Speaking of books…

Avid readers (and bloggers!) appreciate the value of the written word. According to the 2008 Kids and Family Reading Report by Yankelovich and Scholastic, despite 80% of parents wanting their kids to read for fun, most kids claim there aren’t enough really good books for their age group. I am so lessed that both my kids love to read and am excited to hear of this new site, launched. What site? See below!!

James Patterson has taken this issue to heart. A father himself, he knows that one of the main obstacles for young readers is a lack of books kids can truly connect with, those rare stories that draw you in and keep you reading until the very last word. Patterson has made it his mission to give this experience to children everywhere and instill in them a love of reading.

He recently launched readkiddoread.com in order to give kids of all ages access to truly great books. Whether you are still enjoying picture books with your baby or have an older child reading at an advanced level, ReadKiddoRead acts as a resource for finding the best books. Each featured book, hand-selected by Patterson, includes a synopsis, related themes, quotes from critics, links to find the book in any number of locations (including local libraries), and even similar suggested reads. In addition, the website provides resources for finding book discounts and promotions, features interviews and contributions from authors and celebrities, and even allows members to connect with each other via a Ning community. Providing kids with a love of and appreciation for books gives them something that will remain with them throughout their lives, and this resource helps make that possible. I highly suggest getting kids involved in reading. As I said, both mine love to read (and I do not!)

I just wanted to help get the word out about this site and Patterson’s valuable mission. So, check it out! Maybe use it when shopping for gifts!

Special thanks to mother talk for the heads up!! I know I will continue to utilize this great site!

My avid reader (son) wants to share another book review. Enjoy:

Elisha Cooper spent a year at a Chicago high school chronicling the lives of eight students – six seniors and two juniors. And then he wrote ridiculous/hilarious/terrible/cool: A Year in an American High School about these students’ big games, bad dates, and applications to college – basically, about their lives.

Our children have become inundated with movies such as High School Musical and shows such as My Super Sweet Sixteen, which portray a picture of high school that even we adults with our foggy memories recognize as distorted. Now, they can read about what they can really expect in high school.

His review:
My favorite part about the book was that one of the seniors, David, tried very hard to get into the school of his dreams (Harvard). I was inspired by David not giving up on reaching his goal.

I found it fascinating that another Maya’s teacher was fidgeting in class. She would fidget more than the students. I never thought a teacher would be fidgety in class, after all, they are the teacher.

Zef was my favorite character/person in the book because he had a love for music. He only slept a few hours a night (which I don’t admire). He knows he is different and is proud of it.

I would recommend this book to older kids (teens) and adults. I don’t think it’s good for kids younger than me (10) because it does contain foul language. Ultimately, since this is a non- fiction book and real kids who actually said those real words – it is not censored. I admire that and think it’s cool how real the book is. I was shocked to know kids use the foul language though, as I do not and do not plan to!

I really enjoyed the stories. It was interesting and I’d read it again.

SO, there you have it. If you love to read – pick up your copy at B&N or Amazon or where ever you shop! =)

OK, those who know me know that I am NOT an avid reader… actually, I do not consider myself a reader at all (it’s a shame, I know). However, both of my children are book worms. My boy has always been an accelerated reader. He can get lost in a book anyplace, anytime. My girl loves to read and be read to. I think she’ll follow his footsteps, in reading. Even though I don’t like to read, I DO read to my children. That started when I was pregnant. Hubs and I would read to them while I was pregnant. I still read to them, both. I think it’s paid off! =)

My son recently read The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson. It is about “a boy who has always used his hidden superpowers to survive, but he carries with him a deadly secret and the fate of the world rests on whether he succeeds at his mission”.

It’s available on Amazon. Why is it that one must review one book “badly” because it’s different from other books by the same author? I wouldn’t know since I’m not an avid reader or book reviewer. I know this book is geared toward younger boys… and I assume that’s why. However, it’s good enough for adults, too. Anyway, we feel the majority of the reviews on Amazon does not reflect this book. My son says it has became his new favorite book and he wants to share his positive review in hopes that other boys will find this great read.

His review:

I thought the book may be boring, at first, but the small summary on the back cover peeked my interest. I thought the one line summary was different than the usual paragraph telling about the book. I think it was better with less information as it made you want to read it, more, to find out what it was all about. The main character was believable because of his cool, never-give up personality. I don’t think the author could have made the book better. I enjoyed it from the prologue to the end. My favorite part was in the first chapter, involving the main character, Daniel. He used his secret power to accomplish a task. You’ll have to read it to find out what it was. The ending was really cool and was unpredictable to me. I’d love to read a sequel of this book!!

I’ve taken the book to school with me and all of my friends were interested in it. My library teacher said she’d order a copy for the school! I think the book will appeal to others because it’s about a dude who kills aliens. I’d recommend it to all boys 10 and up (I’m 10!). Girls may enjoy the book if they don’t mind reading about aliens.

I love to read. Sometimes, it’s hard to find a great book to read. This book has made me want to read even more and I already read a lot! I’m glad my Mom got it for me. Daniel X made me wonder if aliens really do exist! It taught me more about needing to be careful with what you do in life. If you are not careful you may end up risking your life. You need to always make good choices, pretty much.

So, there you have it =) Straight from a ten year old. I was going to offer it as a give-a-way today… but he isn’t ready to depart with it yet (sorry!).

Anyone else read this book?

Check out the book trailer: HERE