Sands Hetherington's Blog, page 7
July 13, 2017
Tips for Writing Children’s Fiction Like A Pro!
[image error]
Writing a book that children will fall in love with at a young age is an important goal for many reasons, the most important of which is that one good book can turn a child into a reader for life. Do you remember your favorite book as a kid? Ol’ Sands does. When asked in an interview what his favorite book as a child was, he answered, “The OZ series. Critics said Frank Baum had no literary merit, and I understand what they meant, but kids weren’t interested in literary merit. They knew what they liked, and that guy had a captivating imagination if anybody ever did.”
So that brings us to the question, what makes a good children’s book? Should it possess the same qualities of adult literature? What makes it special?
If you’re an aspiring author or simply someone who loves juvenile fiction, and you’re trying to answer these questions yourself, here are some of the answers that we have found.
The more imagination used, the better. Kids love to use their imagination, and their favorite books tend to take their imaginations to new levels. Think about the most popular children’s books—Harry Potter, Where the Wild Things Are, even the Oz series—they all use enormous amounts of imagination, and kids remember them for life.
Strong, memorable characters. Children’s fiction is not the place to play around with unlikeable, complex characterization. You need a hero, and you need a hero that your young readers will want to be best friends with. In Night Buddies, John is the character that kids relate to, but Crosley is the one that stands out to them, because they want to be his best friend too!
There must be a lesson. Good children’s books don’t need to end with a cheesy, “And this is what he learned,” line, but they do need to offer kids insight into some kind of moral or life lesson that they are still trying to grasp in their lives. We go to books to understand something about the world we live in, whether we are reading as children or adults, and it is important that children get this from the very first books they read.
If you’re a writer, try incorporating these tips into your own stories and see how it goes. Let us know if you have any other answers to the question, “What makes a good children’s book?” in the comments!
[image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error]
June 30, 2017
Book Recommendation Time! 4th of July Reads
The 4th of July is almost here! And you know what that means…BBQs, relaxation, fireworks, and a whole lot of red, white, and blue. Last year I wrote a post with my top 4th of July-themed children’s book recommendations (which you can find here), and this year I want to add to the list!
So without further ado, here are my top 2017 recommendations to prepare your kids for the 4th!
Red, White, and BOOM!, by Lee Wardlaw.
[image error]
This picture book takes readers through the many ways different cultures across America celebrate this classic American holiday. Filled with fireworks and poetic writing, this is a must-read!
Happy Birthday America, by Mary Pope Osborne.
[image error]
This tale weaves the story of one family’s 4th of July celebration with the history behind the holiday. It will get your kids excited for a fun day of activities, while also teaching them something new!
Fourth of July Mice!, by Bethany Roberts.
[image error]
This is a delightful book in Roberts’ Mice series. It follows the Holiday Mice as they celebrate the 4th of July in the most traditional of ways—a baseball game, a parade, a picnic, and best of all, fireworks! It’s delightful and sweet, a book you won’t want to miss.
Apple Pie 4th of July, by Janet S. Wong.
[image error]
Sometimes we forget that what it means to be American looks different for so many of us…that’s where this book comes in. Wong shows the very different cultural experiences of Americans, and shows readers exactly why that in itself is the American way. A great and eye-opening read for all!
Does your family have a 4th of July tradition? Let me know what it is in the comments!
[image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error]
June 16, 2017
Turn Your Child Into a Reader This Summer!
There’s nothing better than the feeling you get as a parent when you walk into your child’s bedroom and see their nose buried in a book, completely lost in a world between pages. Today most children spend more time on their iPads or watching television than they do reading books, but I know that just one great book can turn a child into a lifetime reader. Here are some of our suggestions to help you make that happen before back-to-school!
1.) Pick out a book for them that is tailored to their interests. If you know your child loves horses, pick out a book that revolves around horses. If they like television programs about witches and wizards, pick out a book that is about witches and wizards. Make sure you pick a book at their reading level so that they don’t get frustrated reading it (once they start reading more, you can steadily find books that will be more difficult for them to read). In the beginning, it is just important to find a book your child will enjoy, so that they begin to associate reading with fun.
2.) Set aside a specific time, preferably right before bedtime, for them to read. This makes reading turn into a habit, and makes it more likely for them to choose to read at that time on their own later on. Plus, studies have shown that watching television before bed might interfere with sleep quality, so reading is a good, calming alternative!
3.) Don’t take away their other forms of entertainment. This will make reading feel more like a punishment than a reward, and you only want them to have positive associations with reading if you want them to fall in love with it. If your child is used to and enjoys watching a certain amount of television or playing video games for a certain amount of time in the day, allow them to continue. The goal is to incorporate reading into their routine, not to completely change their routine.
4.) Take them to your local library and let them explore. Libraries can be an exciting place for kids, especially during the summers when most libraries offer reading contests and rewards. Plus, allowing your child to pick out his or her own books gives them a level of independence, and it lets them try new things and develop their own reading tastes. Taking them to your local library once every couple of weeks can be an exciting excursion for you two to share!
5.) Read with them. Some of my favorite memories associated with reading are the times when my mom and I would trade off reading chapters of my favorite books as a little kid. Not only does your child get to learn a better vocabulary as you help them through the difficult sections, they get to bond with you at the same time as they are falling in love with books. When you read with your child, it’s always a win-win situation!
[image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error]
June 8, 2017
My 4 Top Summer Children’s Book Recommendations!
It’s mid-June, and that summer feeling is already upon us. Whether your kids are out of school or just days away from vacation time, chances are you’re looking for books to keep them busy during these long summer months! These are my top recommendations for a fun, easy, and memorable summer read.
How I Spent My Summer Vacation, by Mark Teague.
[image error]
I love a book about a kid with a wild imagination, and this book more than fits the bill. The story is about a schoolboy who tells his classmates all about his summer vacation—including the time he joined a group of cowboys and stopped a cattle stampede. No boring summer at grandma’s house for him! It’s a cute book with great illustrations, and will get your kids excited for a summer of adventures.
Swimming Lessons, by Betsy Jay.
[image error]
This story follows a girl named Jane who is afraid to learn how to swim. Her mother tries to get her in the pool any way she can…but Jane doesn’t budge until she hears a taunt from a classmate. A cute story about a girl finding her bravery and facing her fears make this a summer must-read!
A Pocketful of Cricket, by Rebecca Caudill.
[image error]
As summer comes to a close, a six-year-old boy finds a cricket, sticks him in his pocket, and becomes his friend. On the first day of school, he won’t set the cricket free—but is it really the summer he’s holding on to? This children’s book is beautifully written, and sure to become a classic in your family.
Heat Wave, by Eileen Spinelli.
[image error]
This books throws it back to the days before air conditioning, making it a fun, reminiscent read for those of us from an older generation! It follows a cast of quirky characters trying to find solace in a heat wave, until everybody comes together by the river and dreams of cooler times. Charming and delightful, this is a perfect comfort to turn to when the temperatures go up!
What are you looking forward to this summer? Let me know in the comments below!
[image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error]
May 25, 2017
4 Reasons You Need to Start Using Goodreads
[image error]
If you haven’t yet heard of Goodreads…where have you been?! All kidding aside, Goodreads is a social media platform for readers. Users have the opportunity to rate, review, and find great book recommendations—and that’s only the very basics of what Goodreads has to offer.
I’ve been a user of Goodreads for a few years now (if you haven’t seen my author profile, check it out here). I can honestly say it is one of the greatest inventions for authors and readers alike to connect the books we love to the people who love them too! Here are some reasons I love using Goodreads, and why I think you’ll love it too.
Goodreads gives everyone a voice. Every user has the opportunity to rate and/or review the books they read. It’s no longer critics and professional reviewers who give the final say on whether or not a book is worth reading, the people who are reading them get a say too! I prefer Goodreads ratings and reviews to platforms like Amazon because you know the reviews are coming from honest readers who love books—and if you’re really curious about a bad or excellent review, you can see the reviewers profile to get a sense of what their usual taste in books is.
Goodreads creates your own bookshelf. Have you ever remembered loving a book you read awhile back, but can’t for the life of you remember what it was called? Do you ever get a recommendation from someone about a book to read and forget all about it? On Goodreads, you can create bookshelves for books you want to read, and books you’ve already read, and they’re available for you to look back on anytime your memory takes a hit! Another really cool feature is that you can scan the barcode of a book with your phone, and it’ll automatically get added to your bookshelf. Impressive.
Goodreads encourages you to hit your reading goals. The platform encourages setting a yearly goal for how many books you want to read, and keeps track of your progress as you go. Was your New Year’s Resolution to read 100 books by the end of the year? Let Goodreads help!
Goodreads allows you to interact with authors. If your favorite author is on Goodreads, go sign up for an account right now. You can keep track of what they’re reading, you can send them questions, and occasionally they’ll do Q&A sessions or giveaways that allow you to get to know them on a more personal level! Before the literary community was separated by readers and authors, but on Goodreads you’re all in one place, on one platform, together.
Do you have a Goodreads account? Make sure to add me as your friend and let me know in the comments below!
[image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error]
May 18, 2017
Stop Comparison in Its Tracks: Parenting in the Digital Age
[image error]
I’ve written a few times about the ways in which social media has an effect—both positive and negative—on children today, and how we as parents can best help them navigate through it. But the one thing I think we can’t separate from social media is the rise of the problem of comparison in our youth.
Every time they open Instagram, they have the opportunity to see someone who is living a life “cooler” than their own. Your child can come home thrilled about an A on his math test, and then feel crushed moments later when he sees on Facebook that someone else got an A+. With their self-worth tied up in how many likes their newest post gets instead of being the best version of themselves, it can be hard to figure out what to say and how to get children to see that comparing their lives to someone else is a sure path to misery and low self-esteem.
This is where reading comes in. Or any form of storytelling.
In every story, there is a protagonist. And this protagonist is going about his adventures, saving worlds or fighting crime, without any thought about what a different protagonist in a different story is doing. My character John in Night Buddies didn’t think about Harry Potter, and how much cooler Harry Potter’s story was than his. He just went about with his best friends living the story he was in as best he could.
Remind your child that he is the protagonist in his own life. There are cool stories happening around him, but none as cool as the one he is living right now. They are the hero of their life, and whether they’re in a happy or not so great place at the moment, the tides can always turn. There is always a new obstacle in every story. Point out the obstacles their favorite protagonist had to face in a story they love.
Most of all, when they’re feeling down about not living a life as cool as someone they see on social media, remind them this: They don’t just get to be the protagonist of their own story, they get to be the author too. And whatever it is they want out of life, they’re fully capable of getting—as long as they don’t get distracted by somebody else’s story.
How do you deal with issues of comparison? Let me know in the comments below!
[image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error]
May 4, 2017
What Parents Have to Learn from Children’s Books
It’s the common belief that children’s books are meant for…well…children. And while they often are filled with valuable lessons for children to learn, such as accepting one another’s differences and using your manners, there are some books filled with lessons for parents as well.
One most recent example is the children’s book, The Boy Who Opened My Eyes, written as a kind of memoir by Elaine Sussman about her blind younger brother, Mark. In an article from the Sun Sentinel, writer Michael Braga writes about how the book showcases parents willing to help their child through any difficult—including something as difficult as growing up without sight.
[image error]
“Mark’s parents made his life interesting, always designing ways to allow their son to experience the world of sight,” Braga writes. The book showcases the ways his parents taught him to embrace his life without sight, not feel sorry for himself despite his handicap, and the lessons they taught him about being brave and positive.
While the book can and should resonate with children about the ways they can learn and become better people from the difficulties they face, the book is also an excellent reminder to parents that their actions and the way the face challenges has a direct reflection on their children, and the adults they will grow up to be.
You can also think about a book like Night Buddies, where the parents may not be main characters, but have a big impact on the storyline. My protagonist John’s mother is a skeptic, cynical about her son’s imagination and quick to scold him for the adventures he wants to share with her. In the end, it makes him feel the need to hide a big part of his life from her.
While this can be seen as a minor storyline, it can also be a reminder to parents to listen to their children, and be kind when they open up to you. Encouraging their imagination can bring the two of you closer than ever—I have firsthand experience with that, creating these stories years before they were written with my own son.
Just remember, every book has a lesson, and every book can have value to its reader. Even if you’re an adult reading a picture book to your kids at night, take a minute to think about how the story can apply to you. You might learn more than you ever expected!
[image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error]
April 27, 2017
Why You Should Attend the Single Parenting Summit
[image error]
It’s no secret that I raised my son John as a single parent. What you might not know, however, was how difficult that journey was. Raising children is a huge responsibility that can keep you up at night, wondering if you’re doing everything right—and when you are in the position of raising children without a partner, those anxieties only become harder to manage.
Enter the Single Parenting Summit, put on this year by EverGreen Ministries in Hudsonville, MI. It is the first event aimed at helping single mothers and fathers navigate the challenge of raising children on their own, as well as offers programs for community leaders (like pastors) learn how to support the single parents in their circle.
The conference will have leadership lessons on subjects such as how to support single parents in parenting and adoption, ADHD, and growing the church through single parenting. There will also be single parent sessions on finding a partner, co-parenting with integrity, managing finances, and more!
What I find truly wonderful about this event is that it brings together single parents from around the country, and gives them the solidarity to know they aren’t alone. If this had been around when my son was a child, I would have no hesitation in signing up!
If you’re interested, check out the Summit’s website. The event will take place on May 12–13 of this year!
[image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error]
April 20, 2017
5 Things Only Book Enthusiasts Will Love
I’m not a book nerd—I’m a book enthusiast. Or at least that’s what I tell my friends. The people in my life can always count on that enthusiasm when they’re looking to buy me a gift, and it never fails! If you’re a fellow book enthusiast, or you’re close to one, here are some fun and clever things you’ll obsess over!
[image error]
Now you have the perfect pillow to lean back on, or rest your book on, while you read. Bonus, it actually comes with the pages of an actual book—your choice between Alice in Wonderland, Sherlock Holmes, or Treasure Island!
[image error]
Regular bookmarks let you know which page you left off on, but have you ever gone back to that page and forgotten which paragraph you stopped reading at? This bookmark allows you to point to the exact spot where you left off. Genius!
[image error]
Reading outdoors is one of the great pleasures in life. But reading outdoors on a windy day is one way to make you want to pull your hair out. But putting this book weight on top of the pages allows for easy reading, and leaves every page in place!
[image error]
Subscription services are all the rage right now, but none caught my interest until I found BOTM. This service allows you to pick one book (or pay $10 for any extras) from a selection of chosen titles that fit your interests, and it’s shipped right to your door every month!
[image error]
Book enthusiasts are the kind of people who walk into a library, open a book, and breathe in a whiff of that wonderful old book smell. And now it’s been made into a candle scent that I would probably burn out in one go.
Do you own any of these things, or know someone who would love them? Let me know in the comments!
[image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error]
April 13, 2017
Why We Should Encourage The “BookTube” Generation
If you’re up on the latest trends like I pretend to be, you’ll know that YouTube is a social platform that has quickly turned your average kids into celebrities. Thousands of people make videos on anything from their day-to-day lives (called vlogs), advice videos, cooking how-to’s, and more. What caught my attention, however, is a growing number of individuals who call themselves “booktubers,” meaning they make videos on YouTube about books.
These vloggers make a number of videos, from book hauls, to reviews, to comedic sketches acting out their favorite book scenes. Their enthusiasm for reading is infectious to watch, and for an author, it makes me excited to know that people still love reading books as much as I love writing them.
Some of these vloggers make a living off of their videos and the brands they’ve developed based on them. Some become authors themselves. They speak at conferences and have huge followings of teens all over the world. While everyone seems to have an opinion about whether or not being a YouTuber is an actual career or a glorified hobby, I think bringing books and reading onto this platform is immensely important to the literary community.
Those of us who write books are always going to try to find ways to get them into the hands of our ideal reader. And these days, if you’re a children’s or YA author, your ideal reader is most likely watching YouTube. If the people they look up to are enthusiastic about reading, chances are the kids watching the videos are going to feel enthusiastic about it too.
Check out some of these videos from my favorite BookTubers below, and share them with others! The more we support BookTube, the better chance we have at raising a generation who still loves reading.
Megan Olivier
Ariel Bissett
Jesse The Reader
PolandbananasBOOKS
[image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error] [image error]
![[image error]](http://www.nightbuddiesadventures.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/WendyReading.jpg){kind=link}