Friday, December 05, 2008

Read Kiddo Read!


Oh Wow! I'm just so excited about this website that I have to tell you all about it! I was asked to check out www.readkiddoread.com about a week ago and I am in total LOVE! I even showed to our librarian! The website (you'll read more about it below) was originally to encourage kids to read more. And I think it's totally a step in the right direction. However, I love it so much because Darly & I have been trying so hard to find new books for her to read. As you know, you can't get Darly's nose out of a book. She brings at least one with her everywhere we go and I currently have a stack of about 6 books to return to our library. WE LOVE BOOKS! And this website has so many great recommendations on what books we should read next. It is AWESOME!
As avid readers (and bloggers!) ourselves, we all appreciate the value of the written word. Yet convincing kids that reading is not just meaningful – but actually fun – can sometimes pose a challenge, especially as they get older and start to believe they read enough in school. In fact, according to the 2008 Kids and Family Reading Report by Yankelovich and Scholastic, despite 80% of parents wanting their kids to read for fun, most kids claim there aren’t enough really good books for their age group.

James Patterson has taken this issue to heart. A father himself, he knows that one of the main obstacles for young readers is a lack of books kids can truly connect with, those rare stories that draw you in and keep you reading until the very last word. We can all remember the joy of a great book from our own childhood; begging to stay up ten more minutes to finish a chapter, then hiding under the covers with a flashlight to read “just one more.” Patterson has made it his mission to give this experience to children everywhere and instill in them a love of reading.
To that end, he recently launched a new website, www.readkiddoread.com, in order to give kids of all ages access to truly great books. Whether you are still enjoying picture books with your baby or have an older child reading at an advanced level, ReadKiddoRead acts as a resource for finding the best books. Each featured book, hand-selected by Patterson, includes a synopsis, related themes, quotes from critics, links to find the book in any number of locations (including local libraries), and even similar suggested reads. In addition, the website provides resources for finding book discounts and promotions, features interviews and contributions from authors and celebrities, and even allows members to connect with each other via a Ning community.
Providing kids with a love of and appreciation for books gives them something that will remain with them throughout their lives, and this resource helps make that possible. Plus, if anyone can get even the most reluctant readers interested in great stories, it’s James Patterson.


This post was sponsored by my friends at Mother-Talk.com

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