of children's books and begin to move on to adult authors. Kids who read THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA by C. S. Lewis, for example, are starting to read the WHEEL OF TIME series by Robert Jordan, and adventure readers are discovering books by Michael Crichton. You'll want to encourage this jump to adult authors because the kids who do this are the ones most likely to continue independent reading in high school. Friends are also becoming very important, so aim for social activities that involve books.
SUBSCRIBE TO A SPORTS MAGAZINE
If you have an athletic child, consider a subscription to a sports magazine. Athletic children especially seem to be at high risk for never having the time to read. But SPORTS ILLUSTRATED FOR KIDS may be just the thing to keep your daughter interested in reading, while BASKETBALL DIGEST may do it for your hoop-struck son.See if you can share the cost with other families in your child's sports league. In addition to saving money, sharing magazines increases the enjoyment: Players can discuss articles, argue about columnists, maybe even write letters to the editors. Also, consider a subscription for any hobby or interest your child may have.
TAKE TRIPS TO BOOK-RELATED PLACES
Family trips to historic sites can pique your child's interest in history and reading historical fiction. Visits to different cities can turn your child on to travel books or reading novels set in those places. For example, a visit to Prince Edward Island, Canada, is a wonderful destination for ANNE OF GREEN GABLES readers. A visit to Cape Canaveral in Florida can lead to books about space exploration. In Concord, Massachusetts, children can walk through the house where Louisa May Alcott wrote LITTLE WOMEN and LITTLE MEN. Any trip can lead to great book tie-ins.
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Internet Sites for Reading Activities A to Z Teacher Stuff: Ideas for teachers and parents Children's Literature Web Guide: Links to literature resources all over the Internet ReadWriteNow!: A U.S. Department of Education site Stuart Stories: Stories and activities for kids ages five to 15 |
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Buying Books Online Bibliofind.com has more than ten million used and rare titles with links to bookstores. Book-Sales-in-America.com lists local book fairs. Bookcloseouts.com offers slightly damaged books and remainders. Evenbetter.com lists, with prices, all the bookstores having the title or author you want. Magmall.com has discounted comics and magazines. BookWeb.org (The American Bookseller's site) lists bookstores in your area. |
