Literature Young Adult Fiction » Guest Blog

Reading Distractions

cookcutlery — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 09:59:46 +0000

by Cook Cutlery, guest blogger

Everybody has reading distractions and it’s hard to avoid them. They get in the way of finishing your work, your book, or even getting started. Reading for a lot of people is a chore and so they find anything and everything to do besides actually reading. I know I do this a lot and I’ve had to work hard to stop the distractions.

What are Reading Distractions?

Reading distractions are things that get in the way of you reading. They can be texting, television, internet, hanging out with friends, anything really that wastes time and keeps you from getting things done. I bet your reading distractions are the same distractions that keep you from getting your homework done!

My Top Reading Distractions:

Television – This is the number one culprit that eats away my reading time. I am guilty of watching Nickelodeon or Disney channel when I should be finishing the next chapter in my book.
Cell Phone – My cell phone is another reading distraction. It practically ties with television because I will be watching a movie and texting my friends instead of doing something productive.
Computer – Sometimes, I’m watching television, texting on my phone, and chatting with people on AIM or Facebook. It’s pretty bad and drives my sister to distraction because she and I both know I should be reading.

3 Tips on How to Stop Being Distracted:

Here are some of the things that I do to get back to reading.

If you’re like me, turn your TV, cell phone or your computer off when you need to read. Or at least on mute!!!
If your room is part of the problem because you can always find something else to do besides reading, then you should go find somewhere else to read.
If noises distract you, dedicate an hour or two to reading in pure quiet.

Reading distractions are hard to stay away from because they always sound so much better than cracking your book open. Be strong and force yourself to get away from your distractions and soon you’ll be flipping those pages faster than you can imagine and getting your reading done in no time. Good luck!

Your Turn: What are your reading distractions and how to you get rid of them?

Why Should Kids Read Newspapers?

First Mate Keira — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 12:50:38 +0000

by First Mate Keira, guest blogger

Newspaper circulation is decreasing but readership in many cases is increasing. It’s important to take advantage of the printed versions before and if they become obsolete. Here’s why:

Every child should learn and understand enough of their national language to follow the news. In the United States this means English. The typical US paper reads at a 8^th grade reading level. To get by reading a Chinese newspaper, a person would have to know over 3000 characters. So you can see, it is not a matter of reading difficulty. The text is actually easy.

It is important for everyone to keep abreast of local, state and national news, not just adults. Being informed is a responsibility all citizens should claim. Ignorance is not acceptable when it comes to political and world news. By reading a newspaper kids (and adults) can talk intelligibly about issues.

A newspaper will teach young readers how to read important information quickly and with comprehension. They will learn to scan and digest a great deal of information all at once. This technique will translate well to classes and assigned reading, making the tasks easier to manage.

A newspaper if full of relevant and reliable information. Newspapers hold themselves responsible for the news they print and if anything is found to not be factual will be recanted. This makes newspapers great sources for papers and real life.

Newspapers increase visual literacy. Part of the experience in reading a newspaper is about the navigation. They are designed to be read easily. How the headings, columns, pictures, ads work together is straightforward and subtle. This translates to test taking where time is of the essence and words take too long to read.

A kid can find things personally relevant to them. Most new readers of newspapers start small and work up their way up to read the whole paper. Have your kid read the entertainment, sports, or comics.

Learn what is current today. Seem obvious? It is, but that’s the point of newspapers. Reading them will keep you current. Who wants to talk about old news?

Learn what is newsworthy. Again, obvious, but hear me out. Have you ever paused to think – why was such and so article included in the paper? What made it worthwhile? Take a moment to dissect the article and you will find out.

Newspapers communicate a society’s values, ethics, and ideas. They reflect a community and national ideology. Examination of their articles will unveil just what these beliefs and codes of morality are and how the society feels about them. Perhaps too they will rub off and be a child’s teacher.

Are you persuaded?

Buy: USA Today ~ the Nations Newspaper ~ 1 Year Subscription

Photo Credits: Stephane Tougard

Keira runs a book review blog for readers by readers on romance novels entitled Love Romance Passion. She’s been reading romance since she was in her teens and began blogging about romance so she could share her passion for her favorite genre. She loves reading paranormal, Regency, historical America, and highlander most of all and completely adores blind and wounded heroes.

Originally posted 2009-12-10 03:21:02.

Online Stores

Learn How to Prevent and Dry Wet Books

First Mate Keira — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 11:36:50 +0000

by First Mate Keira, guest blogger

Drop your book in the bathtub? I don’t know about you but I read a lot in the bathtub and try as I might I still get my books wet. Here are some tips to avoid wet and wrinkled pages:

Have a towel nearby.

It’s very important to have a towel next to you in the bathtub. I’m pretty careless and will dunk a hand in water. Without the towel to dry it off on before turning a page my book would be all crinkly.

Have a book stand.

You can buy a very inexpensive bathtub book stand that will span your tub. It’ll give you a place to prop your book up (less likely to drop into the tub this way) and some extra room to place candles or a bar of soap.

Have a bath pillow.

A bath pillow will keep you propped up and will minimize your slipping and sliding. You won’t accidentally fall down and drop your book in the bath water. I had that happen once or twice – now it never happens. Hurray for dry books.

What do you do if you already got the book wet?

There are several things you can do to repair a wet book, some are more time consuming than others. My suggestion for you is to use a hair dryer and fan the pages of the book. Use a small desk fan if your arms get tired. When the book is completely dried out or for the most part dry, place the book under a series of extremely hefty books. Dictionaries are good for this and so are phonebooks. If the book is slightly damp still put sheets of absorbent paper every few pages or so before stacking heavy books on top.

Originally posted 2009-12-07 03:48:27.

Online Stores

4 Reasons to Never Skip to the End of a Book

First Mate Keira — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 10:32:35 +0000

by First Mate Keira, guest blogger

Are you the sort of person who must absolutely be spoiled before you start a book? I know it's tempting but going to the end of a book to discover how things turn out is a terrible idea.

Skipping to the end of a book:

(I know you do it...)

Ruins the mystery. The author put a lot of work into the story. If you're anxious to know the ending that means the author is doing a good job and you'll ruin all their hard work if you skip to the end. Bad reader. No cookie for you.
Is a waste of time. If you go straight to the end you'll just wind up wasting time. It takes time to figure out what happened (especially if you didn't get very far into the story) and then you'll find yourself rereading the ending! You could be starting a new book by now. Bad reader. No cookie for you.
Might as well not even start the book. That's right. If you are just going to read the end of story before you're suppose to why start it at all? It's like finding the cat out of the bag before you even realized there was a bag! Bad reader. No cookie for you.
You'll be tempted to share the ending. By skipping to the end to find out what happens you're likely to share this information with someone who doesn't want to know! You don't want to be that person at a (Harry Potter) Midnight Party who shouts the ending for a popular book series. That's not a way to win friends! Bad reader. No cookie for you.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

If you have, why do you do it?

Originally posted 2009-12-04 03:12:46.

Online Stores

6 Reasons to Love and Hate Required School Reading

First Mate Keira — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:35:24 +0000

by First Mate Keira, guest blogger

3 Reasons to Love Required School Reading:

You can relate to the book’s characters and situations. Usually, but not always, and especially for the newer selections on reading lists, they are bildungsromans. I bet you’re thinking that’s a made up word, but I swear it’s an actual one. It means:

Bil⋅dungs⋅ro⋅man: a type of novel concerned with the education, development, and maturing of a young protagonist. (dictionary.com)

In other words it’s a coming of age story and as such should be modern enough to be relatable. Stories could be about (but aren’t limited to) growing-up, friendship, family, and school.
You can find books that really interest you that you never knew existed. Be honest, how many of the books teachers select for reading would you have picked up on your own? I bet the book selection never overlaps!
Ease of selection. If you have trouble picking out books because you aren’t sure what you like, required reading means you don't have to because your teacher does it for you! That’s what I call a no-brainer!

3 Reasons to Hate Required School Reading:

You don’t have a choice. Being forced to read something is rarely fun or enjoyable. I mean come on when was the last time you liked or offered to do (more) chores? It’s the same principle! Assignments and deadlines only make matters more unpleasant.
The topics or genres are boring. They don’t interest you and you can’t believe you’re wasting valuable time on them. Too mature topics could be the culprit here. Books should be chosen for the right age group.
It’s hard to read. Again with the age group, the reading level should match the student’s ability. Books that are dated read dated. Audio format might be the best option in these cases to make the books more accessible.

Where do you fall when it comes to required school reading? Love it or loath it?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Originally posted 2009-11-13 03:36:11.

Online Stores

9 Ways to Get Kids to Read

First Mate Keira — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:05:32 +0000

by First Mate Keira, guest blogger.

Are you frustrated that your child isn’t interested in reading? Have you tried everything you can think of and need help? Don’t worry! You still have options. Read on for nine ways to encourage your young readers.

1. Be a reader yourself.

If you don’t read how can you expect your child to want to read? The best thing you can do is to be seen reading and reading a lot. Share your love of reading by making that love known to your kids. They will gradually become readers themselves as they see how much you enjoy it.

2. Take them with you when you go to the library.

Don’t tell them to get books, but make sure they keep company with you while you browse. Eventually, they will get bored and wander off to find something for themselves. If not, don’t worry there’s always next time!

3. Read to them.

Only do this if you’re interested in young adult fiction yourself, otherwise it will seem like a chore and that’s not the attitude you want to instill in your child. You can read to them at bedtime, on road trips, or even at school (be sure to check with the teacher first and that you sign up as a volunteer.)

4. Find books your kid will like.

Does your child have a special interest? Are they interested in space? Get books that feature it! Both fiction and non-fiction. You want them to read books with topics that appeal to them; not books that make them unhappy.

5. Encourage audio books.

If you suck at reading, encourage them to listen to audio books. Even if you don’t suck at reading, encourage audio books. Your child might be more interested in books with rich vocalizations that act out the story than trying to read it for themselves.

6. Buddy reading.

Pair up with another parent and get your kids together. Pick a spot (house, library, park, etc.) to meet and bring the books. Your kids can read side-by-side companionably, take turns reading aloud, or listen to an audio book together. Reading doesn’t have to be solitary – it can be fun and done with others!

7. Offer incentives.

Build a program with your child. Find what works for you. Think Pizza Hut Book-it program. Set a goal and when it’s met reward your child. Go out for pizza, ice cream, rent a movie, go to the movies, go to the park, have a sleepover, buy a toy. Then raise the goal a tiny bit so your young reader can grow.

8. Ban TV, Internet, and Video Games.

Take a day every week and ban TV, computer and internet time, and video games. Call it Energy Conservation Day if you want to be sneaky about it. During this time let them find ways to entertain themselves. Chances are books are going to be one of the first things that come to mind.

9. Don’t force it.

Above all don’t force reading. If you do, reading will be forever associated with bad memories. It’s like root canal that way. Be patient. Some people are readers. Some are not. Let your child find a love for books on their own in their own time. It’ll happen.

Originally posted 2009-11-02 03:01:18.

Online Stores

10 Tips to Creating an Awesome Book Club

First Mate Keira — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:17:54 +0000

by First Mate Keira, guest blogger

Love books? Have friends that love them too or want to find new book-loving friends? Start a book club! Here are ten tips to ensure your book club gets off the ground and is a lot of fun!

Pick Good Books. You should suggest books for your book club that are either award winning, highly recommended, or well known favorites. This guarantees most of your members will like the book.
Figure out the type of your book club. Are you mother-daughter pairs, a bunch of friends from the same school year, or mostly total strangers when you start?
Meet monthly. If you pick books out weekly there are too many things that could get in the way of finishing the book. Life is busy between after school activities, homework, chores, and family time. Make it as easy as possible on your members to read the book in time for the meeting.
Meet in a comfortable location. Be sure to have enough chairs and space for your club. You can meet at a house, a library, in a park, or book store. Wherever you pick, make sure your book club members are comfortable and feel free to talk.
Make a flyer. Your club should have a flyer describing when and where you meet, what book is being read, and what to expect. Place this where kids can access it whether it’s at your school library or a public library.
Come up with discussion questions. A book club doesn’t have to revolve around really hard questions. Ask some fun ones like your favorite moment, invention, pet, or saying, etc. Have your members bring their own questions!
Create a game inspired by the book. If you create a game out of the book and have prizes your reading club is going to be having a blast!
Snacks! Book clubs are best with snacks. Have each member sign up monthly to bring something. If you have more than 12 people, assign two or more to each month to divvy up costs. Or better still hold a club potluck every time! Food and books, what more could you want?
Create a club scrapbook. Take pictures each month of the book club meeting and put them in a memory album. Share it with members at the end of the year for a trip through memory lane!
Have different people lead the club. This way there are more people in the leader spot and everybody has a chance to call the shots. Everyone will then appreciate the leaders and nobody will be moody because they didn't get a say in things.

Originally posted 2009-10-16 03:29:47.

Online Stores

10 Best Places to Read a Book

First Mate Keira — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 10:46:23 +0000

by First Mate Keira, guest blogger

Here are the top ten kid friendly places to sit and read a book.

In bed. Morning or night, one of the best places to read is in your bed! You are your most relaxed and it’s extremely comfortable. Stack up those pillows or crawl under the bedclothes for some truly exceptional reading time.
At the park. Make a picnic and bring a large blanket, find a nice spot and settle in for a lazy day. A calm overcast day is best for eyes and hair. You won’t tire easily and you won’t be distracted by flipping pages and clinging hair caused by the wind.
In a library. It’s fairly quiet in a library and there are usually places for settling in with a book. Some have little nooks and others have open reading lounges. Find yourself a spot and crack open a book!
On a couch. Like your bed, the couch is a nice and comfy spot to sit/rest and read a book. Armrests make great pillows.
In a tent. Whether this tent is in your room or outside camping, a tent is a great reading space. You’re enclosed and away from prying eyes. It’s private and cozy. You’re cut off from the real world and given all the space you need to enter a book world.
In a tree house. For the same reasons as a tent, plus it’s super cool. Who doesn’t like a tree house? It’s a special secret place just for you.
In the bathtub. Get clean and get time to read at the same time! Add some bubbles or bath salts and you’re really having a party… a party for one, but still as fun!
At a friend’s house. Reading at a friend’s is awesome because you get to hang out in quiet companionship. This is a great way to pass time together without being too involved with each other. You’re not alone, but you’re not required to talk either.
In the car. You spend a lot of time in the car. Open that book and fill those empty wasted minutes spent traveling by traveling to another world.
By the pool. Dangle your feet in the water or lie out on your towel. Both are great for reading. Bring a cool drink to quench your thirst and have fun!

Originally posted 2009-10-08 03:50:31.

Online Stores