Books | Reading Resource

How Books Can Spread Through the Internet

Cover of "Kindle Wireless Reading Device,...

Cover via Amazon

While libraries and bookstores are still popular sources of reading material, the Internet has made it possible for people to get their favorite books from the comfort of home. There are several ways that books are spreading through the Internet and becoming more accessible.

If you enjoy reading books and discussing them with others, consider starting a virtual book club. You might get together with friends or family who live far away and come up with a list of titles to read. Consider sending a list of books to club members using a service such as Metrofax internet faxing. Then you can chat online or on the phone at a convenient time to discuss the book that the group is reading.

Although you can still go to your local library to browse and check out hard copies of books, you can find lots of material on your library’s website. For example, some libraries offer eBooks that you can download onto your computer. You can also download an audiobook onto your computer or smartphone to listen to at your leisure. These features are typically available to you for free if you have a valid library card.

Another way that books are spreading through the Internet is by way of online retailing. Instead of visiting a brick-and-mortar store, you can log on to your favorite store’s website and purchase books to read on your computer, smartphone, or e-reader device such as a Kindle. This allows you to keep a personal library of your favorite books at your fingertips. Some reading devices will even allow you to “lend” your electronic books to friends.

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: Amazon Kindle, E-book, Library

Books for Boys

Cover of Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Boys, for some reason, seem to more likely not enjoy reading. This could be because of several factors: authors are generally women and write books that appeal more to girls; teachers are generally female and suggest books that they like to read, which doesn’t appeal to boys; or maybe it’s because they’re rambunctious and aren’t ones to sit and do something for very long.

Whatever the reason is, if you can find books that appeal to boys, you’ll be able to show them that there are books they can enjoy too. Here are some books that are recommended for elementary school boys:

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid, by Jeff Kinney. This is a great series of books for boys because the main character is a boy and it deals with issues that boys deal with. Boys can easily relate to these books and because the premise is it’s a diary written by a boy, it also might encourage boys to write as well.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians, by Rick Riordan. This is another series with a boy as the main character. What’s great about this book is the main character has dyslexia and ADHD, which many boys can relate to, and it shows the character being successful despite these faults. It also has a lot of action.
Alcatraz Smedry, by Brandon Sanderson. This series of books is hilarious. The main character has a penchant for breaking things, but this series explores how this is actually a talent. Very fun for all ages.

Filed Under: Books, Reading Tagged With: Brandon Sanderson, Jeff Kinney, Rick Riordan

How to Start a Book Club

Anyone who is interested in starting a book club is likely faced with the same problem: how to choose which books to present. The sheer number of available books may make you wish you never started the process, but many are finding that by focusing on the most important books of the last 50 years, they can easily develop a club that is fun and intellectually stimulating.

When selecting books; remember that book clubs don’t have to focus on ‘smart’ books or the classics. Instead, selecting a variety of books in different styles, your club can gain exposure into a wide variety of subjects and writing styles. Consider the following three books, each of which is widely considered to be on the list of the most important books of the last 50 years.

The Da Vinci Code: a popular book and movie, this is mainstream that allows a club to explore religious and art themes.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: the pinnacle of self-help books, this piece explores a different form of writing. Using a list of book club questions can help break this one down.
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: delve into history with this book and those like it. Expand the discussion with research and relevant materials for an exciting and educational discussion.

The truth is the most successful book clubs utilize a wide variety of books and subjects to keep them interesting. Take some time to research the most influential books of the last 50 years to add variety to your club.

Filed Under: Book Distribution, Books, Reading Tagged With: Book discussion club, Reading Groups, Shopping

Help Your Child Become a Better Speller: Encourage Reading!

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You’ve probably utilized multiple techniques to help your child improve their spelling, but have you considered setting aside worksheets and handing them The Phantom Tollbooth instead? A study published by American Educator concluded that “methods that emphasize language structure are more effective than rote methods” (Graham, 1999; Berninger,1999). In other words, kids shouldn’t just write words, they need to read them.

Read Well, Spell Well

Susan Jones, M. Ed stated “The correlation between spelling and reading comprehension is high…The more deeply and thoroughly a student knows a word, the more likely he or she is to recognize it, spell it, define it, and use it appropriately in speech and writing.”

The Joys of Reading

Some children may be reticent to the idea of sitting and finishing a whole book. How can you encourage reading? Here are some ideas:

Set aside time to read with your child every day; have them read to you while you make dinner or ride in the car.
Arrange a pet reading group. Pets are great neutral listeners that can help a child build confidence when reading aloud.
Have a reading goal. If the goal is met, throw a family pizza party.
Go to the library and let them pick out a few books of their own. Give them a small reward like stickers for each book they finish.
Tap into interests. Animals? Vikings? Fiction, non-fiction, and magazine articles on a favorite subject help spark interest in reading.

Reading is a valuable skill children can utilize their entire life, and one that goes hand in hand with better spelling. Spelling bee dreams? Pick up a book!

Filed Under: Books, Readers Tagged With: Reading, Reading comprehension, Spelling

Are Interactive Children’s Books Really Helping Your Child Learn?

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As a parent you are probably pretty aware of the new technology that is out their when it comes to your child learning how to read. You have probably seen commercials for the interactive children’s books which allow your child to read the story alone and if your child struggles with a word, they are able to use a pencil-like tool to touch the word and the book will provide the unknown word for the child. This new technology has received various reviews both for the interactive books and against them.

Many parents are in favor of the books because the books are engaging and fun for their children. Parents claim that the books make learning to read easier for their children because the children are able to read the majority of the book themselves and have the option of either sounding out words or receiving a little help with certain words from the book itself. Parents claim that the technology is engaging and helps their children stay focused on the book.

However, other parents find that their children are not using the reading and grammar lessons they have learned in school because the book provides the tools for them. Parents claim that their children would rather have the book provide the unknown words for them rather than sounding out the words for themselves. Parents claim that the book actually hinders their child from learning to read rather than helping them learn. They also say that the books do not allow for personal time between the parents and child to help the child engage in reading.

Filed Under: Book Distribution, Books Tagged With: Books, Child Learn, Interactive Children's

Ways to Determine the Readability of the Text

When writing a children’s book you’ll want to determine the reading level of the book so that you know what your target audience is. While many people will usually find their target audience by handing the book to people and having them read it, there is another way to discover the reading level of your book. This way is known as using the reading level tool.

A reading level tool that is commonly used by most authors is one that is found in Microsoft Word. Microsoft Word has the ability for the program to assess 100 word passages and to determine the readable level of the context that it has been instructed. This program will take into account grammar, spelling and the context of words.

When an author uses this reading level tool it will allow them to choose 100 word passages and determine the readability score of that passage. The scale that is used is one known as the Flesch Reading Ease score. This score helped author determine the ease of rating for the paragraph a passage that has been highlighted. This scale shows a score from 0 to 100. The higher the score is the easier the passages to read and therefore is determined that the text will be for younger children.

Another score that is present is one known as the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score. This will indicate the recommended amount of education that is required for the person to read and understand the passage. This score will come in a form of 0 to 12 and be used to determine whether the passages for kindergarten all the way up to 12 grade.

Filed Under: Books, Reading Tagged With: Author, Readability, Reading

How to Determine if a Book is Right for Your Child

There are rating systems for TV shows, movies, video games and CDs. However, people believe that children’s books are not rated. That is not true. There are various ways which you can discover the content of the children’s book and try to evaluate it to make sure that it is suitable for your child. Here’s a look at some ways which you can figure out the content of the children’s books.

Reviews. Book reviews have become increasingly popular with the invention of the Internet. There are hundreds of ways for readers to rate their experience with the book and discuss problems that they may have found with the book. If you are considering reading a book and wish to research’s review is you could always turn to book bloggers or independent reviews found on sites like good reads.

Children’s Book Award. There are dozens of children’s book awards that parents can use as a guideline for determining whether a book is suitable for the child or not. Book awards can vary from those designed to judge quality of writing and plot line, suitability for children or even just the overall book. The most famous types of children’s book awards are the Caldecott Medal And the Newberry Award. These are words are given to books that have child friendly themes, promote the intellectual development of children and have overall good writing.

Age Group Listing. Almost all children’s books now contain an age group listing which has been determined by the publishers. Parents can use this as a guideline to determine if they believe the book is suitable for their children’s age or not.

Filed Under: Books, General Tagged With: Book, Children, Children's literature

A Look at Tactile Children’s Books

Some of the most popular types of children’s books includes the types of books known as tactile children’s books. These books contain the story but also require that the child must play along or do various things with the story. Children have very short attention spans cirque wearing them to do something physical during the story will gain interest of the children and promote reading. If you’re considering writing a tactile children’s book here are some things you should consider.

Touch. Children love to touch and feel things. Try to create a story that allows the children to feel certain things. For example when you’re talking about a soft blanket you can put a piece of soft material that the child can touch. This allows them to get involved with the story and to develop their fine motor skills.

Flaps. Flaps are great to develop mystery and to also have a great tactile function in the book. Tactile children authors have been known to create a story and have things hiding under the flaps. Children love discovering what is underneath there as well as reading the story. There’s been a mystery encourages the children to learn about mystery and play along with the story.

Smell. Smell is not always used in stories. However, with the invention a scratch and sniff this is also started to make its way into children’s tactile books. The author can talk about a smell or scent and the children are required scratch on the piece of material inside the book which will bring out the scent. This is a great way for them to feel the story is coming to life.

Filed Under: Books, Reading Tagged With: Book, Children, Children's literature

Potential Scams in Independently Published Books

As with anything in life there is always a potential for scams to creep up in the most unlikely of places. One of the most unlikely places is the ability for scams to creep up into the publishing world. There are many self-proclaimed independent publishers who try to gain up-and-coming authors attention and bring them in for scam. Here’s a look at similar things you should be aware of when being approached by small press or independent publishing firms. While these things may not be a sign that they are scam it should raise some red flags.

Require an Upfront Payment. The biggest scam in the publishing world is the requirement that the author must pay the publishing firm to publish the book. They will generally ask for a small amount and tell you they will look over your book and give you an opinion on whether or not it should be published. The only time you should pay for your book to be published is when you’re self-publishing and were actually printing the book out and receiving the booking in hand.

Contracts. Many of these self-proclaimed independent publishing firms will require that you sign a contract. Contracts while standard in the publishing world should always be looked over by a lawyer. You should be very leery of any contract that requires you to sign over 100% of the rights to your book and limits you from publishing anywhere else with other types of material.

Contact out of the Blue. You should be leery of any publishing firm that appears to contact you out of the blue as the majority of these are scams and have very low standards.

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: Publish, Self-publishing, Small press

Book Promotions

As an author you want people to know about your book and read it. The more people that read your book the better your chances are of getting a following and having other people show interest in your book. The problem arises for many authors as to how exactly they can get attention drawn onto their book. Here’s a look at some of the ways authors have used to promote their book and hopefully gain a following of readers.

Contests. Everybody loves to get something for free. Authors will sometimes offer their books for free through contests and promotions. These contests can be helped are websites like good reads, through social media outlets and even on the author’s website. Anywhere where a person can hear about it and sign up for the contest will get you people who want to read your book.

Book Blog Tours. Going around from book blog to book blog is a great way to promote your book. Many book bloggers welcome authors and expert columnist and allow them to talk about a wide range of subjects as well as promote their book. Many book bloggers have huge followings which will let you to get the word out about your book to a wide range of people.

Interviews. Promoting your book can be done through interviews. The local media as well as national media is always open to conducting interviews with new authors. There are also various public radio stations as well as Internet radio stations which will also conduct interviews with the authors. You can also have the book bloggers do interviews which will allow you to cover all your bases. Very similar to interviews is the chat format which allow authors to discuss their book with potential readers and can generate interest.

Filed Under: Book Distribution, Books Tagged With: Author, Blog, Book