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Posts from March 2018

Links I Shared on Twitter this Week: March 30: #BookLists, #Diverse #KidLit Panels, Re-Reading + #SocialMedia

March 30, 2018

TwitterLinksHere are highlights from the links that I shared on Twitter this week @JensBookPage. Topics this week include #BoardBooks, #BookLists, #Cybils, #DiverseBooks, #diversity, #KidLitWomen, #math, #RaisingReaders, #SchoolLibraries, #SocialMedia, #STEM, #writing, educational psychology, Global Read Aloud, reading, research, and schools.

Top Tweet of the Week

Why matter: What years of research tell us - | "The mere presence of a is associated with better student outcomes" + lots more

Book Lists + Awards

Announcing the Top 100 Poll! — (now joining top 100 + top 100 children's novels)

MaddisFridgeA Book List for Kids Age 4-12 to Understand from |

11 About Kids with Glasses, from https://t.co/QjgBVC6RKk

Top Ten Novels in Verse by

Congratulations to the American author , the laureate of Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2018 | via

2018 Indies Choice/E.B. White Read-Aloud Award Finalists Announced |  https://t.co/oyi5aBpEZw

Cybils

On the blog: Interview with , author of Elementary winner HATCHING CHICKS IN ROOM 6 |

Diversity + Gender

BillBoyWonderOn advocating for at conferences by | "Rather than start with public shaming or snark, instead ... express the concern civilly."

No More All-Male Panels: a pledge from author in solidarity with

Events + Programs

RT @PernilleRipp: Sign up for the Global Read Aloud - a global literacy initiative that connects millions of students around the world starting October 2nd

Growing Bookworms

Read Like The Bachelor: A Guide for Students to help increase + build a more independent reading life by https://t.co/vyn3RSdQ9G

On Reading, Writing, Blogging, and Publishing

BlackCauldronSo true from | "that's one of the joys of re-reading- not only do you get the story again, but you get to revisit the self you were when you first read the book"

Writing independently..The devil is in the detail | Ideas from for helping become independent https://t.co/11t9DBUocz

Why I Read "Old Smelly Books" (and Where To Find Them) by

Parenting

How to Navigate Your Way to the Best for Your Child | Guest post from

Schools and Libraries

RT @DTWillingham: I have a new article out in , focusing on teacher education and psychology; what are teachers taught of ed psych, what seems useful to them, and how to improve. https://t.co/ajxb7AFJ6c

FutureDrivenWhy Do Some Burn Out While Others Seem to Grow More Passionate? Some things the ones who are growing do, per

RT @TES: .'s research paper found that the type of school students attended (non-selective, grammar or private school) doesn't influence their results. Here, she explains her study: https://t.co/sMe6V3X4j4

Educate and Programs Will Follow -

On the Circle of Privilege + how it affects kids from | | How can help not on the enriched pathway?

Social Media/Technology

On the Need for | Hyper-connectivity is draining kids, having their mistakes captured on video + shared is even worse says

RT @NickGillespie: .'s 3 rules on how to critically read social media is the sharpest guide I've yet seen on the topic! And it smartly avoids top-down solutions to a crowd-sourced problem

New study finds Having Your Nearby Takes a Toll on Your Thinking (Even When It’s Silent and Facedown)  https://t.co/IXNYzyEnCV

STEM

BecomingMathTeacherWhen Pushing Boundaries in , Where Can Teachers Turn For Help + Camaraderie? | Tips and strategies from https://t.co/Sm6MawdR3w

RT @MindShiftKQED: Offering students incentives to practice over the summer not only helped prevent , but also forced students be more precise with mathematical language

© 2018 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook.

Posted at 06:23 AM in Newsletter, Twitter Links | | Comments (0)

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Growing Bookworms Newsletter: March 28: Calendar Mysteries, How to Get Kids to Read for Pleasure, Re-Reading, and Lots of Links

March 28, 2018

JRBPlogo-smallToday, I will be sending out a new issue of the Growing Bookworms email newsletter. (If you would like to subscribe, you can find a sign-up form here.) The Growing Bookworms newsletter contains content from my blog focused on growing joyful learners, mainly bookworms, but also mathematicians and learners of all types. The newsletter is sent out every three weeks.

Newsletter Update:  In this issue I have three book reviews (two young adult and one nonfiction title for parents about encouraging readers) and three posts with links that I shared recently on Twitter. I also have a couple of anecdotes regarding my daughter's reading, which are included below in this post. My blogging energy remains limited, I'm afraid. 

Reading Update:  In the last few weeks I finished one middle grade, one young adult and nine adult titles. This was mainly thanks to audiobooks. I read/listened to: 

  • Kathryn Erskine: Mockingbird. Puffin Books. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed March 11, 2018. My daughter brought this home from her school library and I read it to see if I thought she would like it (which I didn't - she's not ready for this book). I do think this book is well-written and compelling, but not for a seven-year old who is just inching her way into non-illustrated novels. 
  • Joelle Charbonneau: Time Bomb. HMH Books for Young Readers. YA Fiction. Completed March 13, 2018, review copy. My review.
  • Kaye Newton: How to Get Your Screen-Loving Kids to Read Books for Pleasure. Linland Press. Adult Nonfiction. Completed March 7, 2018, on Kindle. My review. 
  • Gretchen Rubin: The Happiness Project. Harper. Adult Nonfiction. Completed March 9, 2018, on Kindle. I've been doing a lot of reflecting on personal happiness, some of which relates to blogging, and both this book and the one that follows were useful, in different ways. I'm blogging a bit less, and working on a hand-written gratitude journal right now. 
  • Emma Seppala: The Happiness Track. HarperOne. Adult Nonfiction. Completed March 11, 2018, on Kindle.
  • Calene O'Connor: Murder in an Irish Churchyard (An Irish Village Mystery). Kensington. Adult Mystery. Completed March 11, 2018, on MP3. Eh, the romantic stress was a bit contrived. But the mystery itself was non-obvious, and I do enjoy the setting. 
  • Dana Stabenow: A Cold Day for Murder. Berkley. Adult Mystery. Completed March 15, 2018, on MP3. This is my first read of this series, set in remote Alaska, and I do expect to try others. 
  • Karen E. Olson: Hidden (A Black Hat Thriller). Severn House. Adult Mystery. Completed March 17, 2018, on Kindle. This is the first of a four-part series about a woman hacker who has been in hiding since committing certain crimes, and is found. Refreshingly different. 
  • Peter Clines: The Fold. Broadway Books. Adult Science Fiction. Completed March 19, 2018, on MP3. This was a science fiction story with an intriguing premise, which I picked up as an Audible Deal. 
  • Joy Ellis: Buried on the Fens. Joffe Books. Adult Mystery. Completed March 25, 2018, on MP3. Although I've enjoyed this series, this particular title was a bit dark for me. 
  • Karen E. Olson: Shadowed (A Black Hat Thriller). Severn House. Adult Mystery. Completed March 25, 2018, on Kindle. 

YouYourChildAndSchoolI'm currently listening to The Punishment She Deserves by Elizabeth George. I'm reading You, Your Child, and School by Sir Ken Robinson. My daughter and I are still reading Harry Potter Five (The Order of the Phoenix). For her own free choice reading she has mostly been re-reading her favorite graphic and notebook novels. We passed a display of such books in Target last weekend. We own them all already. My daughter gave a little pat to each of her favorites and remarked: “I wish I could wipe them from my memory so I could read them again for the first time.” That's book love for you! 

CalendarMysteriesShe has also started to dabble in series reads like the Calendar Mysteries by Ron Roy. What I've noticed is that for books that are not graphic novels, her interest level favors significantly less advanced books than her tested reading level (which is above her grade level) would suggest. Hence she keeps coming home from the school library with books that she is not interested in, that fall into the range that she is apparently encouraged to target. She mostly  ignores them all week and then returns them unread. But she whipped through two Calendar Mysteries this weekend and started a third. You all know my view - I just want her to read whatever she finds enjoyable.

She is showing a bit more interest in the first Wings of Fire book by Tui T. Sutherland, which a friend recommended. However, it's quite challenging for her and I am not going to push her to finish. 

Thanks for reading, and for growing bookworms!

© 2018 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. 

Posted at 06:44 AM in Newsletter | | Comments (1)

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Time Bomb: Joelle Charbonneau

March 27, 2018

Book: Time Bomb
Author: Joelle Charbonneau
Pages: 352
Age Range: 12 and up

TimeBombTime Bomb is a standalone young adult thriller about a high school bombing. The story begins with a brief scene in the afternoon in which the reader learns that several teens are trapped in the school, and that the bomber is one of them. The time frame then moves back to the morning, with short chapters from the perspectives of each of six kids. As the book progresses, the reader (and the other kids) has to figure out who the bomber is. Each of the six main characters has gone to school planning something desperate, but their individual motivations are only gradually revealed.

Time Bomb  reads as a combination of suspenseful thriller and The Breakfast Club. The carefully balanced diversity of the students (in terms of race, religion, sexual identity, socioeconomic status, popularity, and body types) struck me as a bit contrived, but the survival story and the mystery both held my interest. I did have a guess as to the identify of the culprit by mid-way through the book, but I wasn't sure, and I appreciated Charbonneau's continued planting of clues. 

In a ripped from the headlines touch, one of the kids is the daughter of a senator who is trying to enact legislation that "would require that students and teachers inform the administration if they thought someone in the school might be interested in doing harm to students, teachers, or school property. Any students reported would then have to hand over their passwords to social media and email accounts of face suspension and a potential investigation by federal authorities." (Page 7-8)

It's the interactions between the students, most of whom don't know one another prior to the bombing, that give the book its heart. This is constantly balanced with efforts towards survival, however. I do think that the combination works, and will keep kids reading. 

I'm not sure whether the timing of this book, released one month after the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, will end up good or bad for readership. I personally had to wait a couple of weeks before I was ready to read it. But it certainly does offer insights into the struggles that are going on inside the hearts and minds of high school students, and the ways that some of them may respond. There are characters offering both windows and mirrors for any teen reader. I had a hint of the feeling that I had after reading Thirteen Reasons Why, that somewhere, some reader of this book might be inspired to reach out to fellow students. And if not, well, most will still enjoy solving the mystery, and wondering what they might do to survive. Recommended!

Publisher:  HMH Books for Young Readers (@HMHKids)
Publication Date: March 13, 2018
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2018 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through affiliate links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

Posted at 06:34 AM in Mysteries and Thrillers, Newsletter, Reviews, Young Adult | | Comments (3)

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Links I Shared on Twitter this Week: March 23: Introversion, #GrowingReaders, #KidLitWomen + #KidLitCon

March 23, 2018

TwitterLinksHere are highlights from the links that I shared on Twitter this week @JensBookPage. Topics this week include #ALAYMA, #BookLists, #Cybils, #FlexibleSeating, #GrowingBookworms, #kidlitcon, #KidLitWomen, #learning, #literacy, #Math, #ReadAloud, #SchoolLibrarians, introversion, schools, smart speakers, and teaching. 

Top Tweet of the Week

YES! This: Being An Is Not Something Which Needs To Be Cured | Introversion + being yourself should be celebrated | via https://t.co/jNEq6wf64X

Book Lists + Awards

NothingStoppedSophieThe Newbery / Caldecott 2019: Spring Prediction Edition from

How To . . . (2018 Edition) — shares some new "how to"

22 Must Have Wordless for Kids of All Ages, from https://t.co/5jNSBMQZo6

12 Kid-Approved Middle Grade Books That Tackle |

Cybils

WheresHalmoniToday on the blog, an Interview with Julie Kim, author of Elem / Middle Grade winner WHERE'S HALMONI?

Diversity + Gender

- Mothers and Fathers: Gender Stereotyping in by

The Fallacy of the Strong Female Character | Do we talk about "strong boys" in ? | via for +

Growing Bookworms

DrumsGirlsUsing Whole-Class Conversations for Closure after finishing chapter books in the by

Past our Classroom Walls | shares ideas inspired by + more

Why bookish events matter in terms of building + communities by |

Five Ways Your will Sell Itself (Without taking up valuable class time!) | |

Kidlitosphere / #KidLitCon

KidLitConNoDetail First Sponsor: Thank you – Providence March 22-23, 2019

Hey there, + publishers | Sponsorships (March 2019) Are Now Open! – |

Hey there, + bloggers, authors, illustrators + advocates: The Call for Presenters for (next year) is officially open! –

On Reading, Writing, Blogging, and Publishing

JamesGiantPeachWho’d be a storybook parent? Bad things happen to them. |

"But this has been key: I realized I must find a way to run my private life, my life, and my business life as an . The new blog world offers just that advantage." via https://t.co/gCxRFSc0S4

Why Books Should be Your Priority, According to | | https://t.co/Na6jQ9iDiP

Parenting

Hey, Alexa, What Are You Teaching Our Kids? | | Impact of smart speakers on kids' +

BATWaitingGameInteresting post on the idea of kids needing a "Circle of Seven" caring adults around them + how this manifested organically in 's Bat series |

Schools and Libraries

3 Conversation Shifts in per – Product vs. Process, +

We’re looking for the next of the Year! | | Past winners inc. +

This is cool: British art wins $1 million teaching prize -

"I just wish it was easier to teach and be engaged in the broader world" https://t.co/xGo57GEMP8

12 Ways to Upgrade Your | |

STEM

CuriousIncidentHow Novels in Class Can Strengthen Student Engagement |

© 2018 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook.

Posted at 06:56 AM in Newsletter, Twitter Links | | Comments (0)

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Relative Strangers: Paula Garner

March 20, 2018

Book: Relative Strangers
Author: Paula Garner
Pages: 368
Age Range: 13 and up

RelativeStrangersIn Relative Strangers, by Paula Garner, high school senior Jules learns for the first time that she spent nearly two years in foster care when she was a small child, while her alcoholic single mother struggled. Since then, Jules' mother has stayed sober, if distant, and the two live a frugal existence. Jules can't help feeling a bit envious of her two best friends, Gab and Leila, who have much more stable, comfortable home lives. When Jules decides to track down her foster family, she finds Luke, five years her senior, who is thrilled to reconnect with his long-lost little sister. However, while Luke thinks of Jules as the sister whose diapers he helped change, Jules, with no memory of Luke's family, struggles to overcome a powerful attraction to her handsome "brother." 

Personally, I was a little uncomfortable with the "attraction to the brother-figure" storyline, though I understand that it was necessary to provide conflict to the story. Apart from that, however, I quite enjoyed Relative Strangers. Garner's characterization is strong, particularly when it comes to Jules. Jules positive breathes from the page, as do her friends, including Eli, a quirky gay barista who keeps pet rats. The relationship between Jules and her mother is nuanced, and really, none of the relationships in the book are one-dimensional. This is especially true for Jules' relationship with Gab and Leila, who are depicted as proton and neutron (completely solid bond) to Jules' close but still secondary circling electron. 

Here are a couple of quotes, to give you a feel for Jules' voice:

"Dr. Hathaway put some money down on the table. "Pizza money, in case you're still hungry after you've eaten us out of house and home. Gotta keep those tapeworms thriving." He winked at us. I glanced at the cash on the table, thinking how many hours of work a few twenties represented to me and how they were nothing to the Hathaways, and the Wassermans, too. I cringed at myself for the money envy on top of the family envy, but apparently my coveting knew no bounds. When Leila's dad gave her a kiss on the temple, I wanted to crawl under the kitchen island with the copper-bottomed pots and fancy appliances and cry."

and:

"Stepping outside was like receiving a hug from a benevolent deity. The sky beamed a blue of impossible vibrancy, and the air smelled of rain soaked earth and budding green life. Spudly, the Jenskins's basset hound, barked joyously at me through the fence as I passed by. Sun flashed in the water rushing along the drainage ditches on Elm Street. As I made my way through the neighborhood and into town, I buzzed with excitement and hope." (Chapter 6 - as Jules is about to meet Luke for the first time)

So we have vivid, evocative writing; strong characterization; and gender, religious, and socioeconomic diversity. Jules also has unusual interests (she loves everyday old things, like china and buttons). There's plenty of emotion (including a couple of sad things), without Relative Strangers being overly melodramatic. There are some aspects that make Relative Strangers better for high schoolers than middle schoolers (references to casual sex, smoking pot, sneaking alcohol from parents), but nothing that isn't realistic or thoughtful. In short, this is top quality young adult fiction all around. Recommended for teens and for adults who enjoy YA. 

Publisher: Candlewick Press 
Publication Date: April 10, 2018
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2018 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through affiliate links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

Posted at 06:58 AM in Newsletter, Reviews, Young Adult | | Comments (0)

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Links I Shared on Twitter this Week: March 16: #KidLitCon, #KidLitWomen, Playgrounds + #LoveOfReading

March 16, 2018

TwitterLinksHere are highlights from the links that I shared on Twitter this week @JensBookPage. Topics this relatively busy week include #DiverseBooks, #dyslexia, #gender, #GRA18, #GraphicNovels, #HarryPotter, #KidLitCon, #KidLitWomen, #librarians, #math, #MentalHealth, #phonics, #play, #ReadAloud, #resilience, #SchoolLibraries, #SocialMedia, boys and reading, grading, growing bookworms, learning, reading, and schools.

Top Tweets of the Week

Research-Tested Benefits of Breaks to help reset focus in |  https://t.co/2mT78mqi5C

SnowyDayBlack Kids Don’t Want to Read About Harriet Tubman All the Time - A call for more books about everyday experiences of black kids from

Cybils Awards

Today on the blog: Interview w/ , author of middle grade speculative fiction winner THE DRAGON WITH A CHOCOLATE HEART

Diversity + Gender

CCBC 2017 Book Statistics are now available

TurtlesAllTheWay Offer Windows, Mirrors on | via https://t.co/Z1Qf9k7iVz

On Ways that We Recommend Certain Books for Certain Kids, and how we (teachers, parents, librarians, booksellers) need to do better, by

How Empowering Girls to Confront Conflict and Buck Perfection Helps Their Well-Being |

Banishing “Boy Books” and “Girl Books” from the Lexicon – Stop limiting choices by

BoldGirlsReadingGuideIntro to Children’s Books Ireland’s new initiative, , a celebration of girls + women in children’s books by

Seeks Solutions to in Children’s Publishing |

Events + Programs

The Rising New York Road Runners Program (available nationwide) gives kids a chance to earn Marketplace credits for their school by running

RT @PernilleRipp: Voting is open for Global Read Aloud 2018 Picture Book Author/Illustrator Choice https://t.co/rDSChdPZUH

Growing Bookworms

MinecraftZombieYES! My Secret Reading Identity by Julia Guthrie | realizes she needs to celebrate her own true interests to avoid hypocrisy in what she tells https://t.co/SVtt0KiTpm

Enjoyment of , not mechanics of reading, can improve for boys | Laura Scholes describes call in UK + Australian |

Kids to Love : 3 Strategies That Work from https://t.co/8mB0lQi1br

Kidlitosphere / #KidLitCon

What’s New on Website? – shares updates re: Providence March 2019 | There's already a list of those planning to attend!

KidLitConNoDetailHere's the scoop on 2019-Providence! from co-organizer

New blog post from | & Be the Change You Seek!

+ bloggers + authors: Now is your chance to VOTE on Panel Discussions for 2019 (Providence RI, 3/22/19)

is a year away but look who’s coming! – March 22-23 Providence 2019 Early Attendee List

Registration for March 22-23, 2019 (next year) is now LIVE! – | Organizers:

On Reading, Writing, Blogging, Publishing and Social Media

theory keeps kids thinking (+ thus keeps them ), reports

How to cure your addiction | via | (Is it ironic to share this on social media?) https://t.co/odBmALhA8g

Are Made for Book Lovers, tiny towns that have made their speciality -  https://t.co/3l8p6HjyNW

Parenting, Play, + Learning

StarWarsmathLearn Well, You Will with Workbooks | gives thumbs up to these new supplemental learning books from

In Britain’s Playgrounds, ‘Bringing in Risk’ to Build Resilience -

The “10,000-Hour” Myth: Why Deliberate Practice Isn’t Enough to Succeed + people should also focus on their innate strengths | via

Schools and Libraries

OPINION: Here’s a way teachers can help break down equity barriers in high school: to students -   https://t.co/Sg1lLHRoYO

Author calls “places of recognition for young people” in new PSA from

44 Positive Practices That Are "Fixing" Today per | , , + much more

Rethinking How Students With Are Taught To Read :

InnovatorsMindset3 Thoughts for Improving Attendance in – Educators could make feel more valued + more engaging

The Goal of Instruction is to Get , Not to Use Phonics When Reading, guest post from

How to Create a Gradeless Classroom in a School That Requires | |

Does your have Striving ? You should hire qualified says | Focusing on would help "fix" education system

YouYourChildSchoolHow To Find A Your Kids Will Love (And That You Will, Too) | A conversation w/ |

In , the Kids Are Not All Right | on promoting students' mental well-being

A brief note on walkouts - a cautionary note for who suspend the usual consequences from

STEM

60 Titles for 3-6 Year Olds | from + more

© 2018 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook.

Posted at 06:31 AM in Newsletter, Twitter Links | | Comments (0)

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How to Get Your Screen-Loving Kids to Read Books for Pleasure: Kaye Newton

March 13, 2018

Book: How to Get Your Screen-Loving Kids to Read Books for Pleasure
Author: Kaye Newton
Pages: 170
Age Range: Adult Nonfiction

ScreenLovingKidsReadHow to Get Your Screen-Loving Kids to Read Books for Pleasure is a well-researched, user-friendly guide for parents on this specific topic. Author Kaye Newton isn't a teacher or reading expert - she's a parent who struggled with her own children's falling off of reading during adolescence, and set out to look for solutions. While there's not a lot in the book that was new to me, because I read a lot in this area, I think that Newton did a nice job of distilling recommendations from sources like Jim Trelease, Donalyn Miller, Penny Kittle, and others. She also has a nice set of book recommendations that are designed to "hook" kids, with titles grouped by age range and category (history, nonfiction, humor, etc.). The books she recommends include many of what I would consider the "new classics" as well as some traditional classics, with a reasonable (though not extensive) representation of diverse titles. 

I agreed with and applauded most of Newton's recommendations throughout the book. She strongly supports giving kids choice in what they read, and she doesn't get hung up on reading levels or literary quality. She's a proponent of anything that involves long-form reading, vs. brief snippets on texts and Facebook, including fiction and nonfiction, magazines and audiobooks. She strikes me as not completely sure about graphic novels, but she goes with the research and agrees that they are "real reading" and can be used to hook readers. She's solid on choice and putting the pleasure in pleasure reading. 

I wasn't completely on board with some specific recommendations that she makes for boys and reading because I feel philosophically that boys should be encouraged to read books with female protagonists. But I think that the general audience of parents who are trying to encourage reluctant readers will find the specific recommendations helpful. Similarly, I'm not a fan of giving kids rewards for reading. And to be fair, neither is Newton, but she does outline cases where she thinks they can help, for particularly resistant readers. But those are my only, minor, quibbles.

I found myself highlighting many passages as I read through How to Get Your Screen-Loving Kids to Read Books for Pleasure. Newton starts by telling parents why they should encourage their kids to read for pleasure, with a nice section on the benefits for teens and preteens (stress reduction, improved concentration, increased empathy, etc.). She views encouraging reading as a parent's job, and she doesn't let parents off the hook in terms of modeling reading, though she's generous with her definitions. For example, one suggestion to increase summer reading is to designate a time that the whole family reads, but that reading could include articles for work, the newspaper, or other choices.

Newton is empathetic to the difficulties that parents can face in striving for more reading time (it's hard to get kids to put down their screens), but stays positive about the reasons to do so. She takes on various questions, like whether it's ok for kids to re-read (yes), whether it's ok to read on an e-reader, what to do about kids who are reading above their grade level, how to help kids with learning disabilities, and so on. She urges parents to surround their kids with reading material, whether from the library or other sources, and provides  suggestions for making reading "the most interesting and accessible activity in the room." 

As my daughter is not yet an adolescent (thank goodness), and is at this point still an avid reader (thank goodness), there were parts of this book that were not as relevant for me. I won't be setting up book clubs any time soon, for instance. But I still enjoyed reading this book, because I agreed with so much of what Kaye Newton had to say. I did pick up a few new ideas, too. How to Get Your Screen-Loving Kids to Read Books for Pleasure is a fairly quick read (with lots of lists and bullets). I think that any parent seeking to engage a reluctant teen or preteen reader could find something useful to try. It's also good just for refreshing one's general intent to raise readers (and be a reader). All in all, I definitely recommend giving this book a look! 

Publisher:  Linland Press
Publication Date: January 10, 2018
Source of Book: Review copy from the author

© 2018 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through affiliate links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

Posted at 07:00 AM in Literacy, Love of Books, Newsletter, Parents, Read-Aloud Handbook, Reviews | | Comments (0)

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Links I Shared on Twitter this Week: March 9: #WomensHistoryMonth, #SchoolLibraryMonth, #STEM + #ReadingCommunities

March 09, 2018

TwitterLinksHere are highlights from the links that I shared on Twitter this week @JensBookPage. Topics this week include #audiobooks, #BookLists, #EarlyLiteracy, #Flipgrid, #InquiryMindset, #nonfiction, #PictureBooks, #ReadAcrossAmerica, #reading, #ReadingAloud, #SchoolLibraries, #STEM, child development, Growing Bookworms, play, schools, science fiction, and Women's History Month. 

Top Tweet of the Week

Authors Share Their Favorite Kids’ Books About Girls, Written by Women

Book Lists

31 New Biographies to Celebrate by

JourneyDynamic Featuring Boisterous, Spirited Girl Protagonists! for boys or girls to read, a from https://t.co/7Nie2CI2uM

14 to Introduce Concepts | from   https://t.co/1n0f44k8AM

New : About Dogs from

RA RA Read: + Notebook Novels, from Jennifer Wharton |

Scythe100 Must-Read Young Adult Books, new by | books by books by: + more

RT @CharlottesLib: Nothing is quite like a Wrinkle in Time, but after much careful thought, I made a list (8 Great Books for Kids Who Love A Wrinkle In Time @BNKids) I was happy with! What would you add? http://ow.ly/YhDN30iMQSD

Cybils Awards

Today on the blog: An Interview with , author of winner SCYTHE

Events + Programs

Happy Birthday ! Here are Ideas to Celebrate Read Across America Week & Dr. Seuss from

New Blog Post (+ new blog!): We’ve Secured Hotel Providence for KidLitCon 2019 (3/22+23/19)! | + are rock stars! https://t.co/uM1YVrrajf

GhostApril is | This year's theme is Making Connections at Your , w/ spokesperson | Details:

Growing Bookworms

Five Tips For Helping Kids Read Better | Stella Tokar Blog | https://t.co/8CJYBfkn6S

Four Steps to Get Screen-Loving Kids to Read Books, guest post by at |  https://t.co/mVdV8CB7xJ

Fostering a With FlipGrid

HybridsNow, more than ever, young children need to be read to – | "Parents must read to children. must be in every community" |

The importance of teaching children early skills | | Why is important + when to begin

On Reading, Writing, Blogging, and Publishing

On , shares her guidelines for Buy vs. Borrow, and asks for yours

GraveyardBookCan you recommend a book?…Maybe, or maybe not? | will "recommend w/ caution + w/ an eye on the past as well as the present"

Parenting

Delaying May Protect Against Developmental Disorders - |

How to Spot - New guidelines focus on helping better identify teens who may be struggling, as rates climb | https://t.co/C19zOJDB5S

Schools and Libraries

overhaul in schools | District aims to reduce quantity + improve quality where it remains |

CantSayCantPlay“There’s no room for you here…you can’t play” | Thoughts on how to keep kids from excluding others from in the from LBurkins https://t.co/V28cKz4Dst

What are public to do when a student is clearly , but does not qualify for asks  https://t.co/gnBVs25pGu

When You Know Better- Edition | shares thoughts (evolved over time) on round robin + in the

Kids learn better when they’re moving. Just ask this Memphis and dance coach. | via

InquiryMindsetHow To Ease Into Independent Inquiry Projects | + |

Ideas for choosing that build a love for story + help students master key + content-area standards |

Ideas for including more in classrom , w/ book suggestions, from

Why Tech Executive Susan Wu Says Her Plan to Disrupt Is Different - |

RT @MrsPStorytime: Do you need funding for your school library? Check out the grant channel . Thx for the valuable resource!

, the -Out Movement, and Excellence. What can we do as educators to change the testing culture education has become? asks  https://t.co/brE35TpmHr

STEM

Global study finds more women go into fields where they have fewer options. In places like US w/ more options, they make other choices | Susan Pinker https://t.co/rxsr68SCvu

Eight ways to introduce kids to at an early age | Toys w/ manipulative elements + more

This is surprising: students protest at over smartphone addiction |

© 2018 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook.

Posted at 06:26 AM in Newsletter, Twitter Links | | Comments (0)

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Growing Bookworms Newsletter: March 7: Middle Grade Reviews, Librarian for a Day + #MegaPrincess

March 07, 2018

JRBPlogo-smallToday, I will be sending out a new issue of the Growing Bookworms email newsletter. (If you would like to subscribe, you can find a sign-up form here.) The Growing Bookworms newsletter contains content from my blog focused on growing joyful learners, mainly bookworms, but also mathematicians and learners of all types. The newsletter is sent out every three weeks.

Newsletter Update:  In this issue I have three book reviews (middle grade) and three posts with links that I shared recently on Twitter. I also have a post about my daughter's recent experience being Librarian for a Day at school, and one about her latest literacy milestone (correcting my grammar). 

Reading Update:  In the last few weeks I finished two young adult and eight adult titles. I read/listened to: 

  • Tara Altebrando: The Opposite of Here. Bloomsbury USA Children's Books. YA Fiction. Completed February 7, 2018, print ARC. Although I usually love Altebrando's books, this one didn't work for me for some reason. Finished but did not review. 
  • InSomeOtherLifeJessica Brody: In Some Other Life. Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers. YA Fiction. Completed February 20, 2018, on Kindle. This was a fun look at alternate worlds, and I do recommend it, though it was a vacation read and I don't plan a formal review.  
  • Christopher Swann: Shadow of the Lions. Algonquin Books. Adult Mystery. Completed February 10, 2018, on MP3. 
  • Kate Quinn: The Alice Network. William Morrow. Adult Mystery. Completed February 17, 2018, on Kindle. This was an interesting historical novel about female spies in World War I, also featuring an investigation shortly after World War II (moving back and forth between two young adult protagonists). I think that fans of Code Name Verity who are ready for some adult content would enjoy it. 
  • C. J. Tudor: The Chalk Man. Crown. Adult Mystery. Completed February 19, 2018, on Kindle. This book, about a mystery with roots back in the narrator's 1980's childhood, was full of twists, and kept me guessing. 
  • Karen Odden: The Lady in the Smoke. Alibi. Adult Mystery. Completed February 23, 2018, on Kindle.I found the mystery in this historical novel a bit hard to follow. 
  • Kate Saunders: The Secrets of Wishtide (A Laetitia Rodd Mystery). Bloomsbury. Adult Mystery. Completed February 28, 2018, on MP3. This historical mystery about a middle-aged widow who investigates delicate society matters on behalf of her lawyer brother is a promising start to a new series. The audio was excellent. 
  • Kristen Welch: Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World. Tyndale. Adult Nonfiction. Completed March 3, 2018. This book was much more religiously-oriented than I had expected, but I definitely found some useful thoughts on raising kids who are grateful vs. kids who are overly-entitled. 
  • Lee Goldberg: True Fiction (Ian Ludlow). Thomas & Mercer. Adult Thriller. Completed March 4, 2018, on Kindle. This is fun popcorn read, hopefully not realistic, but a page-turning adventure. 
  • Laura Lippman: Sunburn. William Morrow. Adult Suspense. Completed March 6, 2018, on Kindle. This one is definitely intriguing and will keep you guessing. 

ScreenLovingKidsReadI'm currently listening to Murder in an Irish Churchyard by Carlene O'Connor (third in a series). I'm reading How to Get Your Screen-Loving Kids to Read Books for Pleasure by Kaye Newton. My daughter and I are still reading Harry Potter Five (The Order of the Phoenix). For her own reading, she enjoyed a variety of new graphic novels that I picked up for her before our recent vacation. Mega Princess by Kelly Thompson and Brianne Drouhard consumed her enough to put off going to the pool at my parents' condo, so that was a pretty strong vote of approval. 

MegaPrincessLately I have a hard time getting her to stop reading to do other things, like finish her homework or go to sleep. She always says the same thing to me: "It's your fault. You taught me to love reading." This is undeniable, though we are starting to have discussions about the fact that even when we love reading, we sometimes have to prioritize other things. 

Thanks for reading, and for growing bookworms!

© 2018 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. 

Posted at 08:12 AM in Newsletter | | Comments (2)

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Literacy Milestone: Correcting My Grammar

March 05, 2018

LiteracyMilestoneARecently my daughter passed what I believe is a new milestone on her path to literacy. She corrected my grammar. She was washing her very dirty feet before bed. I said: "Wash 'em good!". She immediately piped back with "Well, Mommy. It should be 'Wash 'em well.'"

She's not wrong, of course. And I didn't have the energy to explain the concept of choosing to use less than perfect grammar in a particular situation. So I just agreed that she was right and let it go. But I thought that those of you who have been following her progress from first learning her letters would appreciate this milestone: recognizing and demanding proper grammar. 

Now if only I could get her to do her spelling homework without an enormous fuss... 

© 2018 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. 

Posted at 07:00 AM in Literacy Milestones, Newsletter | | Comments (2)

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Links I Shared on Twitter this Week: March 2: #Mathical Book Prizes, #RaisingReaders + #GrowthMindset + #Recess

March 02, 2018

TwitterLinksHere are highlights from the links that I shared on Twitter this week @JensBookPage. Topics this week include #GrowingBookworms, #GrowthMindset, #Mathical, #play, #STEM, Children's Book Week, classroom libraries, comfort dogs, electronic devices, Free Range Kids, parenting, reading, recess, and schools.

Top Tweet of the Week

What’s the Right Amount of ? | recaps some recent research | I still say the answer is NONE for elementary school kids, but that's my own conclusion 

Book Lists + Awards

BillionStarsThe 2018 Book Prize winners were just announced. I love this award that celebrates books that inspire kids to appreciate

I love this: A Visit to Massachusetts: Top 10 Stops Along the Way by https://t.co/kGcbizzSXV

Diversity and Gender

PrincessInBlackWe’re Ready: a post for about changing the gendered expectations that adults have for kids by |

Learning About : Links For Those Who Want to Know More After Seeing from https://t.co/YJHlRtam5w

Events + Programs

Reveal: The 2018 Children’s Book Week Bookmarks Are In With Big Old Names Attached —

Dolly Parton gives 100 millionth free book to children | | set up to honor her illiterate father

Growing Bookworms

Helping families find pockets of time to read with kids, excellent suggestions from | https://t.co/ytbZhmjj3O

RaisingKidsWhoReadRT @MindshiftKQED: One strategy recommended by : make the most appealing choice around by restricting access to other activities that think are less enriching

Growth Mindset

The Ripple Effects of by |

Kidlitosphere

RT @PragmaticMom: Big News! and I are planning the next . It will be held March 2019 in PROVIDENCE, RI! We welcome your ideas for a theme. : let us know what you need and want from the KidLit community.

Lots of good stuff (including the fabulous awards) in today's Fusenews | + more

Parenting

RaisingGratefulKidsI thought this was a good article: How to Raise More Grateful Children - Jennifer Breheny Wallace in | https://t.co/IRPpshl4JL [I purchased this book about raising grateful kids after reading the article.]

Schools and Libraries

Our Classroom : Connecting, Stretching, Evolving, thoughts on growing readers via by + |

FreeRangeKidsSigh: When School Kids Lose Their Time - | via |

This is somewhat disturbing: Children struggle to hold pencils due to too much tech, doctors say |

Making Comfort Dogs an Everyday Part of | https://t.co/MOzn1BHWeA

STEM

Guest Post by Joy Lin | Why is Important for Success (real problems + situations are expressed in words)

© 2018 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook.

Posted at 06:35 AM in Newsletter, Twitter Links | | Comments (2)

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My Daughter's Experience Being Librarian for a Day

March 01, 2018

LibrarianForADayAs an annual fundraiser, my daughter's elementary school PTO holds auctions for kids to be "Teacher for a Day" or "Principal for a Day". This year for the first time there was an option to be "Librarian for a Day." As you might imagine, we snapped that one up. My daughter's main day as librarian was yesterday. She's also going to get to go back on the day that her class checks out books, so that she can experience that as librarian. Without hesitation, my daughter pronounced yesterday a "great" experience. 

CorneredBooksShe was particularly excited that she got to "corner books" with tape. The next day she stopped our breakfast reading early so that she could find a book and demonstrate this process for me. She was very proud of her ability to do it neatly. She also enjoyed (in the library) stamping books and using the Dewey Decimal system. I predict that some re-organization of our books is going to be in my future. 

4thGradePhotoWithout question, she had an excellent time. For me, this was a somewhat nostalgic experience. In sixth grade my best friend and I volunteered in our elementary school library in the mornings before school. My recollection is primarily of shelving books, but I loved that library, and still look back fondly on the experience. [To the left is my fourth grade school photo, taken in the library.]

My thanks to the school librarian for making this such a good experience for my daughter. Anything that keeps her excited about books is well worthwhile, I think. 

© 2018 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. 

Posted at 02:34 PM in Libraries, Literacy Milestones, Newsletter | | Comments (8)

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