Posts Tagged reluctant readers

Author Spotlight: Guy Bass

By on September 11, 2026   /   Articles, Author Interviews  
Headshot for Guy Bass, author

In today’s author spotlight, Landra Jennings chats with Guy Bass about his newest chapter book, Scrap, illustrated by Alessia Trunfio, and published by Pengiun Random House on 9/1/26, just in time for back to school. Available now!

Cover of SCRAP by Guy Bass, robot with bright light behind it

The first in an original and entertaining sci-fi series for middle school readers from the award-winning author Guy Bass. For fans of the worldbuilding in WALL-E and the themes in The Wild Robot!

The year was Something Something. Humans had spread like peanut butter across the galaxy, looking for new planets to call Somewhere… One of those planets was Somewhere Five One Three.

When the humans arrive on Somewhere 513, they discover that the robots sent to prepare the planet for humanity’s arrival have chosen to keep it for themselves. Only one robot remains loyal: K1-NG, aka King of the Robots. But even with the most powerful robot on their side, the outlawed humans don’t stand a chance.

Ten years later, Gnat and her sister Paige are the only humans left and have spent their lives hidden underground. Now they must venture out in search of the one robot that stood by the humans. There’s just one problem—the once mighty K1-NG has vowed to never help another human for as long as he lives…

 

Interview with Guy Bass

LJ: I’m excited to dig into SCRAP. The interplay between human and machine intelligences has never been more timely. And this one promises to add a lot of adventure to the mix! Where did you get the initial inspiration to write this novel?

GB: I was reading about the export of waste, and the vast piles that have built up all over the world. An image popped into my head of a rusty robot sitting on a pile of discarded robot bodies, each more impressive than the one he was occupying. It’s more or less the image on the cover. I liked the idea of a robot city whose citizens had become vainly obsessed with self-improvement. With enough currency (charge) they could upgrade their bodies – their cases – and then discard the ones they no longer wanted.

I knew Scrap had to start out at the lowest point possible. When he was brought online, he was the most powerful robot ever made but ended up downgraded to the rustiest, crummiest case on the planet. He’s spent years on a pile of parts, angry and bitter and resentful but at the beginning of the book he’s just starting to accept his fate … then the last humans on the planet show up and throw his life into chaos.

C3-PO and R2-D2, Star Wars

LJ: What makes you uniquely qualified to tell this story?

GB: Nothing, except that I told it! My obsession with robots is definitely not unique; a nerdy corner of my generation were co-parented by Transformers, R2-D2 and C3-PO, Machine Man, Robotman, K-9, Johnny 5, Twiki, Zax…

The Unique Twists of Scrap

LJ: How does this title differ from some of your other stories?

GB: Scrap is aimed at a slightly older readership than I generally write for so the stakes are higher, the drama is more intense and the consequences of character’s actions are more significant and far-reaching. The book is also two or three times longer than my usual, so it took me a while to appreciate how much more breathing space I had in terms of world-building and the characters’ inner monologues.

LJ: Did you ever find your characters acting in ways that even you hadn’t predicted?

GB. Absolutely, especially Paige, who’s wildly protective of her little sister. I didn’t imagine her being quite so hard-nosed and intense but the minute she and Gnat were out in the world with nothing but their quest to find the King of the Robots, I found she was unpredictable. I wanted her to warm to Scrap but she was so single-minded and suspicious I wasn’t sure it was going to happen.

LJ: It must have been exciting to see your characters and situations come to life through Alessia’s illustrations. Did you have a particular scene that you liked best?

GB: I’m a huge fan of Alessia’s work. There’s a section in the book where Scrap is trying to get his old body back. He’s convinced it’s being occupied by another ‘bot and takes him on in a gladiatorial arena. Alessia captures the moment perfectly, from Scrap’s determination to the sheer size of the task (and robot) as well as the raucous atmosphere of the ‘Bot Bout stadium.

Finding the Fun

LJ: What do you hope readers take away from this novel?

GB: I hope they enjoy it! Beyond that, I’m hoping not to hope too much. I’m trying to teach myself – badly! – not to anticipate the reader’s reaction – not to obsess too much as I write about what they might think or how I want them to feel. I keep trying to tell myself that while I write, it’s mine. And I should enjoy that because as soon as it’s finished, I have to leave that world and those characters behind and the story belongs to whoever reads it.

LJ: What’s your favorite thing about being a writer and storyteller?

GB: Doing something for my job that I did for fun. I spent my childhood making up stories with my brother and we never thought about sharing them with anyone else. It was enough that we made them. The doing of it – the making of it – was the whole point. I still can’t believe that somebody might entertain the idea of turning one of my stories into a book, and then a bunch of people might actually want to read it.

Looking Ahead

LJ: Is there anything else you’d like us to know? Do you want to share anything about other upcoming projects?

GB: Look for the Stitch Head graphic novels – full-color comic book adaptations of the original novels with artwork by the brilliant series illustrator, Pete Williamson. The Ghost of Grotteskew is the third in the series and it might be my favorite.Stitch Head book cover

However, I can’t possibly suggest that you track down The Worst Thing That Could Possibly Happen. It’s a collection of short horror stories with incredible illustrations by David Roberts. But, once you read it, you’ll know about the Sideways Doors and the World Behind the World. Once you’ve read it, it can’t be unread. You have been warned.

 

Because no MUF interview is complete without a…

Lightning Round

Coffee or Tea?

Coffee. I’m more coffee than man these days.

Sunrise or Sunset?

Sunset.

Favorite City (besides the one you live in)?

Tokyo.

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor?

Cheesecake.

Favorite Book From Childhood:

George’s Marvellous Medicine.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be? 

The power to be wittier in interviews? No wait, flight! But not the flight power I have in my dreams, where if I go too high I get nervous and start to sink back down to earth. Sheesh.

 

LJ: This illustrated chapter book sounds like the start to a series perfect for reluctant readers. Thank you so much for being with us today, Guy!

About the Author and Illustrator

Guy Bass is an award-winning author whose children’s books series include Stitch Head, SCRAP, Skeleton Keys, Spynosaur and lots of books that don’t begin with ‘S’ like Dinkin Dings, Anna Gain, Laura Norder and Noah Scape. In 2010, Dinkin Dings and the Frightening Things won the Blue Peter Award for Most Fun Book with Pictures.

He’s also written plays for both adults and children. He’s previously been a theatre producer, illustrator, temp, gerbil whisperer and has acted his way out of several paper bags. He spent his childhood reading comics and hoping one day to become a superhero. He spends his adulthood in more or less the same way. He lives in London with his wife and imaginary friends.  

Alessia Trunfio was born in southern Italy in 1990 but grew up in Rome, where she still lives. She has wanted to be an illustrator since she was a child but she hasn’t excluded the possibility of becoming an astronaut.

After graduating in 2013 with an Animation Degree from the International School of Comics in Rome, Alessia has worked as background artist for some of the most important animation studios in Italy. She currently works as a freelance artist on various animation and illustration projects. Fundamentally passionate about cinema, anime, literature, indie music, and fried food, Alessia is an eclectic, energetic, and inexhaustible illustrator. She uses digital techniques for her art, which is constantly evolving. Powerful colors, lighting, and everything that can move her, like a beautiful soundtrack or a good book, inspires her work.

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Reluctant Reader Meet Reluctant Writer

By on April 17, 2025   /   Articles, Writing  

Young girl sitting at her desk with her head down in a book.

As educators, parents, and creatives, we are very familiar with the notion of the reluctant reader: young—and old—readers who dread picking up a book, yet alone finishing it! Educators struggle with recommending interesting stories to unmotivated readers. Parents struggle with unfinished library books that their children just HAD to have. Writers struggle with creating unique and binge-worthy tales for their audiences. While the concept of a reluctant reader is well known, its counterpart—the reluctant writer—may not be as popular. 

Some students may be labeled as reluctant writers because they have a deadly aversion to writing. Be it a short-answer response on their exams, or a creative story for an assignment, reluctant writers have zero desire to put their thoughts down on paper for whatever reason. This scenario happens to the best of us and I would proudly declare that I consider myself to be a reluctant writer. Even if I know I have amazing stories to tell, when it comes time to sit down and put pen to paper, my brain shuts down!

For many of us, the start of a new project is always exhilarating. It’s thrilling to sit up and think about new characters, new worlds, and new loves. The entire process is always exciting at the beginning. When you open up a fresh, blank document and start typing your first words, all of your ideas flow easily onto the page. The story starts off strong and your characters come to life while you document their trials and tribulations. Your plot thickens as you hit a groove and steadily add to your word count day after day after day. But then suddenly, it happens without warning ~ writer’s block. 

Clip art of a boy at his desk with his hand on this chin, staring into space.

Your ideas become stale, your writing stalls. Your blank pages stare back at you, judging your ineptitude. Your characters whisper behind your back and mock your inability to continue the story. Your world fades the longer you miss your streak and fail to add new words. Eventually, you stop opening the document and move on to a different project. Another manuscript sits in your folder, hoping to see the light of day again, but you both know that story is done. This vicious cycle of new stories, vigorous writing, stalled plotlines, and incomplete manuscripts lives at the heart of today’s truth. 

Writing is numbing. 

It’s extremely difficult to maintain a strict writing schedule when you have life coming at you from all sides. Plus, brilliance rarely strikes every day, so I believe it’s bad practice to force yourself to write every day. Burnout is real and so is the pain of being unable to complete your beloved manuscript. This pain becomes so numbing, you’re unable to do anything else. 

Yet knowing that inspiration comes when it wants, it’s very possible you’ll miss it if you don’t have a steady routine. I know this sounds very contradictory, but the writing process is not just about writing. There are so many other writing-related things you can do when you are caught in the middle of a creative drought. 

Learn to acknowledge the numbing feeling of writer’s block and look for ways to break free from it. Invention is the most difficult part of creation, regardless of the medium you work in. And it’s hard to find the right words to articulate the vision you have in your head. Oftentimes, the words don’t want to come or the scenes just don’t flow.

To trigger my creative side, I’ll take a break from forcing myself to write and wind down by reading or watching shows. Once inspiration hits, I’ll have a brainstorming session to help me get over my writer’s block. Nothing major or planned. Just a quick free write to jot possible ideas down on paper. Usually, this gives me a starting point for stalled manuscripts and I will feel ready to return to them.

Another helpful tip is having writer friends or accountability partners that understand what you’re going through and can pull you out of your self-inflicted misery. We all go through bouts of imposter syndrome, but it doesn’t mean you need to succumb to this malady. It’s important to acknowledge when we’re feeling this blockage and fight to find a way to step away from the numbing pain to seek another new beginning. 

Aerial shot of a group of writers sitting a table with their laptops, notepads, clipboard and drinks during a session.

The more you allow yourself to write without restraint, you’ll find the ideas flowing more freely. Eventually, you’ll find your creative groove and hopefully move away from being a reluctant writer to a productive one! Just know that we’ve all been there and if you ever need a positive push, my inbox is always open! Signing off from the trenches, I’m manifesting great writing sessions and envisioning everyone finding your voice and creating some amazing stories to inspire the next generation of reluctant readers and writers! 

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The Five Different Types of Readers: What Authors and Educators Can Learn From them

By on November 14, 2018   /   Articles, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers, For Writers  

As an author, I’ve found that it’s useful to understand different types of readers, so I can better understand for whom I might be writing my stories.

I’m going to offers up some definitions I created based on the work of literacy scholar Kylene Beers, who breaks readers into five distinct groups: Avid Readers, Dormant Readers, Uncommitted Readers, Unmotivated Readers and Unskilled Readers.

The Avid Reader—This is someone like myself and my older son Jonah. My husband has been known to pull the cereal boxes off the table to get us to eat. But that doesn’t stop Jonah and me. Oh no. We’ll happily read the back of any brand of orange juice carton. We are even known to flip over the napkin holder because it has interesting warnings in both Spanish and in English that it would be a bad idea to eat the napkin holder.

The Dormant Reader—This is a reader who might enjoy reading but doesn’t have time. In the case of a child, she or he might be overscheduled or it’s not the highest thing on their priority list of things-to-do. They’ve heard a certain book is good and think it’s cool and do want to get there. Eventually.

The Uncommitted Reader—This person feels ambivalent towards reading. They believe that someday they’ll read but that day isn’t quite today.

Unmotivated Reader—This reader never reads for pleasure and finds reading a big, fat ugly chore.

Unskilled Reader—This reader doesn’t yet have the skills to decode text.

These definitions have helped me to be understand reluctant readers and to climb out of my own experience.
I was one of those voracious readers, so I didn’t understand why everyone else was not like me.

Take my younger sister growing up. She really would be practicing her lacrosse goalie skills or watch TV or hanging with oodles of friends. But rarely ever reading.

I didn’t get her. And she didn’t get me.

I was that shy kid always playing pretend or reading books about girls from another century.

While I never bothered to try to coax my sister to pick up one of my thick novels, my mother never gave up on my sister as a reader. She bought her the Choose Your Own Adventure books, as well as read aloud to her quite a bit. When my sister got into music of the Doors, she bought a book on the band.

Today, my sister is a librarian and probably reads more than me. My mother understand that the unmotivated reader can become the uncommitted reader who then can become the avid reader.

So the lesson here is just because a kid is currently in one category, it doesn’t mean they will stay there. And it doesn’t mean that an avid reader will always stay there either. For example, I found that when my kids were babies my reading really dropped. I was lucky to have enough time to read the back of the cereal box. When it comes to reading status, things can be fluid. This can be true for authors in terms of their intended readers as well.

My recent middle grade novels, Apple Pie Promises and Pumpkin Spice Secrets, obviously target reluctant readers. However, the first titles in my new chapter book series, Ellie May on Presidents’ Day and Ellie May on April Fools’ Day are hybrids. I tried to write it for both the young avid reader and the uncommitted one. But I’m ever hopeful that the unmotivated reader will also be charmed by Ellie May’s personality and antics. Since I don’t write beginning readers, I can’t hope to hook an unskilled reader, except as a read aloud. And if it that were the case, I would be very happy indeed.

What sort of reader were you as a kid? Where are you now? Teachers, do you see a huge spread in your classrooms. And authors, whom do you write for?

Hillary Homzie is the author of the forthcoming Ellie May chapter book series (Charlesbridge, Dec 18, 2018), as well as Apple Pie Promises (Sky Pony/Swirl, October 2018), Pumpkin Spice Secrets (Sky Pony/Swirl, October 2017), Queen of Likes (Simon & Schuster MIX 2016), The Hot List (Simon & Schuster MIX 2011) and Things Are Gonna Be Ugly (Simon & Schuster, 2009) as well as the Alien Clones From Outer Space (Simon & Schuster Aladdin 2002) chapter book series. She can be found at hillaryhomzie.com and on her Facebook page as well as on Twitter.

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