Summer time is finally here, and we know you’re in the midst of planning summer camps and summer vacation for your kids. United Through Reading wants to take a minute to remind you to pack a few books for your kids and avoid the summer slide!
The Summer Slide is what happens when young minds sit idle during summer break. Children who don’t read over the summer lose more than two months of reading achievement. And, because summer reading is cumulative by the time sixth grade rolls around, children who lose reading skills over the summer will be two years behind their peers who don’t slide. To kick off our summer season, United Through Reading sends each of our commands some of our favorite STEM book titles.

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. We focus on these subjects because the skills and knowledge in each discipline are essential for student success, and prepare students for real world opportunities. Take a peek at the titles below!

1. Oscar and the Moth: A Book About Light and Dark (Start with Science),by Geoff Waring

2. Surprising Sharks (Read and Wonder), by Nicola Davies and James Croft
3. Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, by Eileen Christelow
4. My Plane Book (Smithsonian Board Book), by Ellen Kirk
5. Counting Peas (Baby Max and Ruby Series), by Rosemary Wells
6. 1,2,3 to the Zoo: A Counting Book, by Eric Carle
7. Cat In The Hat’s Learning Library: There’s No Place Like Space! All About Our Solar System, by Tish Rabe
8. Who Lives Here? (Flip the Flap and Find Out), by Nicola Davies and Marc Boutavant
9. How a Seed Grows (Let’s Read and Find Out Science 1), by Helene J. Jordan (Author), Loretta Krupinski (Illustrator)
10. Actual Size, by Steve Jenkins

Service members — Browse the titles above and then head to your UTR location and pick one to record for your kids. To learn more about how to find a UTR location visit us online or contact military@utr.org.

Moms and dads at home — Send a note to your hero and ask them to help your kids fight the summer slide by encouraging them to record a STEM story today.

UTR friends and fans — Consider giving a STEM story to a military family by donating to United Through Reading today! Remember, every little bit counts in bringing our military families together and keeping our kids reading!