Dreaded summer reading lists

Teacher Patrick Welsh offers up an interesting opinion piece in the USAToday.

At issue? The dreaded summer reading list and how effective it really is. Central to Welsh's concerns are classic vs. relevant literature, reading vs. technology, and challenges from parents regarding almost every book out there. It's a very interesting column and a fascinating issue.

I'd add one more concern: what do we do with summer reading once kids return to school? I had Moby Dick on a reading list one summer and once we returned to school, we didn't discuss it once. Imagine! You sweat through Moby Dick at age 14 to what seems, at that age, to no avail.

What have been your experiences with summer reading lists?