What Kids Read #5

This month we are bringing back an old segment "What Kids Read". This segment consists of interviews with Librarians, Teachers, and Educators about what kids read. If you are in one of those categories and would like to be interviewed for the blog, please email MGminded (at) gmail (dot) com and put "What Kids Read" in the subject line. And if you have questions about what kids read that you'd like answered send them to the same email address.

This month we have Gaye Sanders answering questions for us.

1.) What grades/age groups do you work with? I teach 4th grade English Language Arts.  I teach 3 classes, so I have 75 fourth graders.  Plus, this is my 35th year to teach.

2.) What are some of your favorite middle grade books?This question is hard to answer!  I read a lot of middle grade, since I not only teach this age but I am an aspiring Middle Grade author, in current search of an agent.  So I read!

 

Lately, I've loved:

The Crossroads by Chris Grabenstein

Half a Chance by Cynthia Lord

My Diary from the Edge of the World by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Ms. Bixby's Last Day by John David Anderson

 

But my favorites are, of course Harry Potter, Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan, and Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan.

3.) What genres/topics do kids seem to ask for the most? What book titles are the most popular with kids right now?
I see kids continually want to read Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Dork Diaries, or fantasy like Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl, etc.  They also love the Reina Telgemeir books. 

However, I always take the time to turn my kids on to the other genres and authors, namely Newberry winners.  They love them after I've read them to the kids, and will say, "That's a book I would never have picked up, but now it's a favorite!"

4.) What do kids seem to like the least or what do kids complain about when it comes to books? I think kids would complain if the graphic novels were banned, or not allowed.  I don't see that much complaining, though.  If a kid doesn't like to read, I work super hard to eventually find something that he or she will connect to.

5.) What gets kids excited about reading?Kids get excited about reading when I am excited about the books.  I do a "Book Commercial" several times a week.  I'll tell my spiel of the book and find a trailer on You Tube.  It keeps them excited and they always want to see what I'm going to share next.

6.) If you've had author visits/Skype chats etc. at your library/classroom what worked well and what didn't?
Skype.  I have really not used it and shame on me!  I have to admit that it's just that I haven't taken the time to set it up.  Hopefully after  testing!

7.) Any other thoughts about children's literature or reading you'd like to share?
Other thoughts...like I said, I feel it's my duty to inspire these kids to love to read, to crawl in that book and take an adventure! 

Gaye Sanders has been an elementary school teacher for 35 years and counting! She's also a kidlit writer, mostly writing Middle Grade Contemporary, but she does have a PB coming out later this year about the Oklahoma City National Memorial Survivor Tree.

When not teaching, writing, or reading, she loves to explore! Gaye loves travel near and far, and often uses those adventures to fuel her stories. She has two grown boys who live in the Oklahoma City area.

 

You can find Gaye on Twitter and Instagram. She also occasionally blogs at http://gsanders58.blogspot.com/

What Kids Read #4

Today we have the fourth interview for What Kids Read! Enjoy!

1.) What grades/age groups do you work with?

I work in a ​small, k-12 school. I teach English in the upper school, and I run a book club for elementary and middle school students.

2.) What are some of your favorite middle grade books?

The BFG, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, Doll Bones, A Snicker of Magic, Goodbye Stranger, P.S. Be Eleven, and I am currently reading and loving both The Akata Witch and Rules for Stealing Stars.

3.) What genres/topics do kids seem to ask for the most?

I think fantasy is the most popular genre, but we definitely have kids who gravitate towards contemporary.

4.) What book titles are the most popular right now?

Our students recently read and loved Breadcrumbs and The Real Boy, by Anne Ursu. A few students are also really into the Emily Windsnap series, by Liz Kessler.


5.) What do kids seem to like the least or what do kids complain about when it comes to books?

Students ​often ​express frustration when they feel confused by a text. That can happen for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they don't understand what is literally happening in the story. Sometimes the plot structure is complex or the vocabulary is unfamiliar. In those moments, I try first to validate their confusion ("Yes, there are a lot of characters to keep track of here." Or "Yes, it was tricky when that flashback happened."). Then I try to help them learn strategies to overcome their confusion. Chris Tovani has an amazing book about this called I Read it, but I Don’t Get it. The strategies hopefully benefit students in their later reading lives as well.


6.) What gets kids excited about reading?

My students love getting lost in the world of a story. They love a mystery to solve or a secret to uncover. And I love to see them empathize and become invested in the wellbeing of the characters. They also relish the freedom that comes with the ability to read on their own. For students at that age, reading is very much an act of independence, exploration, and maturity.

 

Dana Langer is a high school English teacher and the author of The Sirens of Starbridge Cove, a middle grade novel forthcoming from Aladdin/S&S in 2017. She is represented by Alexander Slater at Trident Media Group and can be found online at danalanger.blogspot.com or on Twitter at @danicalanger.
 

What Kids Read #3

Today we have another awesome interview for What Kids Read! Enjoy!

1.) What grades/age groups do you work with?
I work with grades K-2 - middle grade readers of the future!

2.) What are some of your favorite kid lit books?

I could make a very, very, VERY long list, but I'll try to keep it (somewhat) short! Some of my recent favorites are:

BREAKING THE ICE by Gail Nall

THE RED PENCIL by Andrea Davis Pinkney

TELL ME by Joan Bauer

ABSOLUTELY ALMOST by Lisa Graff

RAIN REIGN by Ann Martin

SPIRIT'S KEY by Edith Cohn

3.) What genres/topics do kids seem to ask for the most?
I love working with kids in this age group because they're so open to everything. If I tell them something is a good book, they trust me completely and try it. It's interesting to see what types of books are popular from school to school, though. It really varies based on a lot of different factors. For instance, at one school I worked at, the kids were really into all types of sports books - nonfiction, the Victory Sports Superstars series (Capstone), and anything by Tim Green/Matt Christopher. At my current school, though, the kids don't really care about sports. They love Pokemon (yes, it's still a thing!! I was surprised, too), dragons, superheroes, and Magic Tree House. The common thread I've seen at all schools? Graphic novels. Babymouse, Lunch Lady, Amulet. Can't keep them on the shelves.

4.) What book titles are the most popular right now? 
Anything by Mo Willems, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Captain Underpants, Scaredy Squirrel, the Dragonbreath series (Ursula Vernon)

5.) What do kids seem to like the least or what do kids complain about when it comes to books?   
I think kids get stressed out when they can't find something that appeals to them - but since they're kids, it can be hard for them to express this. I have one student who always tells me "there aren't any good books here." (Which, y'know, of COURSE there are - like 15,000 of them!) I reassure her that she just hasn't found the right book yet, and that's okay, and we're going to work together to find it. I think kids generally want to read, but if they can't find that perfect book/series they love, and/or if they don't have anyone to help them do it (one of MANY reasons school librarians are so necessary), they can become discouraged and bitter about reading. In terms of what they complain about with books they don't like, it's usually that the book isn't funny or action-packed enough.

6.) What gets kids excited about reading? 
Their friends. They love my recommendations, but a second grader telling another second grader that they MUST read a certain book carries a lot more weight than me telling them. It's really amazing, watching the domino effect happen so often. Literally ONE second grader got into Amulet, then he told his friend, and soon the entire class was reading the entire series. I think the exact same thing probably happens with older students, too.

7.) If you've had author visits at your library/classroom what worked well and what didn't?
I've had a few Skype author visits and a few in person at my last school. They've all generally gone really well! It's great that a lot of children's authors are able to relate to children so well. (Which you'd think would be a given, but being a good children's writer doesn't necessarily translate to being an engaging speaker.) It works well when there's a presentation in place, when the event is promoted/organized well, and when there's collaboration and mutual respect between the author and the librarian/whomever is coordinating the event.

8.) Are there any other thoughts about children's literature or reading you'd like to share?
Books are the best.

Thanks to Abby Cooper for the interview! She lives in Madison, Wisconsin and works at a K-2 school. She also writes middle grade. Check her out on twitter!

If you are a librarian, teacher, or educator and would like to be interviewed on the blog please email MGminded (at) gmail (dot) com and put "What Kids Read" in the subject line. And if you have questions about what kids read that you'd like answered send them to the same email address.  

What Kids Read #2

Today we have the second interview for What Kids Read! Enjoy!

1.) What grades/age groups do you work with?
I am a librarian at a public high school, and I work with grades 9-12.

2.) What are some of your favorite kid lit books?
It's so hard to narrow it down to just a few favorites! I love anything by John Green, and Paper Towns is my all-time favorite YA novel. I also love anything by Andrew Smith; The Marbury Lens and Stick are my favorite of his books.


3.) What genres/topics do kids seem to ask for the most?
It really varies by student, although currently sci-fi and fantasy are the most requested genres in the library. In the last year or so, more and more students are asking for contemporary fiction and romance.


4.) What book titles are the most popular right now? 
I ran the report, and right now, here are our most popular titles: The Fault in Our Stars, Paper Towns, Looking for Alaska (first three by John Green), Tsubasa (graphic novel series) by CLAMP, Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, The Maze Runner series by James Dashner, Escape from Furnace series by Alexander Gordon Smith, Divergent series by Veronica Roth, Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye, Chronicles of Nick series by Sherrilyn Kenyon, and Gone series by Michael Grant.


5.) What do kids seem to like the least or what do kids complain about when it comes to books?   
I have found that students don't like books where the plot is unclear or where they dislike the main character. Also, most students have a hard time getting through books with non-American slang (like British slang, for instance).


6.) What gets kids excited about reading? 
Kids love books with tons of action, likable characters, and funny dialogue. They also like books with edgy components, like those by Ellen Hopkins. Most students enjoy reading series and really getting to know the characters.


7.) If you've had author visits at your library/classroom what worked well and what didn't?
We had a Skype visit with a popular author a few months ago. We wrote out our questions ahead of time, and it went wonderfully well! He was engaging, and had prepared a little motivational talk about reading and writing which he presented before opening it up to questions. The kids loved it and can't wait to get their hands on all of his books! The technology didn't work perfectly, but that had more to do with our WiFi connection than anything.


8.) Are there any other thoughts about children's literature or reading you'd like to share?
Authors should never "hold back" when it comes to writing YA. For  most of the students I work with, the edgier, the better!

If you are a librarian, teacher, or educator and would like to be interviewed on the blog please email MGminded (at) gmail (dot) com and put "What Kids Read" in the subject line. And if you have questions about what kids read that you'd like answered send them to the same email address.    

What Kids Read #1

Today I'm starting what will hopefully be a new series on Middle Grade Minded. Interviews with Librarians, Teachers, and Educators about what kids read. If you are in one of those categories and would like to be interviewed for the blog, please email MGminded (at) gmail (dot) com and put "What Kids Read" in the subject line. And if you have questions about what kids read that you'd like answered send them to the same email address.

And without further ado, our very first interview is with Author and Teacher Marie Meyer.

1.) What grades/age groups do you work with?

I teach 4th grade at a parochial school in St. Louis.

2.) What are some of your favorite middle grade books?
My students and I enjoy the FABLEHAVEN series by Brandon Mull, KEEPER series by Shannon Messenger, HARRY POTTER series by JK Rowling, THE GIRL WHO COULD FLY by Victoria Forester, OUT OF MY MIND by Sharon M. Draper, RULES by Cynthia Lord, AT YOUR SERVICE by Jen Malone

3.) What genres/topics do kids seem to ask for the most?

In my experience, most kids enjoy fantasy the most.

4.) What book titles are the most popular right now?

The ORIGAMI YODA series by Tom Angleberger, the GERONIMO STILTON & THEA STILTON books by Elisabetta Dami, PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS series by Rick Riordan, the FLOORS series by Patrick Carmen, just to name a few!

5.) What do kids seem to like the least or what do kids complain about when it comes to books?

Sadly, The students I work with (9 & 10 year olds) complain most about books that are long. They shy away from books with lots of pages and small print.

Most recently, my students were complaining about the length of the Harry Potter novels. In an effort to bypass reading the books, they begged me to tell them what happened, or they said they'd just watch the movies. This was a travesty to me. Every child needs to experience the joy of reading Harry Potter. To remedy this situation, I started reading HP as a read-aloud. At first, the kids protested with lots of groans and grumbles, but once I started reading (with voices and all), the kids were hooked! They couldn't get enough! They were fighting over Chamber of Secrets, wanting to be the first to read the second book as soon as I finished Sorcerer's Stone!

6.) What gets kids excited about reading?
Read-alouds get kids excited! I always choose read-alouds that are a part of a series. I will read the first book to them, to pique their interest, but it is up to my students to read the rest of the books in the series.

Kids also get excited if I read a book to them and then there's an author visit at one of the local libraries. I've taken several groups to meet an author after we've read their book. There is special kind of magic that turns a kid into a life-long reader when they get to meet the author of a book they love!

After reading FABLEHAVEN to my class last year, Brandon Mull visited the area. One of my students not only devoured the rest of his novels, but has been to every author visit Mr. Mull has made to the St. Louis area. Mr. Mull's stories and ability to relate to kids made quite an impression on my student! I also recall a very fun class trip to the library when Scott Westerfeld visited. Mr. Westerfeld was so personable and the kids just loved him (and his books!)

7.) If you've had author visits at your library/classroom what worked well and what didn't?

I haven't had any author visits to my school. But, I take my students to the city libraries for visits. Being at a small parochial school, there isn't much money to host author visits.

8.) Are there any other thoughts about children's literature or reading you'd like to share?

Kids like books that aren't "dumbed down." Give them an engaging storyline and they will rise to the occasion, difficult vocabulary and all! Kids are smart, they are able to figure out complex stories and characters.

As a teacher, one of my biggest pet peeves is when MG books feature one dimensional characters and a boring plot. A story like this will turn kids off reading. In today's day and age, books are forced to compete with gaming systems, apps, tablets, ect... For a kid to be engaged in reading, an author has to capture a child's interest and hold it, not an easy feat. But, if the story and characters are solid and well developed, a kid will put down their game, for a while, and lose themselves in the pages of a book!



Marie Meyer was a Language Arts teacher for fourteen years. She spends her days in the classroom and her nights writing heartfelt new adult romances that will leave readers clamoring for more. She is a member of RWA and the St. Louis Writers Guild. Marie's short fiction won honorable mentions from the St. Louis Writers Guild in 2010 and 2011. She is a proud mommy and enjoys helping her oldest daughter train for the Special Olympics, making up silly stories with her youngest daughter, and binging on weeks of DVR'd television shows with her husband. - See more at: http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/authors/marie-meyer/#about

Marie's debut New Adult Contemporary Romance, ACROSS THE DISTANCE, releases on May 5, 2015, from Grand Central Publishing/Forever Yours.

Marie is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

Marie's Website/Blog: www.mariemeyerbooks.com
Follow Marie on Twitter: @MarieMwrites