We're so excited to announce our new July calendar filled with summer reading prompts! June is filled with library summer reading kickoffs & the excitement of summer break. But what happens when that initial excitement for reading begins to slow down & our kids are reluctant to pick up a book? You'll probably hear it's because (1) they don't know what books to read, or because (2) the tv & video games seem more interesting (we promise they aren't), & you know that (3) they have already forgot that those summer reading programs usually come with prizes.
We decided to help combat the reading slump with fun, interactive prompts to discover new books & make reading more enjoyable! Download our calendar below & take our prompts to your local library. Enjoy getting to browse the shelves with your child & encourage asking a librarian for their suggestions. You can browse your home bookshelves. Diving into what you already own is a fun way to reread a few classics, rediscover a book you love, or find a new book still waiting to be read. Or consider purchasing books off of our booklist that we've created just for this program featuring the suggestions we've listed on the calendar & a few more we love. Your purchases off of this list directly help us buy & gift brand new diverse & inclusive books to kids in underserved communities in rural NC.
Here's a few book suggestions for our July prompts:
July 1: Read a book about postal workers & make them a card
National Postal Worker Day recognizes postal workers all across the nation and encourages us to show our appreciation. Thank the numerous men and women who work consistently and diligently to deliver all of our mail. This is one of our favorite books depicting the magic of being a mail person!
July 2: Read a book that takes place in a different country
Homeland journeys through the father's memories to Palestine. This is a timely story to continue educating yourself & your kids on the genocide that is continuing to take place in Palestine. This would also be a great opportunity to talk about Congo, Haiti, & Sudan. We're not free until all of us are free.
July 4: Read a book for Disability Pride Month
Disability Pride Month is a time for all of us to come together, uplift, and amplify the disability community's voices, listen & be heard. Disability pride is accepting and honoring each person’s uniqueness and seeing it as a natural and beautiful part of human diversity. We love Sam's Super Seats is about a girl with cerebral palsy who goes back-to-school shopping with her best friends!
July 6th: Read a book with bubbles in it
Bubbles are a summer staple! This book, Summer Is Here, has all the best summer staples. This is the perfect read to bring outside & enjoy all that a sunny day of summer has to offer. But don't forget to hydrate & lather up with sunscreen throughout the day.
July 7th: Start off Shark Week with a book featuring sharks
Shark Week! One of our favorites of the year. We suggest reading marine biologist, Melissa Cristina Márquez's book, Mother Of Sharks. This moving story explores Melissa's personal journey from inquisitive ocean-loving child in Puerto Rico to becoming the Mother of Sharks. Pair this with her newest book: Sea of Constellations. Meet Maren, the whale shark & journey to bring back the light in this Rainbow Fish-esqe story.
July 13th: Be love & make art after reading a book on social justice
Be Love Day is on July 12th this year. BE LOVE is a growing movement of courageous acts to achieve justice, which we define based on these words from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.” The Artivist is the perfect book to introduce social justice & the power of protest through art.
July 14th: Read a book with a nonbinary character
International Non-Binary People's Day is aimed at raising awareness and organizing around the issues faced by non-binary people around the world. Marley's Pride features Marley a nonbinary child preparing themselves for their first Pride. Pride Month was in June but we read queer stories all year long.
July 17th: Read a book for BIPOC mental health month
Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Mental Health Month is celebrated to raise awareness of the unique mental health challenges faced by historically oppressed racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Black, Indigenous, and other people of color experience a broad spectrum of discrimination, oppression, and systemic racism which creates the conditions for both collective and individual traumas within their communities. All I Need to Be guides children in heart-centered and mindfulness-based practices in the face of fear, anxiety, and racial injustice.
July 21st: Read a book with a recipe in the back
This Sunday we hope you come together as a family to read & cook up something delicious. We suggest author Winsome Bingham's mac'n'cheese from Soul Food Sunday. We've chef'd Granny's recipe & PHEW it is so good, you'll be going back forth seconds & thirds.
July 22nd: Go on a nature walk after reading
We love Looking For A Jumbie!! With it's lyrical writing, you'll be repeating the verses as you take your own walk to look for jumbies in your neighborhood. Very reminiscent of We're Going On A Bear Hunt, but better in our opinion.
July 23rd: Have afternoon tea with a book
We have afternoon tea every Tuesday in the summer. Grab some fruity, herbal tea so you can make hot or iced. Make some cucumber tea sammies or grab some cookies & enjoy! We love Luli and the Language of Tea. Though they may speak different languages, kids from all over the world come together to enjoy the shared pastime of tea.
July 24th: Read a book with affirmations
Reding affirmations is such an incredible tool to raising grounded kids who know their strengths, know their importance, & know their worth. I Am! is a beautiful guide to simple affirmations for young children, building self-esteem and confidence. This book is also offered in Spanish.
July 26th: Read a book for disability pride month
There are so many beautiful books celebrating disabilities that we wanted to add a second day of the month to teach empathy, understanding, & acceptance of those who may look, learn, communicate differently than you. A Day With No Words is one of our favorites, inviting readers into the life of an Autism Family who communicates just as the child does, without spoken language.
July 27th: Get your friends together for a MOSS Kids Book Club meeting -- here's a sneak peak of July's pick
Want to join in on our MOSS Kids Book Club? Sign up here to receive our blog post & an exclusive storytime read aloud of our monthly pick right to your inbox. Grab some friends & start your own monthly play date/book club where you listen to our story of the month, craft together, & get to know your community!
July 28th: Read a book about nature
We're all about preservation & bringing awareness to those in need. Read Amara and the Bats to learn more about preserving natural habitats & how YOU can make a difference in your own backyard.
July 29th: Read a book with a tiger in it
National Tiger Day! Where's Halmoni? is the perfect introduction to graphic-novel style books & follows a young Korean girl and boy whose search for their missing grandmother which leads them into a world inspired by Korean folklore, complete with mischievous goblins (dokkebi), a greedy tiger, a clever rabbit, and a wily fox.
July 30th: Read a book with a pool
Summertime is all about staying cool & what better way than with a POOL. Jabari Jumps is a favorite for overcoming fears! Bring this book outside to a pool, in your yard, at a friend's house, within your community. Just be sure to put it back in your bag before cannonballing in, books don't like getting wet.
Here's our full July Summer Reading book list with even more suggestions:
To make these reading prompts even sweeter, we're offering a prize! If you tag us on socials @mosskidsbooks or email us (hello@mosskidsbooks.com) a photo of your participation, you'll be entered into a drawing to win one children's book of your choice. We'll collect all the entries throughout the month & randomly select a winner at the end of the month. You can enter 1x each day with a total of 31 chances to win!!! Winner will be contacted August 1.
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