7 ways to encourage kids to read every day this summer

After a year of teachers telling them what to read, students getting ready for a long break may be eager to put the books aside this summer and hang out at the pool - or on their phones - instead.

But there are plenty of good reasons for kids and teens to keep reading - especially during a time of year when they can pick up any book that piques their interest.

It also can help set them up for a life of achievement, critical thinking and high performance.

And to do that, kids need to read daily - just as they might practice their shots on the soccer field or perfect their scales at piano.

"You're training your brain," Creel said.

But how do you get them to pick up a book when there are so many other diversions out there?

Creel said it doesn't take much - maybe 20 minutes or so a day - for kids to keep up and boost their reading skills over the summer.

"The key is reading every day for whatever length is natural for your student," she said. "The more kids read, the more information they can process."

Here are seven ways to encourage kids to read all summer:

I grew up in a house that had an actual library room in it. And though my home today is much smaller, for my kids, I wanted to be sure there were bookshelves in just about every room. I remember those long summers where I'd "shop" from my own home's bookshelves. That's how I found classics like "To Kill a Mockingbird" and fell in love with Agatha Christie as a teen.

"It's important for kids to see books," Creel said. "You want to normalize reading in the home. When they see books in the home, they see that it's important."

Brenner agrees. She makes sure there are books in just about every room of the house - for her son and herself.

"Put them out in view so when kids have a spare moment, they see the books and they think, 'There's an option,'" she said. "It's never out of your sight."

I still read to both of my kids - ages 13 and eight. We all get so much out of it. With my eight-year-old, I get to share beloved stories and discover new ones. With my 13-year-old, we have great conversations about the books we're reading together.

It's important for younger children to hear somebody - a parent or older sibling - read to them. They can hear a paragraph or passage read to them and then read it out loud themselves, Creel said.

"Even with older kids, it's fun to share," she said. She recommends family reading sessions where each family member takes a turn reading passages. "It brings everybody together," she said.

Not every book-to-film adaption is great, but Brenner said reading a book, followed by watching a movie about it, can be a fun way to encourage reading.

Some recent book adaptations include "Wonder" and "A Wrinkle in Time."

Magazines and comic books are great, Creel said, especially if they encourage reluctant readers to read. But, to build kids' reading skills, fiction and non-fiction books also are critical.

When you're at the library or bookstore, let them pick. Creel recommends they read the first page or first couple of paragraphs to see if they'll enjoy reading the entire book.

"You have to find the right fit," Creel said. "Summer is a great time to do that."

At the bookstore, Brenner said she'll often ask kids to name the last book they read that they absolutely loved. Then she'll help them find other books with similar themes or characters.

"It really does come down to reading even if it's just the first couple of pages," she said. "If you're engaged, then you're probably good to go. If you're already bored, it's time to try another book."

Brenner also recommends taking a look at the book cover. Is a child or teen pulled into the cover's photos or images? If so, that's a good sign that they'll enjoy it, she said.

Even if they can't see their friends regularly during the summer, they can still read the same book - and chat about it once they're done, Brenner said.

Encourage kids to set up a book club - even if it's just with their best friend.

"It gives them something to share," she said.

When students get tripped up on a vocabulary word as they read, Creel recommends that they write it down. Pick one to three words during each daily reading session. At the end of the week, look up the words to build vocabulary.

"Don't make it onerous," Creel said. "If they come across a word they get stuck on, you want them to write that down."

Just don't require it for every single word they aren't sure about.

"That," Creel said, "ruins reading."

While the goal is to read daily for at least 20 minutes, reluctant readers might start out at 10 minutes a day, Creel said.

"The more they read, the more comfortable it becomes," she said. "That's why you start with little segments. You just do it, and those segments get longer and easier the more you do it."

Before long, they'll often be picking up a book without your prompt.

"The key is to get kids interested in reading," Creel said. "Reading can be as much fun as watching a television show."