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Saturday, December 27, 2014

Born Reading: Bringing Up Bookworms in a Digital Age -- From Picture Books to eBooks and Everything in Between by Jason Boog (Goodreads Author), Betsy Bird (Goodreads Author) (Foreword)

Jason Boog cites numerous studies that show interactive reading techniques as best practices for raising your child's intellect and curiosity. Interactive reading isn't just sitting down and reading with your child - even though that is important. Instead, parents need to ask the 5 W's (who, what, when, where, and why), dramatize reading, add music, and read to them every day. Words can give children a way to express emotions and feel control. His book will get children school-ready and he gives great tips or tricks for dealing with tantrums and handling electronic devices. Boog isn't an expert but he quotes enough of them and tosses in practicalness that leaves a little of everything for everyone. I even got a few lesson ideas. For me, the app suggestions were the most helpful. I am a librarian for an elementary school but we have a pre-kindergarten class. I'll try some apps for their age, as well as, buy some of his book suggestions for our school.

The book does tie in with curriculum standards which some parents might like. He lists them for first grade and kindergarten. It was a nice way to conclude his book and show how all his techniques can lead to more success in reading at school. He's not an educator but he gets it. His stories of what he did with his daughter shows how he created a multimedia experience and turned her  on to reading. I got a kick out of how they taught their daughter some sign language and she'd use it to communicate before she could speak. Although he doesn't use the educator lingo, what he identifies as techniques are using multiple learning styles such kinesthetic, audio, and visual, to create an interactive reading experience. He also has a section on nonfiction books which has become more important in school curriculums as a result of the implementation of Common Core standards. He did his research well and the text is easy to read.

Most experts say that digital devices should be avoided until age 2 and that parents should sit down with the device and child; to not use it as a babysitter. Boog stresses not only cooperative play, but independent unstructured play that is "unplugged." Unstructured play allows kids to develop reasoning skills, problem-solve, and be creative. He also suggests keeping digital devices out of the bedroom so children are not using them in the middle of the night. Much of his practical or creative suggestions help keep this text from being dry. I like how he pretended his coffee mug needed help reading and he named it, "Coffee Man," getting his daughter to read a book to it. He talks about the importance of simple storytelling making it easy to do and not some complex deal. More importantly, he makes reading fun.

Books help readers, young and old, process the world around them by articulating feelings, emotions, and issues they are dealing with in life. Many lists are available to readers in his book for apps, books, audiobooks, and more. His website is fantastic and if you don't have time to read it you can just blow through the short introduction that gives 15 guidelines and conversation starters to have with your kid. He even says to rip out the pages (gulp) and cut up the 15 sentences using them conveniently. Actually, I don't have a problem writing in books or cutting them up. My books that are most beat up, are the most loved. They are my "Velveteen Rabbit" books.

4 Smileys

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