Let's forget the doling out of cheap prizes. Peters' editorial raises important questions about the methods that we, as librarians, employ not only to encourage children to visit their libraries during their vacation months but also the ways that we entice children to read for pleasure. In particular, comments about reading for set times and about the image of multitasking, reading kids are misguided. If children learn to read well and with joy, they are blessed for life. Those young people devour long novels effortlessly.
Many children struggle with reading.
For them, it may be daunting to plow through the shortest chapter book. Librarians want kids to be proud of their successes, and so encourage children to set their own goals for summer reading. By measuring their accomplishments in minutes, not books, even the most challenged reader finds success. It's personal success, not measured minutes that are the best incentive to children to keep reading. Asking children to commit to reading by the hour levels the playing field.