SUMMER READERS CLiF’s Summer Readers program was created to help keep reading a part of children’s lives over the summertime by giving lively storytelling presentations and books to children in various summer programs across Vermont and New Hampshire. Working closely with the Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger, New Hampshire Department of Education, and the New Hampshire Bureau of Nutrition Programs and Services, CLiF identifies lunch programs and low-income summer camps to visit. Research indicates that children’s reading comprehension can take a hit during the summer months when school is closed. Low-income children most often feel this impact, as nearly two-thirds of low-income families do not own any books at home for their children. The Summer Readers Program is designed to offer two types of support: Storytelling Presentation: A CLiF representative travels to different summer program sites to give fun, interactive storytelling presentations to the children. The presenter tells stories, reads aloud from one or more books, and shares his/her love of words, books, reading, and writing. Books for Children to Keep: Each child participating in the program is able to select a few new books to keep for their own from a wide selection of brand-new fiction and non-fiction children’s books. One Summer Readers event took place in Orleans (pop. 847), an economically struggling community in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. Thirty children laughed as they listened to a CLiF storytelling presentation and then stared wide-eyed as we covered five tables with beautiful new books. An eight-year-year old boy whispered: "We don't have any books at home anymore." "Well, you will now!" we replied, and he eagerly selected three new titles to keep for his own. Apply for a Summer Readers grant or suggest a site, and learn more about the deadlines and application process. You can also view other comments from summer program coordinators whose participants have received a sponsorship.