Summer Reading Programs for 2021

 It's summertime, school's are out, and that means it's summer reading time! Summer Reading has been proven to help kids do better during the school year, and today I have complied a list of confirmed summer reading programs (with incentives!) for 2021.

Confirmed Programs for 2021

1. Your Public Library

Public libraries almost always have summer reading programs available with various incentives such as coupons, free books, special recognition, and more! Be sure to check out your local libraries and see if they have a program available.

2. Scholastic Summer Reading

Scholastic has a digital program available this year. All you have to do is register in Home Base, Which is their digital reading program. Then, you maintain a reading streak. The best part is, by keeping a reading streak, you help donate books to underprivileged kids who so not have access to books.

3. Chuck-E-Cheese Summer Reading

Chuck E Cheese has a summer reading program this year as well. All you have to do is keep track of your reading for 2 weeks on their reading calendar, and you receive 10 free play points. Please note that you have to purchase food in order to redeem this prize.

4. Barnes And Noble Summer Reading

If you read 8 books this summer, you can earn a free book at Barnes and Noble! You have to keep track of your reading by writing the book, author, and your favorite part of the book on this digital journal and then show it to a store associate to receive your free book. Please note that there are a select number of books you can choose from (they have excellent selection though) and this program is only open to Grades 1-6. If you have just completed 6th grade or you are going into 1st grade this fall, it still counts.

5. The New York Times Summer Reading Program

The New York Times magazine is also hosting a summer reading program this year, although it is more like a contest. If you read one of their articles, and explain why you enjoyed reading it or why it caught your attention, you will have a chance to be published on their website. They also provide a rubric and contest guidelines.

6. Camp Book It! Pizza Hut Summer Reading

Pizza Hut has a program that offers a complimentary personal pan pizza if you complete a certain amount of reading. Please keep in mind that a parent or guardian has to register for you.

7. TD Bank Summer Reading

If you are Grades K-5, then you can participate in this fun program! After reading 10 books, you get 10 dollars deposited to your savings account!

I hope you end up trying some of these amazing programs. Being a summer reader myself, I can assure you that you will have a fantastic time!

Discover the Magic: Spotlight on Our Book/Author of the Week!

 Hi everyone! This week's featured book/author is The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson.

Photo Credit to amazon.com

Rating- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis

This book is about a 12 year old girl named Candice who moves to the fictional town of Lambert, South Carolina to her deceased grandmother's old house. Her grandmother was fired as the first black woman city manager because of an incident nobody will tell Candice about. Throughout the book she is shown to have a passion and love for reading. The boy who lives down the street, shares her same interest which causes them to become friends. One day, they go up to her grandmother's old attic, where Candice finds a box addressed to her, and in it, she finds an old letter. It contains promises of a big fortune for the city and the person who finds it, but there's a catch. She has to solve a series of riddles about the history of Lambert to reach it. She tells Brandon, the boy who lives down the street, and together, they decide to find the fortune.

My Opinion

I loved this book. It had just the right amount of suspense, humor, action, and plot twists! I especially loved it because it was a mystery novel, my favorite genre! While the book doesn't talk about real events that occurred, the fictional events outline some of the most notable issues today, such as discrimination because of culture, and it promotes inclusivity and diversity. I enjoyed the plot twists and the character was very relatable at one point for me because it is shown that she moves from GA to SC.

Age Rating

I would recommend this book for ages 11 and up. It explores concepts such as racial discrimination and violence at some points. One character is also shown to be constantly drinking alcohol and kids should know the dangers and risks associated with alcohol before reading. The parents of the protagonist are shown to be divorced and the reason for that is revealed at the end. To live a better life, a character changes his outside appearance because of the current situations at the time it takes place, and kids should realize that it is important to always know that you were born to stand out, and not fit in! Lastly, there is a love story throughout some of the chapters. Overall, it is a wonderful and entertaining book though!

Weekly Book Wonder: Unveiling Our Featured Book/Author

 Hello Everyone! This week's featured book/author of the week is Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger. 

Photo Credit to Amazon.com

Rating- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis

This book is about 12 year old, Sophie Elizabeth Foster. She is an extraordinary girl because she is a high school senior at the age of 12. She has a secret too. She's a telepath. Ever since she hit her head on the sidewalk at the age of 5, she's had the ability to hear what everyone around her is thinking, whether she likes it or not. Her whole world changes one day when she meets Fitz, a boy who tells her the truth about why she never felt like she belonged. She learns she's an elf. But even as an elf, dark secrets begin to unfold and Sophie learns disturbing truths about her past.....

My Opinion

This is currently my most favorite book series! Sophie is an awesome and relatable character, and the plot is really well-developed. Even though it is more like a fantasy book, it keeps older audiences on the edge of their seats. It also teaches good lessons throughout the series, such as how sometimes it is okay to ask for help. You always want to know what happened next and the cliffhangers will leave you yearning for more!

Age Rating

I would recommend this book for ages 10+. It shows a girl being separated from her family, it has several negative characters and contains a betrayal from one of the characters parents. It also shows one character constantly ditching class and ignoring schoolwork and this character also has a bad relationship with his father. There are many battles/scenes of violence. These things may affect/scare younger kids. Overall, it is a wonderful, but mature read!

This is a book series. The names of the books (in sequence) are:

Keeper of The Lost Cities- Book 1

Exile- Book 2

Everblaze- Book 3

Neverseen- Book 4

Lodestar- Book 5

Nightfall- Book 6

Flashback- Book 7

Legacy- Book 8

Unlocked- Book 8.5

Movie VS Book

 We all know that these days people love to watch movies. And a lot of movies, are based off of books. Today, I am going to be comparing 2 of the books to their movie counterparts. 

Harry Potter

One of the most well-known book-to-movie adaptations is Harry Potter. Many people even watch the movie instead of reading the book. Here are my thoughts:

Rating- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Plot/Storyline & Thoughts- The Plot of this mostly aligned with the book. Some of the physical descriptions did not fully match (for instance, Hermoine's hair should have been a bit bushier), but most of the descriptions did. The emotions that you can feel in the book are beautifully portrayed, like the scene of Snape's memories. Overall, the movies are aligned with the books. I really enjoyed the character development and the special effects were just magical!

- Photo credit to artifice.com

Percy Jackson

Percy Jackson

Rating- ⭐

Plot/Storyline & Thoughts- I did not enjoy this book-to-movie adaptation! I was extremely excited when I found out there was a movie, as this is one of my all-time favorites, but the movie was disappointing. The plot of the book and movie do not align AT ALL! The book starts out with Percy being shown as a 12-year-old. In the movies, he is shown as 16 years old. The first scene of the movie gives away an important fact at the very beginning, and the book reveals it toward the end. This takes away the suspense. In the movie,  the big villain is not the same as the book, and this messes up the storyline. In the books, he is thought to be the villain but revealed to be innocent, as his weapon was taken as well.  The entire movie is centered around finding 3 green pearls, but the book was centered around finding the lightning bolt. And lastly, Percy seems to have A LOT of control over his power when he fights Luke. In the books, he is shown as powerless against him because he is not well-trained yet.

- Photo credit to foreveryoungadult.con

I wanted to add that if you have read: Keeper of The Lost Cities, a movie adaptation has been announced! It is unclear exactly when it will release, but fans are guessing around 2022, due to the pandemic. Which book would you like to see a movie adaptation of? comment down below! Thank you everyone!

Dive Into Magic: Our Enchanting Book/Author of the Week!

  Hello Everyone! This week's featured book is Better You Than Me written by Jessica Brody.

Photo Credit to amazon.com

Rating- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis

This book is told from 2 perspectives, both are 12 year old girls. One is told from the perspective of Skyler, who is a big fan of 12 year old superstar Ruby Rivera, who is the star of a hit TV show. The other is told from the perspective of Ruby Rivera who longs for normal life. One day, Skyler sneaks off to have a guided set tour of Ruby's show and gets locked in a closet with her. Things get odd when the 2 of them switch places. They decide to live the life of the other person for just 3 days. What happens next is a mixture of fun, weirdness, and more!

My Opinion

I really enjoyed this book! It explores how fame isn't all it appears, and it touches on real life problems that kids face. It also teaches how you should always be thankful for the life you have, as both Ruby and Skyler experience how the other persons life is not as easy as they thought. It is also packed with a ton of fun, humor, and surprises along the way!

Age Rating

I would recommend this book for ages 10 and up. It explores a 7th graders life, and it also has one of the characters experience divorce in her family, while the other characters father is not present at all. It also shows how the divorce affects the character at one point. It shows one character being unsure about who she is and wanting to impress everyone. It is a very entertaining and interesting book/concept, but it is meant for older kids!

Benefits of Reading

 Hello everyone and welcome back! Sometimes you may wonder, why should I read? Or...Will I get anything out of it? Well, you may not get any cash or prizes, but reading definitely has a lot to offer! 

Reading Reduces Stress 

It has become a scientifically proven fact that reading reduces stress. It lowers your heart rate and eases your muscles. This is a wonderful stress-reliever that is healthy for your body and your soul. However, You always want to make sure that you pick a book that makes you feel calm, interested, and happy. Check out my blog post on How to Choose a Great Book for more details on how to pick YOUR perfect book!

Reading Makes You Smarter!

Yes, it's true! Reading can actually make you smarter. When you read, you get exposed to new vocabulary, which leads to good scores on tests. You also learn new things (the concepts in the books), and this is a huge benefit as well.  As a result of knowing more vocabulary, your writing skills improve as well. Reading also boosts your brain power. Think of reading like a workout for your brain. When you work your muscles out, they stay in shape and strong. It works the same way for your brain. So, working out your brain makes it smarter and reading is your workout! Plus, when you work out your brain, you are also less likely to get Alzheimer disease.

Reading Makes You More Empathetic

When you read a book, you tend to start to care about what happens next. So, when the characters in the book fall, you feel sad. When they emerge victorious, you feel happy. This makes you more empathetic with everyone around you.  This only works in fiction though, because fiction has characters. This helps you in your later life, because it is a necessary skill to have in your social life.

Reading Helps You Sleep Better

Reading is a great addition to your bedtime routine! It alters your state of mind and changes your consciousness (not in a bad way, in a good way!) This helps you to sleep. As mentioned before, it also helps you to be relaxed and reduces stress. This leads to a better sleep. Make sure to read a real, paper book though. Reading an e-book could even keep you awake longer.

Reading Helps to Fight Depression

People who are depressed often feel alone and like nobody is there for them. When you read, you feel less alone. When you escape into an imaginary world, you feel happy and stress-free. In this case, nonfiction books are good for you too. Reading a non-fiction positivity or self-help book is equally beneficial. 

Reading Could Help you to Live Longer!

Since reading helps prevent certain brain-related conditions and helps keep your brain in shape, you have a longer life expectancy. There was even a scientific case study that was conducted by Yale University that proved this. They had 3 groups, 2 who read and 1 who did not. The people who read lived longer! Reading also strengthens survival skills and all of the benefits mentioned above help you to live longer as well!

Articles to Check Out!

This blog post would not have been possible without the help of these cool articles! If you would like, you can go check them out!

Source 1- Benefits of Reading Books: How it Can Positively Change Your Life

Source 2- Reading: The Secret to Living A Longer Life

Source 3- Reading For Stress Relief

Source 4- Is Reading Before Bed A Good Idea

Thank you for taking the time to read my post!

Weekly Book Wonder: Unveiling Our Featured Book/Author (4/28)

 Hello Everyone! This week's featured book is Merci Suarez Changes Gears written by Meg Medina.

Photo Credit to Brave and Kind Books

Rating- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis

This book is about a girl named Merci Suarez, who is adjusting to a new private school where she has a scholarship. She is also adjusting to 6th grade, and she starts to see how different it is.  Throughout the book, she deals with a mean girl named Edna, who is rich and constantly teases her and hurts her feelings. It is shown that she lives in 3 houses with her whole family, and her beloved grandfather also starts to behave strangely, but nobody will tell her the truth.

My Opinion

I really liked this book! I read it over and over again. I found it very relatable, because the main character faces real challenges that actually happen in the 6th grade. I also loved how she has a fierce and loving personality. I liked how in the book, Merci learns to overcome challenges and accept reality. These are really good life lessons.

Age Rating

I would recommend this book for ages 10 -14. This book is all about 6th grade (Middle School) life and a disease is shown at one point, which may affect younger kids. Kids over the age of 14 may get bored at , because this book is about Middle School. This book contains great morals, values, and life lessons though, and it is a great read for older kids!