How Do I Turn the Pages on my Reluctant Reader?

We all know a reluctant reader. Many of us have one in our family.

Yes, even I had a reluctant reader as a son.

So what can you do to help him (or her) overcome their fear or frustration of reading?

First of all before we begin, it is important to remember to check for signs of causes that may be hindering the learning process. Is your child having problems seeing the text? Do they need glasses? Are they perhaps jumbling up the letters? Are they dyslexic?

Whatever the issue, remember that help from teachers is always at hand and above all, don't panic! All children develop and learn at their own pace. Childhood is not a race to adulthood. It is a journey to be savoured and enjoyed, a time when memories are made while growing and exploring and this includes venturing into the world of books and discovering the particular types of genres that best suit each individual personality.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=796317053717271&set=a.707708325911478.1073741826.230614383620877&type=1&relevant_count=1

Below are my tips on the best strategies  to help motivate the reluctant reader to not only start turning the pages but continue into becoming a life-long lover of reading.

1. Start by being a good role-model. It helps if both parents enjoying reading. Some might say in fact that my husband was not a good role-model to our sons as in nearly 30 years of marriage I could count on one hand the amount of fiction books he has read. However, he is always reading.  The laptop or ipad is always on and he is forever googling technical information about something of interest. He is reading and learning all the time. I might be the one seen reading all the fiction novels, but he is observed reading  a plethora of non-fiction.

2. Ignore parents that brag about their children's amazing reading abilities. Worrying yourself  that your child is not "keeping up with the Joneses" is pointless. Every child will reach their own potential at their own pace. By the time they all finish high school and move on to University, things will have evened out to the point that when they began to read confidently will not seem so important or significant. You may even find that the bragging parent was in fact doing the actual reading aloud all along while the child was enjoying listening and comprehending. (Both parent and child enjoying the shared experience anyway.)

3.With that said, remember your reluctant reader will also comprehend books at a higher level than he/she can read. This may be a reason which may have turned them off reading in the first place. Therefore find books that interest him/her and spend time reading aloud to them. The benefits are great. See my post from two weeks ago, http://sandrabennettauthor.com/2014/02/05/10-awesome-reasons-for-reading-aloud-to-your-kids-whatever-their-age/. Introduce as many forms of reading as possible, magazines, newspapers, internet sites, blogs (under supervision of course) whatever may be of interest. Most of all make it fun and entertaining so that you build confidence as well as comprehension.

4. Make the reading relevent.  One of the reasons they become reluctant is because they are bored and then refuse to read as they can't see the point of reading the required text. That is why it is essential to find topics of interest. Don't expect a ten year old struggling reader to want to read something written for a six year old, even if that is his reading level. Give him something that will entice him to want to pick it up.

5. E-readers are great for reluctant readers that prefer to play on their computers or console games. E-readers are familair tools, so why not take advantage of them. The reader can play with the text, change the font size, shape or colour and even look up unknown words they discover, all in one place. No need to go diving for a dictionary anymore.

6. If they have a favourite comic book or joke book, don't stress. Allow them to read it over and over. Repetition is a good thing.  It not only builds confidence and comprehension but allows the reader to express themselves while enjoying a positive experience. These books will also help with the increase in understanding of story sequencing and layout as well as the added benefit of being visually appealing and full of laughs.

7. It helps if there is a quiet place in the house to read. Quiet time in a quiet corner or special place away from the distractions of other busy family life, no computer or TV noise, time to sit and quietly immerse themselves into the story. If this is difficult to find, then bedtime is perhaps the best alternative, bearing in mind that children are often very tired by the end of the day and a reluctant reader will probably prefer you to start the reading. If you find something he is really interested in, he may just want to take over the reading, (and even continue long after you leave the room).

8. Create plenty of opportunities for reading and learning by writing notes to be left and found in hidden secret places. Children get quite a delight when they discover a secret message from mum or dad in a lunch box, under pillows, in pockets, wherever your imagination takes you. Write messages on the fridge by using magnetic letters. The reader may surprise you and write a reply.

9. Play as many word games as you can think of. I Spy, scrabble, boggle to name just a few. If you are interested in more ideas refer to a few of my earlier blogs http://gingerbreadaliens.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/fun-things-to-do-to-get-kids-reading.html

http://gingerbreadaliens.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/do-you-use-multi-media-to-your-advantage.html

http://gingerbreadaliens.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/sequencing-stories.html

http://gingerbreadaliens.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/board-games-not-bored-games.html

10. Select high interest books with plenty of action and humour. Kids want to laugh and have fun while reading. As they get older they expect good cliff-hangers at the end of each chapter. It also helps if the book has familair everyday situations that they can relate to. Circumstances that they can become involved in and are able to suggest how to solve the problem.

A fantastic short chapter book that just so happens to fit the order perfectly is my "Gingerbread Aliens." Filled with action, adventure and intrigue it will keep even the most reluctanct reader laughing and turning the pages all the way to the end. The story begins with a very simple everyday situation that every child can relate to. Three brothers begin fighting in their kitchen  while trying to cook for the school fete. Naturally disaster strikes, there is a huge mix up and a turn of events that send the school and the neighbourhood into turmoil. The story even has great cliff-hangers at the end of every chapter.

Here is one enticing sample.

"David sighed, he had enough of their nonesense. He threw the loaf down at his feet in disgust and gave it one almighty drop kick.

It SOARED through the air longer and faster than David had ever kicked a football before. It flew right over the top of the back timber fence. Hit the light post near the walkway. Bounced off the brick pavers that edged the garden........and........SMASHED through the window of the school Principal's office."

Whenever I read this at school readings, even the most reluctant of readers  have begged me to continue on to the next chapter. I have not met a child yet who doesn't want to know how the school Principal is going to react.

Gingerbread Aliens is available from both my websites. I am happy to sign any copies purchased and mailed.

http://sandrabennettauthor.com/

http://www.gingerbread-aliens.com/

It is also available as an ebook.

http://www.amazon.com/Gingerbread-Aliens-ebook/dp/B009G4BDEI

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/gingerbread-aliens/id569972135?mt=11

The second book in the Bradberrie Boys Alien Adventure Series "Alien Shenanigans" is coming very soon. Stay tuned for futher updates on this and more in the series.

10 Awesome Reasons for Reading Aloud to Your Kids Whatever Their Age.

Earlier this week I posted this link on my Gingerbread Alien facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152199230859456&set=a.80700289455.76838.6009749455&type=1&relevant_count=1

I thought it was rather apt after my post last week on the importance of kids reading themselves everyday. In that post I briefly touched on parents sharing the reading experience with their children by reading to them..  However, it brought me to thinking about the signifcance of reading aloud to kids of all ages and perhaps the need to explore this topic a little further.

By now most parents know the benefits of reading aloud to their young ones, but how many parents continue to read to their children once the child has become an independent reader?

Here are my thoughts and I hope perhaps awesome reasons to read to your child from birth to the teenage years and everthing in between.

1. Reassurance of love and security. Babies feel safe and loved when they are cuddled and read to, so why wouldn't your 6-10 year old need the same assurance? A tween or teenager may not need quite the closeness of cuddles while being read aloud to, however the sheer closeness will be appreciated. Kids of all ages still need a hug once in awhile from mum or dad and reading aloud to them allows for that opportunity without embarrassment.

2. Reading aloud introduces the building blocks for vocabulary. All language has to be learnt. We don't come into the world already understanding the world around us. We listen to our parents and significant others. The more we read aloud to our children the more their vocabulary is gradually increased. A school age child who has been read to from birth has a greater understanding of the world around them and has the ability to learn more easily as their vocabulary is richer and greater than a child who has not been read to. However we should not stop there. As children become independent readers they can still learn so much more from being read to. A child with a reading level of 8 years can comprehend a story read to them at an 11 year old level, they even yearn to hear stories written for older kids and they gain a greater use of vocabulary while listening.

3. The written word has a more formal structure to it than the spoken word, so the higher level of reading that is exposed to the child the higher level of language exposre also. This in turn will help improve their own reading and writing.

4. Help childern to explore and investigate the world around them. Particulary as children grow their curiosity and imaginations develop. Their reading level may not keep up with their intrigue. As parents we have the opportunity to foster learning and increase understanding by reading aloud information books and magazines that may be beyond their capabilities. Even reaching the teen years they may still need our help reading new words and concepts they have not come across before. As the school curriculum increasingly gets busier and busier, sometimes children and teenagers need to search elsewhere for the information they need to fulfill an interest. Their reading level may not be quite up to the information they find, a parent can help by reading aloud and explaining.

5. Reading aloud means sharing, with that can bring ideas for great discussions or debates. Many a great debate has started around our dinner table after reading books together. You can discuss moral issues, feelings, how your kids might respond in a similar situation while they are young or as they become older they may prefer to tackle the more complex topics like climate change or how to prevent child poverty. The list becomes endless depending on attidudes, interests and beliefs in your family.

6. Increae attention span. You may start off reading aloud with picture books that may only take a few minutes but as they grow, kids will demand chapter books. Hopefully ones with fantastic hooks at the end of each chapter so that you can't put them down. Eager listeners beg you to "read just one more chapter!" Their attention span increases not only in the listening to the story but continues to overflow into sustaining other activities as well.

7. Introduce a variety of genres. When reading aloud to your 6 year old or your teenager, the more often you read to them the more opportunities you have to introducing them to genres that they may not have considered themselves. Sometimes kids find one genre that they believe they enjoy and tend to stick with that one. If you read something different aloud with them they may jsut discover a new genre that is not so bad after all.

8. Life long love of reading. If you continue to read to your children from birth right through to their teenage years (and even beyond) then you will instill in them a habbit that they won't be able to resist. Reading will become part of their daily routine, they'll want to read or be read to. Children by nature have inquisitive minds, they'll seek the next chapter or piece of information. The urge to learn and be fulfilled will be never ending.

9. Reading aloud provides parents with the opportunity to become awesome role models. As teachers we read aloud to our class everyday from the minute they start kindergarten. We still continue to read aloud to the class everyday right through their primary school years to the end of Year 6 as it not only helps with everything mentioned in the eight items above, but provides our class with a reading role model. We read with enthusiasm and expression that teaches them to read the same way. A parent has the same opportunity when reading at home to their child. We can all show them how much we enjoy the book we are sharing by the inclusive way in which we read with them.

10.. Reading aloud should be fun and entertaining. One of the most important points of all if we are going to hook our children into becoming awesome readers is to show them that above all else reading is for fun and enjoyment. Make sure when you take the time to read to your child that you both have fun. :)

For some of my favourite suggested books for reading to 5-12 year olds please revisit my post from Raising Awesome Readers titled "I am a Self-Confessed Bookaholic" dated Tuesday 21st May 2013. The link is below.

http://gingerbreadaliens.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/i-am-self-confessed-bookaholic.html

10 Awesome Reasons Why Kids Should Read.

Summer holidays are at their end. Australian kids all around the nation are embarking on another academic school year. With that comes the controversial issue of homework.

Currrent research theory suggests that homework is not necessary. I'm not here to debate the pro's and con's of homework, (some may say that it depends entirely upon the age of the children and the stage of schooling they are at.) Suffice to say, if your kids are in Primary school, no matter what your school's current homework policy happens to be, I believe all children should at least read.

Below are my 10 awesome reasons why I believe all children (no matter what their age) should have the opportunity to read at home every day.

1.Imaginations grow and expand as books take children to magical far away lands with intriguing characters and unusual creatures.

2.Reading inspires creativity to think and invent. It is with stories children are inspired to dream and it is those dreamers who grow up to become the inventers of our world and our future.

3.Children can explore the world around them without leaving the safety of their bedroom. They can learn all about geography, flora and fauna, all things great and small.

4. Vocabulary is increased. The more a child reads, the more new words they discover. Comprehension is learnt in context and gradually as the new vocabulary is read more often it becomes part of every day life and speech.

5. Improved spelling. Repetition is a secret to success and as such, the more often a child reads, the more often they see the same words repeatedly in written form, again in context rather than isolation giving more meaning to each word. This makes it more likely that these words will become embedded in the memory and the child will be able to "see" the word when they are required to spell it.

6. Reading opens up a whole world of knowledge. Once a child learns to read, they can choose to read anything enabling them to learn about whatever their heart desires. It helps to stimulate the brain so that the child can grow and be educated to become whatever they choose to be when they become an adult.

7. Reading helps to develop empathy for other people  through viewing the world through the eyes of many different colourful characters. Giving children opportunities to understand how someone else may feel in situations that they may or may not be familiar with.

8. Life's lessons are taught through many children's books as they so often have a worthwhile moral to the story. This also opens up opportunities for family discussions and debates bringing the family closer together as they unite around a topic.

9. The more a child reads, the better they get at it. Like anything else in life, whether that is piano lessons or kicking a ball, we all know the old adage that "practice makes perfect."

10. Last, but by no means least, reading together, sharing  a book with someone you love, ( a parent, grandparent, sibling or friend) brings people together to make special moments. It allows time for laughter, cuddles and hugs. It builds relationships and creates strong bonds that form ever lasting wonderful memories.

So whatever happens in your house this year during the busy school terms to come, whether there is after school sport practice, music lessons,  or swimming training, (not to mention the usual household chores,) please take the time to read with your children every day. Even if it is only 20 minutes a day, you will not only be instilling a great life long habbit, you will also be giving them a love of learning and reading that

they will both love you and thank you for one day.

In Celebration of Where we Come From.

In Celebration of Where we Come From..

Always make Home Reading Fun!

Twelve months ago this week I began writing my first blog to help parents "Raise Awesome Readers." My goal was to assist and equip mums and dads with ideas that would make the learning process at home easier, less stressful and above all fun and enjoyable for both parents and their children. Learning to read (and write) does not begin and end when the school day is finished. It has to be a partnership between the teacher and family, with both providing role models, mentors and a warm loving, caring and supportive environment.

Over the year I have posted many quotes on my facebook page encouraging the importance of families reading together. None more so than the one I posted today. "Children should learn that reading is a pleasure, not just something that teachers make you do in school. Beverly Cleary." Along with the quote is a delightful picture of a child and his parents reading together, laughing and genuinely enjoying the shared experience. This is exactly what I have been advocating all along. It is essential not only in the growth of the child but in his/her potential to want to learn to read. A happy child is encouraged and will strive as he/she is a confident child.

My very first post on November 5, 2012, was titled Is the after school home reader a battle of wills?

I'd like to re-post it here now as a reminder that I do realise how difficult life can get trying to fit in home reading each day, but with a little pateince it is worth it in the end. Reading with your children can be a valuable, worthwhile experience, it is what we make it afterall.

Master six squirms on the lounge. He figdets and fiddles with the T.V. remote control , the cushions, anything he can get his hands on. He scratches his head while he turns, his ears are pricked to listen to the laughter of his older brother who is playing computer games in the next room. You desperately try to turn his attention back to the home reader at hand. So far he has managed to struggle through the first page. As usual this is going to be a long drawn out affair, a battle of wills.

You point at the next word, he rocks back and forth with a deep sigh. Just when you think the word is about to burst forth he cries out to the family dog instead. The dog wags it's tail and delighted with the attention, jumps up into his eager arms. They begin to rumble on the lounge. Son number three, (the baby of the family) is playing with blocks on the floor at your feet. Master six, now bored with the dog, slides off the lounge to join his younger brother, all thoughts of the home reader totally forgotten.

Time for you to take a deep breath, go make a cup of tea and re-group. He may have won the battle, but you can still win the war. A little love, time and patience can work wonders. Give him time to construct something amazing with those blocks, (little boys are hands-on creatures they need to be physical,) while you enjoy that soothing tea. Then come down to his level, join him on the floor. Make a word out of the blocks yourself, then ask Master six if he can make a word, any word he likes. If his classroom teacher uses sightwords, you should have a copy of the list. Suggest he makes a word from those, preferably one you know he can achieve. Start with the simple obvious words like mum, dad, dog, cat, anything that is familiar. Then introduce a word or two from the home reader. Before he realises it he has made a long list of words he knows. His confidence will grow triple fold.

Now re-open the home reader. Ask Master six if he can find each word one at a time on each page. If he finds a word, see if he can read it in the sentence or read the sentence together. before you know it. "hey presto!" he has "read" the entire book and he has had some fun along the way. :)

In the early years of learning to read, a home reader is one of the most important tools brought home from school. If read with a loved one evey day it really does make a world of difference in the development of the reading process. Children can get bored or frustrated with them when they are not changed regularly enough at school. Parents need to keep in mind that sometimes the school day has a very hectic schedule and the change of readers is not always possible. Parent helpers are always very much apprecaited. Don't forget to read other favourite books from home,(like Gingerbread Aliens a great early fun reader), libraries or swap with friends.

For further reading help and suggestions please read through some of my past blogs or drop by and leave me any questions or comments. I am always happy to help. :)

In Search of Aliens.

Knowing I was about to reveal the cover page for the next exciting chapter book in the mischievous Bradberrie brothers alien adventure series, I went in search of evidence of other life forms somewhere out there in our universe. Perhaps even proof of aliens here on Earth. I visited the Tidbinbilla Deep Space Tracking Station with high hopes. On entry the sign asked for all mobile phones, laptops etc to be turned off to "Help us listen to whispers from space." Surely I would at least hear something interesting here!

I searched high and low, but to no avail. I found moon rocks, Mars rovers. rocket ships  and even adorned a space suit just in case an alien was hiding in some obscure place too frightened to reveal himself. It was a very interesting day, I learnt a lot about deep space, the race to the moon and even a whole lot of information about our sun, but no aliens were to be found anywhere here.

So I travelled further afield, down the south coast  to the most southern part of mainland Australia. I had high hopes as I wondered through the rainforests that something unusal may have been lurking in there. I searched the waterways and estuaries and even hiked high up a mountain top.

It was only when I arrived on Phillip Island to observe the Little (Fairy) Penguins that I felt that perhaps I had found what I was searching for. These unique little birds stay out at sea for 75% of their life and yet each time they come to land to nest they know exactly where to find the same burrow. It was just like watching aliens, waiting until after dark to sneak to shore, then suddenly (almosy magically) they appear in their hundreds and race across the sand, waddle up bush tracks and find their waiting mates. Calls go out through the night as the party begins, neighbours chat and freinds re-unite. Observing the penguins in their native state was not only enchanting, it seemed almost other worldly as they marched on by us totally disregarding the throng of humans eager to catch a glimpse of such a special creature.

Note: The above picture with the penguins is a green screened photo of us superimposed amongst the penguins. Naturally you cannot disturb their march to their burrows, touch the penguins or even get quite this close!  All photography is prohibited with respect for the penguins.

The cover for Alien Shenanigans is revealed! Head on over to my website http://sandrabennettauthor.com/alien-shenanigans/ for a sneak peak!

Alien Shenanigans

sandrabennettauthor.com

Coming Soon! Not much longer to wait! :) There is trouble afoot in Mr Haggardy's classroom. An unexplainable explosion in a science experiment

How do you define an Alien?

The other week as I glanced in awe out of my window at the gorgeous scene before me I couldn't help but ponder on the question of how to define what it takes to call something an alien? It was another cold. wet and misty winter  morning  just like the other days of the week had been. The difference being that this morning we had a unique visitor grazing amongst the usual mob of kangaroo. All week there had been sightings from various neighbours of this graceful creature that was virtually unheard of in our little rural part of the world,, but so far it had managed to escape capture on film.  I had seen it briefly once before, my eyes hardly beleiving what they saw as it ran into the trees, up the hill and disappeared. This morning it stood there, serene and splendid amogst the thick fog. I couldn't get a clear picture, the rain was too heavy, but a neighbour had caught a shot the day before of not one but two graceful deer happliy grazing alongside the kangaroos.

Now to most people in the Northern hemisphere a deer sighting might not seem that unusal, but firstly they are not native to Australia, are not usually found roaming wild and free amongst our native animals or wandering into our front paddocks and certainly the most unique and special of all was that one of the deer was white.

As I quietly observed her feed in sheer amazement and glory I couldn't help but ponder on how weird it actually was to experience such a beautiful sight. The deer looked so out of place and yet so at home. She was an alien creature in an alien land and yet she was fitting right in. Then I had the thought that perhaps to others viewing this scene, the kangaroo might appear to be the alien creatures with their tiny front paws, strong hind legs and massive thumping tails.

Webster's New World Dictionary defines an alien as :-

"(adjective)  belonging to another country or people; foreign; strange.

(noun)  1, foreigner    2. a person living in a country of which he is not a citizen."

So I guess that makes the deer an alien to me, but a freindly one that I welcome with open arms and would invite to return to my property on any given day

Putting the dictionary definition aside, how do you define an alien?

Is he an ET type character that we all came to know and love from Steven Spielberg's  1982 classic movie?

Maybe they are the scarier version outlined in the 1986 science fiction movie ALIENS directed by James Cameron and starring Sigourney Weaver.

The Universe is a very large place to explore, making it possible for aliiens to come in all shapes and sizes depending on our imagination. We can choose to make them friendly, cute and cuddly, curious or even mischievous. The three Bradberrie brothers find out quickly what sort of mayhem a mischief an alien can cause in my upcoming children's alien advetnure sereis for early and reluctant readers.

In Gingerbread Aliens they mix up a whole lot of fun when disater abounds in the kitchen causing a sequence of events that madly tumbles so out of control that not even even the quick minded reader will see what iscoming next. Gingerbread Aliens is available for purchase from the side link.

Book 2, Alien Shenanigans will be released soon. The boys find themselves unwittingly in a whole lot more trouble as they discover the truth behind the alien and try to keep the secret. For more on Alien Shenanigans click on the above page link. Updates on an expected release will be posted there as well as my facebook page. Books 3 through 5 are still in the writing process.

What or who is your favourite Alien?

Books Needed For Children's Relief Efforts

Hurricane Sandy may have been last year and we all move on from news so quickly, but for those people still living in the destruction it is still very real to them. Now a tornado has devasted Oklahoma as well and our thoughts and prayers go out to all the families effected from this severe weather cell. Lives move on, buildings are replaced, and we wonder what can we do to help when we are so far away? Sending a book to add to a child's library shelf may seem a small gesture, but to a child that gets to read it may be huge!

My Very First Blog Award (the Liebster Award)

Many thamks to J. R. Barker for granting me the honour of  nomination for this award it is received with much appreciation.

"Liebsters Award is a way for blogs with less than 200 followers to connect with other bloggers, share a little more about you, and a way to help promote other small blogs"

How does this work? Here are the rules.

Post 11 random fact about yourself.

Answer 11 Questions from your Nominator.

Visit the other 1o blogs that were nominated with you.

Nominate 11 other blogs with fewer than 200 followers and ask them 11 questions - NO TAG BACKS!

Visit your Nominees and let them know they won the award.

11 Random Facts about myself.

1. I love to go bushwalking even though I have two left feet which inevitably cause all sorts of problems.
2. I am constantly on the lookout for more native trees to plant on our property which will help encourage the native birds and animals to feel welcome.
3. Fairies nest at the bottom of my garden, (ok they are fairy wrens) but it sounds good!
4. I've hunted for the Loch Ness Monster and skipped stones across the Loch with my sons in true adventure style.
5. Searched for Leprechauns under rocks and shrubs around the lakes of the "Ring of Kerry" in Ireland.
6. Sipped champagne at the top of the Eiffel Tower like a true romatic heroine.

   

7. Rode a camel at sunset along Cable Beach in Broome, Western Australia.
8. Swum under a waterfall in an Outback waterhole.
9. When I am not writing or reading I am creating stained glass windows.
10. I adore sunsets, red wine, good comapny and a warm fire on a cold winter evening.
11. When all is said and done, there's no place like home!

Questions to me.

1. What is your favourite children's book? Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French. Simple, yet very cute and clever.
2. Who's your favourite story tale villain? Professor Severus Snape. J.K. Rowling wrote a fantastic antagonist and Alan Rickman portrayed him superbly. You love to hate him and yet he has a lost soul you can't help but feel sorry for.
3. Who's your favourite story tale hero? Who else? Harry Potter! Need I say more! Thanks to Jo Rowling so many more kids started reading again!
4. What's your favourite fairy tale? Rumpelstiltskin (I just love saying that name and hearing kids try to read it), but then I love Snow White and all the seven dwarves. Far too many fairy tale choices.
5. What's your favourite childhood memory? Family days out in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. Where we had picnics, bushwalks, apple picking, BBQ's and toffee apples to munch on all the long drive home.
6. Sweet or Savoury? Can't go past a bit of chocolate, but I lean more towards the savoury platter these days.
7. What genre of books do you prefer?  I read an abundance of children's books both for my own writing and when I was a teacher as well as a general love of them, but really enjoy  historical fiction as they take me to places I get to learn about while I immerse myself in the lives of the characters.
8. Watching sport or playing sport? Definately watching sport. When my youngest son played soccer I really got into being  one of those soccer mum's on the sidelines, (although I said I never would).
9. Cats or dogs? Dogs, we've always had one of man's best friends in the family.
10. Name one story book that you feel has touched your life or changed it in some way. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. From the minute I read these as a ten year old and entered through the wardrobe into a world full of fantasy and imagination I knew I too wanted to write.
11. Name one act of kindness that you have witnessed. I had a flat tyre at the supermarket a while back. A very kind gentleman noticed the problem while I was busy loading the weeks groceries into the boot. He offered to change the tyre for me. In return I offered to buy him a coffee or even lunch to which he declined saying it was all part of his civic duty.

My Nominees.

(I am extremely knew to blogging so my list of other bloggers is quite small. My apolgies if a few of my nominees have gone slightly over the limit.)

http://canberraluxurytours.com/

http://claudiaowen.wordpress.com/

http://blog.birthjourneys.com.au/

http://alisonwriteruk.wordpress.com/

http://tutordoctorofwny.wordpress.com/

http://triotravelogue.wordpress.com/

http://warriorechidna.blogspot.com.au/

http://notyouraveragelassie.blogspot.com.au/

http://hazelwest.blogspot.com.au

http://www.wrevs.blogspot.com.au/

http://damyantiwrites.wordpress.com

My Questions to you.

1. What has been your greatest adventure in life?
2. Who is your favourite Action or Super Hero?
3. What do you consider to be yout greatest strength?
4. If you were a Super Hero what would your special power be?
5. Tea or Coffee?
6. Name your favourite binge food while reading or writing?
7. What was your favourite subject at school?
8. What is your all time favourite movie that you have watched over and over again?
9. Which is better, the book or the movie?
10. When do you prefer to read? In the afternoon sun or tucked up in bed late at night?
11. Who has inspired you in your life?

Did you wear your towel on May 25?

'DON'T PANIC!' in the immortal words of Douglas Adams from The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, I forgot too! Never mind, we all get another chance same time next year. For those of you who may wonder what on earth this peculiar idea is all about, towel day celebrates the life and works of the above mentioned Douglas Adams (1952-2001). http://towelday.org/

I was lucky enough to discover his quirky sense of humour as a teenager when I first read The Hitch Hikers Guide and its "trilogy in five parts". I then followed along eagerly each week for the next installment of the TV series and finally the movie when it was at last released in 2005. By then my eldest son had reached his teens and also appreciated the humour of Douglas Adams. It was wonderful to be able to share the experience of  both the book and film with him. I'm sure he didn't forget to wear his towel on Saturday, but as he now lives on the opposite side of the country to me he neglected to remind me. As a starving uni student he had even been known to attend fancy dress parties dressed as Arthur Dent in his dressing gown and towel.

Authors and their characters can have such an impact on our lives. Take J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter for example. Think of how many children all around the world have found the delight of books and reading through her wonderful imagination and story telling. It was amazing to watch thoussands of children dress up as theri favourite characters each time a new book or movie was released.

I believe it is wonderful to see our children reading no matter what the genre.  All fantastic authors need to be celebrated and thanked for bringing joy, imagination, entertainment and knowlede to our youth. Most of us have memories of growing up reading at least one favourite special author. That may change as we grow from childhood to our teenage years, my sons went from Paul Jennings to John Marsden and on to Douglass Adams with a whole lot of other fantastic authors in between including J.K. Rowling. At least their tastes were varied so that they read a wide range of material on offer and kept an open mind to the possibilties of the delights of different genres.

Is there a special place in your heart for a particular author that brought meaning to reading while you grew up? Do you ever take a moment to celebrate or thank that author for their work? I'd love to hear who it was and why?

Thanks to my awesome blogging freind JR Baker for reminding me about this  years Towel Day. http://jrbarker101.wordpress.com/2013/05/25/happy-towel-day-the-awesome-power-of-reading/

I'd like to close with one last quote from Douglass Adams, "So long and thanks for all the fish!'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbGNcoB2Y4I

Have fun reading.

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