If you can’t get little Johnny or Suzy into the library with a cattle prod, you just might be able to coax them into a comic book store.  In fact, I’m pretty sure you won’t have much trouble at all.  It’s a simple fact that some kids like the pictures more than they like words.  So you think, they may not be using their higher brain functions and imagination as much but at least they are reading SOMETHING, right?

Wrong.

Sure, comics give you pictures to look at, relieving you of some of the responsibility of imagination, but where comics come alive is IN BETWEEN the panels.  Comics require the reader to “fill in the blank” of continuity to get from panel to panel.  Comics are not for idle brains.

Comic books can be extremely “literary”, which is one of the reasons why the word “graphic novel” is being used more and more.  The series interconnections that make up the “Marvel Universe” probably contain more text than all the Twilight, Harry Potter, and Lord of the Rings series combined).  Comic series can build epic imaginary worlds and histories that only deepen the mind’s reservoir of experience.  Also, comics aren’t just for superheroes anymore, you can find comics on just about anything, from romance, to detective noir, to space-exploring mouse adventure.

So if little Johnny or Suzy wants to read a comic instead of that childhood tome that was so dear to you, don’t fret.  Their brains won’t melt… and you can read their comics when they’re done.  Come on, join the comics party.  Look how much fun we’re having!

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Many parents are alarmed at the amount of time their kids spend mashing buttons on their X-Box or Playstation controllers.   They worry that, instead of being enriched and ennobled by the wonders of literature, their developing brains are being turned into ooze by these hypnotic machines.

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It may come as a small surprise, but all three of us at MJM Books enjoy a video game now and then.  In fact, World of Warcraft has given us a place where, despite our geographic separation, we can all “hang out” together… killing bandits and ogres.

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So what are we as publishers to think?  Aren’t video games the enemy of higher thought?  A place were we go to spend mindless and fruitless hours?  Shouldn’t kids be reading instead?

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It may surprise you that the choice isn’t either/or.   In fact, our books are based on the same principle as many video games: immersive, interactive adventure.  Video games (and our customizable kids’ books) place you directly in the story, making you the protagonist.  Often, the games involve an epic story that… wait for it… you read over the course many hours of playing.   The examples of this are everywhere from Zelda to Paper Mario to World of Warcraft.

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Even if there isn’t an epic story to read, there are often many on-screen instructions to be read during the course of a game (which buttons to press to move around or instructions about the goal of the game), and even more still if you pick up a game guide (a magazine that tells you how to access all the hidden secrets in the game).

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Some games have more emphasis on story and incorporate more reading than others so if you’re worried about junior’s lack of reading, consider the middle road and get him a game that will secretly and seamlessly fuse reading and zombie evading.

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You’re lucky, games nowadays focus more on story than ever before.  Remember “Pong”?  No story whatsoever.  Interestingly, this may be changing…  I just discovered a new version of Tetris that is First Person…  Instead of explaining, I will simply direct you to this awesome site.

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Game on!

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by Sue Sciubba

Reading to your child is the number one way to help them achieve success academically because reading impacts all other subject areas. As a mother of three, I can tell you I wish I had implemented more reading into my children’s schedules. I feel it is critically important to reserve reading as a top priority, hence, my humble advice of what really worked for me and some real-life suggestions for what you can do right now. Here are a few strategies I used when my children were younger.

First, never buy greeting cards for children on their birthdays or for any other occasion. For the same amount of money you’d spend on a card that will get thrown away in a matter of days, you can easily buy a children’s book that will be treasured for a lifetime. I prefer those books with hard, blank inside covers because I loved to let my children color and create by drawing on them. Now, I have keepsake writing and drawing samples from my children at different ages. I always had them write their names to the best of their abilities and date the “artwork” when they were finished with their treasure. Believe me, you will cherish these books when they grow up. Tell them as they are creating, “See, you could write or illustrate books when you grow up, because you just did a wonderful job with this one!” Letting them create inside the cover of a real book is a very effective method to motivate young readers.

Next, when you go on family trips, always bring along a selection of books that everyone can read together and enjoy. For example, I still remember the weekend trip my husband and I took our three kids to Payson, Arizona. We read “Holes”, by Louis Sachar. The book was too advanced for our youngest, but by helping her along by summarizing each chapter, the whole family really enjoyed the book. It’s a good idea to let the older children read aloud and summarize. Be sure to include everyone, even the youngest, in the literary conversation. That way, everyone will be engaged and feel they are contributing to the family read-aloud.

Another way to make time for reading is to always have a “book bag” in every vehicle. Let each child create their own book bag.  Most craft stores have canvas bags you can decorate with fabric paints and rhinestones. When children feel a sense of ownership, they are always more enthusiastic about the project.  So, when your children get tired of waiting for the doctor or watching a siblings soccer match, they can read independently or you can read with them. When you are stuck in traffic, have your child read to you (whether they can read fluently or not). If they are not fluent, let them tell you the story from the pictures. As they do, ask them what they think might happen in the story, or how the characters feel.

Make “Word Worms”!  Take one word from a book of their choice and start rhyming words aloud with them… cat, sat, hat, and mat.  Make those words into “Word Worms” (using the paper and colored pencils you have placed in their book bags) and display them in easy to see places for quick review in your home and car. To make a word worm, draw the shape of a worm and then fill in its tummy space with all the words that rhyme with the base word you found in the book.  For example: lunch, munch, crunch, and bunch. Be sure to include eyes and a smiling face on your finished worm. This will help your children increase their vocabularies with ease and fun. They will love creating their Word-Worms!

Remember, the clock is ticking; father time is not your friend.  In the blink of an eye, I went from reading “Tuffy and Teddy go to School” to my son Anthony (now 21 years old), to having him assist me by proof reading my college papers!  I didn’t know until I was in college (after I decided I wanted to be a teacher when I “grew up”), that reading was so important to your child.  Reading is the base of all knowledge and all subjects point back to reading. So (and here is my final tip), find a good book, a quiet room, a comfy chair, and spend some time reading with your precious child .  It is something they will never forget. Reading will give them a head start in becoming life-long learners.  You’ll not regret it!

About the author:

In May, 2010, Sue will graduate from Northern Arizona University with a degree in Elementary Education.  After traveling all over the United States and raising three children with her husband of 25 years, she returned to school to become an Elementary School Teacher.

Can’t convince your little one that reading is worth their time?  I’d be willing to bet that they still think comics are cool and don’t even realize that when reading them, they are in fact READING.  I won’t “nerd out” on you and tell you that comics deserve every bit as much literary criticism as novels (you must admire my self control) and simply state that the pictures provide a very effective “carrot” for your reluctant reader.

Bitstrips is a site that allows users to make their own comic strips with customizable characters.  Customization… what a good idea, right?  Now, they’ve rolled out a kiddie version for schools called, well, Bitstrips for Schools. 

Bitstrips for Schools from Bitstrips on Vimeo.

By making their own comics, kids are empowered, and yes, tricked, into creating literature.

I must brag that I have been a Bitstripper since just after the site’s launch and have even had a comic featured on the “front page”.  You’ll see my lovely wife in a cameo in the second panel.

MJM Books has a big announcement.  No, we’re not having a “blowout clearance” sale, and no, there is no recall due to spontaneous combustion of our products.  My wife, Krista, is pregnant with our first child!  We are extremely excited and, of course, nervous.  Like most modern parents we turn to the wisest, sagest, entity we know (the Internet) to research the safest cribs, the greenest diapers, and the latest parenting and development research.

For our readers, I was interested in when parents should begin to read to their unborn baby.  Right now, our baby still looks like a seahorse, so I feel comfortable that it will not be traumatized by my nightly reading of detective noir stories.  (Yes, I really do read them out loud before we go to bed)

According to a few articles, while fetus’s ears form earlier, they can be seen reacting to sounds at about 30 weeks.  For those moms rushing out to press some headphones against their bellies hoping for the “Mozart Effect”, no one is sure exactly what a fetus can actually hear/comprehend.

This article claims that unborn babies can comprehend steady beat patterns (like a heartbeat or a steady rock and roll 4/4) and notice if a significant downbeat is missing (tests are still out on whether they can tell that fifths moving in parallel motion are bad counterpoint).

In my opinion, if your baby is listening, it’s hearing you talk all the time.  Regular prenatal story times are probably better bonding for Mommy and Daddy than it is an imperative lesson for baby, but that is still a great thing!  Besides, it’s not until you’ve named the baby so that you can order one of our custom kids books to enjoy together, and that’s when the real fun happens.

Rock on…

Su Chin at ParentReviewers.com gave us a glowing review the other day that made us very proud.  What is most important for us is not that parents think the book is cute and that using recycled paper is neat; it is whether the kids find magic in their books and whether we are “Making Reading Fun”.

The concept behind personalized children’s books is not a new one.  Kids are just crazy about themselves.  They think they are just awesome, which is why a book about someone else (like Cinderella or Jack and Jill) is simply not as interesting as one that is about THEM.

When we go one step further and add custom illustrations of the child, they are “hooked” and suddenly kids who can’t sit still or think that books aren’t as interesting as TV get excited about the wonderful world of reading. 

Most touching to us have been testimonials about children who are just learning to read finding the motivation to learn and to be able to “read it all by myself” because of their importance to the story.

So why choose a Personalized Kids Book?  Children can relate more readily to them and that can help you convince your budding reader that there are amazing things to be found in books.  Sure it’s bit of a trick, like adding chickpeas to your muffin recipe, but it’s good for them!!!

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Some people look down on baby talk, or “parentese”.  They bemoan that mothers and fathers communicate with their infants with ‘boo boos’ and ‘bah bahs’ as if they should be modeling Shakespeare or John Locke instead.  And yet we just can’t help ourselves, can we?  Researchers believe that the exaggerated pitch levels and elongated vowels and consonants of nonsense parentese help the infant come to recognize words as composites of multiple sounds and sentences as strings of words.

What does this mean for young readers?  Like speaking, reading written language is such an automatic action for adults that we take for granted the fact that letters signify certain sounds.  Pre-readers must first learn that symbols are the sources of the sounds before they can even begin to learn the link between SPECIFIC sounds and their letter symbols. 

So, reading with exaggerated and elongated inflection as you underline the words you are reading with your finger can help your child recognize that the words you are saying are coming from the page.  Imagine not knowing that already!  Babies are still learning that you don’t disappear when you leave their sight so give them a break!

In addition, just as meaningless Baby Talk helps infants begin to recognize word sounds and the back and forth pattern of communication, the act of turning pages and reading a book (even without comprehension) can teach a child how books work: left to right, top to bottom, front to back etc.  

You can continue to foster the learning of letters and language outside of formal Story Time by:

• Pointing out to your child written language in Street Signs, Books, Games, Magazines, Newspapers

• Making labels with the names of household objects and sticking them on those objects. This will help your child begin to recognize letters and words and their connection to physical objects.

• Giving everything a name. Build your child’s vocabulary by pointing out interesting objects and parts of objects, like wheels, handles, petals, and tails. Preschoolers with large vocabularies tend to become proficient readers. Parents who talk and read with their children can greatly enhance their vocabularies.

• Talking with your child as often as you can, and let him or her hear your conversations with others.  In public, point out signs, labels, and logos to your child. Children like knowing what is going on around them and will begin identifying familiar signs. Challenge your child to find a new word each time you’re out and about.  The ability to recognize patterns and familiar shapes is extremely important step towards reading.

For more information on fostering pre-reading skills, check out Reading.org and FamilyEducation.com. 

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