Commentary: Summer reads for teens

By Mona AlvaradoFrazier /Guest contributor

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan described summer learning loss as “devastating.” Researchers often refer to this loss as the “summer slide.” Studies show that students’, who read more, read better; they also write better, spell better, and have larger vocabularies.

In California 59 percent of the students are reading BELOW the minimum established proficiency level for reading. Out-of-school reading habits of students has shown that even 15 minutes a day of independent reading can expose students to more than a million words of text in a year. These are significant reasons to encourage your middle and high school child to read at least three books this summer.

Parents are powerful models for their kids and this includes reading. Even if they see you for a few minutes reading something, the newspaper, cookbook, business papers — that’s modeling. Encourage your teen to read biographies of their favorite athlete, actor, artist, or fashion icon. To get them started you can have them pick out a book and then watch a movie on that subject and compare the two. Share the list below or have your child compile his/her own list of three or more books.

The International Latino Book Awards 2011 winners for the adolescent reader. A full listing is at http://www.lbff.us/international-latino-book-awards.html

First Place — “When the Stars Go Blue,” by Barbara Caridad Ferrer. Ballerina Soledad refuses an offer to join a dance company with a competitive all-male drum and bugle corp. Well written, with contemporary characters and an engaging story line, it lacks only the promise of a sequel to make it complete. (Booklist) Grades 9-12.

Second Place — “The Red Umbrella,” by Christina Diaz Gonzalez. When Castro comes to power, teenage Lucía wants nothing to do with the revolution; she is more worried about what to wear to the school dance. Then she witnesses the horrifying public hanging of her father’s boss, and her parents send her and her little brother to safety in the U.S., where a church places them with a kind foster home in Nebraska. (Booklist) Grades 6-10.

The Alex Awards. The full listing is at www.ala.org

“Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard” by Liz Murray. Murray tells of bearing the weighty burden of young protector to her drug addicted parents. With no resources to speak of, she commits to high school and finds her prospects can be great. Grade 7 to 12.

The next two books are written by Ventura County author Michele Serros. “Honey Blonde Chica” and “Scandalosa!” are five star rated books on Amazon. Her protagonist is sophomore Evie Gomez  who hangs out with her fellow Mexican American “Flojos” and steers clear of the “Sangros,” a snobbish clique of girls from Mexico. When her former best friend, Dee Dee, returns from four years in Mexico and connects with the Sangros, Evie faces critical decisions. In Scandalosa! Evie finally has it all: a sweet boyfriend, two best friends, and an upcoming sixteeñera that’s the talk of the school. When her grades start to slip, Evie’s parents threaten to cancel her party. The good news? All she has to do is volunteer in the community to raise her grades. The bad news? Since it’s the middle of the semester, the best remaining option is working at the Southern California Horse Reserve. (Booklist) Grades 8-12.

Remember, it’s never too late to start. Now is always a good time to pick up good reading habits. Let teens choose what they want to read, don’t force them to read something that only interests you. Be a role model, if your children see that you make time for reading, chances are they will too. Encourage the journey, not the destination. Finishing a book should not be the goal, enjoying the book should be. Make time for reading, turn off the television and computer.

For more teen book lists check out the Oxnard or Ventura Library, at www.vencolibrary.org/si/teenbl Make reading an enjoyable summer time activity to share and give them a jump on the new school year.

— Mona AlvaradoFrazier is the writer of two manuscripts: working titles “A Mariposa Heart” and “Strong Women Grow Here.” To see more of her work, visit www.latinapen.blogspot.com

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