Books4Boyz

Don't Underestimate Sophisticated Young Readers of Today

2014-05-12T15:39:00.000-06:00

I was surprised by a bunch of first graders at an author visit last week with Mrs. Attard's class at Kohl Elementary in Broomfield, CO. After reading my new picture book (Ninja, Ninja, Never Stop!) with them, I found out that each of these six and seven year olds wanted to be a ninja (or in several instances, ninja princesses). That didn't surprise me. What did surprise me was how sophisticated these kids were with the writing process.

I began quizzing the class about what makes a good story and what their first step should be. I expected them to say to shout out a number of possible responses. My plan was to introduce the holy trinity of writing: character, plot and setting.

But I didn't expect what I got.

First, one young boy said, "You start with a Bold Beginning."

"What does that mean," I asked after a pause.

"It means you need to have something interesting enough to hook your reader's attention," he answered.

"Then you need a Mighty Middle," added another kid. "And an Excellent Ending."

A third suggested, "You need to show conflict and then resolve it at the end."

This blew me away for young writers to have such an awareness. I know for a fact that this was not part of the curriculum when I was a kid. There was much more emphasis on penmanship than on the elements of storytelling in writing.

I had a wonderful time with these kids, but walked out of the room shocked. I wondering if these kids are so sophisticated as writers, imagine how discerning they must be as readers. This was a challenge to me and to every writer, parent and educator putting books into these children's hands. We need to validate and checkmark every:

Bold Beginning that hooks a young reader
Mighty Middle that transports them to new worlds
and Excellent Ending that encourages them to pick up the next book.

We need to up our game.

BRAIN RESEARCH & LITERACY (part 3): Interview with NYT Best Selling author, Michael Gurian

2014-04-23T09:44:00.001-06:00

Today we have the 3rd and final part of our interview with Michael Gurian. Michael is a marriage counselor and New York Times bestselling author of 26 books.

In this addition, Michael discusses gender specific strategies for raising and educating boys. You'll hear about:

The Pinocchio Effect
Male/Female Differentiated Learning
Writers and Educators in 3-Family System
Significance of The Quest in literature
Whole-Brain Approach to Boys' Education

Pet Scan showing brain activity in male vs. female

BRAIN RESEARCH & LITERACY (part 2): Interview with NYT Best Selling author, Michael Gurian

2014-04-09T20:40:00.002-06:00

Today we have the 2nd part of a 3-part interview with Michael Gurian. Michael is a marriage and family counselor in private practice and the New York Times bestselling author of twenty six books published in twenty one languages.

In this edition, Michael discusses:

the growing literacy gap between girls and boys
some of the more than 100 differences between male and female brains (structural, chemical, and processing)
significance of testosterone in brain development

Check back for Part 3.

BRAIN RESEARCH & LITERACY (part 1): Interview with NYT Best Selling author, Michael Gurian

2014-03-14T13:21:00.001-06:00

I'm so pleased to bring to this blog and 3-part interview with Michael Gurian. Michael is a marriage and family counselor in private practice and the New York Times bestselling author of twenty six books published in twenty one languages. The Gurian Institute, which he co-founded, conducts research internationally, launches pilot programs and trains professionals. As a social philosopher, Michael has pioneered efforts to bring neuro-biology and brain research into homes, schools, corporations, and public policy.

Check back in a few weeks for parts 2 and 3.

Widen the Options to Make Choices Easy

2013-12-23T17:10:00.001-07:00

I find myself frustrated at restaurants who offer pages and pages of menu choices. If I can't find something I like in the first five or six options, then that's my problem. My logic is that a restaurant can only do so many things really well. I limit myself now when I go out to stop searching at the first dish that catches my attention.

Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work

Chip Heath and Dan Heath, the authors of Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work, contend that in most cases widening our options lead to better decision making. They claim narrow framing to be "the first of our villains of decision making."

Too often we look at options yes/no or one item or course of action versus another. We limit ourselves by thinking there is only one right possibility. Parents and educators fall into this trap when it comes to literacy. We have a habit of labeling certain things "not real reading."

I found with my own son no easier way to turn him as a young reader off of reading than telling him what he had to read. I was saying what he liked -- Calvin & Hobbes, Guinness Book of Records -- was wrong. The truth is you can develop literacy skills to an extent reading the back of cereal box.

Let's widen our view; let's widen the label of reading. We need to encourage an excitement for written word wherever you see it.

How?

In play, for example, use toy cars with stop and yield signs. Even signs with symbols rather than words are teaching important reading and communication concepts. You're giving building blocks to the young reader to be.

Widen the options for the budding readers. There is a dinosaur kid, a car kid, and a princess kid in every classroom. Make sure they feel valued with their interests.

Then, follow up. Show you're watching and that you're interested in what they are doing and learning.

Every child can become a reader. Let's help them by avoiding the mistake of putting children in the position where the only alternative to the uninteresting option is not reading at all.

The Speed of the Game

2013-12-06T10:14:00.002-07:00

Yesterday, I was watching an interview with Miami Dolphin quarterback, Ryan Tannehill. The ESPN host, Trey Wingo, asked what the biggest difference playing quarterback in college versus the professional ranks. Tannehill gave the standard answer I've hear so many times before from other players making this transition. The hardest part according to him is getting used to the speed of the game. As you'd expect, it's much faster at the professional level.

It takes time and repetition to be able to see and understand then make the right decision when things are coming at a player. You can't coddle a new player because there is no growth without challenge. The other side of the coin is that you can't simply throw him into the fire without support and protection or he'll be overwhelmed. This has been proven out with too many highly regarded players becoming busts.

It is very similar to struggling young readers. Too often it's young boys who become overwhelmed. There is too much, too quickly expected. We as parents and teachers don't appreciate the gap that may exist between the best readers in the class or an older sibling compared to this struggling young boy.

It doesn't help with a full summer off from reading. We can't expect them to then hit ground running the next fall. Even football players have some training camp before the real season starts again.

So we need to incorporate the successful strategies of training a young quarterback to understand the speed of the game into our literacy efforts with reluctant and struggling readers. It's all about repetition and increasing challenges gradually. We can't overwhelm our young readers. Not every college quarterback has the ability to become an NFL star. But every young person DOES have the ability to become a star reader.

Everything Counts

2013-12-04T13:46:00.001-07:00

You want your kids or students to read? Easy read with them. Make it one of your habits and see how it becomes a habit with the kids around you.

Kids establish their habits early by mimicking the adults around them. So whatever is important to you will show up as things that are important to them.

I've heard it said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." I say, rather than where you spend your money, it's where you spend your time. There you will find your true heart. If television or web surfing rather than together time reading, playing or conversing is where you spend your time, don't be surprised that your kids follow suit. Your kids and students deserve your heart. So make the time matter, cause everything counts.
Check this out. Here is a dad, Dicken Schrader, who really gets it. He and his kids have a Depeche Mode cover band. Have you ever seen your kids so inspired, involved and committed?

Compound Interest

2013-11-26T16:31:00.000-07:00

Einstein is rumored to have declared compounding interest the most powerful force in the universe.
Regardless of whether it was in fact Einstein who said it, the power of dedicated investment even in small amounts, can pay off with great returns.

Putting away $10 each month from the time your child is born can make a much bigger impact in paying for his eventual college tuition than waiting until he hits high school to start saving.

The same can be true when we're talking about literacy with children. Just like saving that $10 each month, developing reading skills is a habit. The earlier reading becomes a habit and the earlier its value is placed in life, the more these skills has chance to grow exponentially in a youngster.

So how are habits (good or bad) developed? New York Times Journalist Charles Duhigg asks that question in his book, The Power of Habit. After following many research projects studying the brain, Duhigg concludes the following.

A cue or stimulus leads to an action.
The action becomes a routine.
The routine must result in a reward.

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business

After a few cycles, the brain identifies the desired reward as the result of the routine. It begins to hard-wire the pattern to satisfy the desire starting with some cue. With many of our habits, it's easy to identify each of these. Maybe it's you or your child who gets home from a long day at work or school. We walk in the front door and exhale. That's our cue to begin the routine of turning on the television. We get a laugh or two or our fill of news while our brain releases chemicals indicating pleasure as the reward.

The problem, though, with reading and literacy skills is that we often forget the reward. The cue is when Mom or Dad tells junior to sit down and read so he can mark it off his weekly reading log. The routine is the boy actually doing it. However, we too often forget about the reward. It isn't enough to simply mark it off the checklist. When routine has NO REWARD, it becomes a chore.

Reading is too important to be a mundane chore. It has be compete with a good laugh from an after school cartoon. This is one BIG reason we need to be very careful what we label as "reading." Even if he's reading comics, or graphic novels or even writing his own Christmas list, he's developing literacy skills through his own interests. Satisfying those personal interests pays off as the reward.

We as parents and educators need to be attuned and involved in these interests. The earlier we do, the greater his interest in reading will compound.

All About the Craft

2013-08-26T12:00:00.000-06:00

As writers, you are told many things.

   Keep up with the market.
   Build your platform using Social Media.
   Network.
   Have a hook.

But the one thing above all else that we're told is Develop Your Craft.

How do you do that? If you are a writer of children's and young adult literature, you should look into the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators. They have resources and events from big scale conferences where you can meet editors and agents down to a local schmooze where you can get together with other writers to talk craft.

If you are anywhere near Denver, CO, consider attending the Letters and Lines: Rocky Mountain SCBWI 2013 Fall Conference September 28-29.

Find details at The Bookshelf Detective
http://kimscritiquingcorner.blogspot.com/2013/07/letters-and-lines-coming-this-fall.html

August 27 Release of Freak the Mighty 20th Anniversary Edition

2013-08-22T21:58:00.000-06:00

Kids all over the country are headed back to school. My son went back today for his first day of middle school. Over a long summer, kids change. Some mature faster. New interests are formed. The separation from everyday friends over the 3 month break amplifies the changes in kids. Those who were friends one year may no longer find that comfortable fit with old friends. And in a new atmosphere like middle school incidents of bullying soar. For many, there is heightened anxiety when school rolls back around.

Freak the Mighty 20th Anniversary Edition

Every kid can probably relate to a bullying sotry because most kids know what it's like to be bullied. Most bullies were bullied themselves at one point. There are so many wonderful books, from timeless stories like Blubber by Judy Blume to new classics such as Warp Speed by Lisa Yee to help a kid through this anxiety.

August 27th marks the release of the 20th Anniversary edition of my favorite, Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick. The author deals so tenderly with the friendship of two boys who individually do not fit into their world but together are mighty. Kudos to Philbrick, editor Bonnie Verburg and Blue Sky Press for rekindling the flame of this beautiful story and shining light on friendship in the face of adversity.

Comment here to list some of your favorites. If you don't have one, here are a few that will soon be at the top of your list.

I Am Jack

Warp Speed

Blubber

Zero to Hero

Loser

Does this Book Come with a Test?

2013-08-12T08:00:00.000-06:00

This year I became an Archery Leader for my kids' 4H club. In my leadership training, our group was asked, "How close to the target do you have a first time or young archer stand?"

A few ventured guesses. 10 meters? 5 meters?

The answer?
As close as you need to ensure immediate success.

It should be the same with reading. There is scientific basis for many children maturing later than others. There is a higher percentage evident in the young male population. The response of many parents and even educators is to push harder. The result is early failure, early resistance to reading.At the 2013 SCBWI Summer Conference in Los Angeles, author/speaker Jon Scieszka pointed to his own son's experience. "Jake thought every book comes with a test," he said.

Our mission as writers, educators, parents and librarians is to help kids realize that reading can be for pleasure. Scieszka challenged us to expand the definition of what reading can be. As a former elementary school teacher, he read the sports pages, comics, graphic works and collections like the Guinness Book of World Records with his reluctant readers. Many of these things come with a stigma of not being "Real Reading."

The key, though, is to engage your young reader in any way that hook them. Ensure immediate success.

WRITERS' BLOCK: Welcome Your Doubts

2013-08-09T15:03:00.000-06:00

At the 2013 SCBWI Summer Conference in Los Angeles, Laurie Halse Anderson encouraged attendees in her "Here Be Magic Woven" keynote, to think of the conference community as a fire circle. This is a place to keep darkness at bay, a place where we can share.

As writers sitting alone at a computer wondering where we'll find the next line (or worse, yet, where we'll find the first line), we've all looked into the face of that darkness and know it by name. "Welcome to the darkness," Anderson begged us. "Welcome to your doubts."

We can think of our books as fire circles, too. Young readers come to our works because of the darkness and doubts they they cannot share with their parents and peers. Humbly, we should approach our task of fueling that blaze, of pushing back the darkness beyond just the pages of our books but in young readers' lives.

PROMPT: Authenticity.
Middle Graders and Teens are bloodhounds in their ability to sniff out a fake. Free write the story of your greatest doubt, of the time darkness overwhelmed you in your own young life. Was there something unexpected about that pain (i.e. from whom it arose, from a normally comfortable situation)?

WRITERS BLOCK: No Handlebars

2013-02-28T12:17:00.001-07:00

As writers, we do a lot of exercises to get inside the heads of our characters. We want to understand them and their motivations.

I do a writing exercise I call No Handlebars. It comes from one of my kids' favorite songs, Handlebars by Flobots, a band out of Denver. It's a simple exercise based on the lyrics of the song. The song starts with:

I can ride my bike with no handlebars
No handlebars
No handlebar

The singer continues with a list of those simple accomplishments, the things he's proud of, the things that make him unique.

I can take apart the remote control
And I can almost put it back together
I can tie a knot in a cherry stem
I can tell you about Leif Ericson

The list escalates as we see what's important to him as we see him aging or maturing. The song is broken into three verses, so I view it naturally as where he came from, who he is now, and finally who he aspires to be.

So my writing challenge: take the lyrics of the song Handlebars and rewrite them for your character. Though they are important, don't just focus on the material and the tangible. What are those deep-seated desires and longings that motivate your character's actions?

BOYS & BOOK CLUBS: Interview with Darby Karchut

2013-02-24T12:30:00.002-07:00

A book club at school is a non-threatening way to reintroduce teenage boys to great books. In this podcast, I talk with teacher, Darby Karchut, about tips for successfully launching a book club. Her article “Boys and Books and Brown-paper Bags: Getting Boys into Middle School Book Clubs” appeared in the June 2012 issue of VOYA Magazine.

Darby is the author of GRIFFIN RISING and GRIFFIN’S FIRE (both from Twilight Times Books) and FINN FINNEGAN (March 2013 from Spencer Hill Press)

Finn Finnegan

Griffin Rising

Griffin's Fire

WRITER'S BLOCK: Highlights Writing For Boys Workshop

2013-01-09T10:47:00.001-07:00

If you are serious about writing for boys, Highlights is offering a unique experience to learn from some of the best. Join Rich Wallace, Lenore Look, and Bruce Coville in Honesdale, PA, February 7-10.

The workshop will include:

In-depth discussion of your work-in-progress;
Writing exercises designed to heighten the emotions and revelations of specific scenes;
Lectures on topics ranging from creating realistic dialogue to sharpening your plot.

More information on the workshop can be found here:
http://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshops/writing-for-boys/

12 Days - A Countdown of Holiday Ideas #11

2012-12-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

First Dog's White House Christmas

On the eleventh day of this holiday season, my loved one gave to me...

FIRST DOG'S WHITE HOUSE CHRISTMAS - J. Patrick Lewis (Sleeping Bear Press)

With the recent election, your child might have more questions than usual about the White House. In this book, Dog travels the world learning about the many traditions and customs before finding the perfect home at 1600 Pennsylvania.

12 Days - A Countdown of Holiday Ideas #10

2012-12-23T21:00:00.000-07:00

Sad Santa

On the seventh day of this holiday season, my loved one gave to me...

SAD SANTA - Tad Carpenter (Sterling)

You might not be the only one who gets post-holiday blues. How will Santa get his joy back after all the presents have been made and delivered? Find out along with you youngster in this fun and unique holiday book.

12 Days - A Countdown of Holiday Ideas #9

2012-12-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

Llama Llama Holiday Drama

On the ninth day of this holiday season, my loved one gave to me...

LLAMA LLAMA HOLIDAY DRAMA - Anna Dewdnew (Viking)

Patience any time of year is difficult but especially so for Llama Llama during the holiday season. Enough of the shopping, baking, wrapping and decorating. When will Christmas come? Explore with your little one a meaning to the season deeper than the gifts.

12 Days - A Countdown of Holiday Ideas #8

2012-12-22T21:00:00.000-07:00

The Peculiar

On the eighth day of this holiday season, my loved one gave to me...

THE PECULIAR - Stefan Bachmann (Greenwillow Books)

In a year filled with great debut novels, this one has gained much attention. Bachman tells the story of Bartholomew, a boy who is half human, half fairy. They don't fit into either world and have to go unnoticed to stay alive. When Bartholomew disregards this primary rule, he is dragged into a dark and magical adventure to save his sister.

12 Days - A Countdown of Holiday Ideas #7

2012-12-22T09:41:00.001-07:00

Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities

On the seventh day of this holiday season, my loved one gave to me...

GEEKS, GIRLS, AND SECRET IDENTITIES - Mike Jung (Arthur A. Levine Books)

An unexpected superhero, a dastardly villain and a giant robot (along with a little romance) and you've got great elements for a boy book. It's not just one difficult thing that Jung accomplishes so masterfully in his debut novel; it's two difficult things. In addition to keeping this adventure fast-paced and engaging throughout, he's also made it funny. For many authors writing for young people, humor seems forced. Here it is so natural.

12 Days - A Countdown of Holiday Ideas #6

2012-12-20T17:07:00.000-07:00

Non-fiction is a great way to go with gifts for many emerging and reluctant readers. There are so many great books that open doors to exciting real world people, places and things and explain the mysteries of life around these young readers.

Bug Shots: The Good, the Bad, and the Bugly

On the sixth day of this holiday season, my loved one gave to me...

BUG SHOTS: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE BUGLY - Alexandra Siy (Holiday House)

This book has a wonderful format, something found in many of the non-fiction books from Siy, afantastic writer who has a great knack not only for appealing subject matter but a terrific ability to deliver it in a kid-friendly way. Bug Shots plays off idea of mug shots of villainous perpetrators. It is an ideal hook and format for a young, emerging reader. They can pick it up and put it down as they like. They can find an individual topic, in this case a specific bug, read just that one, come back again and again to favorites.

This book has some of the most incredible photographs (technically, micrographs) from photographer Dennis Kunkel that will surely have youngsters showing every friend what a treasure this book is. Rumor has it, Siy and Kunkel are teaming up once again with editor Sylvie Frank at Holiday House for a spider specific book to go along with BUG SHOTS. So keep an eye open for that one, too.

12 Days - A Countdown of Holiday Ideas #5

2012-12-18T13:39:00.003-07:00

We've conditioned ourselves during holidays to think bigger is better, that we have to do more, give more materialistically. Often it's too much about grand gestures. For children, it's not the gift that counts in the long run. Trust and love built in those quiet moments like those times we read books with them have a far bigger impact.

Oh No, Little Dragon!

On the fifth day of this holiday season, my loved one gave to me...

OH NO, LITTLE DRAGON! - Jim Averbeck (Atheneum)

Little Dragon has lost his fire. How can he rekindle that spark that burns inside him? In a tender moment with Mama, she shares what makes the spark inside her burn. This is a wonderful book that can help you share your enduring love with your youngster.

12 Days - A Countdown of Holiday Ideas #4

2012-12-17T20:05:00.000-07:00

Wave

On the fourth day of this holiday season, my loved one gave to me...

WAVE by Suzy Lee (Chronicle Books)

One of the most beautifully illustrated stories in recent memory, WAVE speaks to children without a single line of text. The story captures a young child's day at the beach with emotionally evocative drawings in spread after spread. It would make a treasured addition to any child's library.

12 Days - A Countdown of Holiday Ideas #3

2012-12-15T15:49:00.003-07:00

A reading connection is vital in literacy with youngsters. The timeliness of a holiday book read during this season is one means of creating a connection through literature. Traditions can be reinforced by seeing them acted out in a story.

How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukah?

How Do Dinosaurs Say Merry Christmas?

On the third day of this holiday season, my loved one gave to me...

HOW DO DINOSAURS SAY HAPPY CHANUKAH?

and

HOW DO DINOSAURS SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS?

The dinosaur book team of author Jane Yolen and illustrator Mark Teague bring the warmth and cheer (along with a little mischief) to the holiday season. Those dinosaurs our young readers have come to know and love will light the menorah and decorate the tree right along side your own young readers.

12 Days - A Countdown of Holiday Ideas #2

2012-12-14T13:00:00.003-07:00

What better way to encourage a reader than making reading an anticipated ritual. And what better ritual than a bedtime story.

On the second day of this holiday season, my loved one gave to me...

Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site

GOODNIGHT, GOODNIGHT CONSTRUCTION SITE

In this book for young children, the beloved trucks and equipment of the build site are put to bed one-by-one after a long day of work. The beautiful illustrations and charming verse ensure your youngster will beg for you to create your family ritual with nightly readings.