Reader Wednesday: Books For All Ages

Today's Reader Wednesday post is all about books!  I was looking for some emerging authors to spotlight on my blog, but since I didn't find any I decided to do something else.  (If you are an emerging author and would like to be spotlighted please email me and we'll talk). 

I always like it when people suggest a good book for me to read.  Today I'd like to do that for you.  I have suggestions for picture books, middle grades, and young adult.  The first book under each heading is an older book you may have forgotten all about (or maybe don't even know about).  The second book is a newer book.

Picture Books

James Herriot was an English veterinarian with a life long love of all things furry. Herriot's love of animals translates to his masterfully written children's stories.  Peter Barrett provides some of the most beautiful illustrations ever seen in a picture book.  Moses the Kitten tells the story of a lost kitten who is near death when he is found by a veterinarian.  The kitten finds the will to live and a new home in this children's classic!

Halloween Night by Marjorie Dennis Murray is the best Halloween themed picture book I've seen in a long time!  Murray offers a new spin on a classic poem, reworking Twas the Night Before Christmas for Halloween.  This book is almost as fun to look at as it is to read.  Brandon Dorman's digital art is amazingly detailed and each page is filled with bright and colorful illustrations.





Middle Grades

I first read Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird in my advanced 7th grade English class.  I read a lot of absolutely amazing books that year, books that stuck with me.  Lee's one and only novel, To Kill a Mockingbird is sure to stick with anyone who reads it.  It tells the moving story of Scout Finch, her brother Jem, and their father Atticus--a lawyer who instructs them never to shoot mockingbirds because all they do is sing pretty songs.  Set during the depression, the story exposes real life issues when a black man is accused of raping a white woman and Atticus decides to serve as his defense attorney.  Beautifully written and surprisingly relevant, To Kill a Mockingbird is an excellent read for any age.

Riordan, who tackled Greek mythology in his famous "Percy Jackson" series, brings ancient Egypt to life in The Red Pyramid.  The story opens with Carter (14) and Sadie (12), a brother and sister who have been raised apart, going on a private tour of the British Museum with their Egyptologist Father, Dr. Julian Kane.  When something goes horribly wrong at the museum Sadie and Carter must unearth family secrets, learn magic, and yes, defeat a God, all just to save the world!  Riordan is a master storyteller and The Red Pyramid is sure to become a classic read.




Young Adult

Written in 1922 The Great Gatsby still resonates with readers nearly 90 years later.  F. Scott Fitzgerald weaves an intricate tale of love, lust, greed, and grief.  Self made millionaire Jay Gastby is the title character and his love for beautiful, eccentric and married Daisy Buchanan drives the plot.  Gatsby and Daisy embody the lavishness of the Jazz Age and lavishness often leads to tragedy.  The Great Gatsby was evocative when I read it ten years ago, and it's still a page turner.

Michael Scott's The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel is the first book in an exciting new series (new being relative--book four was released this summer).  Flamel is the stuff of legend, literally, and Scott brings him to life.  The Alchemyst follows Josh and Sophie Newman, 15 year old twins with surprising abilities even they are unaware of.  When Josh takes a job at a rare book store across the street from the cafe where his sister works the last thing he expects is to witness a robbery.  When the bookstore is attacked by weird creatures with "dead-looking skin" and an important rare book is swiped, the twins learn the book is actually a Codex and the Codex mentions them! Are Josh and Sophie the twins mentioned in an ancient prophesy?  Can they learn magic?  Can they save the world? Check out The Alchemyst and find out for yourself!

If you have enjoyed this post be sure to let me know with a comment, email, or by writing on the wall of my facebook page!  If you are an author who would like to be spotlighted in an upcoming post, please email me at jenniferwelbornwrites@gmail.com.  If you're a reader with suggestions, or you'd like to see a similar post with adult books, please let me know.  Feel free to comment with some of your favorite reads! Here's wishing you all Happy Reading!

Picture Books, Parents and Literacy

This photo courtesy of Gardner Elementary School.

This NY Times article really got people in the publishing world talking. The article basically argues that the picture book is dead.  Well meaning parents are pushing "big kid books" on their children in favor of picture books.  I wanted to write a response immediately, but I also did not want this post to be overshadowed by my own ire in detriment to the major points I wish to make to well meaning parents.

Nearly every job I have ever had has been directly related to education and/or books in some way.  I have worked for two of the largest book store chains in the United States.  I worked at a library. I wrote ed programs for museums.  I also make it a point to volunteer for organizations whose work I feel is worthwhile, many of which happen to revolve around education. 

I have been an active part of local literacy councils since I was in high school.  I began free literacy training at the age of 14 and after six months of intensive after school literacy training I began teaching illiterate adults and struggling children to read.  I left my hometown to go to college, but I never stopped finding ways to help my community read.  I have continuously expanded my own education, and I have never stopped volunteering in teaching and tutoring reading.  I have never been paid for this work.  It eats up a lot of my time.  I don't care.  I'll never ask for a penny and I'll give up as much time as it takes to help someone learn to read. I am 26 and I have been teaching reading for 12 years.

I believe parents who are pushing "big kid" books on young children are well meaning and want their kids to love reading.  However, being well meaning and being right are not the same thing.  The road to Hell, after all, was paved with good intentions.

In order to teach your child to read you need two things:  endless patience and age appropriate books.  By age appropriate I mean reading level appropriate books.  Like anything else in life, not all children read at the same level.  Not all adults read at the same level!  It's ok.  That's ok--they don't have to.  Some kids will read faster than others.  That's ok too.  As long as they're reading and having fun doing it, nothing else matters.

There are age appropriate picture books for infants all the way through adult (what do you think an illustrated novel is?).  For beginning readers, however, I would say most PBs (picture books) are good tools for babies through maybe third grade.  Yes, really.  Third grade.  I'm not saying your third grader can't read a chapter book--I'm saying a fun picture book is a good tool for teaching reading, even to a third grader.

Here are some good rules for teaching reading:

1. Reading needs to be fun.  Make it fun.  Don't make it hard.  It doesn't have to be hard in order to learn.  You wouldn't take little Billy off his big wheel and say, "I think it's time you learn to drove a big kid car," while tossing him the keys to your Toyota.  You don't hand a four year old an algebra book and say "learn some "bid kid" math!"  You shouldn't do that with reading either! You want your child to read comfortably on their own because if s/he can't they will not enjoy it.  If your child doesn't enjoy it--he won't do it, even if you try to make him.

2. If you do not know what is age appropriate for your child then ask somebody.  Local libraries are treasure troves of literacy resources.  Your librarian wants your child to like reading.  They want to help you.  All you have to do is ask.  The same goes for customer service desks at book stores.  Those people want you to buy books your kids will love, and they'll help you find some.  I know.  I worked at book stores and at a library.  Let them help you.

3. The five finger test is a good way to judge a book when you can't find someone to help.  Hint: I think 2-3 fingers is a good book to go with.

4. Have patience.  Don't fuss.  If your child is old enough to help you, then let him/her pick out their own book.  Help them sound out the words.  Remember--your child should not have to sound out every word on the page! If they do, that's not the right book to be using!

5. Have fun.  When you see that light bulb go off and illuminate your child's face with understanding and joy any amount of displeasure you experienced will be immediately erased.

Helpful links for teaching reading:

1. Reading Rockets: Has activities for kids and tips for parents.
2. Book Nuts: Has activities for kids and tips for parents.
3. Succeed To Read: More useful for parents. Has great teaching tips.

If you have questions or concerns that are not covered in this article then please feel free to email me at jenniferwelbornwrites@gmail.com.  I want your child to like reading too!

Pub News, Stephen King, and Other Stuff...

Pub News:

This week I read quite a few articles that (as an aspiring author) scared me half to death.  Among this news I learned:

1. The market is inundated with fantasy.  I write fantasy.  Apparently some agents are getting "fantasy fatigue"--i.e. getting tired of reading it.  Nathan Bransford, who tries to stay positive, wrote a blog about it.  You can read it here.

2. I just wrote my first picture book.  I submitted it to one agent.  I got a rejection letter.  She said she really liked it but it didn't "spark" for her and she needed it to "spark" in order to be able to market it "in this very difficult marketplace for children's fiction."  Then I read this article about how picture books aren't selling and picture book authors are doomed.

3. Apparently ebooks are destroying the publishing industry.  I've seen multiple articles about this in the last few weeks.  That's scary.  I always dreamed of eking out a living with my pen and paper.  Articles like this make me feel like that dream is utterly hopeless.

Stephen King

Stephen King wrote this amazing book called On Writing 10 years ago.  I had never heard of it (of course I was only 16 ten years ago).  Simon and Schuster just published a 10 year anniversary edition.  It looks like this:

I bought it earlier this week and I've been reading it in what spare time I have.  It's amazing.  He has some really great advice (and why shouldn't he....HE'S STEPHEN FREAKING KING!).  King also narrates with a frankness and a sense of honesty that I appreciate.  If you're an aspiring writer like me, you should read it.

Other Stuff

I did a Kid Craft post earlier this week.  Lots of people sent me facebook messages about how much they liked it, so I'll be doing that one again. 

I finally figured out Twitter (I think).  It only took like a month (hahahaha).  I'm loving it.  I had no idea Twitter offered such a rich writing community.  If you are following me on twitter then I want to say thank you.  All of the twitter writers I've met thus far are amazing and supportive.  I am so very grateful for that!

Could you let me know what you thought of Stump the Writer?  Do you want me to do it again? Did you like the story?  Did it just suck and you never want to see it again?  This blog is for my readers so LET ME KNOW!  If you hate it then I won't do it again.

I'm thinking it might be time for another contest.  What do you think of a $5 Starbucks giftcard?  Get your next cup of joe on me? 

And finally:  What do you want to see/read that you are not seeing/reading on this blog?

Thanks for the input!