Category: Encouraging Reading

Hero of Draconis – your new must-read fantasy

One of my favorite things about books that take place in a different world is a map. I have a weakness for a good map for a few reasons. First, I like to visually see the world I am diving into. Seeing the magnitude on a map at the start of the book shows me we are in for a big adventure across this new land. I refer back to book maps often. Second, it shows the author has “mapped” everything out, so we won’t travel west to a location previously described as being due east.

My mom heard about a talented new author and gave me a copy of her book, “Hero of Draconis” by Evelyn Klotz. If you haven’t heard of Evelyn Klotz yet, check her book out…. this is an amazingly talented young writer (and by young, she was 12 when this book was published!). Klotz had my attention from the start as the book opened with a map. I couldn’t wait to see the story that unfolded across this new world.

In “Hero of Draconis” we follow the adventures of three children and two animals on a true fantasy adventure complete with dragons, magic, and a missing royal baby. This book has it all. I want to tell you more, but I want you to read it and uncover the story as you dive into the pages.

Klotz’s writing is incredible for a writer of any age. To realize this young writer was so young working on this book is even more impressive. While reading, I was sending photos of text to my closest bookish friends with messages like “can you believe how well written this is????”

If your child loves a good adventure through a fantasy world, this book is just the book you are looking for. Pick up a copy and let your child know this book was written by a young author. What better way to show your child the stories they imagine inside their heads could be a book than to give them a book written by someone their age. Evelyn Klotz will be an inspiration to many aspiring writers, and her book is a non-stop, can’t put it down tale for fantasy readers of all ages.

Reading should be fun!

Every parent has experienced the battle between “do this, it’s good for you” and the child’s “but I don’t want to!” So how do we encourage reading without pushing too much and facing resistance? Here are a few suggestions:

Avoid commenting on the level of the book.

Yes, there are times when your child will need to push themselves to read something harder or at their appropriate level for school reading, but if you child is choosing to a read a book on their own….let them! They chose to read. Maybe the book is too young for them, but maybe they find comfort in revisiting a favorite character. One of my children read the same book many times. I tried suggesting something else, but if she was going to read for her own enjoyment, she liked visiting those characters again.

Do a family read aloud.

Take turns reading the book out loud. See who can come up with the best voices for each character. Have your child sit next to you so they hear the story while looking at the words on the page. This is a great way to start a book a child might be hesitant to read because there are more words on the page or bigger words than they are used to seeing in books. If you don’t know how to pronounce a word, mispronounce it. Let them know it’s ok to not know how to pronounce the word. The first time I read Harry Potter, I struggled with Hermione. I had never seen that name before and had not yet seen the movies.

Check out library programs.

The library is an incredible resource. They have so many classes and programs that revolve around books. Tell a librarian your favorite book and they will have several suggestions of other books you will likely enjoy. Libraries have family reads, crafts revolving around books, prizes for summer reading, and it’s free!

Ask your child for a book recommendation.

Whenever one of my children would see me reading a book they recommended, it made them so happy. It reinforces that you value the books they enjoy, that you enjoy those books as well. It makes them feel pride in their book selection.

Read the book…watch the movie.

I love this one because a good movie night is always fun. Make popcorn (a special treat in our house is to put some m&m’s in with the popcorn) and watch the movie after you finish the book. Depending on the movie, you can take the theme as big or as small as you would like. Make a meal from the book if there is a lot of food mentioned throughout the story. Take advantage of pinterest…so many great ideas there to make the book come alive through some simple (and some complicated for those who like a challenge) decorations.

Model reading.

Read. Children notice what we do. They notice a lot of things we don’t think they see. Let them see you reading. Tell them about your book. Maybe the story line is not small child appropriate but tell them something about your book. Simply “my book is so good; I can’t wait to see how it ends!” Let them know you are excited to read your book. Children remember the things you dread and the things you enjoy. Showing them your love for reading helps foster their love of reading.

If you have other suggestion on how you make reading fun, please share them!