese – earn 10 Free Play Points to use on their next Chuck E. Cheese adventure!Â
Pizza Hut Book IT! Is alive and well -! For Pre-K through 6th grade. Download the App and earn a free code next time to place an order.
Check out all your local businesses -!  If you have a favorite reading program, email The Glen at mfischer@glenmontessori.org and we will add it to our list for others to enjoy!