I’d originally planned this as one post, but time and my own loquaciousness have deemed that they be separated into parts one and two of a theme: I love reading and by all things holy, my kids shall love to read as well. Lucky for us, I’ve got two great new tools to help with that goal.
The first is a new website designed to help you find books that one celebrity author thinks your kids will love, courtesy of a Mother-Talk blog tour.
James Patterson, one of our generation’s most prolific authors, has taken to heart the cause of getting kids of all ages to love reading. To that end, he recently launched a new website, ReadKiddoRead.com, filled with recommendations to truly great books for kids. From the Mother-Talk pitch I received:
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.
I signed up for this blog tour because it’s a topic close to my heart, but I was genuinely impressed by the ReadKiddoRead website. It starts with an overview of various age groups and book types. Click on one of them and it will bring you to a list of book ideas in that category with truncated reviews of each one. Click one more time, and you get a full review of the book, including where to buy it, a US library finder (too bad there’s no Canadian equivalent!), a few words from the critics, and a list of a dozen or more “if you like this book, you’ll love this one” suggestions.
They’ve set up a Ning community (you’ll know Ning if you signed up for TwitterMoms or Nablopomo, among others) to discuss ReadKiddoRead and other book ideas for kids.
Just in time for the holidays, if you’re looking for a new book or ten for your favourite kiddies, this is a great place to start. A lot of my board books have been drooled to death, so I might just use the 0 – 2 category for a few suggestions to fill Lucas’s stocking this year!
Coming up next, a set of amazing new books for beginning readers…
Disclosure: I received a $20 amazon gift certificate for participating in this Mother-Talk blog book tour.
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