Kids Summer Reading Adventure Starts Now With the 2017 Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge and Reading Road Trip
Kids Log their Reading Minutes to Help Their School Become “Best in State”
Two Summer Reading RVs Will Visit 25+ Cities to Host Free “Pop-Up” Reading Festivals Including Author Visits, Giveaways and More
NEW YORK – May 8, 2017 – Recent research from the Kids & Family Reading Report™: 6th Edition, released by Scholastic, found that only half of all parents with children ages 6–17 (48%) have heard of the “summer slide” —the learning loss which can occur over the summer months—which could help explain why one in five 12–17 year-olds and one in five kids in lower-income families did not read any books at all last summer. To create awareness around the “summer slide” and help children take a “summer leap” with great books, today Scholastic announced the opening of the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge, a free, global, online and mobile summer reading program. Adding even more summer reading fun and enthusiasm, the Scholastic Summer Reading Road Trip will hit the road for its second year, hosting free “pop-up” reading festivals that engage communities in helping kids discover the power and joy of reading.
To learn more about the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge and the Scholastic Summer Reading Road Trip visit: www.scholastic.com/summer.
2017 Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge (May 8–September 8, 2017)
- Starting today, kids can log their reading minutes online to earn digital prizes when they complete weekly reading challenges and gain access to 18 reading activities, including games, quizzes and videos based on popular children’s books.
- Parents and caregivers can access free summer reading resources, including booklists across all ages in both English and Spanish.
- At the end of the summer, the school in each U.S. state, territory and in the District of Columbia that has logged the most reading minutes will be named “Best in State,” featured in the 2018 Scholastic Book of World Records, and will receive a commemorative plaque as well as an official Scholastic party kit to celebrate their achievement. In addition, special recognition will be given to the top five libraries and community partner organizations nationwide with the most minutes read.
Scholastic Summer Reading Road Trip (May 6–July 26, 2017)
- Throughout the summer, two Scholastic Summer Reading RVs will visit 25+ cities making stops at bookstores, schools, and libraries across the country.
- Kids and families can visit the free “pop-up” reading events and meet some of their favorite Scholastic authors and illustrators, engage in fun reading activities, and win prizes.
- Parents and educators can follow the progress of the Scholastic Summer Reading Road Trip on social media via #SummerReading and online at http://summerroadtrip.scholastic.com.
The RVs will visit major cities and nearby towns throughout the summer.* The list of locations and tour dates includes:
- May 5 – Vero Beach, FL and San Carlos, CA
- May 7 – Pasadena, CA
- May 13 – Raleigh, NC; Tempe and Phoenix, AZ
- May 21 – Austin, TX
- July 1 – Mystic, CT and Milwaukee, WI
- July 2 – Plainville, MA
- July 3 – Chicago, IL
- July 5 – Brewster, MA and Omaha, NE
- July 6 – Saratoga Springs, NY
- July 8 – Bentonville, AR
- July 9 – Edmond, OK
- July 11 – Montclair, NJ
- July 15 – Hudson, OH
- July 16 – Delaware, OH
- July 20 – Morehead, KY
- July 21 – Decatur, GA
- July 22 – Seattle, WA
- July 23 – Bainbridge Island, WA
QUOTE:
“At Scholastic, we know that summer is a critical time for kids to stay engaged in learning by continuing to read, and we hope that by giving kids choice in what they read and an exciting way to log reading minutes, they will head back to school at the same level, without any decline,” said Ellie Berger, EVP and President of Scholastic Trade Publishing. “Through the Scholastic Summer Reading Road Trip, it is our goal to elevate the importance and fun of summer reading by collaborating with booksellers, schools, libraries, and Scholastic authors and illustrators across the country to make summer reading a priority in all communities.”
To learn more about Scholastic (NASDAQ: SCHL), the Summer Reading Road Trip and the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge, please visit mediaroom.scholastic.com/SummerReadingChallenge.
*Dates and locations for the Summer Reading Road Trip are subject to change.
Contacts:
Alexandra Wladich, Scholastic, 212-965-7353, awladich@scholastic.com
Mike Barrett, Scholastic, 212-343-6570, mbarrett@scholastic.com
This press release can also be found on the Scholastic website here.
