Practice makes perfect, and area educators say that’s exactly what young readers need over the summer.

Ridgecrest Elementary reading teacher Vonnie White said when school starts she will be able to notice a difference in the students who read over the summer and the ones who didn’t.

&uot;If they stop reading over the summer it takes them a little while to get in gear,&uot; White said. &uot;The ones who read aren’t rusty at all.&uot;

Schools on both sides of the river encouraged students to read over the break by sending notes to parents and printing summer reading lists.

Karen Tutor, McLaurin principal, said the school sent home a summer reading list to encourage the parents to get involved. &uot;They need to practice,&uot; Tutor said. &uot;Anytime you practice something you are going to get better. It is a good idea to read to your child, they don’t have to always read it themselves.&uot;

White said it did not matter what children read as long as they were reading. &uot;Comics, library books, the back of the cereal box, anything,&uot; White said. &uot;Parents need to encourage children to read.&uot;

Educators recommended getting children involved at summer reading programs being held at all Miss-Lou libraries.

Concordia Parish Library Director Amanda Taylor said they’ve had over 100 children participating in the programs. &uot;We are working with the school system to encourage children to come to the program,&uot; Taylor said. &uot;We try to entice children into the library.&uot;

Taylor said the libraries use the summer to develop a love of reading in children.

&uot;It is not required reading, they are not tested,&uot; Taylor said. &uot;They can sit on the floor, pick what they want and pull it out of the shelf. It’s all about fun, their choice, their pleasure.&uot;

Taylor said children who read at a young age become life-long library users and develop a love for reading. &uot;If we get them here they are ours to keep,&uot; she said.