I found a new website today that I’m in love with and just have to share.
James Patterson was interviewed on a radio talk show today about his efforts to encourage more reading in kids’ lives.
The idea to encourage the masses to read more arose from his experience with creating a love of reading for his son, Jack. Patterson and his wife were not happy that Jack was not in love with reading, so they set out to change it.
Find Books your Kids will Relish
Patterson and his wife would go out and find books that they knew Jack would LOVE and then give them to him at the beginning of the summer. This started the ball rolling for his love of reading.
Researching books that you know your child will love is a great start. Stories and adventures that you are SO sure your kids will love, its almost a guarantee that they will probably stay up late turning the pages.
Spurred on by his love of reading and knowledge about how important reading is for developing young minds, Patterson went on to create a website called Read Kiddo Read. The site focuses on encouraging kids to read by supplying lists of great books for them to peruse, learn more about, and then want to read.
The mission of the site is “Dedicated to making kids readers for life.”
Organization of the Site, “Read Kiddo Read”
Patterson divides the site up into age groups to make sorting through the titles much easier. The major groups are:
- Great Illustrated Books for 0-8 year olds
- Great Transitional Books for ages 6 and up
- Great PageTurners for ages 8 and up
- Great Advanced Reading for ages 10 and up
The Pageturner section is the category I’m interested in for my 8 year old daughter, Imagineer. When I clicked on this section, it is then further divided by “Fantasy and Other Worlds”, “Real World Fiction”, “Action, Adventure, Mystery”, and “Just the Facts”.
Once you choose one of these subcategories, you will then see the list of books. When you click on a picture of the book, there is a parent review and educator review of the book provided. Also, on the right sidebar, there are links to check the book out using a library finder or to purchase it at Amazon, B&N, Independent Bookstore Finder, Target or Walmart. Very convenient.
I’m really looking forward to showing this tool to my kids when they get home from school today.
Sometimes it just takes one tool like this to motivate the little ones to check those books out and get reading, consistently.
Patterson discussed how simple rituals, like reading as a family for a half hour after dinner every night, is a great idea.
I don’t think we can implement family reading time right after dinner, with sports practices, but I think 8pm could work for us. I’m going to start tonight.
I will keep you posted with the books that my little ones choose from this list.
Let me know if you find any gems on this site as well in the comments below. Thanks! 🙂
Anything that promoted reading gets my vote! Thank you for sharing your lovely blog at the Thursday Favorite things blog hop. xo
Katherines Corner recently posted..Bella Vita Giveaway
I am a literacy teacher and am always looking for more resources to pass along! Thank you so much for breaking down the organization of the site, too. This is an excellent resource for parents that I will definitely be passing along!
Ida Mae West-Simone recently posted..A plea for another Lynette –for the Soul of this Caregiver (Grieving the Loss of Desperate Housewives)
Hello from the Kid Lit Blog Hop! I had heard of the Read Kiddo Read project. The idea of a family reading ritual is a great one. Thanks for linking up to the Hop!
Adriana Blake recently posted..Compassion-based parenting
It really is a neat website. I’m so glad James Patterson had the passion to start the Read Kiddo Read project. Its helping motivate and inspire kids to read. Love it!
I am so in love with this project too! James Patterson was already one of my favorite authors, and now he is one of my favorite literacy advocates 🙂 Thanks for sharing in the Kid Lit Blog Hop!
Jaymie Shook recently posted..A Momma’s dream come true
I had never heard of this website, but I’m signed up now. So glad you added this link in the Kid Lit Blog Hop. I also entered the giveaway there! I could spend some serious time browsing through all of the recommended reads. 🙂
Renee C. recently posted..Book Review: Zombie-Kids by Julia Dweck
What a great resource! Thanks for sharing at the Kid Lit Blog Hop!
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