Scrub-a-Dub-Tub: literacy

Showing posts with label literacy. Show all posts

Showing posts with label literacy. Show all posts

Friday, December 12, 2008

Words That Make Me Dance

I have been spending the afternoon getting book reviews loaded onto the website. We always include the target audience in our reviews, but these are reviews from our toughest audience: kids who don't like to read.

The group I'm working on today were written by high school readers-in-need who are reading at an upper elementary level. These students have done a wonderful job, no doubt through the dedication of their teacher. I can't imagine her joy when she read this student's answer to the question about whether s/he would buy, borrow, or skip this book.

"I would buy this book because I really don't like reading but this book helped me out a lot. I forced myself to read, and as I read the book, I started to like it and I thought to myself it ain't nothing wrong with this book and I liked it and I understand that book a lot better than the ones I've been reading."

Awesome.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Random Cool Things

Well, I think they are cool.

The blogs have been fairly quiet this week as I've been tackling the TBR pile, starting with the seasonal titles.
Yes, I probably should have started reading them at Halloween, but I just wasn't ready. I got my first Valentines Book yesterday. Ugh!

Books and Reading

This week's cold snap and flurries helped nudge my holiday spirit. I'm not going to publish a full list of holiday-themed books (see last year's list), but I have to tell you about A Pirate's Night Before Christmas written byPhilip Yates, illustrated by Sebastia Serra. There are so many remakes of Clement C. Moore's "A Visit from Saint Nicholas" that I try to avoid any book that starts with the word Twas. This book does it right. The cadence is the same, but the characters and the language are all fresh. Very clever, very fun.
We posted our first title for Nonfiction Monday. Fantastic Female Filmmakers by Suzanne Simoni is a great title for movie-buffs and novices (like me). Here's the review.
Thanks to our busy readers (not just me, I assure you), we have 20 new book reviews up this week. I think that has to be a record for us.

Community News

I am co-chairing a Book Festival at a local elementary with 410 students. The event is set for late January and there are visiting authors, mystery readers, a writing workshop for higher grade students, and other literacy-related fun. Thanks to the tireless efforts of my partner, we have received nearly 475 books, all current titles. We will meet our goal of giving every child a new book, and possibly even give a new book to the Bright Stars for the holidays.
Last week I visited the Renaissance School, a college prep school for "intellectually and artistically motivated students." There are 30 kids in the entire school. Five of the students selected the Reading Tub as their community-outreach partner. They'll be reviewing books and helping us integrate technology into our reviews to help us reach their peers.
A student in North Canton, OH found us through 1-800-Volunteer and is going to take our review catalog and build the Reading Level Directory for those titles with Guided Reading, Flesch-Kincaid, and (where available) Lexile scores.

I'd love to hear what your reading week has been like.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Reading: The Gift of a Lifetime

I've been thinking a lot about reading, gifts, and the holidays ... no doubt due to the buzz in the kidlitosphere.
First there is the November Carnival of Children's literature and the theme: the gift of reading. Next, Amy (My Friend Amy's blog) launched a Buy Books for the Holidays campaign. Lots of people have jumped in, and you can, too. Then we created a spot where you can find books on a theme to help you select good books. And yesterday, Colleen Mondor (Chasing Ray) announced her 12 Days of Book Recommendations effort that will begin the Monday after Thanksgiving.

Then I read Amadi's Snowman by Katia Novet Saint-Lot, illustrated by Dimitrea Tokunbo (Tilbury House Publishers, 2008). It was the next book in the picture book TBR pile. One word: Wow! This is the book to read if you want to understand how some kids (boys?) see reading ... and be armed with a way to make them curious learners.

Story Summary
Amadi is a young Nigerian boy who loves to play. He has learned his numbers so that he can be a trader. So why does his mother want him to learn how to read words? He has all the knowledge he needs. One day as he was wandering the market, he spotted Chima, an older boy, looking at a book. Amadi was curious, and began to ask questions about one of the pictures: a boy wearing lots of clothes, standing next to an animal with a carrot-shaped nose. Amadi first asked questions about the book, but then asked Chima if he knew how to read ... and why. Chima replied tersely: "To know more, that's what for."

Chima's words were not enough to convince Amadi that he should learn to read, but the pictures of the book stuck with him, and he wanted to learn more. It seemed everywhere he looked he saw words. He had never noticed them before. When he gets home, the book is there waiting for him. As he holds the book and looks at the pages, he begins to see the possibilities.

My Review
This is an enjoyable, compelling read. Although the story is told in third person, it is easy to become Amadi's shadow. As someone who is passionate about literacy, you wish every teacher and librarian could share it with their students and patrons. Amadi's reasoning for not wanting to read follows a logic pattern that kids will recognize. They will nod their heads in agreement. Will the message of Amadi's Snowman resonate with every child? No. But it will resonate with some. It is one of Amadi's peers (not an adult) who opens his mind. Just as Chima's words stayed with Amadi, the events in this story may stay with a young reader. With a Flesch Kincaid readability at 3.2 (GRL M, Reading Recovery 22), it is a good match for a reluctant reader who still isn't convinced of the need to read.

While the power of reading is a key theme, it is not the only one. Just as Amadi has a chance to learn about snow in places far away, kids reading this book can learn about the Ibo (African people) and Nigeria.

This may not be the book you purchase as a holiday gift. It will, however, inspire you to buy books for the holidays.

More Reviews and Information

5 Minutes for Books - blog book review
Bri Meets books - blog book review
Kabiliana - author and illustrator interview
The Shelf Elf - blog book review
Literary Safari - blog book review
My Readable Feast - blog book review
Paper Tigers - author interview, virtual blog tour
Reading Tub - website review

You can visit the Amadi's Snowman page at the Tilbury House website for more information about this book, including classroom ideas to encourage and engage readers.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Welcome to Monday

My first job on Monday is to post the Reading Round-up over at TubTalk. It is chock full of good stuff, and lots of practical ideas. Thanks again, Jen!

The only way I can get the Round-up done is to grab my coffee and go straight to the blog. That means I skip the Monday morning mailbox, so I didn't see the email from Amy of My Friend Amy's blog until too late. I thought Book Bloggers Appreciation Week was great. But wait til you see this ...

Buy Books for the Holidays is a grassroots effort to encourage books as THE gift of choice this holiday season. I love her reasoning:

"Books are a good value for the amount they cost. They provide information, entertainment, encouragement, and escape. They challenge our thinking, make us laugh, and inspire our dreams. They look lovely sitting on our shelves or coffee tables.
Books are diverse. I recognize that not everyone in your life might like to read. But thankfully, there's a book for just about every interest. There are even books that are just pictures or recipes...cool, huh???
Giving books makes you look intelligent and cool. Enough said."

You can read Amy's original post here or you can head straight to the Buy Boo ks for the Holidays blog, which is dedicated exclusively to the campaign. We'll be chiming in with some of our favorites here, and as part of the November Carnival of Children's Literature at Mommy's Favorite Children's Books

. The theme: The Gift of Reading. If you don't want to wait, you can check out last year's carnival with a similar theme that MotherReader hosted.

Friday, October 31, 2008

Poetry Friday - Ouch! An Original Poem

My first Poetry Friday!

Literacy note: Poetry is a great way to engage kids in reading. Like full-length stories, poems for children often have that sing-song cadence that helps them practice words and sounds, stretch their imagination, and helps them see that language (and ultimately reading) isn't stuffy. Because poetry lines are generally short, there is a lot of "white space" (and sometimes illustrations) on a page ... an endearing trait for resistant readers!

Now to my poem. It has been a very long time since my brain has wandered down this path, but this one came to me as I was leaving the office yesterday, dodging a mosaic of books.

OUCH!

Do not sneak
into the office
when the world is dark
and there is no light

That carpet of books
so pretty in sunshine
is nothing but
toe stubble at night!

Be sure to visit Poetry for Children, our host for Poetry Friday this week.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

2008 Moonbeam Children's Book Award Winners

The Moonbeam Children's Book Awards recognize "books that inspire our children to read, to learn, and to dream." This year, the judges read 1,085 entries ... an average of 36 books/category. Here is the list of the winners in all 33 categories, as published on the Independent Publisher website.

I've bookmarked the list so I can seek out some of the new titles, particularly for independent readers. The Reading Tub received and reviewed many of the books for younger audiences. I have included all winners in a category and linked to any titles we have reviewed.

Board Book / Cloth Book
Gold: My First Hike, written and illustrated by Catherine Maria Woolf (Dawn Publications)
Silver: Kisses Kisses Baby-O! by Sheree Fitch; illustrated by Hilda Rose (Nimbus Publishing)
Bronze: What Does The Sign Say? by Dr. Ricardo Lewitus (Self-Published/Palotec Products)

Alphabet/Counting Book
Gold: Dogabet, written and illustrated by Dianna Bonder (Walrus Books)
Silver: My Favorite Sounds, by Peggy Snow; illustrated by Brian Barber (Maren Green Publishing)
Bronze: Virginia: An Alphabetical Journey Through History, by Betty Bruce Shepard, Peter W. Barnes, and Cheryl Shaw Barnes; illustrated by Marsha Lederman (VSP Books)

Picture Book - Preschool
Gold: Sunny Bunnies, by Margie Blumberg; illustrated by June Goulding (MB Publishing)
Silver: Swing!, by Pamela Klein; illustrated by Joel Tanis (DuPage Press)
Bronze (3): Buddy’s Bedtime, by Pauleen O’Shea; illustrated by Jason Dohanish (Idlehour Press); The Sock Fairy, by Bobbie Hinman; illustrated by Kristi Bridgeman (Best Fairy Books); Over on the Island, by Yuko Green and Sarah Tupou (Island Heritage Publishing)

Picture Book - 4-8 Year Old
Gold (2): Priscilla McDoodleNut DoodleMcMae Asks, “Why?”, by Janet Marie Sinke; illustrated by Craig Pennington (My Grandma and Me Publishers), and My Name is Not Isabella, by Jennifer Fosberry; illustrated by Mike Litwin (Monkey Barrel Press)
Silver (2): Monkey with a Tool Belt, written and illustrated by Chris Monroe (Carolrhoda/Lerner) and Pete & Pillar: The Big Rain, written and illustrated by Jeffery Stoddard (Warner Press Kids)
Bronze (3): Whistling Wings, by Laura Goering; illustrated by Laura Jacques (Sylvan Dell Publishing); Paco and the Giant Chile Plant (Paco y la planta de chile gigante), by Keith Polette; illustrated by Elizabeth O. Dulemba; translated by Eida de la Vega (Raven Tree Press); The Feather Club, written and illustrated by Beth Erlund (Erlund Johnson Studios)

Picture Book - All Ages
Gold (2): Singing to the Sun: A Fairy Tale, by Vivian French; illustrated by Jackie Morris (Kane/Miller) and Arthur of Albion, by John Matthews; illustrated by Pavel Tatarnikov (Barefoot Books)
Silver (2): First Snow in the Woods, by Carl R. Sams II & Jean Stoick (Carl R. Sams Photography) and Stefania’s Dancing Slippers, by Jennifer Beck; illustrated by Lindy Fisher (Scholastic New Zealand)
Bronze (3): Until We Meet Again, by Susan Jones; illustrated by Shirley Antak (50/50 Publishing); God’s Promise, by Maureen Moss; illustrated by Gerald Purnell (Illumination Arts); Keep Your Ear on the Ball, by Genevieve Petrillo; illustrated by Lea Lyon (Tilbury House Publishers)

Book with Merchandise (plush toy, etc.)
Gold: You and Me Make Three (with B.B. the Bear), by Wendy Lokken, Gwendy Mangiamele & Edna Cucksey Stephens; illustrated by Heather Drescher (EDCO Publishing)
Silver: The Lonely Little Monster (with Monster), written and illustrated by Andi Green (Monsters in My Head)
Bronze: Nana Star and the Moonman (with Moonman), by Elizabeth Sills and Elena Patrice; illustrated by Linda Saker (ee publishing & productions)

Environmental Issues
Gold: A Child’s Introduction to The Environment, by Michael Driscoll & Prof. Dennis Driscoll; illustrated by Meredith Hamilton (Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers)
Silver (2): In My Backyard, by Margriet Ruurs; paper sculpture by Ron Broda (Tundra Books) and The Forever Forest: Kids Save a Tropical Treasure, by Kristen Joy Pratt-Serafini with Rachel Crandell; illustrated by Kristin Joy Pratt-Serafini (Dawn Publications)
Bronze (2): Adventures of Riley: Tigers in Terai, by Amanda Lumry & Laura Hurwitz; illustrated by Sarah McIntyre (Eaglemont Press) and Planet Earth: 25 Environmental Projects You Can Build Yourself, by Kathleen M. Reilly (Nomad Press)

Mind-Body-Spirit
Gold: The Sad Mad Glad Book: The Anatomy of Your Attitude, by Chuck Stump & Jim Strawn (Four Dolphins Press)
Silver (2): Beauty’s Secret, by Debra Gano; illustrated by Dawn Pitre (Heartlight Girls) and The Land of Smaerd, by Andrea von Botefuhr; illustrated by Bryn Barnard (Know Wonder Publishing)
Bronze (2): Choose Your Life: A Travel Guide for Living, by Karen Gedig Burnett; illustrated by Sabrina Melo da Silva (GR Publishing) and We Are Girls Who Love To Run/Somos Chicas y Nosotras Nos Encanta Correr, by Brianna K. Grant; illustrated by Nicholas A. Wright (Balanced Steps)

Reading Skills/Literacy
Gold (2): Abadaba Alphabet: Learning Letter Sounds, by Sheila Moore; illustrated by Carol Holsinger (Abadaba Reading) and Sort it Out! by Barbara Mariconda; illustrated by Sherry Rogers (Sylvan Dell Publishing)
Silver: We Both Read: Thumbelina, by Hans Christian Andersen and adapted by Sindy McKay; illustrated by Quentin Gréban (Treasure Bay)
Bronze: Bumpy Books: Feel It, See It, Hear It, Say It, created by Ann Edwards and Karen Goldberg (Bumpy Books)

Congratulations to all the winners ... with special congrats to first-time authors Jennifer Fosberry, Sheila Moore, and Chuck Stump.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Blot the Vote Post - You Need to Vote ... My First Grader Did

UPDATED to include all appropriate links.

Blog the Vote is a one-day, online event where bloggers are taking a moment from their usual topics to talk about the importance of voting. Gregory K. Lee Wind and Colleen Mondor conceived the idea of a blog-wide event to share our thoughts on the importance of voting. Colleen is corralling all of the posts in a master list . Visit Blog the Vote 2008 at Chasing Ray.

When I first started thinking about Blog the Vote, I thought I would talk about our review of Declare Yourself: Speak. Connect. Act. Vote and Madam President. We are all about books, and that seemed like a logical idea. But as I thought about why I think every eligible citizen needs to vote – this year and every year – I strayed from books. The chance to read book reviews comes along every day, voting doesn't. Exercising your right to vote is as important as knowing how to read: it is a personal as it is vital. So here goes ...

My first memories of elections and voting came in 1972, when who our parents were voting for determined who would pick us for their dodge ball team. It was the summer I turned nine. Did I understand the issues? Not really. Did I pay more attention to discussions at the dinner table? Oh, yeah. I needed to know if I would have any friends to play with!

For my daughter, those first memories of elections will likely be 2008. Last spring her Kindergarten class read the Time for Kids issue that introduced Senator Barack Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton as presidential candidates. She remembers who they are and is quick to identify them when she sees a newspaper photo or television ad. She knows they want the job of running the United States of America. Does she understand the issues? No. Does she understand political parties? No. Does she understand the concept of voting? Yes! At six, she formulated her own ideas about why a particular candidate should be president. Are they the criteria adults use? No, but she can explain what's important to her in a leader.

Last week, some folks from the local wildlife center visited her K/1 class. The kids saw some animals up close and learned about endangered species, including manatees. Our daughter came home from school with a list (ballot) of manatees. She had to pick (nominate) one. Then her class would decide who to adopt (vote). Together, we read through their biographies (qualifications). After some thought – and a first-grader’s rationale (“he looks cute”) – she chose her favorite: Whiskers. On Wednesday, her first words to me were not “Hi, Mom.” They were “We voted for Deep Dent. Whiskers didn’t win.” In that simple exercise, 10 first graders and 10 Kindergartners learned that each person has a voice, that they need to have information to make an informed decision, and that they can decide for themselves … without someone telling them what choice to make.

My daughter will be able to vote in her first presidential election in 2020. Between now and then, she’ll have more chances to vote, and over time the elections will be bigger and more meaningful than picking a class manatee. With each cycle, she’ll learn a little more and understand what it means to be an informed person. Along the way, we hope she'll see that voting is part of her personal power. She will go with us to the voting booth on Election Day, the same as she has since she was three. We hope to show her that the only way to demonstrate your belief in free speech, fairness, and equality is to vote.

Voting is more than a privilege. It is an obligation of citizenship. If you do not vote, then you freely gave up your right to complain, criticize, celebrate, congratulate or debate with our elected officials, their ideas, their laws, their treaties, and the results. The founding fathers gave it to you, and you threw it away. Be there or be quiet.

I hope I you Tuesday at the polls. I'll be the one with a child, reading a book about a little girl who imagines what her jobs will be when she is president!

“Half of the American people never read a newspaper. Half never voted for President. One hopes it is the same half.” Gore Vidal

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Reading Habits: The School Library

Our elementary school, like many schools, has an an open-door policy. The students can visit the library any time. Some kids use the time between the first and second bells to deliver and pick out new books. Some head there after school. All students have Library Time as one of their scheduled "specials."

Like many parents, we get to explore the school library through our children. Our daughter is now a first grader, and it has been both interesting and fun to see books through her eyes. We've had everything from rhyming and picture books typical of a first grader to detailed books that fall just short of a textbook. It wasn't until recently, when I started thinking about her choices, that I recognized a pattern. Here's what we've read so far this year. I'm sure every librarian will have this by the third book. I didn't write down the first couple books, but they were about pirates and monsters. Next came ...

Our Body: Digestive System
Cheryl Jakab
(Smart Apple Media, 2007

Michael Recycle
by Ellie Bethel
Illustrated by Alexandra Colombo
Worthwhile Books, a Division of Idea and Design Works, LLC, 2008

Ghosthunters and the Totally Moldy Baroness
by Cornelia Funke

Pumpkin Heads
written and illustrated by Wendell Minor
Scholastic Paperbacks, 2007

Nathaniel Willy, Scared Silly
by Judith Matthews and Fay Robinson
Illustrated by Alexi Natchev
Bradbury Press, Macmillan Publishing Company, 1994

Until I sat down and looked at the titles, I hadn't put it all together. How recycling fits in still baffles me, but the theme -- based on my daughter's obsession since September -- is Halloween. I'll close with some thoughts about reading.

* If there is a theme or pattern, it will likely surface after just a few trips. It may be helpful to keep a list, because the patterns don't follow a "natural" progression. Knowing what interests your child makes it fun (and easy) to select books they're likely to enjoy.

* If you are asked a question about a specific subject, how something works, or your child is taking an interest in something new, encourage him to ask his librarian about books on the topic.

* Reading isn't always a front cover-to-back cover process. Sometimes it is okay if a child wants to flit from page 5 to page 9 and then back to page 6. But some books are more fun if you explore them randomly. For us, it was the book about the digestive system.

The important part is just taking time to share the library book with your child. Kids love being able to show independence in their decision-making, and selecting their own books can help reinforce that. The same "Wow, that's really cool!" you used when they showed you their latest artwork will make them feel just as special when you use it for the new book they just checked out, too.

Monday, October 06, 2008

Happy Anniversary: Five Years and Counting

Just about five years ago, I hit the "publish" button on a do-it-yourself website called The Reading Tub(r). Here is our first homepage. A lot has changed since then, and in the coming weeks we'll share a little history, talk about the future, and celebrate!

This will be a light week in the Tub because I will help decorate the John Paul Jones Arena for Martha's Market, a fund-raising event for women's health that kicks off this Friday. If you are in/around Charlottesville, it's a great event ... and you can get some holiday shopping out of the way!

This week's Reading Round-Up has lots of stuff to keep you reading while I'm gone.

Saturday, October 04, 2008

Children's Books Keep Me Up at Night (UPDATED)

Yes, there are times when I stay up way past my bedtime because I can't go to sleep until I find out what happens next. But sometimes, I'm staring at the ceiling because I am still thinking about something I read (or in this case heard) earlier in the day.

Yesterday I finally had a chance to listen to Mark and Andrea's discussion Pondering Self Publishing over at Just One More Book. Whether you are someone who write or illustrates books for children, or an adult who reads with kids, you'll find something valuable in their thoughts.
I listened to the Pondering Self Publishing podcast twice, spent some extra time reading the comments, and found myself nodding a lot. For this edition, Mark and Andrea offered their observations as people who are asked to review lots of children's books. They are very clear in asserting that they aren't experts. True, they may not be professional/traditional reviewers, but they are an expert audience: they are parents who read lots of books, on lots of topics, and can offer their own thoughts and the reactions of their daughters. They are the people (NOT reviewers) whom authors try to reach.

If you are an author or illustrator, I highly recommend that you stop by Just One More Book to listen to the podcast and read the discussion. It is more than worth your time. If you are an adult who reads with kids, I'd encourage you to listen to get the answer to the question "what should I look for in a good book?" Here are some ideas for quick things you can do to pick a good book, regardless of how it is published.

Look at the illustrations. Is the main character always in the same scene? Do you always see his/her face from the same angle, even if the background changes? Do their expressions match the text on the page?

Do the rhymes work? If this is a rhyming story, open the book to a random page and read the rhyme out loud (whisper-voice counts). Did you have to read it two or three times to make the sing-song element sound "right"?

UPDATED ITEM: Are there typos? Even the biggest publisher can make a mistake, so finding a typo or two isn't a problem. But, as Mark and Andrea point out, a regular pattern of errors detracts from the story and the quality of the product. This is particularly true when you are using the book as a way to supplement spelling and grammar.

What happened the last time you picked a book like this? Even if your reader/listener likes monster books, maybe s/he wants monsters to have friendly faces. This one might have dark colors and an air of spookiness.

How many >paragraphs are on a page? If the number of lines of text are twice the age of the child you are reading with, there may be too much text. For example, if you are reading with a 3-year-old, and there are four two or three-line paragraphs (9-12 lines), your reader may not stay with you.

The questions are offered as a way to help you decide if an unknown book is a good match for your reader or listener. If this isn't a child you read with, you can get helpful information on these same topics by asking someone who does read with the child.

What kind of images to they like: photographs?-illustrations in color? black-and-white sketches? cartoon images?
Do they like rhyming books?
Do they have a favorite subject?
Are there certain books they don't like?
How long will they sit for a story?

Reading with a child is so important, but it should also be fun. Here's to opening a great book!

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Help Kids Pick Their Own Books

For almost two weeks now, I've kept Gail Gauthier's post This Works for Me, Too as a starrred item in my blog reader. I didn't want to bury it in a Reading Round-up over at TubTalk, nor did I want it to get lost in the flurry of activity during Book Blogger Appreciation Week.

Gail's piece in her Original Content blog offers some of the best advice I've heard about helping kids pick out books for themselves. It's simple, they can remember it ... and so can you. Gail links to the Five Finger Test, a process kids can use to help them decide if a book they've picked out is too easy or too hard for them. There are actually two methods.

Goldilocks Rule For this process, readers answer a series of questions to determine if a book is too easy (e.g., have you read this book before, do you know every word); just right (is the book new, do you have some words you don't know); or too hard (are you confused about the content)?

Five Finger Test Open the book to a middle page and start reading. When you read a word you don't know (or can't say), hold up a finger. If, by the end of the page, you have five fingers up in the air, the book is too difficult, "so wave it goodbye." If you have no fingers up, go back to the Goldilocks Rule to determine if the book is too easy or just right.

Kids will remember the Five Finger Test and they carry the data collector with them everywhere. But the more valuable process comes from the questions in the Goldilocks Rule. These are good questions, as they focus not only on vocabulary and readability (i.e., processing words), but also comprehension and whether or not the child has someone who can help them with their reading.

A just right book requires "someone [who] can help you with the book when you hit a tough spot."
A too hard book is one where "everyone [is] busy and unable to help you if you hit a tough spot."

The questions are written at a reading level the kids can understand. I ran the Goldilocks Rule web page through Juicy Studio and it came back with a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of 3.79. That seems targeted at about the right level, as third grade is when you hit "independent reader" on most scales ... and it is also the reading level for millions of adults.

The current discussions in the UK about book banding are what ultimately led to Gail's discovery and her post. It's nice to know that something good and useful has surfaced from some of those discussions. Thanks, Gail.

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Reading Tub® Survey Results

The results are in! During April and May 2008, we had two surveys running. One survey collected data about how our visitors decide what children's books they want to read. The other survey asked people who came to the website about their visit.

First the Reading Survey. Our questions focused on selection and reading patterns: how do we pick books and when do we read them with kids. Key findings:

* 50% of our survey respondents learn about books they want to read from a family member or friends. Teachers or Librarians came in at 49.1%. Interestingly enough, when we asked them about what affects their selection decision the most, it was their child's interests (57%). Recommendations from other people ranked sixth (14.9%) for picture books and tied for fifth (with none of the above - 10.%) for chapter books.

* Technology is having an impact on how we collect information. 43% learn about books by reading blogs or visiting websites. Magazines/television came in at 26.3%, giving the Internet a nearly 2:1 edge.

* Parents consider their child's interests the primary criteria in selecting books, whether it is a picture book or chapter book. [57% for picture books, 59.6% for chapter books]

* When publishers add the reading level to their book jackets, people generally think this means that the numbers refer to the interest level (58.8%). If the "recommended age" is for reading level, then this needs to be more explicit.

Question: How do you learn about books you want to read with children?
50% - Family member or friends
49.1% - Teacher or Librarian
43.1% - blogs/websites
28.9% - Other
26.3% - Magazines/television
25.4% - merchant or eTail store

Question: When selecting children's books do you prefer to
... purchase them new (68.4%)
... borrow them from the library (24.6%)
... purchase them used (7.0%)

Question: When picking a picture book to read with a child, what affects your decision the most? (Pick up to two answers)
57% - It's something my child is interested in
50% - quality of the book
41.2% - quality of the illustrations
23.7% - will I like it
21.1% - recommended age/interest level
14.9% - reocommendations from other kids/parents

Question: When picking a chapter book to read with a child, what matters most to you? (Select up to two answers)
59.6% - Will my child like this
42.1% - quality of the book
33.3% - Is this a book we can read together
28.1% - reading level
13.3% - recommended age
10.5% - recommendations from other kids
- not applicable/none of the above

Question: When you see "recommended age" on a book, what does that mean?
58.8% - Interest Level (age of children w ho would be interested in this book)
33.3% - Reading Level (age of children who can read the book independently)
7.9% - Marketing Tool

Question: How often to you read with a child or children?
46.5% - daily
22.8% - periodically, we don't have a schedule
20.2% - several times a week
6.1% - once a week
4.4% - I don't read with kids.

Survey 2: What do you think about the Reading Tub® website? This was a shorter survey that was an effort to gauge traffic. It didn't look at the demographics of our visitors, just their sense of whether or not we have a valuable product. Key finding:

* More than half of the people taking the survey found us through a search engine query. Far outpacing other media methods.
* 76.5 of the people who had visited the site for the first time would come back again.
* Far fewer people took this survey than the reading survey. It could mean that people don't want to fill out pop-up surveys or they're tired of being surveyed.

QUESTION: How did you learn about the Reading Tub® website?
54.5% - Search engine
18.2% - News article or media reference
13.6% - Recommended by a friend/colleague/family member
9.1% - Other
4.5% - Advertisement

QUESTION: What brought you to the Reading Tub® website today?
50.0% - Looking for children's books
27.3% - Looking for information about reading
18.2% - Other
4.5% - Want my book reviewed

QUESTION: How often do you visit the Reading Tub® website or blogs?
54.4% - This is my first visit
27.3% - weekly
9.1% - a couple times per month
4.5% - daily, tied with couple times per year

QUESTION: If this is your first visit, will you return to the Reading Tub® again?
76.5% - Yes
17.6% - Maybe
5.9% - No

My thanks to everyone who took the time to answer our questions. You've given us some ideas about areas we need to expand (articles and ideas to encourage reading with your child), things we need to retool (our literacy sections), and things that don't need fixing right now. In addition, the surveys offer readers, educators, librarians, book reviewers, booksellers, publishers, and authors some thoughts about their audience on several levels, from who is picking books, how often they read, and how to promote your work.

Friday, March 28, 2008

News You Can Use

Here's some news that was sent to me courtesy of a weekly WashingtonPost email subscription.

The Partnership for Reading is offering a free 40-page booklet to help children become better readesr. The Partnership for Reading is a collaborative effort of the National Institute for Literacy, the US Department of Education, and the National Institute for Child Health and Development. As written in the eMail:

"The booklet will give you activities that you can do with your children, ages five to ten years, to help them read better."

Each family can receive one free copy. To order multiple copies, call 1-800-228-8813 or visit this Web site: http://www.edpubs.org/webstore/Content/search.asp.

Click here to get your copy of A Child Becomes a Reader: Kindergarten to Grade 3

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

The Book Bag, Podcast Reviews

We've got a special pocket in the Book Bag for Just One More Book!

Three times a week you can listen to podcasts of the books Mark and Andrea are reading with their girls. They've also got great interviews, like this one with Henry Winkler, who talks about dyslexia.

Here are some of recent favorites recommended by Just One More Book!

Books for Kids ages 0 to 3

There Were Monkeys in my Kitchen! by Sheree Fitch, illustrated by Marc Mongeau. "Concentrated comedy, chaos, and commotion explode from every detail-packed image and fervent verse of this frenzied celebration of syllables and silliness." (Doubleday Canada, 1992)

Spotty & Eddie Learn to Compromise by Lisa M. Chalifoux, illustrated by Heather Castles. "What could be more giggle-inducing than recognizing our own human foibles in a pair of sweet and spunky turtles? With its slapstick, smiles and airy, upbeat illustrations, this simple story helps us laugh at the silliness of squabbles and invites us to find a better way. "(Trafford Publishing, 2008)

Books for Kids ages 4 to 12

Lace, Lore and Laughter: Aunt Claire's Yellow Beehive Hair by Deborah Blumenthal, illustrated by Mary GrandPre. "Warmth, humour and fond remembrance waft through this beautifully worded and evocatively illustrated exploration of a young girl’s family tree — and the traits, trinkets and togetherness that sustain it." (Pelican Publishing Company, 2007)

The Lamp, the Ice, and the Boat Called Fish by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, illustrated by Beth Krommes. "Soothing speculation, striking details and spellbinding scratchboard art present a gripping account of The Karluk’s last icy voyage and the strength and resourcefulness that beat all odds."

READING TIPS

Thanks to technology, we can EASILY find just about anything we want to know about literacy and teaching kids to read. Of course, the other side of that coin is that a simple search can return thousands of results. Who are the real experts? Where are the answers? I can't understand the technical jargon, and I bet most of the parents looking for answers don't either. So ...

Jump in the Tub! Our goal is to promote reading and encourage families to read together. So when I find easy-to-use information, I will post it here. There is no regular schedule, just good stuff from people in-the-know that crosses my radar.

What Makes a Good Counting Book? This is a podcast by Dr. Patricia Stohr-Hunt, University of Richmond, Education Department.

I.N.K. Interesting Non-Fiction for Kids Check out this website that has great information about ways to make learning fun. Non-fiction is NOT the same as textbook ... stop by. You'll learn something!

Friday, February 15, 2008

The Wash Rag, Winter 2008 Edition

What a year it has been already! We can't wait to tell you about all of the things that are happening in the Reading Tub® You'll find all the same great stuff … just a little (dare we say it) splashier! To see the splashier web edition, click here.

CHAPTER ONE … General Tub Stuff

Welcome to all of our new subscribers and registered readers. We have just crossed the threshold of 1,000 people who at some point in the last 3½ years have sent us a book, asked us a question, or just registered!

Here in the Tub our bookshelves are bulging. In 2007, we received two books for every profile we posted. Even with publishing more than 235 profiles, we couldn’t seem to keep the number below 200 books waiting for review. Timely reviews are important, so we temporarily turned off the spigot to new clients in November 2007.

The good news is that we now have placed more than 150 books with reviewers. Some of those profiles are starting to come in. So as soon as we get the “pile” down to just 75 pending profiles, we will start accepting books from new authors and publishers again. I’m still hopeful that will happen by April 1. If you want to see where we are, just go to our Search page and check out the stats in the blue box.

We have renamed our One Letter at a Time Project. The purpose of the project is to place books with families that don’t have easy access to reading material. The goal is to have adults and children share the book together … hence the new name: Read it Together! Each donated book will be paired with a one-page guide that promotes reading in other ways.

The Soap Dish … Stuff We Are Bubbly About

Since we last published the Wash Rag (October 2007), we have more than tripled the number of family reviewers and schools participating in our Use Your ABCs program. Teachers and Library Media Specialists from around the country are getting kids engaged in reading and writing reviews. Here’s a sampling of what their doing …

Reviews prepared by Ninth Grade Advanced English students

Giving books to struggling Ninth Grade readers who read with first and second grade students.

Asking at-risk junior high students to read the books and write reviews … and let them keep the book!

Using a teacher’s read-aloud time to get a “class” review on a book.

Asking college students enrolled in library studies and early childhood education to select books to read with groups of kids.

If you are interested in learning more … or sharing an idea about how to get kids involved, please contact Terry.

More news ...

In 2007, the Reading Tub, Inc. donated books in excess of $3,700 in value to non-profits that work directly with children or who make books accessible to kids who wouldn’t otherwise have any reading material at home.

Thanks to an incredibly generous donation from Judson Press, the Reading Tub, Inc. has 288 new books for our Read it Together project.

CLICK HERE ... a new feature in the Wash Rag. These are sites that caught our attention as particularly valuable resources for getting kids excited about reading.

Jen Robinson’s Growing Bookworms newsletter is full of great stuff: book reviews, literacy tips, and articles. [Click link to preview.]

I.N.K. (Interesting Nonfiction for Kids) is a fascinating new blog that shows us how “real stuff” can be as captivating and powerful as fiction.

Bookmark Destined to Become a Classic if you are reading with or looking for books for middle grade readers (4^th to 6^th grade).

~ Author Showcase ~ Winter 2008 ~

The creativity of the human mind is incredible. Even as you read this, someone, somewhere is thinking up something incredible. I tend to focus on the stuff that helps our kids feel and become incredible. This quarter, we’d like you to meet four individuals who show us that ingenuity – when it comes to getting kids excited about reading – knows no bounds!

Frances Gilbert loves creating picture-book stories. She grew up in England during World War II, and has vivid memories of being entertained by stories while hiding in a bomb shelter! Frances’ stories can come from anywhere: an adventure with her grandchildren, or a what if question that pops in her head after reading about Peruvian history. Jump in the Tub to meet Frances Gilbert

For Amber Kingston five is an important number. She decided she wanted to be an author and illustrator in 5^th grade, thanks to a writing project. A visit from her cousin Laura (then five years old) inspired Laura and the Leprechauns, a story she modeled after one of her favorite books … that she got when she was five years old! Jump in the Tub to meet Amber Kingston.

Patrick “Packy” Mader grew up in America’s Heartland. Packy’s books are inspired by his own life: growing up with six brothers and sisters on a dairy farm. His first book is the result of a promise he made to his daughter. He is committed to producing timeless stories with lessons that everyone can enjoy (even if you don’t know how to milk a cow)! Jump in the Tub to meet Patrick Mader.

Tara Rison loves books, and she loves kids. When she decided to open her own preschool, she wanted to build the curriculum around children’s literature. To her surprise she couldn’t find a program that combined classic children’s books with age-appropriate, activities. So she combined her training and experience in curriculum development, her love of kids, and passion for reading and created The Itty-Bitty Bookworm, a program for preschools and parents. Jump in the Tub to meet Tara Rison

The next edition of the Wash Rag will showcase these authors. Click on the links to see their books in the Tub.

Leona Bodie deRosa, author of One is Fun, a picture book for toddlers

Peter DeWitt, author, teacher, reluctant reader, and national speaker on literacy and reading. SeeToaster Pond and Isabella … and the Room of Lost Brooms

Marianne Richmond Award-winning picture book author, illustrator, artist, and creative services consultant See: I Love You So…>, Hooray for You, I Wished for You; an Adoption Story and You Are My Wish Come True

There is still one slot left for Summer 2008.

The Final Rinse

It’s hard to believe that 2008 we mark “only” our fourth year as a full-fledged non-profit! We continue to be excited about our growth and the opportunities to make a difference. It also means we need to do things differently, too. As we get more engaged in the overlapping worlds of literacy and children’s literature, we remain committed to offering fresh, useful content … and not clogging your in-box in the process.

So keep those cards and letters coming. We are always excited to hear about new books and broadcast ideas that get kids (and the adults in their lives) excited about reading.

Friday, January 18, 2008

A Big Week for Awards

I have to laugh when I read the newspaper articles about the Writer's Guild strike and it's impact on the "big" media awards. The show can't go on, so to speak, because there is no one to write cue cards so someone can READ about what we watch (vs. read).

Why not just read some award-winners instead? This week the American Library Association presented its slate of award-winning books for the year. These are the most recognized awards in kid lit circles, but they aren't the only awards.

In the Tub, our goal is to encourage reading. For kid lit fans (parents, librarians, teachers) the Caldecott or Newberry or Prinze winners are likely books we've already read! But what about families where reading isn't a recreational activity?

There are plenty of parents who don't like to read, but who want their kids to read well. They want to find great books, but since they aren't big book fans, where should they look?

Start with the state book awards. In every state (except Mississippi) you will find at least one kids' choice award program. Who better than their child's peers to recommend a book they'll want to read? Here's The Reading Tub's Directory of state and regional awards programs in North America. All you need to do is "find" your state. All of the awards are listed in one place to make it easy.

Odds are, though, that folks don't know much about the awards because ... they aren't big readers. I'm not sure what the answer is when it comes to getting the word out, but all of us who are passionate about helping kids read ... not to mention those in the kid lit business ought to be able to come up with something.

Saturday, December 15, 2007

HOLIDAY BOOK DRIVE - CHILDEN'S BOOKS NEEDED

Write On! is the brainchild of Dallas Woodburn, a junior at USC. Every year, Write On! sponsors a holiday book drive to collect books for kids who would not otherwise have something to read!

The Write On Holiday Book Drive is in full swing. Here is the note I received from Dallas yesterday ...

Writer Andrea Accinelli is starting a book drive in her town of Unionville, Canada. Mike George in Oxnard has placed a change jar in his office to start collecting money to purchase books when December rolls around. And Cynthia Brian, radio host and founder of the nonprofit organization "Be The Star You Are" has already donated $600 worth of new books! Books and monetary donations can be mailed to me at:

400 Roosevelt Ct.
Ventura, CA 93003

Dallas will deliver books on Christmas Eve, so there is still one week to get them to her. If you prefer, you can drop the books off with a local charity and send her the count of the donated books. You can email her at woodburnwriteon [at] gmail.com or stop by her blog: dallaswoodburn.blogspot.com

Remember: These aren't toys, books are precious gifts that have lifelong benefits for a child.

Happy Holidays!

Friday, October 05, 2007

Children's Book Award Trivia

Do you know how many awards/award programs there are for children's literature and children's books? Until about three months ago when I started this "little" research project, I had no idea how many programs recognize outstanding children's books and children's literature. [Nope, sorry, you have to read to the end to get the answer.]

Why do I care about these author, illustrator and book recognition awards? Because for parents who want some help selecting books for their kids, award-winning titles are a great place to start.

There are national awards, regional awards, and state awards. There are awards for every audience (infant to teen) and book type (from picture to chapter), as well as some genre-specific awards. There are also unlimited sponsors, from library and reading associations to private foundations to TV networks and bloggers.

Most of the national awards are presented by institutions (foundations, professional associations, etc. in the reading/literacy business). At the regional and local level, the awards are often sponsored by these groups, but they are usually children's choice awards. Some programs let the kids nominate books for a list, read the books, and vote; others have the Committee collect nominations and prepare the list; then the kids read books from the list and vote.

So after lots and lots and lots of research, The Reading Tub, Inc. has put together an annotated directory of children's book award programs. Given the number of websites I had to go through to put together the lists, I am pretty comfortable in saying that The Reading Tub has one of the most comprehensive AND CURRENT directories of children's literature and book awards.

National Children's Literature & Book Awards Directory
State & Regional Children's Literature & Book Awards Directory

Children's book lovers will find the directories fun and a great place to start for finding books that are popular with kids.

Children's book authors will (hopefully) see the directories as a gold mine, particularly the State & Regional Directory. Visiting a school in Wyoming for a book signing? Ask the kids to consider your book for their student's choice Book Award program: Buckaroo (K to 2), Indian Paintbrush (grades 3 to 6); Soaring Eagle (grades 7 to 12). Wyoming is one of the states where the READERS not only vote for their favorite, they nominate them, too.

As it says in the directory: we will keep updating as we learn about new awards or changes in existing programs! Stop back here, or bookmark those links!

answer: There are more than 150 programs that present awards for children's literature. Reading industry awards, even children's choice, are book awards that recognize a book, author, and or illustrator. Commercially-sponsored programs (like iParenting, Dr. Toy, and the Quills) are generally Media Awards where "Children's Books" is one category of a broader award program.

Saturday, September 15, 2007

15 Minutes of Fame for Literacy

It is Saturday morning, and I should be sleeping in ... but instead I'm checking the overnight mail in the Tub. I was thrilled to see a note from Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author of the How to Do It Frugally series.

This has been our week for being In the News. Earlier this week, BlogCritics Magazine posted a two-part interview I did with Mayra Calvani. Today, it's Sharing with Writers. Read on!

It has been such a crazy week that I hadn't gotten to posting the interview with Mayra Calvani for BlogCritics Magazine that was published earlier this week. Here are the links:

Part 1: http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/09/08/190530.php
Part 2: http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/09/09/094710.php

And TODAY's news. On her blog Sharing with Writers, Carolyn is featuring an interview that I recently did with Jewel Sample. As you'll see in the interview, Jewel happened to find the Reading Tub while searching for an organization to review her new children's book Flying Hugs and Kisses. While that book was in our (ever-growing) queue, we struck up a cyber-conversation, and voila! an interview was born. So please visit Carolyn's site. Our interview is great (if I do say so myself) but the blog has some truly terrific stuff for writers and authors. http://www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com/

My thanks to Mayra, Jewel, and Carolyn for continuing to help the Reading Tub bring reading home to families!

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