Tag Archives: book lover

Get them reading!

To be or not to be (Project 365: 24/365)
Read on!

Encouraging young reluctant readers is always a topic for thought and conversation, especially among librarians, or even just among parents that want to foster a love of reading in their children. As a new mom, I definitely fit into the second category! What can we do to help young people that can be hesitant to pickup books?

You can read this article or listen to the conversation from MPR News that tackles this challenge in a fun and informative way. See below for some of the tips included in the article, and keep in mind a common theme is persistence!

  • Show your kids you love reading, too!
    – Read in front of your kids, for your own enjoyment, and they will eventually take notice
  • Make sure books are always available
    – Books should always be visible and accessible, whether around the house or at frequent visits to the library or bookstore
  • Give audio books a try
    – They are great options for kids that have trouble concentrating or sitting in one place. They are also great additions to car rides and road trips!
  • Keep your judgement and expectations in check
    – Try to refrain from pushing books that may be too challenging, or critiquing a book choice that you may view as too easy. Allow kids to gain enjoyment from books, at their own pace.
  • And finally, my personal favorite, when in doubt, get out the Harry Potter!
    – Described as “a gateway drug,” in the article, the series “really allowed kids to fall into a world that was so cool. When you give it to a kid at the right time, it unlocks something for them.”

 

Like Book Reviews?

Image by Simon-Cocks. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons' licensing.
Image by Simon-Cocks. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons’ licensing.

Are you currently reading a book that you want others to know about?  Or, do you already write book reviews for various reasons? Might you consider sharing your reviews with others in Central Minnesota?

CMLE Board Member, Maria Burnham, Sauk Rapids-Rice Library Media Specialist, suggested including book reviews in our current communication streams. We thought this was a wonderful idea!

Our Goal: Over the next six months, we would like to like to have 20 book reviews starting this November going through April of next year.

We’ll need your help!!!

  1. First, we want to come up with a catchy name for this series. It will appear in the title each time a book review is being posted. Place your suggestion(s) in the comment section below or send us an email by next Thursday, October 31st. The winning suggestion will receive public kudos and a reward.
  2. Maria will be kicking off our first post next week. You could be one of the additional 19 CMLE book reviewers. To share your notes with library colleagues, across Central Minnesota, simply email our office (cmle@stcloudstate.edu) place “Book Review” in the subject heading.

TIP:  If you are already reviewing books and blogging about them for your students, it would be easy to send us a copy for this series.