How to keep students reading all summer long [Classroom Book Talk Ep. 3]

Summer break is almost here, but that doesn’t mean reading habits have to take a vacation. In our latest episode of Classroom Book Talk, we sat down with elementary school librarian Melanie Wood of Melanie in the Library to talk all things summer reading and how educators, librarians, and families can help students stay engaged with books over the summer break. 

From building personalized TBRs to using Sora for easy access to ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines, Melanie shares strategies that make summer reading feel fun instead of like homework. We also discuss why student choice matters, how audiobooks and graphic novels absolutely count as reading, and creative ways to motivate even the most reluctant readers. 

One of the biggest takeaways? Summer reading works best when kids are excited about what they’re reading! If you’re an educator or parent looking for ways to prevent the “summer slide” and keep kids connected to books, this episode is full of ideas you can start using right away. 

🎧 Listen/Watch the full episode to hear Melanie’s tips for using Sora over summer break, book recommendations, and how to help students build strong, sustainable reading habits all year long.