Summer Reading 2023

Grade 1 Summer Reading

June 2023
 
Dear Incoming First Grade Families,

Welcome to Lower School! The excitement of summer’s approach is buzzing all around. As we prepare for our transition from school days to summer days, we would like you and your child to begin thinking about summer reading. We hope you find the joy of reading to your child to be as delightful as we do. Reading aloud helps build many important foundational skills: introduces vocabulary, models fluent and expressive reading, and helps children experience reading for pleasure.
 
As a First Grade team, we have selected books that you and your child should read before September. We encourage thoughtful conversations as you travel through the story: ask meaningful questions, make connections, and discuss the content as well as the characters.
 
The required books are:
The Empty Pot by Demi
Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall
The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
 
The Empty Pot is a story set in China with a powerful message. We chose this book for the moral of the story - the benefits of honesty, patience and hard work. 
 
Jabari Jumps introduces the idea of a growth mindset. We chose this book because it teaches the importance of perseverance and not giving up when achieving our goals. 
 
In The Day You Begin the author and illustrator have teamed up to create a
poignant, yet heartening book about finding courage to connect, even when you feel scared and alone.
 
Of course, we don’t want to limit your child’s summer reading to the aforementioned choices; we want each child to read and be read to as much as possible. To assist you in this effort, we have compiled a list of recommended titles for summer reading.
 
In addition, there are links to award-winning books and other excellent sites that you might like to explore. Please see the sidebar. We hope you and your child find yourselves captivated by wonderful and entertaining stories.

As you help your child to establish a summer reading routine, please keep in mind that our goal is to help children become successful life-long readers. To achieve this goal, we hope the children will continue to choose “just right” books, those that are at a comfortable reading level. If your child is excited to read a more advanced text, we encourage you to read that selection aloud rather than have him/her try to tackle it independently.
 
 
Enjoy Summer and Happy Reading!
 
Sincerely,
 
Lindsey Brown, Melissa Gomes, and Mollie Kirkland
The First Grade Team
 
“I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book.” J. K. Rowling
 
New Canaan Country School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin and are afforded all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid policies or any other school-administered programs.