Blog Archives

Why (I think) My Kids are Readers

8/30/2013

D.X. Dunn passed her love of reading down to her children...

I grew up loving books and reading anything and everything I could get my hands on. When I got married, I was determined to give my children a love of reading. Here are some of the things that I did to get them where they are today. (They are both avid readers who read and comprehend well above their grade level who are also very creative.)

When I was pregnant with my first child, my mother sent me a book. No, not a book on pregnancy or even about raising children, she sent me “Oh, Baby, the Places You’ll Go! A Book to Be Read in Utero” adapted by Tish Rabe from the works of Dr. Seuss. And yes, I felt a bit funny at first, reading to my growing belly. Gradually, however, it became a moment to stop, rest, relax and enjoy. And it foreshadowed some of my favorite times as a mom.

            I have to confess that we didn’t read to the new baby right away. Hubby and I were both too exhausted and the baby couldn’t have cared less! But as soon as we established something like a bedtime routine, books became an important part of it. I discovered some amazing and wonderful authors for children, like Sandra Boynton and Doreen Cronin. (I still read “Click, Clack, Moo, Cows that Type” from time to time, either to one of the kids if I can get them to sit down or just to myself!)

            Books quickly became very important to my son. We got him his own little bookshelf and it filled up rapidly with board books and picture books. We taught him how to take good care of those books (no tearing pages, no coloring in the books, etc.) and he did remarkably well.

            As he got older, he started to pick out his own books (I found out that I have a hard time saying no to buying books), and I let him. While I would sometimes insist on adding something that I thought would be good to his pile at the bookstore or the library, mostly I let him choose. So we went through a phase where Captain Underpants ruled! But at least he was reading, and after he read whatever he had chosen, he would also read my choices.

            We talked about books, what he liked and didn’t like, which ones he wanted to re-read or share with friends. And we used fiction to fill time. When we were number twenty-seven in the line at the post office at Christmas, behind twenty-six people sending cards and packages to ten different destinations each, I would pick him up and we would have a very quiet story.

            “Once upon a time there was a little boy called, …” Usually he was the star of the story and it usually started in the very same post office, grocery store or airport where we were currently being bored. Except in our story, great and magical adventures would befall our hero. At first I would just tell him the story (when he was two or three) but as he got older, he got to get more and more involved.

            When his little sister came along, he was happy to be a part of teaching her to love books just as much as he did. (See photo: he was six and she wasn’t quite a year old yet. The book is “The Going to Bed Book” by Sandra Boynton and I can still do the entire book from memory, having read it about a million times over the years.)

            Fast forward a bit and today both my kids read a lot. We have just gotten them both Kindles and the beauty of those is the amount of free books that are now available for them. From classics to undiscovered future classics, my kids have a whole new world opened up to them every time they open their e-reader. That doesn’t mean that we have stopped buying paper books, just that we have diversified.

            I actually wrote my first children’s book for my son when he was six or seven. There just didn’t seem to be enough out there for boys that were reading fluently at such a young age. I wanted him to have action and adventure that wasn’t too scary. So I wrote some for him. Now, thanks to the magic of Kindle Direct, I’ve been able to share those stories with a wider audience. And every time I get a review or hear from a parent that their child enjoyed my work I feel amazed and excited that I’m able to share my fantasy world with them.

            The gift of the joy of reading is a gift they will carry with them for a lifetime. Share a book, a story or a poem with your children today. No matter how old they are, no matter if they are still in your tummy, still at home, off at college or grown with children of their own, talk to them about books and share your favorites with them. It is never too early or too late to give them this precious present.

http://www.amazon.com/Unexpected-Adventure-Distania-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00CGPDE1Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372457005&sr=8-1&keywords=d+x+dunn

D.X. Dunn lives in Western New York with a teenaged son and a not quite teenaged daughter. The Distania Chronicles were originally started to give her son, an early and avid reader, more to read. Years passed and that son got older and the Chronicles were largely forgotten. She recently dug them out for her daughter's amusement and was persuaded to try publishing them on Kindle Direct. She really hopes you enjoy them!

http://www.distaniachronicles.com

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A New Writer in the Family?!

8/21/2013

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This special guest post is from DeEtte Anderton.
http://deetteanderton.wordpress.com/2013/08/19/a-new-writer-in-the-family/
I thought is was a perfect fit for our Inspiring Children blog...
Take it away, DeEtte....
My special guest today is extra special to me. She is my 4-year-old granddaughter. She wrote a cute little story with me. She dictated it and I typed it. The only prompts I gave her were “then what happened?” Several people have asked to read it, so I am sharing it here. This is totally unedited, and the words are hers, in her own language. I hope you enjoy it.

A Little Fairy Who Didn’t Listen to Her Mother

Flower was a little fairy. She lived in a very old tree. She liked to play outside on her playground and go on the slide and she liked to draw.

She went outside and climbed a very tall and very far tree. She saw some birds, some squirrels and some colorful leaves. She also saw a butterfly and butterflies were her favorite thing. She was tiny enough she could ride on a big butterfly.

Her mother told her she couldn’t play on the very tall and very far tree.

Flower said, “I didn’t!”

Flower went in the basement and saw a teeny tiny butterfly. She caught it and she fed it nectar. She went out of the basement out the top door. She found another fairy who was the same size as she and she ate and drank with her. They had a picnic in the road! A car came on the road where they were having their picnic and they got in the grass and resucd the food and the picnic blanket. Then the fairies told their mothers they wanted to play outside on the playground. Their mothers said, “Yes!”

Then they just went on the slide together.

She didn’t listen to her mother because her mother said not to go to the very tall and very far tree because it had so many branches. But they went up the tree and had their picnic at the top of the tree. The branches were bigger than they were.

A branch fell off the tree and made them fall. They flapped their wings to rescue themselves. They also caught their food and picnic blanket. Their moms were too busy to see them.

Flower and her friend said, “What pretty, pretty leaves!” and they gave some to each other.

They decided they shouldn’t go up that tree and they had their picnic on the grass. It’s “more safer” there.

They were happy.

The end.

Thanks for taking the time to read her little story!

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Why I Write Childrens' Books

8/15/2013

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When Greta invited me to write a guest post on her blog dealing with the topic of children and reading, I was thrilled.

My name is Inge Moore and I write all kinds of books. But my favorite writing is children's books.

I was a girl who loved to read. Any book caught my attention: picture books, comic books, and novels. I loved finding out about the world around me through the window of books.

Raised in a small town, I enjoyed nature and loved all animals, especially horses. Unfortunately, my family did not live on a farm and I could not own a horse. But I found the next best thing! I found books about horses.

I was an only child and loved to play outside with other children from the neighborhood. But on long winter nights when I was home alone with no brothers or sisters to keep me company, I turned to my books for companionship and adventure. When I found books about horses, well that was the best!

My favorite series was the Trixie Belden mysteries. Trixie was a tomboy (like me) who lived in a small community (like mine). She enjoyed helping her mom with the garden and her little brother, but she was a little bit bored. Then a family moved into the mansion on the hill. They had a daughter named Honey. And not only was Honey a perfect friend, but best of all, she owned horses. This was like Trixie's dream come true (and mine too).

Trixie and Honey went on many adventures together, solving mysteries, and in my bedroom at night I went along with them. I loved my Trixie Belden books and when I finished reading the series, I just started over again at book one.

Now I have written my own children's book about horses. The book is called, A Pony For the Fair, and tells the story of a young girl who also loved horses. In the book, thirteen-year-old Katie and her best friend, Angela, find a beautiful Gypsy pony. Unfortunately, the pony's owners have neglected her and she is terribly lame. Katie is horrified by the pony's predicament. No matter what the cost, she knows she must rescue the pony!

A Pony for the Fair is a novel about friendship, hope, family, and, of course, ponies.

There is a world of books out there. Some books are about the things that you already love, and others are about fascinating things that you have yet to discover. Books will turn your world into a bigger and more exciting place. Don't be shy. Grab one and start reading!

Inge has been writing since she was in grade school. Her short stories have been published in many magazines and have been broadcast on radio

She studied creative writing at the University of Alberta, working with such writers as Governor General's Award Winner, Rudy Wiebe.

Inge has lived in Austria, England, and in several areas of Canada including the Northwest Territories. Currently she resides in Fort Erie, Ontario. She enjoys nature, horses, art, reading, and, of course, writing.

Inge has a Bachelor degree in Zoology. She loves all animals (even snakes and toads), but especially horses. In the past, she worked with race horses in Canada and polo ponies in England. Now she writes about horses whenever she can.

Book
http://www.amazon.com/Pony-For-Fair-Gypsy-ebook/dp/B00AUA75X0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1358005570&sr=1-1&keywords=inge+moore

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The Magic Within

8/7/2013

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Nicole Storey offers a glimpse into her childhood and how musty, tattered used books took her to new worlds filled with adventure where she always saved the day.

A two bedroom shanty with a bathroom no bigger than a closet, four kids – three of them rambunctious boys – all crammed inside, nowhere to go and no money even if there was…For a nine-year-old girl, life couldn’t be more mundane. Everyday, I woke up to the same colorless routine. As the eldest child, I was expected to help care for my brothers, two of them twins. I cooked; I cleaned and I helped my parents run the house-hold so they could work jobs on two different shifts, trying to make ends come somewhere close to meeting in the middle every month. I grew up fast and books were my only escape.

Every day, as soon as my little brothers were put down for their naps, I would grab one of my tattered, yard-sale novels and sneak to the crab apple tree at the edge of our yard. There, among its scraggly branches, I would travel to foreign lands, fight evil witches, live a hundred different lives, and I always saved the day. My books, worn and falling apart, more tape than pages, became my dearest friends. The small collection was a varied as the colors of a sunset. Fantasies, mysteries, horror, and classics lived together, sharing a small cardboard box in the dark recesses under my bed. To me, they were the whole world.

Most of my books were acquired through a favorite aunt. She haunted yard sales like a ghost haunts spooky, old houses and was a shrewd negotiator. Watching her haggle for a bargain was as entertaining as any drama on television. In the end, most people were left frazzled, looking very much like the cheap, worn-out items they were hocking, and my aunt would saunter away with a bag full of goodies.

One day, she stopped by the house to gift me with a few new “friends” from her weekly haul. I tore into the paper bag, eager to see the covers, to touch the yellowed pages, and smell the musty scent of neglect. To this day that smell still brings back wonderful memories of a time when a twenty-five cent paperback was better than fancy dolls and shiny bikes.

I can’t remember any of the titles of the books I received that hot summer day, save one. The cover jumped out at me, begging to be held. There were four children, a magical doorway, and a castle in the background. I picked it up with a shaky hand and turned to the first page. In purple ink, someone had scrawled the message, “Magic lies within these pages…” It certainly did.

I’ve been to Narnia many times since then. I read that copy of C.S Lewis’, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe so many times the cover eventually crumbled, falling away piece by piece like so many memories of my childhood. When my son was old enough, it was one of the first books I purchased for him. I did the same for my daughter, making sure in each copy to include the message that seemed to encompass my entire youth, one that I have carried with me and still hold dear…Magic Lies Within These Pages.

Thanks Nickie for sharing your story with us...

A little bit about Nickie:
Nicole Storey lives in Georgia with her husband, two amazing kids, and a variety of pets. She loves ‘weird’ things (as her extended family so eloquently puts it) – the supernatural, paranormal books, and her favorite holiday, Halloween! She is the author of the juvenile fantasy series, Grimsley Hollow. Her new book, Blind Sight, was released in July and is the first book in her new YA paranormal series titled, The Celedon Circle. Her books can be found in e-book and paperback at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony, Kobo, and Smashwords.

Blog: http://nicolestorey.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicolestoreyfans

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When Children Play

8/2/2013

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Rhonda Ramsey wrote this guest post about children and the importance of reading. She wanted to participate, although she has not yet published her children's book.

"When children play ..."

I remember my first childhood favorite: "I Can do it Myself," a book from a Sesame Street book series. As a pre-teen, I remember reading "The Baby Sitter's Club" series, and in between discovering my favorite books, I spent a lot of time creating stories of my own. Aside from my diaries and journals, I created what in my mind, using my own imagination, were real stories. I think it is very important for children and young adults to read, not only for the sake of literacy, but it is an excellent way to connect with their own stories ... or create them!

Not too long ago, I realized that this runs in the family. My mother has always been a bookworm, and I remember watching her as she sat on the patio with her suspense novels. From the corner of my eye, as I played in the backyard, I would squeal, "Watch this!" She would peep at me over her reading glasses and smile as I turned cartwheels and polished my limbo skills for P.E class.

Not too long ago, my mother shared with me, that as a child, she created stories using voice recorders. She would record her voice as one character, then record her voice as the next character, and so on, until the story was complete. How fascinating would it be to stumble upon a box and find something like this?! I could only imagine.

I read Yvonne Hertzberger's article, "Passing the Torch," and I love that theme. In the spirit of keeping that theme going, from my mother to me, from me to my daughter, the reading/writing bug has shown its marks. My daughter, who is seven years old, has read "Three Billy Goats Gruff" so many times, that we have lost count. (Now, she is gravitating toward books about sports).

A couple weeks ago, I found her creating stories for her little brother and their stuffed animals. She has also begun creating picture books. She says she is going to be an author/illustrator, and it seems that each time she reads or is read to, she is inspired.

I believe, when children read, they are able to add vital layers to who they are, such as the ability to visualize and empathize. When children play, they are able to use their imaginations to expound upon everything they see and feel. The more children read, the more their imaginations grow; the more children create as they are inspired, the more they learn through observation.

When children read, their imaginations play. A vivid imagination and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, will take our children beyond our wildest dreams.

"Indeed, learning to write may be a part of learning to read. For all I know, writing comes out of a superior devotion to reading."
— Eudora Welty

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you'll go."
— Dr. Seuss, "I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!"

RH Ramsey - books, excerpts, interviews and more on her blog!
arirjames.wordpress.com

facebook.com/authoranisola

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Inspiring Children..
One Book at a Time

One of the most valuable gifts you can give a child is the love of reading.

This blog is for parents, teachers and caregivers and all those who have the power to help young minds to become great minds.

If you would like to write a guest post for this blog, please send an email to greta799(at)yahoo.com

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Greta Burroughs

believes that sharing the joy of reading is one of the most important gifts we can give to a child.
Books can teach, entertain, launch imaginations and help a child/middle grader/teenager to excel in school as well as in life.

Greta is the author of several children's and MG/YA books and her website is here.

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Books by Greta Burroughs. Click cover for more information

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