Kensington Kids

Summer Reading List Up at KidsReadingCircle.com

Dine — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 02:19:22 +0000

Finally. Took as long to write as kids will take to read the books…but they will, because we chose books that kids want to read. The summer reading list some schools hand out sometimes have too many books kids don’t want to read..often with sad plots and vicious characters. Well, you won’t find those on our list. We want kids to like classics, too, but we also want kids to enjoy reading.
And so do you. Teachers and parents, you want kids to read in the summer to, what the experts say, “limit summer learning loss, the inevitable drop in academic skills that occurs when school is out.”
And the Summer Reading List at Kids Reading Circle should help. We carefully chose books that have a wide range of subject matter, including science, history, analysis, science fiction, realism, and, of course, the ever-popular fantasy — for all ages..
Come on over to Kids Reading Circle.com. We’re even providing a printable Kids Reading Planner & Progress Chart…Come on over and print it out and help us in our effort to help kids read!

Sunny Days

Dine — Sun, 25 May 2008 19:10:29 +0000

We are nothing but sunny over at Kids Reading Circle. Afterall, our goal over there is to help kids choose books. If we don’t like a book, we don’t review the book. But here, on the blog, we allow ourselves to raise a few more questions. One recently came to my attention regarding the likable Gilda Joyce books. One of the books, and I won’t say which, involves an adult’s suicide. Recently someone I respect in the book industry said she felt suicide had no place in a child’s book.
I won’t take a stand, but I have to point out that this book is geared for teens. Perhaps a novel is a good place to show how bad things can be handled. The Gilda Joyce book in question handles the issue with respect, and shows survivability. Perhaps that is a partial role of children’s books…

Terry Pratchett

Dine — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 01:01:51 +0000

My goodness. I’d heard his name bandied about; mostly things like “philosophical, isn’t he?” or “people say he writes fantasy or sci-fi, but it’s more than that, isn’t it?”
More is not the word. His writing can’t be pegged. He is all of the above, and a story teller, a historian, a lyricist, a humorist and more.
For children? Some. His YA series about Tiffany Aching is certainly suitable for strong fantasy readers, but the child reader would have to be open to life philosophies. Of course, they could just enjoy the witch and wizard story line and save the depth for later years.
I hope to meet Mr. Pratchett some day mostly to thank him for the Nac Mac Feegle. Which leads me to give a word of warning: Don’t expect to carry on a day job if you have nearby an unfinished Pratchett book with these little blue men in the story line.
Well, I’m off to wrench a Brian Jacques book out of my daughter’s hand and replace it with “A Hat Full of Sky.” She doesn’t have a day job.

Is Your House Powered by Wind?

Dine — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 03:58:43 +0000

Did you know if you talked to your electric company, you could arrange to be powered by the wind? Visit Kids Reading Circle for more information.
And while you are there, why don’t you take a peek at our new reviews. Up now is Castle Corona by Sharon Creech, and The Girls’ Book: How to be Best at Everything. Coming is IGraine the Brave by Cornelia Funk, RPM Series by Chris Fabry, Eulalia! by Brian Jacques, and The Name of the Book is a Secret by Pseudonymous Basch.

See you there!

Hear Ye, Hear Ye. Banned Book Week…

Dine — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 22:47:46 +0000

Banned Book Week is Sept. 29- Oct. 1. The national event is sponsored by The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE), and others to celebrate the freedom to read.
The other sponsors are the American Library Association, the Association of American Publishers, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and the National Association of College Stores. Banned Books Week is also endorsed by the Center for the Book of the Library of Congress.

Independent booksellers tend to promote this event in a big way. Visit your nearest independent and check out the list. You’ll be surprised at some of the titles and the arguments behind them. The ABFFE site also has that info.

Making of a Teenage Reader

Dine — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 22:08:56 +0000

You can’t sit your teenager on your lap and read books every night, but there are still ways to influence their desire to read.
First off, make sure there are tempting books within reach. School-required novels are sometimes depressing; try to find lighter books for recreational reading. The Unfortunate Events series has humor teens and even adults would love.
For girls, anything by Gail Carson Levine or Meg Cabot.
For boys, encourage John Ritter’s baseball books, or the Boy-Scout-manual-like Dangerous Book for Boys. It’s a top best-seller, though perhaps nostalgic Dads are the buyers, not their sons.
For the older non-fiction-loving teen, how about a new current affairs book on the scene, State of the Unions by Philip M. Dine, an anecdotal-rich book about labor unions, or The Nine by Jeffrey Toobin, about the Supreme Court.
And don’t forget the value of a clever picture book: Diary of A Spider by Doreen Cronin, and A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech.
Other off-the-cuff tips: read magazine articles at the dinner table, suggest a stream-of-consciousness moment whereby you both share a minute of impromptu thoughts, and try to regularly applaud your teen’s academic efforts.

Good luck!

Scary Poll

Dine — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 22:02:37 +0000

Hey, parents. Want to read something scary?
One in four adults did not read a book last year. See more on this here. Maybe Kids Reading Circle.com. can help turn this tide of non-reading…feel free to leave a comment on the issue below.

News about KidsReadingCircle.com:

We’ve added the a Children’s Book Review feed to Kids Reading Circle. Why don’t you go visit and grab it up and stay on top of all our new Book Reviews. Don’t know how to use an RSS Feed?

Visit here for a nifty explanation.

Happy reading,

{D..}

Starry Skies

Dine — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 14:59:32 +0000

Hey kids,
Do you ever look up at night? Do you want to know more about the constellations? Well, try a visit to this site and visit the Interactive Night Sky Map.
First of all, go get a parent. Together, call up this site and push the fancy button on the left that calls up the map. (The map needs “Java”, but most computer’s do have it.)

Here’s how to use the map:
On the left-hand panel, choose calendar to pick the day to observe the skies, plug in your city, go to more and choose “latin names” for the constellations. Then compare the map to your own night sky!

Want a good book on the subject? Try Kids Book of the Night Sky by Ann Love.

Good star watching to you…

First Lines Contest #2

Dine — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 14:35:15 +0000

Join us at KidsReadingCircle.com for our second “First-Lines” contest and the chance to get your name on our Winner’s Tree..[Contest finished]

KidsReadingCircle.com First Line Contest

Dine — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 03:03:44 +0000

Are you good at remembering the first lines of books you’ve read? Perhaps you are good at guessing them, based on what you’ve just heard about the book. That’s okay, too.

Enter our contest at KidsReading Circle.com and try your hand at it here.

The rules? You must guess at least two out of five and than send us a comment from this blog saying so, and giving us just your first name. We’ll post it on our Winners! tree here on KidsReadingCircle.com…Then you can show all your friends how clever you are to be able to remember the first lines of books..

Win three KRC contests this year and you are eligible for the Master Reader prize..What is this, you ask? We will announce details in November. November is a cold, blustery place around here (the east coast), a great time to get into a reading contest…