Summer is the perfect chance to have more time outdoors. It’s also the perfect time to enjoy a good book! You can help your children stay consistent with their reading habits and fall in love with reading with Our Summer Reading Challenge! It’ll get even the most reluctant readers excited to read and join in the fun!
Why is reading important?
Reading has many benefits for children as they grow up, even if they can’t read by themselves. This is because books are a fantastic way to widen your child’s perspectives and help them understand experiences they might not normally be able to. Additionally, reading as a family gives children the opportunity to discuss topics from the book and expand their understanding even further. In this way, reading becomes a valuable bonding experience for the whole family.
How can a reading challenge help reluctant young readers?
A reading challenge is an excellent way to add some game-like fun to your reading time; your children will work together and have a goal in sight when selecting their books. By using a reading challenge, you can add a new element to your reading choices and encourage children to read outside their comfort zones and help them choose books they wouldn’t normally read.
Download the ⭐ SUMMER READING CHECKLIST HERE⭐ – CLICK HERE
Our Muslim Homeschool Reading Challenge
The Our Muslim Homeschool Reading Challenge is simple – by using the 18 categories in the image below, children can spend their summer selecting new books to read and enjoy together.
The best part is the categories apply to any age group, so all your children can get involved! Have fun going to the library or bookstore and hunting for books to fit each challenge.
By the end of the reading challenge, your children will have widened their reading experience and enjoyed a variety of books from different authors and genres. They may even find a new favourite!
Download ⭐SUMMER READING CHALLENGE CHECKLIST HERE ⭐ CLICK HERE
WATCH THIS VIDEO
Remember to share the books you will be reading using the hashtag: #OMHSReadingChallenge and enjoy seeing what other families have chosen for their summer reading challenge.
Reading Challenge categories
Here are the 18 reading categories your children will need for the reading challenge. Now, I know some of these categories seem to be more challenging than others, so I have offered two suggestions for each category: one picture book for younger readers and one book for older readers.
Some of these categories will overlap (a folktale may have won an award AND is also set in the Muslim world) but challenge yourself and your children to find one book for each category. Above all, remember that the more books you discover, the more fun the challenge will be!
Download the ⭐ SUMMER READING CHECKLIST HERE⭐ – CLICK HERE
Book Suggestions for the Reading Challenge
If you’re struggling to find a book that meets any of the 18 categories, don’t worry! Below you’ll find some book suggestions for each category: one for young children and another for children over 10.
A book set in the Muslim World
Four Feet, Two Sandals by Karen Lynn Williams UK| USA
Oranges in No Man’s Land by Elizabeth Laird UK | USA
A book that makes you laugh
Stuck by Oliver Jeffers UK | USA
Planet Omar books by Zanib Mian UK | USA
A book with a red cover
Corduroy by Don Freeman UK | USA
When We Got Lost in Dreamland by Ross Welford UK | USA
A classic children’s book
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak UK | USA
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle UK | USA
A book about a prophet from the Qur’an
Migo & Ali: Love for the Prophets by Zanib Mian UK | USA
The Great Miracle: The Story of Prophet Isa by Iqbal Ahmad Azami UK | USA
A book you have avoided reading
This category will be completely personal to you, but make sure you look through the books you already have in your home – which one hasn’t been read yet?
A legend/folktale
Ayat Jamilah: Beautiful Signs by Sarah Conover UK | USA
When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller UK | USA
An award-winning book
Look Up! By Nathan Bryon – Winner of Best Illustrated and Overall Waterstones Children’s Book Award UK | USA
Asha & the Spirit Bird by Jasbinder Bilan – Winner of the Costa Children’s Book Award 2019 UK | USA
5+ poems
A Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson UK | USA
You Tell Me! By Roger McGough and Michael Rosen UK | USA
A biography
Traveling Man by James Rumford UK | USA
Malcolm X by Arnold Adoff UK | USA
A book by an author you’ve never read before
Similar to the category challenging you to read the book you have been avoiding, this category will be personal to you. However, here are a couple of Muslim authors you may not have come across before:
Karafu: A Freed Slave by Nahida Esmail UK
The Great Race to Sycamore Street by J. Samia Mair UK | USA
A mystery/detective book
Officer Panda: Fingerprint Detective by Ashley Crowley UK | USA
Museum Mysteries: The Case of the Empty Crates by Steve Brezenoff UK | USA
A non-fiction book
For younger readers, Usborne books are excellent quality with a variety of topics to choose from.
However, if your older readers would like to branch out and try something different, Heroes: Incredible True Stories of Courageous Animals by David Long is a wonderful choice UK | USA
Related: FREE Booklist for Muslim Children ages 0-5
A comic book
My First Qur’an with Pictures by Shereen Sharief UK | USA
Science Comics series published by First Second UK | USA
A book that was published this year
Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho UK | USA
The Hatmakers by Tamzin Merchant UK | USA
A book with a Muslim protagonist
The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad UK | USA
Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan UK | USA
A book your mum or dad read when they were young
The Babar Collection by Jean De Brunhoff UK | USA
Thief! By Malorie Blackman UK | USA
An audiobook
Audible UK and Audible USA has a spectacular variety of audiobooks for your whole family to choose from. On the other hand, if you would like to try some Islamic stories, Miraj Stories have a wonderful selection of audio stories and content for Muslim children.
Related: CLICK HERE to get up to 30% OFF Miraj Stories
Get the whole family involved!
The suggestions above are options for you to choose from if you need some ideas, but to get your family involved in the choosing fun, head down to your local library and find books to fit each category.
In addition to your children enjoying the challenge, why don’t you get involved as well and find some adult books to fit the reading challenge categories?
Also, don’t forget to post your journey through the challenge by using #OMHSReadingChallenge on social media!
Happy Reading Friends!