Summer Reading for Sam

We moved temporarily to Mercer Island. Even though we are only here for about two more weeks I decided we should participate in the library's Summer reading Program.

This was mainly to try and encourage Sam to read. Reading has been a struggle for Sam since day one. We work on it, but there is little enthusiasm and it is painfully slow. About three weeks ago he started reading The Lion Witch and the Wardrobe as an assignment. I have read it to Sam several times and he has listened to it on tape a couple of times. He knows the story pretty well. He has wanted to watch the movie, but I told him he could only watch it if he could read it all by himself. He is through to chapter 9. I am telling you this is a wonderful thing.

The Summer Reading Program was kind of a fluke. That morning we had planned to go to the Library just to get books, I  had told Sam before we went I was going to make a reading program just for him. He could earn a Lego set if he read 25 books. We would make up a little chart and track his progress. I have been fighting this over and over in my mind, because I don't like to use monetary rewards. I was at a loss to come up with some way to get him excited about reading. He loves to be read too. We do this every night and some days for our family read. I finally just gave into the idea of having him earn something.

 We arrived at the library that morning for a magic show. I knew about the magic show and thought the kids would like it. I was unaware that it was to start the Summer Reading Program.  The magician talked all about their SRP. The kids were really excited about it by the end of the show, so we signed up.

I talked to Sam about which books would be good and decided Nate The Great would be a good place to start. Each 20 minutes is tracked on a chart { Tremendous, I don't have to come up with a chart.} and they have to read 1000 minutes. The prizes are once you reach the middle mark you could claim a personal pan pizza. If you made it to the end you get an Artist Set. I thought great no need for my prize....wrong I am not off the hook.

Still the result is overwhelmingly wondrous. Sam is reading about forty minutes a day by himself and he is comprehending everything too. Great! He is also happy to read to Claire, but he did not want me to take a picture of the book he was reading...Fairies? ..Yuck! Claire loves it!


We are still reading at night and that counts too. So far Sam has read nine Nate the Great books, some Peanuts comics, and is still working on The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe. He wants to read! He is enjoying it. Tonight he wanted to read in our nightly scripture reading and he did great. I hope this will continue. I want him to find a genre that he likes. I have tried to find this for him to no avail, but maybe if the desire is there it will help.


I am so encouraged by this. He still leaves out words as he reads and adds words that aren't there, but on the whole it is so much more enjoyable.