What makes a reader? Many books and articles have been written on the subject, studies have been done and yet it seems to get more difficult all the time for students to actually check out library books. Is it time, everyone is so busy all the time -- is reading the thing that gets dropped? Is it technology? Do we want pictures instead of words? Are there no good books left?
I like to think that a lot of it is based on enthusiasm. The best thing is if the reader has a passion and zeal for reading -- these individuals will make the time to read, and demand that books are made available to them. If this is not the case, then the "book seller" AKA teacher or librarian must be the one with enthusiasm, and be persuasive enough to entice one into at least trying out a new title.
Once in a while passion and "selling" are combined in a friend who will not rest until they share a great read with someone else.
I have a few choice books I offer to various reluctant readers:
- "I Hunt Killers", a mystery about a teen age boy whose father is a serial killer (behind bars) and whose town has a series of murders, which he is convinced is a serial killer. Has his father taught someone knew, is it the boy himself, or is it something else? The plot moves fast with great characters, and enough plot twists to keep you engaged throughout.
- 13 Reasons Why", a realistic fiction story of a suicide. A boy receives a box of cassette tapes (13 sides) which the girl who committed suicide sent to share the 13 things done by others she felt led to her suicide. While it sounds like a real downer, it is well done and can lead to many great discussions.
- "Cinder" a sci fi fairy tale retelling of Cinderella. This is one of the most unique variations I have seen, with lots of action, fast paced, and not too girly. Because it is the first book of a series, it is great for that reader who doesn't want to go through the effort of learning new characters and settings with each book.
No comments:
Post a Comment