How to Grow a Reader
Hi folks.
I was just invited to a Facebook page - INSPIRING CHILDREN - ONE BOOK AT A TIME.
The page was set-up to talk about the need to encourage young readers.
I'm kind of interested in that whole idea.
We - as authors - NEED to reach young readers - and one of the best ways to reach those young readers is by reaching their parents and grandparents.
I learned how to read by watching my grandmother and grandfather and my uncle. The two of them ALWAYS had a book on the go.
I'm not saying that they were good books.
My grandmother was into Frank G. Slaughter, and the Mandingo series, and the Falconhurst series.
My grandfather was into Mickey Spillane and Richard S. Prather and John D. Macdonald's "Travis Magee" series.
My uncle dug Don Pendleton's Executioner series.
It seemed no matter where I looked I saw an adult reading something. I grew up figuring that this was just what people did with their time. I chewed my way through The Hardy Boys series, the Tarzan series, all of the adventures of Doc Savage, Sax Rohmer's Fu Manchu series, Robert E. Howard's Conan series and many other yarns that were aimed at adults but read by kids.
First book my grandmother ever gave me was a hardback copy of Robert Stevenson's TREASURE ISLAND. Second book was Bram Stoker's DRACULA. I read both of them right through and then hunted up copies of DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE as well as THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME.
I had three paper routes - getting up at 5am to deliver The Toronto Star and then completing two routes of The Sudbury Star after school - before supper. I saved my money and once a month would ride the bus for an hour to get to Sudbury - the closest city - to a used bookstore where I could feed my addiction.
This is how it happens. If we want to foster a love for reading it starts by demonstrating a love for reading!
I hope none of you minded me jumping up on this soapbox like I have - but that's what blogs are for, aren't they?
You want to check out that Facebook page you can find it right here https://www.facebook.com/events/47978...
yours in storytelling,
Steve Vernon
If you liked this post you might like to have a look at my middle-grade novel SINKING DEEPER.
I was just invited to a Facebook page - INSPIRING CHILDREN - ONE BOOK AT A TIME.
The page was set-up to talk about the need to encourage young readers.
I'm kind of interested in that whole idea.
We - as authors - NEED to reach young readers - and one of the best ways to reach those young readers is by reaching their parents and grandparents.
I learned how to read by watching my grandmother and grandfather and my uncle. The two of them ALWAYS had a book on the go.
I'm not saying that they were good books.
My grandmother was into Frank G. Slaughter, and the Mandingo series, and the Falconhurst series.
My grandfather was into Mickey Spillane and Richard S. Prather and John D. Macdonald's "Travis Magee" series.
My uncle dug Don Pendleton's Executioner series.
It seemed no matter where I looked I saw an adult reading something. I grew up figuring that this was just what people did with their time. I chewed my way through The Hardy Boys series, the Tarzan series, all of the adventures of Doc Savage, Sax Rohmer's Fu Manchu series, Robert E. Howard's Conan series and many other yarns that were aimed at adults but read by kids.
First book my grandmother ever gave me was a hardback copy of Robert Stevenson's TREASURE ISLAND. Second book was Bram Stoker's DRACULA. I read both of them right through and then hunted up copies of DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE as well as THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME.
I had three paper routes - getting up at 5am to deliver The Toronto Star and then completing two routes of The Sudbury Star after school - before supper. I saved my money and once a month would ride the bus for an hour to get to Sudbury - the closest city - to a used bookstore where I could feed my addiction.
This is how it happens. If we want to foster a love for reading it starts by demonstrating a love for reading!
I hope none of you minded me jumping up on this soapbox like I have - but that's what blogs are for, aren't they?
You want to check out that Facebook page you can find it right here https://www.facebook.com/events/47978...
yours in storytelling,
Steve Vernon
If you liked this post you might like to have a look at my middle-grade novel SINKING DEEPER.
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Beverly
(new)
Jul 02, 2013 05:01AM
Steve, this is such a valid point of view. I too, grew up in a home of readers - in fact we have a library all of our own. I have 3 kids, only 1 of which has become a reader. What did I do wrong? The oldest (the reader) has gone on to do a degree in English Literature (now writing her Honours dissertation on Fairy tales) and the other two barely touch a book. Interesting isn't it - we read to them all and they were all given the same opportunities and love of books.
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Hi Beverly.I hear you. My daughter won't touch a book - so my theory doesn't work ALL the time. But it's like growing a garden. You can do everything right - and still nothing grows but weeds.
Mileage will ALWAYS vary.
The simple fact is that there are a LOT more distractions available these days. When I grew up we had TWO television channels - and one of them was French. There were three or four shows that we watched each week. The rest of the time we read or played tag or hide and go seek outside.
I turn on my television today and I've got an AWFUL lot to choose from. I don't like television - well, I can go to the movies. Or I can pull my cell phone out of my pocket and play Angry Birds all day long.
Or I can sit there and finger-text LOL's to all of my buddies.
We - as parents - have a lot more working against our efforts to grow our kids the reading habit - but reading ourselves is still one of the single best ways to lead by example.
Good talking to you.
Steve, you are totally right. My youngest daughter was struggling with her reading until a friend suggested that she always use the sub-titles on movies and shows - her English results improved dramatically. My son is into his computer gaming and reads magazines, so I guess both of them are reading in some form or the other. Like you, I grew up with little, actually no television until I was 12 - so reading was my escape.
Loved the article, thanks for the thought provoking message.
