Summer Book Bus Hands Out Free Books to Help Literacy Rates Over Summer Months

To help continue the joy of learning, book buses are out and about in Pinellas County to ensure kids’ reading skills do not fall behind during summer break.

The two buses are traveling throughout Pinellas County making 85 stops over the next three weeks.

How it works is students hop on the bus, look at the different selections, and pick two books to take home for free.

“I’m very excited to read my new books,” said Arion, who is going into 5^th grade.

The Juvenile Welfare Board partners with Pinellas County Schools to make this happen.

“The reason we’re doing this is to combat that summer learning loss that takes place when kids are out of school. We know that they’re not getting as much literacy or reading in. So, our goal is to really create access,” said Brianna Ray, Community Collaborations Coordinator.

“Summer slide is a real thing, so we see it as soon as students come back to school, particularly in reading and math,” said Superintendent Kevin Hendrick.

According to University of Florida experts, children’s literacy skills fall behind around 20% during the summer months, that’s why Superintendent Kevin Hendrick said programs like this are essential.

“JWB and the book bus, what we’ve been doing with them now for almost 10 years and getting this out to summer programs across the community is such a help,” he said.

Kids can hop on the book and pick whatever books catch their eye to add to their personal libraries at home.

“I really like outer space and it’s very cool to me,” Arion said.

Whether it is a graphic novel or an adventure story, these students can jump right into a fantasy world.

“It has like a bunch of stories and adventures that you can go on while reading it, instead of being on your phone or iPad, you can read,” Chyanne said, who is going into 4th grade.

Leaders said it is important that parents are keeping up their children’s education at home.

“It doesn’t need to look like school at home, right, it can be reading for pleasure, it can be math games in the car, it could be learning in your community about history,” Hendrick said.

For all of the kids who board the Summer Book Bus, they get on with excitement ready to make their selections and get off with a smile.

“I really like to read books, so it felt good to look around and see all those books,” Chyanne said.

If you would like to know where in Pinellas County the buses are heading next, click here.

For more on Pinellas County School’s summer programs, click here.

To read the story as originally published, visit https://www.wfla.com/news/pinellas-county/summer-book-bus-hands-out-free-books-to-help-literacy-rates-over-summer-months/