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State Hopes Book List Encourages Kids To Read Over Break

The Associated Press (2005)

First lady Laura Bush reads the children's book, " How The Grinch Stole Christmas", to young patients at the Children's National Medical Center in Washington.

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By MICHELE SAGER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 19, 2008

TAMPA - When children get done decking the halls and tearing into toys, the state Department of Education recommends slipping them a book.

The agency has released its annual Holiday Book List to help parents choose holiday-themed reading material during the winter break.

The list offers suggestions for levels ranging from preschool to high school. The books cover a variety of holidays, including Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan and Kwanzaa. Some titles are: "Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins" and "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever."

State education leaders said research shows that students who read on holiday breaks and vacations maintain their academic progress.

Shalini Murthy, a fourth-grade teacher at Chiles Elementary School in Tampa Palms, said reading daily can make a big difference.

"Reading helps develop language skills and gives students new experiences," she said. "It benefits students in other ways, like affecting their behavior, because it teaches them how to settle down for a quiet reading time."

Because the winter break can be busy for families, Murthy suggests starting or ending the day with a book.

"It may be easier than trying to take a book break in the middle when so much is going on," she said.

Murthy also said practicing reading skills doesn't just come from books.

"You can have children follow a cookie recipe," she said. "Take them grocery shopping and have them read the nutritional information. You can even have them write about their holiday experiences and make their own books. It makes a great homemade gift for next year."

The state's reading list and other reading tips can be found at www.justreadfamilies.org.

Reporter Michele Sager can be reached at (813) 865-1523.

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