I love to read, but throughout the busy school year I have a limited capacity, so my stack of unread books grows. The summer is my time to catch up on all of the books in my stack while traveling, at the beach, or having some downtime around the house. I mostly read non-fiction and this summer I am particularly excited about my reading list because it spans from coaching and sports, adolescent development and wellness, to antiracism. Here are the first four books that I plan to read this summer. I am sure my list will have doubled in size by July!
Winning Ways of Women Coaches Edited by Cecile Reynaud- This book is sponsored by We Coach, an organization that encourages women to coach at all levels of sport and helps them with professional development. Each chapter is written by a different woman who coaches at the elite level and gives their insights into what it takes to be successful. The topics include building a winning culture, knowing your role on a coaching staff, and how to make sports fun while coaching the whole person. I am a few chapters into this book and am already thinking about how I can implement the things I learned into my own coaching. Even though it is a book written by women about women’s sports, this book can be a guide for anyone interested in coaching and sports.
The Sleep Deprived Teen by Lisa L. Lewis- There is no secret that I love learning and writing about the benefits of rest and sleep for teenagers, so this new book is at the top of my list. Author Lisa Lewis’ research on teenager’s sleep habits and needs helped pave the way for the new law in California that requires high schools to start at 8:30am or later. This law is going into effect this Fall and will hopefully boost the health and mental health of California teens. The Sleep Deprived Teen talks about the science of sleep and why it matters for the teenage brain. I am looking forward to sharing the information on my blog.
Find Your Unicorn Space by Eve Rodsky- They say never judge a book by its cover, but I disagree. I was immediately drawn to this book’s beautiful purple and pink cover when I saw it on Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club on Instagram. The book discusses the need for balance in our busy lives to be able to be creative and how to bring back personal space for creativity. I am looking forward to this read to be able to help my own creative process as well as learn ways to encourage my students to be innovative.
How to Raise an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi- In the summer of 2020, I read every book and article I could by Ibram X. Kendi to help my own growth to become antiracist. As a white woman, it is an everyday process for me to examine my biases and privilege and Kendi’s book, How to Be an Antiracist was eye opening, clear, and helpful. The book was a conversation starter at my school and I am hopeful that How to Raise an Antiracist will help me as an educator and coach of teenagers to continue the conversations on a deeper level. This book comes out this week on June 14, 2022 and you can pre-order it online at bookshop.org. Mine is pre-ordered!
Happy summer reading, everyone. All books are linked to bookshop.org to help benefit small bookstores across the country.
Claire Rietmann-Grout 