The Jet-Set German Summer Book Club Is Here
4 Reasons Every Bilingual Child Should Read This Summer
When parents ask me how to keep their child's German alive over the summer, they usually expect me to recommend grammar books, vocabulary lists, or extra worksheets.
Instead, I tell them to pick up a book.
Summer reading is one of the simplest and most effective ways to strengthen a language. It doesn't feel like school, yet children continue learning every time they turn a page.
Whether your family is spending the summer in Switzerland, America, Greece, Spain or simply enjoying slower days at home, a great story can travel anywhere.
1. Reading Keeps German Alive
When school is out, children naturally hear and speak less German.
Reading keeps the language part of everyday life and helps prevent that summer slide. Just a few pages each day can make a big difference.
2. Stories Build Vocabulary Naturally
Children don't learn their favorite words from vocabulary lists.
They learn them through adventures, conversations, and characters they love.
Stories make new vocabulary memorable because every word has meaning.
3. Reading Builds Confidence
The more children read, the more confident they become.
Reading improves fluency, comprehension, and communication, making it easier to express ideas in German both inside and outside the classroom.
4. Books Create Conversations
The best books don't end with the final chapter.
They inspire questions, opinions, laughter, and meaningful conversations.
That's where real language learning happens.
Our Summer Book Club Pick
This summer, our older students (ages 9–13) will read Der Sommer, als ich schön wurde, the German edition of Jenny Han's bestselling novel.
It's the perfect summer story filled with friendship, identity, first love, and growing up, making it engaging for young readers while naturally expanding their German vocabulary.
Each week we'll read together, discuss the story, explore new vocabulary, and help students become more confident readers and speakers of German.
Join Us This Summer
Some of the best summer adventures happen between the pages of a book.
If you're looking for a meaningful and enjoyable way to keep your child's German alive this summer, we'd love to welcome them to our Jet Set German Summer Book Club.
Because a love of reading lasts long after summer ends.
