Summer means long days, warm nights, and for many of us, a little more time to slow down and finally start that book we've been meaning to read. But while the season brings relaxation, it also comes with a risk— especially for younger readers.
Educators call it the "Summer Slide"— a seasonal dip in reading and learning that can widen achievement gaps and slow momentum for students once the Fall rolls around. But it's not just kids who need to stay engaged. Reading is one of the few habits that supports cognitive development, language skills and critical thinking across all age groups.
Whether you're engaged in a captivating beachy novel, discovering new authors at your local bookstore, or revisiting classics at public libraries, reading can be a vital and enriching part of the season.
Tuesday on the "Sound of Ideas," we'll talk to local bibliophiles about their favorite books of the summer, and how reading continues to shape their lives in meaningful ways.
Guests:
- Karen Long, Former Book Editor, The Plain Dealer
- Kate Schlademan, Owner, The Learned Owl Book Shop
- Manuel Chinchilla, Owner, Hexagon Books
- Kortney Morrow, Program Director, Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards
2025 Summer Reading List
From our Ideastream staff:
- "The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby" by Ellery Lloyd- Abigail Bottar, Reporter/Producer
- "The Lost Story" by Meg Shaffer- Abigail Bottar, Reporter/Producer
- "The God of the Woods" by Liz Moore- Mary Defer, Development Support Coordinator
- "Shark Heart" by Emily Habeck- Joseph Sheppa, Digital Optimization Manager
- "When the Moon Hits Your Eye" by John Scalzi- Joseph Sheppa, Digital Optimization Manager
- "Wild Dark Shore" by Charlotte McConaghy- Joseph Sheppa, Digital Optimization Manager
- "Yellowface" by R.F. Kuang- Stephanie Metzger-Lawrence,
Digital Producer
- "The Nexus Trilogy" by Ramez Naam- Brock Casper, HR Generalist
From our Panelists:
From our Listeners:
- "Deacon King Kong" by James McBride
- "The I Ching Workbook" by R. L Wing
- "Erased: What American Patriarchy has Hidden From Us by Anna Malaika Tubbs
- "The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens
- "The Barn by Wright Thompson
- "More or Less Maddie by Lisa Genova
- "Godhunter by Isobel Lynn
- "The Joy of Not Being Married: The Essential Guide for Singles (and Those Who Wish They Were) by Ernie J. Zelinski
- "No Kids: 40 Good Reasons Not to Have Children by Corrine Maier
- "Capitalism and Its Critics: A History: From the Industrial Revolution to AI" by John Cassidy
- "Snow in August" by Pete Hamill
