Fowl Book

A while back, I was shopping in the book section of Costco, a tempting place for a book-lover. While browsing the latest thrillers, I overheard this exchange between a middle-school girl and her mother.
Girl: “But why can’t I read The Da Vinci Code?”
Mom: “It’s a grown-up book, honey. Here, take this one.”
Girl: “The Hobbit? I don’t want to read that; it’s a little kid’s book.”
Mom: “We want you to read The Hobbit.”
At that point, I felt like stepping in and saying, “Excuse me, ma’am, I’m an author. Step away from The Hobbit. Let the girl read what she likes.”
The truth is, it’s hard enough to get some kids to put their nose in a book. No need to complicate matters by trying to make them read something they don’t like.
Educators, parents and authors all want to keep reluctant readers reading. But those readers can be finickier than a roomful of felines at a cat food taste test. Maybe they know what they like; maybe they only know what they don’t like.
I believe that all it takes to create a reader is the right book. Finding that tale is the trick.
So how do you pick books that will hook reluctant readers? Each child is different, with very particular tastes. Nevertheless, here are some key elements that engage child readers, along with some suggested titles:
HUMOR
Whether you hate or love Captain Underpants, you can’t deny that his humor captures readers – especially boys. Kids love to laugh, and if you can put funny books in their hands, they’ll keep gobbling them up.
Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey
Time Warp Trio by Jon Scieszka
Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery by Deborah and James Howe
The Chet Gecko Mysteries by Bruce Hale
Mr. Chickee’s Funny Money by Christopher Paul Curtis
SYMPATHETIC CHARACTERS
Whatever genre the story falls into, it must have a main character that the reader claims as a friend. And just as important, the tale must be told in concise, vigorous writing. Reluctant readers don’t have the patience to slog through lengthy or convoluted prose.
Amber Brown by Paula Danziger
Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee
The Hank Zipzer series by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver
Superfudge by Judy Blume
FANTASY
Kids love books that take a compelling “what if” (what if a treehouse was a time machine? what if a boy went to wizard school?) and spin out a story. Alternate worlds, magical happenings, extraterrestrials — all of these can capture the unmotivated reader’s imagination.
Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
The Bartimeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud
My Teacher Is an Alien by Bruce Coville
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
ACTION
With so much competition from movies, TV and videogames, books must move if they want to entice. Slow-paced stories are fine for more experienced readers, but reluctant readers need books that hit the ground running.
Alex Rider by Anthony Horowitz
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
The Redwall books by Brian Jacques
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
THE PROMISE THAT SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN
This is why we all read, to see what happens next in the story. A book that builds suspense early on and maintains it will keep kids reading.
Animorphs by K.A. Applegate
Holes by Louis Sachar
Matt Christopher Sports Series by Matt Christopher
Goosebumps by R.L. Stine
SERIES
Series are training-wheel books. They provide familiar characters in a familiar world that’s easier to lose yourself in with each new title. Series books build literacy skills and create new readers.
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
Judy Moody by Megan McDonald
Percy Jackson & The Olympians by Rick Riordan
The Magic Schoolbus series by Joanna Cole
STRONG VISUALS
Graphic novels, manga, and comic books, with their strong visual content, will hook plenty of reluctant readers — especially boys. These books can serve as a stepping-stone to longer fiction.
Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai
Bone by Jeff Smith
Groo the Wanderer by Sergio Aragones
Babymouse by Jennifer and Matthew Holm
SEEING THEMSELVES
Some reluctant readers don’t want fantasy; they want the real world. If we take the time to give them books with multicultural characters they can identify with, those readers will respond.
Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
Bucking the Sarge by Christopher Paul Curtis
Who Am I Without Him? Sharon Flake (YA)
Some say that it’s not good to give kids certain kinds of books, that it’s not wise to let them read comic books or escapist literature. Personally, I’m happy if kids read almost anything — magazines, video game instructions, cereal boxes, or the writing on the wall — as long as they’re reading.
First we have to show them that reading can be fun. Only after that goal is accomplished can we offer them more challenging books that will open up their minds.
If we want to have a literate nation in the future, reaching reluctant readers now is our first task. (After that, we can focus on playing “book police” at Costco. Just kidding.)
About the Author:
Bruce Hale is the author of over 20 books for kids, including the Edgar-nominated series, The Chet Gecko Mysteries, and the forthcoming graphic novel/fiction series, Underwhere. He speaks at schools, conferences, and businesses across North America. You can find Bruce on the Web at:
http://www.brucehale.com
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Hooking Reluctant Readers
Artemis Fowl Book 1 Part 1
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1) Eoin Colfer 0786817
$1.00 |
|
|
The Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl, Book 3), Eoin Colfer U
$5.15 |
|
|
LOT 3 EION COLFER BOOKS 2 ARTEMIS FOWL+Supernaturalist
$4.99 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1), Eoin Colfer, Accep
$1.00 |
|
|
The Opal Deception (Artemis Fowl, Book 4), Eoin Colfer,
$1.00 |
|
|
Fowl Prey (Bed-And-Breakfast Mysteries), Very Good Book
$1.00 |
|
|
Lot of 3 Artemis Fowl books one HC two PB Mint!!!
$14.99 |
|
|
Gunners Paradise Wild Fowl Bird Decoy Carving Book
$19.99 |
|
|
Little Book of Land Rover - Charlotte Morgan, Stan Fowl
$15.42 |
|
|
The Time Paradox (Artemis Fowl, Book 6) by Eoin Colfer
$7.98 |
|
|
School Recorder Books: Bk. 1, Edmund Priestley, F. Fowl
$4.49 |
|
|
4 Eoin Colfer Artemis Fowl Soft Cover Books
$5.99 |
|
|
The Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl, Book 3) by Eoin Colfer
$3.95 |
|
|
The Thief Lord Artemis Fowl Harry Potter Fantasy Book
$0.09 |
|
|
Lot 6 ARTEMIS FOWL Books Eoin Colfer guided reading
$9.99 |
|
|
Artemis fowl , the opal deception, children books
$0.95 |
|
|
Eoin Colfer Artemis Fowl 3 book hardcover set
$17.00 |
|
|
4 Artemis Fowl SC Eoin Colfer Chapter Books RL4
$12.00 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1) by Eoin Colfer
$3.95 |
|
|
1871 J.W. Ludlow Fowl Print Cassell's Book of Poultry
$19.99 |
|
|
1950 Ag/Fowl Kasco Mills BOOK Poultry Guide Heiman
$5.00 |
|
|
9 ARTEMIS FOWL Eoin Colfer Children Book LOT NICE!
$0.99 |
|
|
4 Artemis Fowl SC Eoin Colfer Chapter Books RL4
$8.00 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl - Book 6 The Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer
$3.99 |
|
|
The Criminal Mastermind ARTEMIS FOWL Set of Three Books
$15.00 |
|
|
ARTEMIS FOWL Complete Set of 6 Books NEW
$24.97 |
|
|
Artmis Fowl Files, Eoin Colfer, Good Book
$1.00 |
|
|
The Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl, Book 3)
$4.99 |
|
|
The Lost Colony (Artemis Fowl, Book 5): by Eoin Colfer
$26.86 |
|
|
Eoin Colfer SIGNED Artemis Fowl 1st Ed BOOK #1
$74.99 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1), Eoin Colfer, Good
$4.99 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1), Eoin Colfer, Accep
$4.99 |
|
|
The Opal Deception (Artemis Fowl, Book 4), Eoin Colfer,
$6.83 |
|
|
The Artemis Fowl Files by Eoin Colfer (2004) BOOK
$7.88 |
|
|
SIGNED 1st/4th ARTEMIS FOWL Eoin Colfer HCDJ Book 1
$9.99 |
|
|
LOT#21 NOVELS VINTAGE FREE BOOKS FICTION EDUCATION FOWL
$14.00 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (new cover), Eoin Colfer, New Book
$5.27 |
|
|
EOIN COLFER 3 ARTEMIS FOWL BOOKS 1ST AM. EDITION HARDBK
$8.95 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1), Eoin Colfer USED G
$5.15 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1) by Eoin Colfer
$4.50 |
|
|
Cluck: Murder Most Fowl, Eric D. Knapp, Very Good Book
$12.93 |
|
|
Operation Fowl Play by Andrea Menotti (2004, Book, I...
$2.49 |
|
|
The Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl, Book 3), Eoin Colfer,
$1.00 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1), Eoin Colfer, Good
$1.00 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1), Eoin Colfer, Good
$4.99 |
|
|
The Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl, Book 3) by Eoin Colfer
$3.95 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl, 2 books, Lot-4
$2.80 |
|
|
The Opal Deception (Artemis Fowl, Book 4)
$10.95 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1), Eoin Colfer, Good
$1.00 |
|
|
The Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl, Book 3), Eoin Colfer U
$5.15 |
|
|
1st Ed ARTEMIS FOWL BOOK 1 Eoin Colfer NEW HC/DJ
$34.95 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1), Eoin Colfer, Good
$4.99 |
|
|
NEW Fish, Flesh and Fowl - A Cook Book of Valuable R...
$28.14 |
|
|
Lot of 5 Artemis Fowl Series Books NEW Eoin Colfer
$29.99 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1), Eoin Colfer, Good
$4.99 |
|
|
The Lost Colony (Artemis Fowl, Book 5), Eoin Colfer, Ne
$3.38 |
|
|
**2 Artemis Fowl Paperback Books by Eoin Colfer**
$6.99 |
|
|
The Lost Colony (Artemis Fowl, Book 5) by Eoin Colfer
$6.26 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1), Eoin Colfer, Very
$4.99 |
|
|
The Lost Colony (Artemis Fowl, Book 5) by Eoin Colfer
$6.95 |
|
|
ARTEMIS FOWL - 3 books
$5.95 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl: The Criminal Mastermind Collection (Books
$9.21 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1), Eoin Colfer, Very
$1.00 |
|
|
ARTEMIS FOWL SERIES ~ 5 BOOKS BOXED SET x EOIN COLFER
$23.95 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1), Eoin Colfer USED G
$5.15 |
|
|
WATERFOWL FOWL IDENTIFICATION ID POCKET GUIDE BOOK
$5.95 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1)
$1.00 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1)
$4.99 |
|
|
Eoin Colfer, Artemis Fowl, 2 Books, Eternity & Arctic
$3.50 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1), Eoin Colfer USED G
$5.15 |
|
|
The Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl, Book 3), Eoin Colfer U
$5.15 |
|
|
The Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl, Book 3)
$1.00 |
|
|
Artmis Fowl Files, Eoin Colfer, Good Book
$1.00 |
|
|
The Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl, Book 3), Eoin Colfer U
$5.15 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1), Eoin Colfer USED G
$5.15 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1), Eoin Colfer USED G
$5.15 |
|
|
Artmis Fowl Files, Eoin Colfer, New Book
$4.99 |
|
|
Lot of 2 Artemis Fowl Series Books (#1 & #2) Colfer EXC
$6.99 |
|
|
NEW - The Time Paradox (Artemis Fowl, Book 6)
$18.25 |
|
|
The Opal Deception (Artemis Fowl, Book 4) by Eoin Colfe
$5.95 |
|
|
The Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl, Book 3), Eoin Colfer U
$5.15 |
|
|
The Lost Colony (Artemis Fowl, Book 5)
$4.99 |
|
|
The Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl, Book 3): Eoin Colfer,
$1.00 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1)
$1.00 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1) Eoin Colfer 0786817
$1.00 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1) Eoin Colfer 0786817
$1.00 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1) Eoin Colfer 0786817
$1.00 |
|
|
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1) Eoin Colfer 0786817
$1.00 |
|
|
Art Poster, African and Meller's Ducks - 27.5 x 18.75
$19.95 FREE SHIPPING on this item when you purchase 2 or more Art Posters from ClassicPix.com. This high quality, durable Art Poster measures 18.75" x 27.50" and arrives ready to frame. Posters are printed on heavy-stock, semi-matte paper producing the best possible combination of color vibrancy and durability. All posters from ClassicPix.com are made on demand one-at-a-time, just for you -- not mass-pro... |
|
|
Art Poster, Argentine and Peruvian Ruddy Ducks - 27.5 x 18.75
$19.95 FREE SHIPPING on this item when you purchase 2 or more Art Posters from ClassicPix.com. This high quality, durable Art Poster measures 18.75" x 27.50" and arrives ready to frame. Posters are printed on heavy-stock, semi-matte paper producing the best possible combination of color vibrancy and durability. All posters from ClassicPix.com are made on demand one-at-a-time, just for you -- not mass-pro... |
|
|
Art Poster, Auckland Island and Brazilian Mergansers - 27.5 x 18.75
$19.95 FREE SHIPPING on this item when you purchase 2 or more Art Posters from ClassicPix.com. This high quality, durable Art Poster measures 18.75" x 27.50" and arrives ready to frame. Posters are printed on heavy-stock, semi-matte paper producing the best possible combination of color vibrancy and durability. All posters from ClassicPix.com are made on demand one-at-a-time, just for you -- not mass-pro... |
|
|
Time Life Presents: Classical Thunder
$9.99 ... |
|
|
Blue Skies Over Dundalk
$15.98 "This bitter little mouth is my only claim to fame," Mary Prankster declares near the end of this 10-cut, 19-minute EP. Less bitter than bemused and half-drunk, Prankster and band split the difference between Kim Deal's flat-affect delivery and the Violent Femmes' folk-punk jolt. Sometimes clever for cleverness's sake, Blue Skies Over Dundalk also occasionally displays a cutting wit and a deep kno... |
|
|
Isabel Bayrakdarian ~ Joyous Light
$11.47 ... |
|
|
Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex
$12.23 In this seventh adventure in the blockbuster series, an army of fairy space probes have returned to Earth reprogrammed to destroy Atlantisâand only Artemis Fowl can stop them. As he races to save the subaquatic city, the young mastermind must also combat an onslaught of obsessive-compulsive and delusional disorders, both byproducts of prodigious intellect and immense stress at an early age. I... |
|
|
Artemis Fowl: Time Paradox, The (new cover)
$3.35 When Artemis Fowlâs mother contracts a life-threatening illness, his world is turned upside down. The only hope for a cure lies in the brain fluid of the silky sifaka lemur. Unfortunately, the animal is extinct due to a heartless bargain Artemis himself made as a younger boy. Though the odds are stacked against him, Artemis is not willing to give up. With the help of his fairy friends,... |
|
|
Artemis Fowl Boxed Set
$21.48 Now available in a gorgeous paperback box set--the first five books in the blockbuster best-selling Artemis Fowl series, starring everyoneâs favorite criminal mastermind. An ingenious gift indeedArtemis FowlTwelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a geniusâand, above all, a criminal mastermind. But even Artemis doesnât know what heâs taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Capt... |