Excellence in Reading program challenges kids to read

Young readers around the world are taking advantage of the Foundation’s Excellence in Reading program. The Foundation, in cooperation with the National Endowment for the Humanities, provides a list of selections that children’s librarians around the nation have identified as books no child should grow up without reading. The titles are separated into grade-level bands (K-3, 4-6, 7-8 and 9-12).  

Young readers who complete any one of the lists, either by reading the books or having the books read to them, earn a T-shirt, a certificate of completion and the satisfaction of knowing they’ve distinguished themselves as readers of merit.  

Lisa Van Gemert, the Foundation’s Gifted Youth Specialist, says, “I have a master’s degree in English education, and yet I haven’t read all of the books on the 9-12 list. It’s a true challenge, and it reflects a depth of cultural and literary exploration that would be hard to find anywhere else.”

Highlights of the program include:

• It’s free. There is no registration required. Parents or teachers simply print out the list, check off the books as they are read, and then send it in when completed.
• There is no time limit. Young readers can take as long as they want to complete a list.  
• Children can read advanced yet appropriate books. The titles at the higher grade levels make for challenging reading, yet because they are classics, young readers are unlikely to encounter inappropriate material.
• The books are readily available and often free for download in the public domain.

The program is available for download from the Mensa For Kids Web site, and all of the books are linked and available in the Gifted Youth Resources section of American Mensa's SmartBuys online store. For more information, please visit www.mensaforkids.org and click on the Excellence in Reading icon on the main page.