How to Start a Book Club for 8 to 12-Year-Olds

​​If you’re looking for a way to get your child reading, start a book club! It’s a great way to encourage kids to read for pleasure, and it can help them develop important skills like critical thinking and communication. Here are some tips on how to start a book club for 8 to 12-year-olds.

Choose a location

Your home could be an option for a book club location, or you might want to look into local community centers and libraries that offer space for peer groups to meet. These days, you could also do a virtual option. Or you can enlist help from your mom friends and rotate homes for each meeting. If you do choose to meet in person, be sure to check with the parents of potential members to ensure that their child is comfortable coming to your home.

Decide on a format

There are lots of different formats you can use for your book club, including: 

• read aloud discussion, 
• guided reading, 
• and independent reading. 

If the kids read independently at home, they can then come prepared to answer questions about the book. Or have each child bring a question they have about the story.

Get creative! You could have the kids make a craft related to the book at each meeting. Or pull out the LEGOs and have kids build something that relates back to the book: a scene, a person, or an object. Or you might choose books that are also available as movies and then watch the film at each meeting. 

Keep trying new formats as you go along and see what works best for your group. You may find that some formats work better for certain types of books.

Choose books wisely

While it's important to pick books that everyone will enjoy and that encourage critical thinking skills, it's also important that they are at the right reading level. 

Additionally, try to look for books with a good mixture of male and female characters, as well as characters from different backgrounds and cultures. Diverse books are always a good choice. You can find a lot of them here on MommyMaestra.

Encourage discussion

Discussing the books is an essential part of a book club, so be sure to pick titles that will spark interesting discussions! You can even have your own "mystery box" that contains possible book choices, and let the kids choose from there.

If you don't want to read the books yourself, then you can: 

1. have your child lead the group and come up with questions to ask, or
2. look online for discussion questions. 

Author websites and publisher websites often have lesson plans or discussion questions that can be downloaded. But TpT is also a good place to look.

Put rewards in place

Whether it's a small prize or public praise, make sure the kids have some sort of reward in place to encourage their participation. Don't be afraid to add your own personal touch to this!

Here are a few reward ideas for kids ages 8 to 12.

Start small

Remember, you don't have to start with a huge group. A smaller group of dedicated readers is better than a large group that doesn't participate. You can always build up from there. Quality over quantity! (It's also a lot easier to manage and more budget friendly, depending on your reward plans.)

Be flexible

Try to be flexible with your book club plans. If a child can’t make it to a meeting, don’t force them to come. And if someone wants to bring a friend, that’s great! The more the merrier.

Use printable activity sheets

If you do a quick search for "book club printables" there are a lot of great options that come up. Think about using reading logs, book reports, bookmarks, reading craftivities, etc. Or challenge your children to design their own book club signs, member roster, book list, etc.

Later this week, I'll share some bilingual book club printables I designed and link to them here.

How to modify the book club for specific themes

If you want to focus on a specific theme for your book clubs, like science fiction or mystery, you can use these steps as a guide. Just make sure to choose books that fit the theme, and encourage discussion around that topic. You might even want to create some themed activities to go along with the reading.

Example: Summer Book Club

A good example of modifying a book club would be a summer book club. You can include classics like Jules Verne's Around the World in 80 Days or contemporary titles like Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

Example: Hispanic Heritage Month Book Club for kids

If you're looking for a way to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with kids, a book club is a perfect option. You can use books like Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan or The Mystery of the Mischievous Marker: A Mickey Rangel Mystery by René Saldaña Jr. or Bravo!: Poems About Amazing Hispanics by Margarita Engle if you are looking for books by Latino authors.

Example: Women's History Month for kids

If you're looking for a way to celebrate Women's History Month with kids, a book club is a perfect option. You could focus on books featuring strong female protagonists like The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins or Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo.

Check out my post on 15 Children's Biographies Celebrating Women.

Where is the best place to buy books for book clubs?

First, always try your local library. Especially if the book club members live in different areas. But if your book club consists of neighborhood kids, chances are your library won't have enough copies for everyone. So, the best place to buy books for book clubs is typically a local bookstore or online retailer. Many bookstores will offer discounts for book club purchases, and you can often find good deals on used books as well. 

If you're looking for specific titles, it's usually best to check online retailers like Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.

How should an adult be involved in the book club?

Your level of involvement as an adult has in your children's book club will ultimately depend on the group's preferences. Some clubs may prefer that adults take a more hands-off approach, while others may appreciate having an adult chaperone or facilitator. Ultimately, it's up to the group to decide what level of involvement is best for them. You may lead discussions or just provide snacks and help with set up! 

Starting a book club can be a great way to encourage kids to read and discuss books critically. By choosing wisely, you can create a book club that is interesting for kids and encourages discussion. Be sure to have rewards in place to motivate the kids, and try to be flexible with your plans. If you want to focus on a specific theme or holiday, you can easily modify the book club to fit your needs.

Have you ever started a book club for kids? How did it work out?

Other Posts You May Enjoy

• Book Review: Book Fiesta!
  
  
• Read for America: 3 Books that Inspire
  
  
• 40 Ways to Keep Your Child Excited About Reading
  
  
• Bilingual Reading Logs

image source: Canstock Photo - Ferli

40 Ways to Keep Your Child Excited About Reading

Happy May! 

For some, the end of the school year is in sight. For others, school will continue through the hot summer months. Either way, your child's reading development should be one of the things you stay on top of this summer.

This month, we'll be focusing on summer reading: tips, books, strategies, and more.

One challenge that parents face during the summer is keeping their kids excited about reading. So we've put together a short list of ways to make reading fun.

Did we miss one? Let us know!

© Can Stock Photo / evgenyatamanenko

40+ Ways to Get Your Kids Excited About Reading

1. Read with your child.
2. Make it special and set up a comfortable reading nook just for your child.
3. Visit the bookstore or library on a weekly basis.
4. Translate a story!
5. Read the book...then watch the movie... or vice versa! Discuss which one you liked better and why.
6. Involve friends. Invite your child's friends over for a book swap party.
7. Create your own book club and meet weekly to discuss new books.
8. Make puppets and then have your child(ren) put on a puppet show of the story for friends and family.
9. Dress up in costumes and re-enact the story! (Who doesn't love a good play?)
10. Write up a book report.
    
11. Read to a pet!
12. Help your child create a video book review!
13. Add variety. Read books, magazines, eBooks, cookbooks, fiction, non-fiction, biographies, comic books, graphic novels, classics, action & adventure...
14. Ask your child to write and illustrate his/her own story.
15. Read outside.
16. Read in the car.
17. Download an eBook app, such as Epic, Storia, or Readyland.
18. Go to the park to read!
19. Make up different endings.
20. Buy picture books without words and make up your own story.
    
    

    

    © Can Stock Photo / Choreograph
    
    

21. Read to a stuffed toy.
22. Use story boards.
23. Make meals mentioned in the story.
24. Create a felt story board.
25. Join a summer reading program.
26. Listen to audiobooks.
27. Create a reward chart.
28. Use reading logs to record their progress.
29. Use story cubes.
30. Use incentives (these can be physical items or simple privileges).
31. Read aloud. Pick a book you both love and take turns reading to each other.
32. Dress it up! Gift wrap a book you've carefully selected and give it to your child as a gift.
33. Make sure your child is reading books on her level. Books that are too difficult or advanced make reading a lot less fun.
34. Buy a fun book light at the dollar store. 
35. Bribery! (Lol!!)
36. Give your child his own library card.
37. Stay up late reading!
38. Read to a friend.
39. Read to Abuela or Abuelo (Grandma or Grandpa).
40. Let your child choose the book.
41. Find books on topics your child is interested in.
42. Vary your child's reading routine.

Other Posts You May Enjoy

• Prepping for Summer with MommyMaestra
  
  
• 13 Free English & Multilingual Online Books for Children
  
  
• Read Around the World: Kutu, The Tiny Inca Princess
  
  
• Summer Reads: The Boy Who Touched the Stars
  
  
• Summer Reads: Luca's Bridge, El puente de Luca
  
  
• Read Around the World: Golden Tales

2021 Free Bilingual Reading Logs

 

Summer is upon us. And for us, that means trips to the library and bookstore.

Summer is an opportunity to maintain or even develop your child's literacy skills. So try to make it fun. I have a new set of free reading logs for you to use. They're pretty versatile to meet your needs. Inside you'll find:

• 3 different designs so you can track by:
  1) # of minutes read,
  2) # of pages read,
  3) OR # of books read,
  
• ALL of the logs are available in full color or black-and-white,
• AND they are available in English and Spanish.

You choose which one works best for your kid(s).

You can find them free in my TpT store OR if you are subscribed to my monthly newsletter, keep an eye out for them to arrive in your inbox by next week.

Happy reading!

¡A leer!

Summer Reading Book Packs Available

Like so many others, I've been cleaning the house during our self-imposed quarantine. It's allowing me time to reorganize and purge in preparation for the next school year.

And while I was cleaning the bookshelves next to my desk, I realized that I have accrued a LOT of books to review for MommyMaestra or other sites over the years. Most of them are like new. And I did buy specific titles to sell in my online shop simply because I enjoy them and think they're great for kids.

So instead of hauling them off to my local used bookstore or selling them on Amazon, I thought that I would give MommyMaestra readers first pick. I have clumped them into packs. I will not sell individual books. I honestly don't have time to make a million trips to the post office to mail them. So I have put some of the ones from my shelves into summer reading packs that are grouped by reading age.

If you are interested, click on the link for each pack.

Enjoy the summer reading! (Or use them next school year?)

Summer Reading Pack #1

For preschool & early elementary

Includes the following books:

1. The Tale of Rabbit and Coyote by Tony Johnston, illust. by Tomie dePaola
2. The Storyteller’s Candle/La velita de los cuentos by Lucía González, illust. by Lulu Delacre
3. Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa by Veronica Chambers, illust by Julie Maren
4. The Park Our Town Built / El parque que nuestro pueblo construyó by Diane Gonzalez Bertrand
5. Oh No, Gotta Go! by Susan Middleton Elya, illust. by G. Brian Karas (not shown)

Summer Reading Pack #2

For kids ages 8 - 12

Includes the following books:

1. From Farmworker to Astronaut/De campesino a astronauta by José M. Hernández (Bilingual)
2. The Shameless Shenanigans of Mister Malo/Las terríbles travesuras de Mister Malo by Alidis Vicente (Bilingual)
3. The Taco Magician and Other Poems for Kids/El mago de los tacos y otros poemas para niños by Diane Gonzalez Bertrand (Bilingual)
4. Vincent Ventura and the Mystery of the Witch Owl/Vincent Ventura y el misterio de la bruja lechuza by Xavier Garza (Bilingual)
5. Ghost Fever/Mal de fantasma by Joe Hayes (Bilingual)
6. Hammer of Witches by Shana Mlawski (English only)

Summer Reading Pack #3

For TEENS or YOUNG ADULTS (or ADULTS!) only. These two books are in SPANISH ONLY. They're hardbacks that are harder to find in bookstores.

This pack features two Spanish titles by the wonderful Isabel Allende:

1. El bosque de los pigmeos
2. El reino del dragón de oro

Summer Reading Pack #4

For teens and young adults.

Includes the following books:

1. Drawn to You by Janel Rodriguez Ferrer
2. Summer of the Mariposas by Guadalupe Garcia McCall
3. All the Stars Denied by Guadalupe Garcia McCall
4. Shame the Stars by Guadalupe Garcia McCall

Summer Reading Pack #5

For teens and young adults.

These contain adult themes, so keep that in mind. Includes the following books:

1. On the Other Side by Ray Villareal
2. Barely Missing Everything by Matt Mendez
3. Dealing in Dreams by Lilliam Rivera

13 Free English & Multilingual Online Books for Children

It pains me deeply to read that parents are choosing to keep their children home out of fear resulting from the president's threat of mass raids. But I totally get it because I would, too. This means no summer camps or trips to the library. No bookstores for story time.

Or maybe you are a family on a budget and summer camps aren't on your list for this year so you are looking for free resources online to keep your kids busy learning...in an entertaining fashion, of course.

Or maybe you are just looking for ways to supplement your child's activities over the course of the summer.

If any of these sound like you, there are still ways to help maintain and even continue to develop your child's literacy skills at home during the summer.

I started looking for free online children's literature that you can access from home and was pretty excited about all of the ones that are available. Here's what I found:

1. International Children’s Digital Library - Available in 5 languages! Read my review here.
2. Read Conmigo - English and Spanish No longer available.
3. Unite for Literacy - 2 written languages (English and Spanish), PLUS 43 languages for narrated stories!! WOW!
4. Magic Keys - English only. Pretty simple
5. Free Children Stories - English only
6. The Library of Congress - English only
7. Magic Blox - Books in 6 languages!
8. Oxford Owl - English only. Free ebooks for kids 3 - 11yo
9. Storyline Online  - Famous actors read aloud children's books. English only. Includes teacher's guides
10. Open Library  - Mostly Classics
11. Project Gutenberg - Also mostly Classics. Available in 4 languages, but not Spanish.:(
12. Children's Books Forever - 12 different languages!!!
13. Aaron Shepard's World of Stories - Folktales, fairytales, legends and more

Also, don't forget that I have printable FREE Summer Camp @ Home Calendars for children ages 6 to 10ish! You'll find book recommendations and more.

Read Around the World: Kutu, The Tiny Inca Princess

Every year, I'm so happy to participate in the Multicultural Kid Blogs' Read Around the World Summer Series. I love learning about new children's books that bring the world to a child's hands. They're a valuable resource when you are raising global citizens who can successfully relate and communicate with anyone.

My selection this year is KUTU: The Tiny Inca Princess - La Ñusta Diminuta by the talented Mariana Llanos.

There are so many things about this book to love. It is such a good story about a tiny princess who sets out to save her town by bringing water to it after a long drought. Even though no one thinks that she can help the town because of her small size, she sets out on her own to find help.

Kutu is a fictional character. And the story is original; it is not the retelling of an Inca legend. But the story represents Inca culture and many of the characters in the story are the gods that may be found in Quechua legend. I love that the author has worked to stay true to this ancient culture.

In addition, this book is not just bilingual with full text in both English and Spanish, but it also has Quechua words and phrases sprinkled throughout the story. 

And the illustrations are so adorable!! They are childlike and colorful with an attention to little details that truly represent the culture. My own toddler, who is still too young to understand the storyline, was captivated by them. 

This is just one of the wonderful titles you can find in my 2019 Summer Reads. To see the complete list, click here.

And if you would like to follow along MKB's Read Around the World Summer Series, click here. Because there are some seriously incredible books being shared.


Happy reading, Amigos!

Summer Reads & Giveaway: Carmen Sandiego

Last week, I shared on the MommyMaestra Facebook page that I had actually won a giveaway for a change. Usually, I am the one giving stuff away. And the reason I won is that I was sharing the giveaway because I knew how much you all would love it.

So, I was thrilled but surprised to get the news I had won! My oldest kids who grew up watching the Carmen Sandiego series with Rita Moreno and who have already watched the new series on Netflix were crazy happy about the books. And here's why...

My older son is a graphic novel lover. I usually don't buy him that many because I want him reading books with more text and less distraction. But every now and then we get a few just as a treat and to reward his reading. So the first book that we received is Carmen Sandiego: The Sticky Rice Caper. And, yes, it's a graphic novel. In this book, Carmen is headed to Indonesia to stop VILE in the capital city of Jakarta. It's pretty action-packed. So, naturally, my son is all over it.

The second book, Who in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, is what really piqued my girl's curiosity (and intrigued me, too, I'll admit) because in it Carmen shares her own backstory for the first time. I also loved that Gina Rodriguez wrote the foreword. Neither one of us has read it yet, but it's on my girl's list for the summer.

Several of you asked me on the Facebook post about where to get the books. I looked it up and found them both on Amazon here and here, as well as at Target. You can even order them online from Target and have them shipped for free to your nearby store.

Oh! And, yes, I found a Spanish edition on Amazon.

THE GIVEAWAY

As you can see from the top picture, I received several copies of Who in the World is Carmen Sandiego? So you know I want to share them with you. If you have a Carmen lover in your house, this would be a fun read for summer!

I'm giving away a copy of Who in the World is Carmen Sandiego? to two (2) lucky MommyMaestra readers. NOTE: These copies are in ENGLISH ONLY.

To enter to win your copy, just use the Rafflecopter below.

¡Buena suerte!

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José Hernández Lesson Plans, Books, Activities & More

Time for my next pick for MommyMaestra's Summer Reads list! (Last week, I shared the first title.)

I'm also pretty excited about today's book recommendation because it is an autobiography of someone whose story I've been following for several years.

This post contains affiliate links.  

A Children's Biography 

The Boy Who Touched the Stars, El niño que alcanzó las estrellas (aff) is the true story of José Moreno Hernández, an American engineer and former NASA astronaut. Read about his childhood when he worked alongside his parents as a migrant farmworker and his fascination with space. Your child/student will learn about the important role his 2nd-grade teacher played in his life, encouraging his parents to stay in one place so that José could focus on his education, and how she nurtured his love of astronomy, books, and learning. 

José eventually became an electrical engineer, and together with a colleague, developed the first full-field digital mammography imaging system. He continued to pursue his dream of becoming an astronaut. Even though his NASA application was rejected 11 times, he kept applying until he was finally chosen to become an astronaut as a flight engineer on the Space Shuttle Discovery and flew to the International Space Station.

Read this inspirational book to learn what his parents' recipe was for helping him to achieve his dream!

This book is SO well written and presented in a very organized manner. And the fact that it is presented with full text in both English and Spanish is awesome!!

Oh, and the illustrations are excellent, too! Take a look...

Overall, this bilingual picture book should be getting an award. I'm so happy to have read it. I love it. Love it!  

The Boy Who Touched the Stars Activities & Crafts

I tried looking up activities created for this book and couldn't find any. So here are a few ideas for activities related to astronauts and space that would be great to do before or after reading this picture book. Or spread the activities out over 5-7 days and make it a space-themed week! I've tried to separate them by age. 

PreK through 3rd:

• Design your own constellation book with my easy tutorial.
  
  
• Mama Teaches also has these lovely printable constellation cards on her site. 
  
  
• Simple Everyday Mom has a free printable rocket puppet template. (Easy instructions plus a video tutorial!) She also has an astronaut paper bag puppet craft if you'd like to make more than one puppet.
  
  
• You know what's really fascinating? Looking at pictures of galaxies! You know what's even more fascinating? Making your own galaxy in a bottle! Beth Ann Averill has directions on her site for this very clever craft. And she also has this brilliant name rocket craft to help your children learn their own name in a fun spacey kind of way!
  
  
• Pocket Homeschool shared this cleverly assembled space traveler craft that your kids can put together with materials most families have in their home. 
  
  
• Learn about other astronauts! The Waldock Way has this excellent free unit study on Mae Jemison, the first black woman to travel into space. 
  
  
• Blessed Homeschool has this free printable solar system activity pack with some really fun developmental activities.
  
  
• And lastly, the Primary Parade has a remarkable collection of preschooler space activities.

Grades 4 through 6:

• For a deeper dive into space, I also made these constellation worksheets and wrote an in-depth lesson for kids over on WooJr. Or you might enjoy my mini-lesson on the solar system.
  
  
• If your children are more into space exploration activities, check out these space exploration unit lessons from Adventures in a Messy Life that look at the crafts astronauts and the space program use.
  
  
• This solar system activity with free cootie catcher from Rock Your Homeschool is the coolest activity that your kids will absolutely love. (Psst! Her space unit study is on sale!)

Spanish Resources:

• El Sistema Solar: El espacio, la Tierra y planetas by Ms Herraiz on TpT


• El Espacio Unidad y Centros de Literatura by Bilingual Pre-K World on TpT
  
  
• Mateo el astronauta Outer Space Theme Pack Spanish Resources by Mundo de Pepita
  
  
• Morning Work in Spanish, Numbers 0-10, 27 activities! (space-themed!) by The Stress Free Spanish Teacher

Craft Kits and Toys

Extend the learning with these space-themed learning toys. 

Deluxe Outer Space Playdough Kit from SensoryNStuff on Etsy

There are so many great space=themed sensory kits, but this may be my favorite one.

Felt Solar System Set of 10 from SewingSeedsPlay on Etsy

What a great addition to any home school room! When my teens were little we decorated by hanging the planets from our school room ceiling. But I think being able to handle and manipulate them would be even better.

Wooden Space Stampers from EssentialDoughCo on Etsy

Oh my gosh! So much fun! Play dough stamps provide hours of fun for little kids. 

Other Posts You May Enjoy

• Story Time from Space
  
  
• Chile's New Observatory
  
  
• The Missing 9th Planet
  
  
• Mars Lesson Plans, Videos, Books, & More

Summer Reads: Luca's Bridge, El puente de Luca

Today, I'm kicking off my Summer Reads series, which features awesome new titles for your kids to read over the summer.

The first title is a new book by Mariana Llanos titled Luca's Bridge/El puente de Luca. (aff)

It is the story of Luca, a young boy forced to leave his native country - the United States, where he was born - because his parents are undocumented immigrants and have been told to voluntarily deport themselves. Luca struggles with the change because he has to leave his friends behind - his school behind - and travel to Mexico when he doesn't even speak Spanish.

But Luca finds solace in his trumpet. And finds a way to transport himself back using his musical talent.

In our current political climate, stories like this one are SO IMPORTANT. It is a story that needs to be written, read, and shared. So many children are often separated from their parents when the latter are deported from the U.S. Some, like Luca's family, choose to stay together even though it means uprooting their children from the only life they've ever known. And these books shine a spotlight on the desperate need for better immigration laws in our country.

Mariana is such a talented writer. (Several of her books have been featured here on MommyMaestra already, and she's even contributed a fantastic tutorial on how to create your own Peruvian retablo!) What I love about this book is that it comes with complete text in both English and Spanish, making it accessible to bilingual families and classrooms alike.



And oh the illustrations! Anna López Real is the artist and she does such a remarkable job. I love how she uses color sparingly to make the illustrations pop and to express the emotion of the storyline.

Best suited for children ages 4 to 9 years old.

Teachers, this is a wonderful book for summer camps, assigned for summer reading, or to be used next school year. It works well for studying and discussing themes of immigration, deportation, family separation, music, bridges (metaphorical), childhood, and more.

You can purchase your copy here on Amazon.

Other Posts You May Enjoy

• Studying the Immigration Experience with Children
  
  
• 10 Children’s Books About the Latino Immigration Experience
  
  
• Book Review: A Superpower for Me
  
  
• Poesía Alada: poesía y arte para volar
  
  
• Free Author Skype Opportunity for Teachers
  
  

Prepping for Summer with MommyMaestra

Summer is coming! Summer is coming!

So that means that it's time to get serious and start some planning on my part in order to keep my kids entertained, busy, and learning. I always use the following guide for planning summers:

• BOOKS
• Outdoors
• Camps
• Activities

Sticking to this guide really helps me out when everyone is at a loss or complaining about "being bored."

Books

Read, read, read! I make my kids read. This means regular trips to the library and bookstores. I try to stock up ahead of time, but it's mainly activity books because really, this is their time to just relax and read what they want. If I stock up ahead of time, it's mostly because sometimes my oldest son needs some encouragement when it comes to branching out and trying new authors or series. 

(If you have a reluctant reader, you should consider using films to encourage them! This was how I was finally able to coax my oldest son into becoming a reader. Read how I did it with him and see a list of 25 movies and their books here.)

And so, of course, this means that starting this week, I'll be sharing a LOT of titles here over the next few weeks and throughout the summer. 

Outdoors

I'm not raising a bunch of couch potatoes. We try to spend a lot of time outside. But most of their lives have been spent in North Carolina, where the weather was mild and when it wasn't we were at our local pool.

Over the years we've come up with a LOT of great ideas. Check out these posts on outdoor activities to keep your kids busy outside! 

Camps

Camps are a must for those with social butterflies. But I love them because so many places (museums, libraries, churches, community centers, stores, etc.) really go all out to create camps that are fun, safe, and educational. So far, my kids will be doing basketball, lego, and taekwondo camps over the summer. But I'm sure there will be more opportunities that pop up.

Summer is also the perfect time to reinforce (or begin learning) a second language (Spanish!). There are so many wonderful bilingual/Spanish camps happening.

I'll share some of the camps that I know are happening across the country, maybe even in your own neighborhood!

But remember, not all camps have to cost an arm and a leg. In fact, there have been several years when we just couldn't afford to send our kids to summer camps. So I created my own! Download my free Summer Camp @ Home Calendars for children ages 6 to 10ish.

Activities

This means crafts, activity books, chores, art, projects, Legos, etc. If they can play it, build it, sing it, draw it, create it, then it is awesome in my opinion.

You can find tons of ideas in my Summer of Fun category. Over the years, it has built up quite a lot of ideas for keeping kids busy during those hot summer months, often using stuff you've already got at home.

I hope by the end of this month, you'll be feeling positive about the summer and prepared with activities and products that will make the time fly...because they're having fun!

I hope you'll share all of your fantastic ideas with me, too!

Other Posts You May Enjoy

• Project-Based Learning Ideas for Summer
  
  
• Free Download: Spanish Summer Bingo
  
  
• Keep the Summer Learning Going with PBS KIDS
  
  
• 7 Fun Products to Get Kids Outside
  
  
• The Mega List of Spanish Comics for Kids

My Summer Reading List & Giveaway

Summer is coming and I am so looking forward to relaxing moments of just sitting and doing nothing but reading (in between chasing kids, anyway).

I have three books on my list of must-reads. I'm not even sure in what order I'll start, but I'm excited about all three of them! I thought I would share them with you, and then, in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, offer a giveaway of one of them.

What will you be reading?

This post contains affiliate links.

Becoming

by Michelle Obama

The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty 

by Susan Page

Rita Moreno: A Memoir

by Rita Moreno

Okay, I know I said 3 books, but IF I make it through all three this summer, and still have time, this one is next:

My Beloved World

by Sonia Sotomayor

I'm excited for me, aren't you?!? 

Okay, that said, let's move on to the giveaway!

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, I'm giving away three hardback copies of Rita Moreno's autobiography. To enter to win, just use the Rafflecopter below.

¡Buena suerte!

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Free Kindle Books from Amazon

Did you know that Amazon is celebrating World Book Day by giving away free books on Kindle?

As summer (and thus summer reading!) approaches, parents, please remember to model good reading habits for your children. If you're looking for some good reads... read on! And maybe if you have a teen who is looking ahead to summer reading, you'll be interested in this collection of nine FREE titles from authors around the world that are featured on Amazon.

The countries represented include:

• Mexico
• Spain
• Argentina
• Japan
• Norway
• Germany
• Netherlands
• Israel
• Sweden

Click here to visit the site and read more about each book. (aff) But you'll have to hurry to access these free titles because the offer is only good for a week.

Or to explore more books that feature other countries, check out Amazon Crossing, whose mission is to connect readers across cultures with books from around the world.

As a parent raising global citizens, I love, love, love it! And I want to read some of these myself!

The 2018 L4LL Latino Children's Summer Reading Program

Did you know that May is Bilingual Literacy Month?

So it is with extreme pleasure that I can share that the 2018 L4LL Latino Children's Summer Reading Program is now live!

Five years ago, my business partner Viviana Hurtado, Ph.D. and I launched the first national online summer reading program for Latino families. Our goal was to support literacy among Latino children, who consistently come in last when it comes to literacy.

Our mission has been to raise literacy rates through pedagogically sound, culturally relevant content, and technology is rooted in our belief that all educational and professional achievement, as well as economic empowerment, rests on the mastery of basic reading skills.

The program has changed a lot over the course of these five years as we strived to find the right way to make it accessible to families and educators. And, in fact, Viviana and I stepped back from it for the last year or so as she started a new job and I managed my pregnancy, move to Texas, caring for my mother, and the birth of my baby. But we knew that we had a really great program, and we are happy to say that we think we have found the best way to bring it to bilingual families and educators. All of our reading programs are now available as direct downloads from both our newly updated website and our new TpT store. 

We have three programs available.

Our free BASIC Summer Reading Program 

This consists of printable resources to help your kids have fun reading in English or Spanish during the summer. It contains:

• Our 2018 Summer Reading Lists
• Reading passport
• Reading logs
• Bookmarks
• Postcards
• Pledges
• Certificate of completion

You pick the materials that best suit your family’s/student’s needs.

Each year, we update our Summer Reading Lists to include new titles. You’ll only find Latino children’s literature on our lists as we strive to highlight this small – but important! – genre by Hispanic authors and illustrators. Choose books from our suggested 2018 reading lists of Latino children’s literature, or pick your own. Our program is easy, flexible, and fun!

ALL of the activity pages are available in English and Spanish.

Our Summer Reading CAMP 

This is a 10-week DIY Summer Reading Camp with culturally-based activities to develop reading and writing skills. It is for children ages 6 to 12 years old and includes more than 100 activity sheets designed to boost literacy skills over the summer break, as well as additional tools for educators and students. The program also includes original reading passages and illustrations by Latino children’s authors Alma Flor Ada, F. Isabel Campoy, René Colato Laínez, and Lulu Delacre.

Each week covers a different theme:

1. Art/Arte
2. Family/Familia
3. Folklore/Folclore
4. Food/Comida
5. Immigration & Heritage/Inmigración y herencia
6. Music/Música
7. Nature/Naturaleza
8. Poetry/Poesía
9. Sports/Deportes
10. Summer/Verano

You can now buy the individual themes or save 10% when you buy the complete CAMP!

Again, all the activities are available in English and Spanish.

The L4LL Latino Children’s Year-Round Program 

For those of you who really enjoy our Summer Reading CAMP and want to use it during the school year, this extension is for you!

We’ve created three additional themes for educators who would like to use our CAMP during the school year. These three themes are:

1. Holidays & Traditions/Fiestas y tradiciones
2. Famous Latinos/Latinos famosos
3. Seasons/Estaciones

The third theme, Seasons/Estaciones, is meant to replace the Summer/Verano theme in our Summer Reading CAMP.  This then gives you an additional 75 pages and a total of 12 full weeks of materials to complete over the course of the semester or year. You decide your time frame, we supply the base materials.

Like our CAMP, these themes contain culturally-relevant literacy activities to boost your students’ reading and writing skills. You’ll also receive reading suggestions relevant to each theme.


If you want to learn more about what activities are found in each theme, visit our website's shop or our new TpT store!

Oh, and YES! We're participating in TpT's sitewide sale in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, so if you take a look there, you'll find all of our products on sale up to 25%!

Read Around the World: Rooster-Gallo

For the last several years, I've enjoyed participating in the Multicultural Kid Blogs' Read Around the World Summer Reading Series. It's an opportunity for your family to travel the globe from the comfort of your own home... or library! Over the summer, MKB blog members share their favorite book recommendations to help our children travel around the world through literature.

Today, it's my turn to share a book with you. My book's age range is 0 - 5 years old, so I chose this lovely book by the Argentine-Mexican poet, Jorge Luján.

You can purchase Rooster Gallo via The Latin Baby Book Club (aff link).

Fun Printables for Bilingual Summer Learning

Are you looking for games and activities to keep your kids busy this summer? Maybe you're looking for ways to keep your kids off tech. Or maybe you need a boredom buster for a long road trip. Or maybe you are an educator looking for materials to use in your summer program.

Whatever your situation, I hope you'll consider some MommyMaestra printables that are available in both English and Spanish! Great for ESL, Spanish learners, and bilingual children looking for fun activity sheets, here are a few of my most popular products for summer. They are a great way to sneak in some learning and avoid summer brain drain!

Psst! Don't miss my Summer Fun Sale and get 30% off all my digital downloads this weekend only! Just use the code SUMMERFUN.

Taking a road trip? My Bilingual Travel Games are loads of fun! The set includes the following games in English and Spanish:

• Red Car, Blue Car 
• The License Plate Game
• Travel Bingo
• Rhyme Time
• Word Puzzles
• Search & Find
• and more!

Summer time just seems like the perfect opportunity to introduce your children to The Magic Tree House series... in English OR Spanish! I have several versions of this printable packet available. It includes activities to supplement your child's reading of the first three books in the series. You can get the English version, the Spanish one, or the combo packet.

Looking for some culture? Introduce your children to one of the most popular Mexican sports! My Lucha Libre Coloring Booklet includes text that describes the most popular elements associated with this Mexican version of wrestling.

You might also love my Alphabet Lotería Activity Pack! It comes with a brief history of Lotería, ways to play, ways to win, and 12 tablas (game boards) – 6 in English, and 6 in Spanish. I did my best to choose items that reflected the Latino culture and that began with the same letter in both English and Spanish. :)

For a dip into art history, consider this Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera packet. It features a kid-friendly biography of the couple and their marriage, reading comprehension quiz, short reading passages about each artist’s style of art, activity pages for creating a self-portrait and a mural, and recommended reading to extend the learning.

And last, these reading comprehension passages on 10 Latinas in History is super popular! It comes with one-page reading passages about the following 10 famous Latinas:

• Ellen Ochoa
• Isabel Allende
• Dara Torres
• Frida Kahlo
• Linda Ronstadt
• Dolores Huerta
• Sonia Sotomayor
• Carolina Herrera
• Rita Moreno
• Sor Juana de la Cruz

I’ve also included reading comprehension worksheets that focus on facts and vocabulary from the passages, a matching activity, dictionary reference, and complete the sentence. An answer key is included.

These are only a few of the fun products available in my shop or via my TpT shop. I hope you'll take a look around. And if you purchase any, I'd love to see how you use them with your kids! Share a photo on the MommyMaestra FB page!