KIDS & FAMILY READING REPORT TM - 7TH EDITION - THE SUMMER READING IMPERATIVE - A SUMMER READING AWARENESS GAP FOR PARENTS

Oct 15, 2026

Summer reading is presented as a critical factor in student success, helping children build continuity from one school year to the next and reducing the “summer slide,” a loss of academic momentum when reading declines. The report highlights that nearly half of parents of school-age children remain unaware of the summer slide, even though most recognize summer reading’s benefits. Data emphasize disparities by reading frequency and household income and call for partnerships with public libraries to improve access and engagement.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

The Summer Reading Imperative

Summer reading and student success

Parent awareness of the summer slide

Disparities in awareness by income and reading frequency

Access to books over summer

KIDS & FAMILY READING REPORT TM ~~ ~~ 7TH EDITION ~~ ~~ THE SUMMER READING IMPERATIVE rom my background teaching high school students in New York Crrent roitlyeaand wors the cinrpgoasrata pue libicriraatrSiacoinlNeastiwc, Meyoxuiccoou, tlodmsayy I’m a full-time resident in the world of literacy. It’s my job to know a lot about books (and I love it) . I have seen the power of books first-hand: the latest book in a graphic novel series devoured standing right in front of the shelf, or a biography of someone’s hero never returned because “I need that book, Miss.” In order to facilitate moments like these, kids must have our support—not just on paper, but in concrete ways—to find books that capture their attention. Summer presents an opportunity for families and communities to play an active role in ensuring all children can find their story and enjoy the benefits of summer reading. Let’s start with the power of sharing information. Summer reading is critical to student success; it allows kids to seamlessly build upon what they are learning from one year to the next. When kids don’tread over the summer, they are at risk of entering the next grade level having lost important momentum and key academic skills from the previous school year over break. This "summer slide,” as it is often called, is hyper-present in educators’ minds and has areal impact in the classroom. I remember clearly during my first year as a teacher, a mentor explaining that I had to spend the first few weeks reviewing content from the previous year’s curriculum before I could start doing the lessons I’d planned for September. The Kids & Family Reading Report shows us there is much more work to be done to increase awareness among parents around the summer slide. Nearly half of parents are still unaware of this phenomenon, and just having this knowledge can make a real difference. The data show that if parents are aware of the summer slide, they and their kids are more engaged in summer reading—how motivating! And there’s more good news: the majority of kids say they understand the importance of summer reading—and, better yet, that they really enjoy it. But there are challenges. The data reveal a troubling increase over the past few years in the percentage of kids across all ages who report reading zero books during the summer. Which brings me to the topic of access, especially for historically underserved groups, because access to books is often limited to the academic year. The data show 53% of kids get most of the books they read for fun through schools—so what happens for that majority when school isn’t in session? Public libraries and communities can be crucial partners to help close this gap by working with families over the summer. In my own childhood, my sisters and I embraced the hot and lazy afternoons of summer reading and trading our library finds on the beach, immersing ourselves in the books of newly favorite authors, discovering interesting people and moments in history, and teaching ourselves creative arts and crafts. I hope for every child to have a similar experience. But this can’t happen unless we commit as parents, caregivers, educators and community partners to find inventive ways to get books into the hands of every child over the summer—the books they want to read. When this happens, a child doesn’t just maintain their literacy skills, they try something new—and even have fun doing it. SCHOLASTIC SENIOR LIBRARIAN & MANAGER, LIBRARY SERVICES DEIMOSA WEBBER-BEY A SUMMER READING AWARENESS GAP FOR PARENTS At first glance, parents seem aware of the importance of summer reading, as 94% agree reading over the summer can help their child during the school year. And yet, nearly half of parents with school-age children are unaware of the “summer slide”(47%), the loss of academic skills that occurs when school is not in session and which is attributed largely to the lack of reading. This is of critical importance as the effec

FAQs

What is the “summer slide” and why does it matter?

The summer slide refers to the loss of academic skills when school is not in session and is largely attributed to limited reading. Effects accumulate over time, contributing to achievement gaps as students progress.

How aware are parents of the summer slide?

About 94% of parents agree that reading over the summer helps their child during the school year, yet nearly half of parents with school-age children are unaware of the summer slide (47%). Awareness increased from 2016 to 2018, but gaps remain.

What challenges affect children’s summer reading access and participation?

The report points to access limits during the academic year and highlights a troubling rise in the share of children reporting zero summer books. Public libraries and community partners are identified as key partners to close the gap.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Quinn Holloway