false 178 276 252 true 5724440 read 10 true 1988495 currently-reading 14 true 1988494 to-read 2 false 4396156 leadership 1 false 4750994 picture-books 1 false 5202622 adult http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/78028254 Newsgirl (Hardcover) by Liza Ketchum
bookshelves: to-read
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77995826 Who's to Say What's Obscene?: Politics, Culture, and Comedy in America Today (Paperback) by Paul Krassner
bookshelves: currently-reading
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75909038 to: Liar (Hardcover) by Justine Larbalestier
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77995387 to: The Sweetheart of Prosper County (Hardcover) by Jill S. Alexander
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77995358 to: Ten Things I Hate About Me (Paperback) by Randa Abdel-Fattah
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77993609 to: Why Don't Students Like School: A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom (Hardcover) by Daniel T. Willingham
This is a must-read, and one to pass on to administrators, decision-makers, etc. Willingham establishes that prior knowledge is essential to the learning & critical thinking processes taught in school today, so I saw a lot of evidence backing up early childhood literacy programs here. If kids aren't exposed to lots of information early on, then they can hardly be expected to manipulate information when they're busy soaking it all in for the first time.

And this is in large part creating that 4th grade slump we see in readers. "By the time 4th grade rolls around, most students are good decoders, so reading tests start to emphasize comprehension. As described here, comprehension depends on background knowledge, and that's where kids from privileged homes have an edge. They come to school with a bigger vocabulary and more knowledge about the world than underprivileged kids. And because knowing things makes it easier to learn new things, the gap between privileged and underprivileged kids widens." (p. 28)

And, of course, you've gotta get kids reading:
"Books expose children to more facts and to a broader vocabularly than virtually any other activity, and persuasive data indicate that people who read for pleasure enjoy cognitive benefits throughout their lifetime." Now that's preaching to the (library) choir, but hopefully others will see the importance of connecting kids with fun, interesting books that can capture their imagination and expand their worlds. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76837054 Go Figure!: A Totally Cool Book About Numbers (Bccb Blue Ribbon Nonfiction Book Award (Awards)) by Johnny Ball
bookshelves: to-read
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76836524 I Am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to be Your Class President (Hardcover) by Josh Lieb
bookshelves: to-read
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76836486 Epic (Hardcover) by Conor Kostick
bookshelves: to-read
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76836453 to: The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure (Paperback) by William Goldman
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