Governor Perdue Launches Find-a-Book Summer Reading Program

Gov. Perdue today launched the Find-a-Book Summer Reading Program at Wrightsboro Elementary School in Wilmington to promote the retention and growth of student reading skills during the summer break. Studies show that students who don't read during the summer vacation are more likely to lag behind their peers' reading level when they return to school in the fall.

"The summer is a time for fun, family and a break from school – but learning is something we should do 365 days a year, seven days a week," said Perdue. "Through the Find-a-Book Summer Reading Program, we can encourage our kids have a good book in their hands even when they're away from the classroom. And we can make sure students continue to learn – and learn to love reading."

Perdue read to a third grade class, and talked to them about the importance and joy or reading. She demonstrated the new Find-a-Book Web site, www.lexile.com/findabook, to parents, students and school staff. The Find-a-Book web site contains a searchable database that matches a book's text difficulty to a student's reading ability through a Lexile reading measure. In North Carolina, students in grades 3-8 as well as high school students taking the English I state assessment will receive a Lexile measure in their end-of-year test results. Lexile is the most widely adopted reading measure in use today.

Perdue urged school faculty to promote the summer reading program to parents, while encouraging community members to become involved in the summer reading program as volunteers and mentors. The governor has sent letters and informational fliers to principals and librarians. Parents will receive letters and information on the summer reading initiative with their child's end-of-year report card.

Public libraries across the state are also participating in the Find-a-Book Summer Reading Program. Library staff can assists parents and students with the Find-a-Book Web site and Lexile reading measures.

Today marked the 100 year anniversary of Wrightsboro Elementary.