Add this lucid read to your summer list: Milton Chen, senior fellow and executive director emeritus at the George Lucas Educational Foundation, brings together over a decade of great examples showcasing what’s working in our nation’s schools culled from his work on Edutopia and his travels across the country. “Milton Chen has had an extraordinary perch for learning how media and technology can spark innovation and redefine teaching and learning,” says Linda Darling-Hammond, Charles E. Ducommun Professor, Stanford University, co-director School Redesign Network. “Education Nation provides a new vision of what is now possible, with vivid examples from real schools,” says Darling-Hammond. Chen asks us to “Imagine an ‘Education Nation,’ a learning society where the education of children and adults is the highest national priority, on par with a strong economy, high employment, and national security. Where resources from public and private sources fund a ‘ladder of learning’ for learners of all ages, from pre-K through ‘gray.’ Where learners take courses through the formal institutions of high-quality schools and universities and also take advantage of informal experiences offered through museums, libraries, churches, youth groups, and parks as well as via the media.” An entertaining and provocative read, there’s a lot to learn, and Chen makes it easily digestible with his style and penchant for telling a great story. Check it out on Amazon.