How to Get Kids to Read this Summer

Photo courtesy: Daily Dose of Imagery

As anyone who remembers these scenes like the one above either from being there or driving by there, the eye-opening thing about them was what these kids and parents were standing in line for. It wasn't the newest xbox/playstation/gameboy/mp3 player/iphone/cell phone. It wasn't anything technological at all.

They were out there in lines for blocks, filling up parking lots and sidewalks, for a book. Unfortunately for the parents who were thrilled their kids were begging to actually go buy and then read that book in a span of a few days, the Harry Potter series is over and replacements haven't quite surfaced. So the kids have gone back to their xbox/playstation/gameboy/mp3 player/iphone/cell phone activities.

But while recently browsing Amazon to feed my own reading appetite, I discovered that Kindle - that well-known book reader device, has made their reading application available on the go by offering free Kindle apps for those who can't afford the price tag.

One idea that immediately came to mind: for those parents who are accustomed to plunking down that $300-$400 for the newest gaming system at Christmas, they can of course pony up a portion of that sum for a Kindle. But for those who can't now you can download these FREE to your child's computer or iThing and load your their favorite books on it as well as a few new ones. What better way to help them get a jump start in bridging that gap between the book and the digital age... the very vehicle that the book is presented to them in may be the thing that gets them reading again -- all summer long.

And for us parents: whether you're interested in carrying your entire summer reading list with you while you're on that enjoying that family Branson vacation package or you just want to constantly load the newest bestsellers on your blackberry to read at your leisure - this is the certainly the ticket.