reading

book club for boys

by kath_red on February 2, 2009

in Kids Crafts

Studies during the last few years have shown a general alarm over boys struggling with reading. Headlines have called it “The Boy Crisis” and stating “we’ve sort of shifted our gaze away from boys for the last several decades”, calling boys “Reluctant Readers”.

Here is an idea to try – for parents to help their boys overcome obstacles to reading: Boys Book Clubs. A book club just for boys but that are energy oriented with activities and games that relate to boy books.

So how is a ‘Boys Book Club’ different to a regular book club?”. Boy Book Clubs embrace the action-oriented nature of boys and help them make connections with books through their interests. For example, if you are reading a book with sport related themes – have the boys play a basketball game- Then have a free throw contest to see who can make the most free throws. Once you’ve gotten some energy out, start your discussion of the book over pizza. If you need more ideas or examples check out
www.bookclub4boys.com – with free book club outlines that include incentive games to really motivate boys to read.

www.guysread.com is another great resource in finding books that boys read and authors that write just for boys. Boys don’t want to “get in touch with their feelings“, they are also turned off by female heroes. Authors who write for boys understand this and keep their stories packed with action and adventure while teaching them something on the sly.

The most important thing a parent can do to encourage their boy to read is provide books boys like and to stay positive about reading. Even if you have to begin reading the book to your son to get him hooked. The more he is exposed to books the more likely he’ll be to read a book. The more he reads the better reader he’ll be and if he knows a book club meeting is coming up – he’ll be that much more motivated to finish the book.

If you need help starting a book club, need some survival tips on hosting a boys book club meeting – or want to connect with other boys book clubs – check out Bookclub4boys.

Authors who write for boys: Dan Gutman, Gary Paulsen, Anthony Horowitz, Paul Jennings and Dav Pilkey. (what are your favourite authors for boys?)

About the author: Laura Blum is the mother of 4 boys who has tackled this very challenge. After hosting book clubs for her own boys for 4 years, she started a book club for boys website to share her Boy Book Club outlines and other helpful tips. She is proud to announce all of her boys are reading at grade level or higher!

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For more kids craft, creative ideas and activities go to the Action Pack website

holiday reading [pt 3]

by kath_red on November 20, 2008

in Books

Knitalong: Celebrating the Tradition of Knitting Together by Larissa Golden Brown and Martin John Brown and published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang (March 15, 2008). [read the review here]

The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections by Amanda Blake Soule, published by Trumpeter (April 1, 2008) [read the interview here]

Warm Fuzzies: 30 Sweet Felted Projects by Betz White published by North Light Books (December 10, 2007) [read the review here]

Survival Sewing: Emergency Fixes for the Rips, Snags & Tears of Everyday Life by Valerie Van Arsdale Shrader & Nathalie Mornu, published by lark Books, 2007. [read review here]

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books: kids educational

by kath_red on June 9, 2008

in Books, Whip-Up

QI: The Book of Animal Ignorance by John Lloyd and John Mitchinson, published by Faber and Faber (October 4, 2007)

This book is fantastic, full of fun and interesting facts on all sorts of animals – did you know that cats have an evil plan to take over the world and that if you turn a shark upside down it will go into a trance – read about fleas and flies and frogs, jellyfish, cicadas and catfish and lots more. Good to read to younger children or aimed at the reading level of older primary children.

The Big Picture Book of Environments by John Long published by Allen & Unwin June 2008.

Wow! this book has lots of stuff in it – its going to take me a while to look at this. Its even go Polar bears and dinosaurs.

[quote from my 5 year old boy]

This is a marvelous glossy hardcover book full of interesting facts – big pictures and text suitable for primary readers and buddy scientists. Its a good overview of the history of the earth – starting off with 4 billion years ago and the beginning of the earth – coming up to dinosaurs and the beginning of human evolution. Then it looks at the present and the different environments on the planet – the earths atmosphere and the types of plants and animals that live in the different climate zones on the earth and in the water. Then the last section is the earths future and global warming. This is a terrific book of facts and images – well structured and easy to read.

Human Body: An Interactive Guide to the Inner Workings of the Body (Discoverology Series) by Steve Parker published by Barrons Educational Series and Allen and Unwin (March 1, 2008)

This is a picture pop up/flap book with interactive elements to help children learn about how the human body works. My daughter recently took it to school to help with her project on how hair grows and she and her friends were very impressed. There is a very impressive pop up of the skull and brain, and another one of the heart and circulation system, there are flaps and flip ups of the lungs moving and hair growing. It also goes under the microscope with some images of germs and cells and glands. Altogether an excellent book for primary children and budding science buffs.

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