A sunny day pictured with books, sunglasses, and seashells. Photo graphic courtesy of sophomore Sophia Chaves.
As the school year winds down and summer break approaches, many San Luis Obispo High School students look forward to a well-deserved rest. But while relaxing is important, teachers say there’s one activity that shouldn’t be left behind: reading.
When students take a long break from reading, they can lose some of the skills they built during the school year. This learning loss, known as the “summer slump/slide,” can set students back by as much as two months in reading achievement, according to a study published in the “Review of Educational Research” (Cooper et al., 1996). This means that when school starts up again, students who didn’t read may find themselves struggling to catch up, while those who kept reading may actually come back ahead.
“Reading over the summer should be a time to select great books that entertain! Kick back and read stories that are your favorite genre! Keep your reading stamina growing over this break time! Also, many great classics get pushed to the side because our English department can only teach so many novels each year! Read books that take you into the lives of people different from your world. So many choices–it’s like having too many great things to choose from at once!” said ELA teacher Lynnly Sainsbury.
The good news is that it doesn’t take hours of reading every day to make a difference. According to the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA), even just 15-20 minutes of daily reading is enough to keep your brain sharp and your reading skills strong.
“Reading for me is like immersing myself into another world. I love reading in the summer because I can vacation wherever I want with whatever I read. This summer I want to focus on reading more perspective-changing novels and build my mindset for the coming school year,” said sophomore Ciera Bloom.
Reading regularly improves more than just comprehension—it strengthens vocabulary, writing ability, critical thinking, and focus. Reading is often called useless, nerdy, and just plain boring. Which is, obviously, not true. Just reading a little bit every day can boost your imagination, writing skills, and creative thinking.
“I’m excited for a couple of new releases this summer. It’s always nice to have some fresh content. I usually buy from local bookstores downtown, like Phoenix Books, which has a lot of books, for a really good price,” said sophomore Parker Moerman.
Some great books are coming out this summer, including:
“Not Quite Dead Yet” by Holly Jackson, who also wrote the bestseller “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder”. This book will be released on July 22, 2025. This book is about a young woman who learns she will die in 7 days, and she has to solve her own murder.
“Atmosphere” by Taylor Jenkins Reid” releases on June 3, 2025. It takes place in the 1980’s during a space shuttle program, this book tests the limits of love and life.
“The Possession of Alba Díaz” by Isabel Cañas, releases on August 19, 2025. It’s about a woman who gets possessed by a demonic spirit, she has to turn to her enemy for help.
Summer reading is more than just a way to pass the time, it’s an important tool, and an opportunity to stay sharp. So Tigers, this summer why not pick up a book and let your imagination take you on a journey? Your future self will thank you when school starts again, ready and confident. Happy reading!
Sources:summerlearning.org edutopia.org penguinrandomhouse.com
