Summer Reading Gets a Makeover

Ah, the summer reading list. For generations of school children it’s been the bane of an otherwise carefree summer. Maybe you remember those feelings of loathing and resentment, looking at a long list of stodgy classics. If this is case, you’ll be glad to know that the reading list as we knew it may be going out of fashion.

According to the Boston Globe, many schools are now opting to create summer reading lists that use the carrot rather than the stick. Teachers and administrators are looking to entice children with titles that are more popular and current. So don’t be surprised if your kid brings home a summer reading assignment that includes Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith, or Our Dumb World by the Onion. And get this: more lists are becoming optional.

Proponents of more lenient and appealing summer assignments argue that their aim is to foster a love of reading, rather than considering books a burden. After all, it’s hard not to resent a homework assignment when the sun outside is so inviting.

Boston Globe: Sands Shift in Summer Reading

(Photo by Emily Mills via Flickr/Creative Commons)