Hooked on Books

I remember well the first book that transported me to another world. I was five years old and my family was headed to the Bahamas. My mother had packed a copy of Little House in the Big Woods and began reading it aloud on the jumbo jet that carried us south. I can still clearly picture Laura's red calico dress, the blue dress that her sister, Mary, wore to match her eyes, and their family's little cabin in the big woods of Wisconsin. Laura told of her family's chores and barn dances with cousins and neighbors. I wasn't quite sure what a pig bladder was, but I knew that it could be blown up like a balloon and playing with it sounded awfully fun. It's funny, really; my memories of the Bahamas are just as much about sleigh rides and maple syrup as they are about boat rides, sandy beaches and the friends we visited there. I was hooked. Soon after we got home, I was trading off reading pages of Little House on the Prairie with my parents.  

Throughout my life, books have been there for me, the little mental vacations I've gotten to take when I enter the world of another. I began elementary school with Laura Ingalls Wilder, spent third grade engrossed in the world of the American Girl characters, fourth grade in Nazi Germany and on the western prairies, and the following two years bouncing between all of those titles about children making it on their own, with no parents to speak of. As an adult, I can remember which vacation included the latest Jodi Picoult, the Christmas I flew back to Seattle reading Bossypants while trying not to wake anyone with my laughter, and which Thanksgiving trip was set amidst the pages of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.

But I digress. Back to the impetus for the blog: I love it when kids tell me what's happening in their reading at home, beg me to let them read "just a little more" or talk to me about characters like they're real friends. That's gold. I love knowing that those kiddos are going to discover all kinds of things (new words, new worlds, concepts, ideas, comfort and questions) in what they are reading. 

As I work with reading students, I always look for what books will be a good fit for them. There are a number of factors to consider, including the genre, topic, reading level and interest level.  With all of the books out there, it would seem easy to match kids with books that fit them and yet its not always that simple. 

I have several types of kids and want to be sure to fid books for each type: 1) The student whose skill level and interest in reading are both low. In my experience, these kids are often most open to trying funny books, mysteries, or books that speak to their specific interests, like a particular sport or animal. 2) Students whose reading skills haven't yet caught up to their love of a good story or information. These are the kids reading fifth and sixth grade level books despite reading on a third grade level. They simply want to know, and aren't bothered by missing some words or concepts along the way. 3) Then there are skilled and relatively skilled readers, who are just not yet hooked on books. I have a few kids who simply have other interests-- horseback-riding, swimming, tennis, science, dance... It is with each of these archetypes in mind (and really the faces of those students in mind), that I begin my journey here. I've gathered recommendations from kids and adults, and am also happy to follow my nose at the library in search of a good book.  

Here's the promise: at least three books and a post per week for the next year.  I can't wait to share my thoughts on life and learning-- and to get reading!