'Reading With Kids' from the Guardian and Observer

-
Free this weekend, October 22-23, The Guardian and Observer will be including 'Reading With Kids', a great  two part guide loaded with expert advice, useful ideas and tons of information and book suggestions on books for children from picture books right through young adult novels, all to help nurture that love of books and reading. Saturday, the first part will include input on books for ages 0-7 years. Sunday's second part will give information on books for ages 8+.
The link below will take you through to a great video of children telling you how important reading is to them... why they like it, what challenges them, where their favourite place to read is...fantastic!
Look for 'Reading With Kids' this weekend. Not only will it help you help your kids, but it's just in time for helping you with t hose gifts you'll be looking for very shortly!
http://gu.com/p/32n2x

Also, here's a link for a brilliant article posted ahead of this weekend's 'Reading With Kids'. Lucy Mangan considers 'What makes a classic?' when it comes to children's books. Why do some books last for generations and what is it they have that others simply don't? Mangan discusses the dynamics of the 'two audiences' that are involved in the reading of children's books... essentially, adults, most likely parents and other 'learned' grown-ups and the intended audience, children. It always fascinates me that we adults spend so much time hashing over the merits and demerits of children's books. Frequently, we forget that the ultimate voice in this discussion of what makes a children's classic or even a really good kids book is in fact, the voice of the children.
Here's a quote:
"Nevertheless, not every old, well-written, "worthy" book becomes a classic. Why not? Because of that other audience – the child readers. Ultimately, the books have to be read, and re-read, by children." 
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/series/reading-with-kids 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Rights of the Reader

-
Image
The Rights of the Reader; Daniel Pennac, illustrated by Quentin Blake Summer is here and we do encourage summer reading with numerous incentives and programmes. It is important for children (of all ages) to 'keep their reading up' outside of school time. This is the time when kids develop their own taste in books and can be free to read books of their own choosing. And this is the single most important factor in young people developing a lifelong reading habit. But how do we, as the 'gatekeepers' of kids reading, encourage them properly without running the risk of thrusting pressure and our own ideas on them? Do that and you'll run the risk of pushing them away from reading, and there are already so many distractions for the young reader to contend with that can tempt them elsewhere. Published by Walker Books; 9781406300918 In 1992, French writer Daniel Pennac originally published this little gem of a book; The Rights of the Reader. I highly recommend
Read more

The Summer of Lily and Esme by John Quinn....25 years

-
Image
This year marks the anniversary of the publication of an extraordinary book. In 1991, Poolbeg published The Summer of Lily & Esme by John Quinn and in the 25 years since, it has never been out of print. The Summer of Lily & Esme tells a quiet story, filled with compassion, friendship, memory and heart. It is the story of Alan, an 11-year-old boy who has moved from the city into a house in the countryside; in the middle of nowhere.The house is old and extremely large and immaculate; and there is a locked, boarded over attic room that is said to be haunted by the ghost of a young boy who died tragically. Alan is not too pleased with this move and becomes even less thrilled when he discovers his closest neighbours, in fact his only neighbours, are a pair of elderly sisters, Esme and Lily, who seem to be suffering from dementia.  When Alan falls down a hill of brambles and weeds, the sisters, who believe they themselves to be children, mistake Alan for their
Read more

Launch of Genesis by Eilis Barrett

-
Image
A week ago, I played a small part of the launch of Genesis , the much-anticipated sequel to Oasis by Eilis Barrett; this time at Charlie Byrnes Bookshop in Galway. Vinny Brown introduces Eilis Eilis is a remarkable young woman, as you might imagine since she is 18 years old and this is her second book. ( Oasis was published when she was 16.) Articulate and accomplished, it is a real privilege to know her, to hear her speak and to read her writing. Genesis author: Eilis Barrett publisher: Gill Books (8 September 2017 ISBN: 9780717174355 Genesis picks up the story of Quincy Emerson. She now finds herself a captive once again, in the maximum-security prison, the Colosseum as a security risk. Held in deplorable and brutal conditions in the prison, where anarchy rules and rival gangs wage a 'street war' of sorts, Quincy takes care to not make an enemy of either gang boss, while holding allegiance to no one but herself and her comrades on the outside. Food is scarce an
Read more