Do This to Find Motivation to Read With Your Kids

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Want to spend more time reading with your kids but think you’re too busy? To paraphrase a marketing term, you can’t improve on what you can’t measure. One way to measure is to borrow a technique libraries use to encourage reading over the summer and keep a record of what you read to your kids and how much time you spend doing it. Go one step further and record the number of pages in each book. By the end of the year you may be amazed at the number of pages you read. When you look back on all the books, you can even revisit them by talking about your favorites.

You may also find motivation by joining a community like Good Reads, where you can list what’s on your personal list to read and then mark books off and give them ratings as you finish them.

The key is to give any system you think may work for you a try, then stick with it for a while.

Book Review: Fantastic Fugitives by Brianna DuMont

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Fantastic Fugitives cover imageCleopatra, Martin Luther, the Pilgrims, John Dillinger and Nelson Mandela all had two things in common: at some time in their lives they were in hiding from authorities, and their actions had an effect on history. The details of these and other strange bedfellows come to life in Brianna DuMont’s Fantastic Fugitives: Criminals, Cutthroats, and Rebels Who Changed History While on the Run!

DuMont identifies key individuals from different time periods, going back to the Romans and continuing to the present. Each chapter focuses on one particular rebel and major events during the times they lived. There’s an irreverent tone throughout, which helps make the historical events relatable to a modern audience. And definitions, some explanations, and other facts appear in pullout bubbles, keeping the narrative flowing and the text from ever feeling dry.

Fantastic Fugitives is a great book both for fans of history and those who think they aren’t. I recommend it for readers aged 9 to 13 and their moms.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Case for Reading Aloud to Older Children

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A recent report by Scholastic discovered a high percentage of parents reading aloud to their children at home when they are younger, but that declines as their kids progress through elementary school. That may not be a surprise. Parents’ work schedules, increasing homework obligations, after-school activities, and other time pressures often mean parents are happy to gain back the moments they spend reading with their kids once the kids can read on their own. What is surprising is what Scholastic found next; many of the kids who were read to wish their parents had kept up the practice. Even up to age 11, 40 percent of the kids surveyed said they wished their parents would have kept reading aloud to them. The main reason they cited was because it was a special time with parents.

There are also advantages that kids aren’t aware of, including the fact that kids understand books that are more challenging than those they can read themselves. So when parents read to them, they can learn new words and follow more complicated story lines that will help them understand classwork better.

Moms and dads may also benefit. In addition to having special time with their kids, when parents read with their children they probably talk about the story and the issues the characters face. This can lead to discussions about similar situations the kids’ are dealing with in daily life.

Here’s an idea if you’d like to begin reading aloud with your older child—borrow a practice many schools engage in called DEAR, or Drop Everything and Read. Find a consistent time each day that may work for one-on-one or family reading time and read for 15, 20 or 30 minutes, whatever you can manage. Commit to doing this for one month, and then talk to your kids about how it’s working out. Adjust the time spent or timing in the day if needed, but don’t be surprised if DEAR becomes the favorite time of day for all of you.

Great Books to Read in Winter

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When it’s cold and dark outside, sometimes it’s fun to get cozy inside and read about characters facing the cold. Here’s a list of books for family reading time with winter themes:

Mr. Popper's Penguins cover imageMr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater. This classic shows what happens when an explorer sends Mr. Popper and his family a penguin. Before long there are 12 penguins getting into all kinds of trouble.

 

 

The Long Winter cover imageThe Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder. One of The Little House books about Laura’s family life on the prairie in the late 1800s. This one tells of the whole town’s struggle to survive a months-long blizzard.

 

Dogsled Dreams imageDogsled Dreams by Terry Lynn Johnson. A 12-year-old girl learns about dogsledding from her dad, who is letting her develop a team of her own. She dreams of one day entering a race with the dogs she has come to rely on.

 

 

Rocky Road imageRocky Road by Rose Kent. Who would dream of opening an ice cream store in New York in the middle of winter? Tess’s mom, that’s who, a dreamer who isn’t always practical or reliable, which means Tess has to keep family life down to earth.

 

 

The Story of Snow cover imageThe Story of Snow: The Science of Winter’s Wonder by Mark Cassino. Nonfiction is great for kids who love facts. Here kids can learn how snow crystals form, and stunning photographs illustrate the facts.

 

The Secret Garden imageThe Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Read this in late winter when the garden in the story transforms from an overgrown, brown place into a green sanctuary.

Book Review: Uprooted by Lynne Reid Banks

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Uprooted cover imageAt the start of World War II, many women and children left England to live with relatives or sponsoring families in Canada and the U.S. The idea was to keep them safe from the bombing and hardship that was sure to come. Against this backdrop, ten-year-old Lindy, her mom, and her cousin Cameron set off for Saskatoon, Canada, where a great uncle lives. Although the uncle lives in too small of a space to welcome the three himself, he finds a family they can live with.

The transition isn’t easy. Canadians talk differently, eat different foods, and live in a vast place with great distance and wilderness between towns. No one in the family likes being an outsider, but soon they make friends and adjust, despite the stress of worrying about family members left behind.

Uprooted by Lynne Reid Banks is a compelling story about lesser-known war evacuees—those who left England. Lindy is preoccupied with the things any 10 year old would be: making friends, having fun, and doing well in school. But she also worries because they have no money of their own. They were restricted to leaving England with only 10 pounds each and they have little ability to earn money in Canada. She worries about her mom getting lonely without her dad, and she worries because Cameron feels as though he deserted his country and his parents when they need him most.

The story is based on the author’s own childhood experience. It has universal appeal both as historical fiction and because it captures the feeling anyone can have of starting over in a strange land and a different culture. I highly recommend it for mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 9 to 13.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

Book Review: Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye by Tania del Rio and Will Staehle

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Warren the 13th cover imageEver since Warren the 13th’s dad, Warren the 12th, died, things have gone downhill at his family’s hotel. Established years ago by the first Warren, it used to be known for its excellence. But in the five years since Warren’s Uncle Rupert took over, business has dwindled to zero and all the staff except the chef had to be let go. Warren the 13th does what he can to keep the place in shape, but there’s only so much a 12 year old can do in a day. Particularly when his uncle’s mean wife, Aunt Annaconda, punishes him regularly.

Things start to pick up though, when Aunt Annaconda discovers the legend of the all-seeing eye, something reported to be hidden somewhere in the hotel. She’s sure the eye possesses powerful magic, and she decides she must find it. Enter two of Annaconda’s witch sisters, a hotel full of guests also searching for the eye, a witchy apprentice, a squiggly creature and more. In the midst of the action is Warren the 13th, a strange looking boy with a big heart and the desire to make everything come out right.

Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye, written by Tania del Rio and illustrated by Will Staehle, is great fun to read. Warren is a lovable if unlikely hero, and both his allies and enemies have big personalities that reveal themselves as the story moves along. Illustrations are all in black, white and red, setting the tone for a tale that has just the right amount of creepiness and some mystery for readers as young as 8, but is sure to satisfy even 12 or 13 year olds.

As the first book in a planned series, it hits the mark with a compelling story, a satisfying end, and the promise of more interesting stories to come. I highly recommend it for kids book clubs and individual readers.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

2015 Favorites for Book Clubs and Other Readers

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All year long I’ve been reading new releases and finding the ones I think are the best for readers in mother-daughter book clubs, for kids to read on their own, and in some cases, just for moms. Here are my favorites from 2015. Follow the link to read my review.

For 8 to 13 year olds
The Detective’s Assistant by Kate Hannigan — Funny and touching historical fiction.
One Witch at a Time by Stacy DeKeyser — An imaginative retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk.
The Saturday Cooking Club: Kitchen Chaos by Deborah A. Levine and JillEllyn Riley —  These girls cook with their moms.
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson — Fascinating memoir in free verse.
Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty —  History, mystery, and magic.
Ghostlight by Sonia Gensler — Creepy supernatural story about friendship and betrayal.
The Trouble With Ants by Claudia Mills — Hooray for budding girl scientists!

For ages 15 and up
Secret Garden: Artist’s Edition by Johanna Basford — Beautiful drawings to color and frame.
Three Day Summer by Sarvenaz Tash — Wordstock from the perspective of two teens.
Silence by Deborah Lytton — When a girl loses her ability to speak she finds a friend.

For adults
Home for Dinner: Mixing Food, Fun, and Conversation for a Happier Family and Healthier Kids by Anne Fishel — A recipe for quality family time.

Bookish Gifts

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Wrapped book imageIf you know a child who loves to read, you probably also know that buying gifts for him or her is not as simple as picking up a new book. He may not like the book you choose for him, or she may have her heart set on a different title. It’s sometimes easier to hit the mark with book-related gifts. These items can often be worn, displayed on a wall, or used as part of every day life.

Here is a list of five ideas to thrill the book-lover on your gift list.

Posters, T-Shirts and More
At Litographs you can find posters, t-shirts and totes that feature every word from a variety of popular books arranged around an image familiar to readers. For instance, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz design includes a cyclone-like spiral along with a house and flying monkeys. Designs are available for about 20 classic kids’ stories.

Boxed Sets
Kids love to read the same stories over and over again. So if you know of a series they like, you can look for a boxed set they can cherish for years to come. Boxed sets are often available for readers of all ages and interests. Some to look for include: a Dr. Seuss collection, Junie B. Jones, Captain Underpants, The Little House books, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, or The Hunger Games.

Storytelling Games
Don’t tell reluctant readers, but making up stories is actually a way to boost reading and writing skills. Look for Rory’s Story Cubes, which lets you roll the word-sided dice and make up a tale from the words that roll out. Or pick up The Storymatic Kids, which is a box of 360 thick cards easy for small hands to hold. Choose one or more and create a story or draw a picture inspired by the words you see.

Book Lights
Book lights are especially helpful for kids who share a room with a sibling or during travel, when the whole family may be sleeping in one hotel room. Try a hands-free version like the MyLight Hug Light Buddies, which are stuffed animals that contain LED lights in moveable limbs. Choose from a bear, cat, dog, panda or other animals at showertek.com.

Literary Mugs
The Unemployed Philosophers Guild offers mugs to celebrate favorite writers, like Shakespeare, Mark Twain, or Jane Austen, or characters such as Sherlock Holmes or the Cheshire Cat. You can find a mug that gives tribute to banned book titles, Shakespearean insults, and many more.

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