For Kids

The World Book

What’s your favorite book?

That’s one question that often gets asked to authors during author visits or events.

That is a tough question for me.

To some, though, it’s an easy question, and many of the authors list their favorite book titles without hesitation. I’ve always been envious of the people who express such resolution and love for a book or books, especially when it comes to naming the books from one’s childhood.

I had a tough time learning to read. It was a struggle. I’d look at the page of text and see an overwhelming mishmash of words and letters. I’m sure that now I would have been diagnosed early and prescribed a program for my reading disorder, but those things were rare in early 1970s education. Especially in a lower-middle-class Catholic school, and even more so for an early elementary school kid who seemed to keep his head above water in class.

I was lucky, though. I had parents and a few teachers who noticed my problem and put me on the road to reading. My most vivid, non-recess, non-field trip, non-playday memories of first and second grade are when my teacher or a volunteer aide would pull me aside to another room and work with me on the Controlled Reader projector.

 

In a dark, quiet, and empty classroom, I learned to focus on the left word of a sentence and move slowly to the right. I practiced and practiced from one filmstrip to the next on moving my eyes from left to right. I worked on image strips to practice moving my eyes right to left. I practiced all this without moving my head. And guess what?

Things got better!

Reading was possible.

(There’s a really cool 2018 Wired story by writer Lisa Wood Shapiro on how she works to overcome her dyslexia and how technology is helping people become readers.) 

We didn’t have a boatload of books around the house when I was growing up. I learned to be a better reader through the assistance of my teachers and parents, but still struggled through the middle grades to be a bonafide reader. I loved The Jungle Book. The Disney movie captivated me from a very early age. We had a series of illustrated classics with about twenty pages of text per illustration. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas, Treasure Island, a few other titles I can’t remember, and The Jungle Book.

I loved that book.

But I never read that book.

I picked the book off the shelf a thousand times. I looked at the pictures a thousand times. Each time I tried to read that book but I reverted to seeing each page as an intimidating blob of letters and words. Frustration would set in, and I’d snap the book shut and return it to the shelf.

I know I should have said something to my parents or teachers. I should have sought help. But I was a big, shy kid and didn’t want to trouble anyone with this embarrassing problem.

Then something wonderful happened. A salesman came around the house and convinced my parents to buy a set of the World Book encyclopedia. My parents made a difficult decision to spend money we didn’t have on this set of books. They even splurged on the annual yearbook!

I found my reading life in those encyclopedias. Schoolwork forced me to open them, but the magic of information given in short bursts of text and pictures contained within was pure magic. Something clicked in my reader-brain. I figured it out.

I slowly became a better reader and a smarter kid. The set of World Book encyclopedias led to the Guinness Book of World Records, which led to comics, which led to the Hardy Boys, which led to eventually reading The Jungle Book. And you know what? It was as fantastic as the story I held in my head all those years.  

So next time I’m asked at an author event what my favorite book was, I have an answer.

The World Book.

Hands down.

After my Dad died and my Mom was preparing to move out of their house, she called and asked me what I wanted of their stuff. I know her idea of “stuff” meant furniture, dishes, etc., but without hesitation, I said I would like to have the World Book encyclopedias and yearbooks they’d used for the previous twenty years as a decoration on top of their kitchen cabinets.

My Mom laughed and thought I was joking, and she thought that until her eventual death. She’ll never know how important those books were to me and how huge a role they played in making me who I am today. I probably never really knew how much of a sacrifice it was for my parents to invest in buying this set of encyclopedias and the annual yearbook every year. These books are history. Part of our history.

I’m a firm believer in letting kids read what works for them. I’ve cut my reading teeth on baseball box scores, cereal boxes, baseball cards, etc. 

Reading is reading is reading is reading.

Reading is indeed a superpower.

 

Creative Writing Prompts for Young Authors

children writingEnjoy these prompts. Here are a few tips:

 

  • Don’t worry about being perfect
  • Let your imagination run wild
  • Write about things that excite you
  • Read your story out loud to catch fun details
  • Have fun with your writing!

 

Imagine…

  • You wake up one morning and discover you can talk to animals. What conversations do you have, and what adventures unfold?
  • You find a magical key that can open any lock in the world. What would you unlock, and what would you discover?
  • Write a story about a day in the life of your favorite toy when no one is looking.
  • You’ve been chosen to be the first kid to live on a space station. Describe your first week there.
  • A mysterious package arrives at your doorstep with no return address. What’s inside, and how does it change your day?

 

About You…

  • Describe your perfect day from start to finish. What makes it so special?
  • If you could have any superpower, what would it be? How would you use it to help others?
  • Write about a time when you felt proud of yourself and why.
  • Imagine you could trade places with an adult for a day. Who would you choose, and what would you do?
  • What is the most important lesson you’ve learned from a friend or family member?

 

Explore…

  • ]You discover a hidden door in your school that leads to a completely different world. What does this world look like?
  • Write a story about a friendship between two completely different creatures.
  • If trees could talk, what stories would they tell about the world they’ve seen?
  • Create a new invention that would make life easier for kids your age. How does it work?
  • Describe a magical creature that no one has ever seen before. What are its special abilities?

 

Connect with Others…

  • Write about a time when you helped someone and how it made you feel.
  • Imagine you could solve one problem in your community. What would it be, and how would you fix it?
  • Describe a moment when you acted brave, even though you were scared.
  • If you could send a message to kids around the world, what would you say?
  • Write about a time when you learned something new about yourself.

 

Have Fun…

  • You’ve been chosen to design a new holiday. What would it celebrate, and how would people celebrate it?
  • Write a story about what happens in your classroom after everyone goes home.
  • Imagine you can shrink to the size of an ant for a day. What adventures would you have?
  • If your favorite food could talk, what would it say about being eaten?
  • Create a story about a day when everything goes wrong but turns out amazing in the end.

 

Hope you enjoyed stretching your imagination and coming up with new ideas. Why not share your stories with a favorite teacher or some of your friends?

Do you have any suggestions for story prompts? Feel free to share them in the comments below.

The Spooky Season is Almost Here! (Let’s get ready)

As Halloween creeps closer, it’s the perfect time to gather some spooky middle-grade reads to get into the eerie spirit! Here’s a roundup of five novels that will have young readers on the edge of their seats—but not too scared to sleep!

The Ghost Rules by Adam Rosenbaum

Why: Rosenbaum expertly walks the line between hilarious and heartbreaking.

Twelve-year-old Elwood McGee has the rare ability to see ghosts, and while they’re more nosy than scary, he’s determined to use his power to reconnect with his late brother. With the help of two friends, Elwood embarks on a heartwarming and humorous journey (the world of ghosts is surprisingly funny!) through the ghostly realm, learning about grief and letting go.

Hart & Souls by Lisa Schmid

Why: No one captures the middle-grade voice better than Lisa Schmid!

Stix Hart just wants to fly under the radar in middle school, but things take a spooky turn when he discovers three ghostly students who need his help. Now, Stix must summon his courage to solve the mystery of their decades-long stay and help them move on—before time runs out.

The Inn Between by Marina Cohen

Why: Scary and thought-provoking in equal measure.

Eleven-year-old Quinn embarks on a trip with her best friend, Kara, and Kara’s family, only to find themselves stranded in a creepy Victorian hotel where strange disappearances and eerie happenings unfold. As Quinn and Kara search for Kara’s missing family, they must unravel the hotel’s dark secrets before it’s too late.

Midnight at the Barclay Hotel by Fleur Bradley

Why: Bradley is a masterful mystery writer.

When JJ Jacobson’s weekend ghost-hunting trip turns into a real-life murder mystery, he must team up with his new friends to clear his mother’s name. With a killer on the loose and the possibility of meeting ghosts, this is one getaway JJ will never forget.

The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

Why: Auxier creates a creepy atmosphere that leaps right off the page.

Two abandoned Irish siblings find work at a decaying English manor, only to discover a haunting specter and an ancient curse that threatens their lives. This Victorian ghost story weaves a chilling tale of greed and the power of storytelling, delivering a mesmerizing, timeless read.

These five books will add just the right amount of spooky fun to any reader’s fall reading list, making them perfect companions for a thrilling Halloween season!

This is my last post for MUF! While I’ve had a blast sharing favorite titles with you over the years, I’ll be shifting my focus to writing (and finishing!) novels and book coaching. Hope to see you out in the real world sometime soon but in the meantime visit my linktree and let’s connect! Happy reading and writing, friends!