We Need to Keep on Reading

Last Thursday I had the pleasure of attending an event with Jack Gantos, Jeff Kinney, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Jon Sciesczka, and the Library of Congress National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Gene LuenYang. These talented authors spent some time talking to a group of educators and parents about how to get boys reading and keep reading. They shared that adults should be role models for this, reading with and in front of children.

Hearing how each author wrote or drew as a young child was empowering. I learned that without Judy Blume’s Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing there would be no Greg Heffley in the Wimpy Kid books. Jarrett shared a memory of having Jack come into his school to speak, and the audience felt the bromance moment as these two authors connected as a mentor and mentee. Jon told us stories of growing up, which had some influence in his writing.

I left the event feeling encouraged! Students need to read, and they can read any material. I wish I had teachers who let me choose the books I wanted to read or allowed me to read cartoons and graphic novels in elementary school. Therefore I have changed our reading homework to say READ instead of read for 20 minutes. Who am I to tell students when to read and how long to read for? This should be their choice. I hope students develop a love of reading, and choose to read a variety of books in our classroom library.

Books are food for the soul. I will never forget this evening, as I was able to laugh, live, and learn with these gentlemen. I hope boys and girls pick up books with both female and male protagonists. There is no such thing as girl or boy books. In my mind, there are just books- adventures to be shared with our young readers. Others might choose to read poetry, non-fiction, newspapers, online articles, etc. The printed word helps us grow! The message from my special evening was powerful- that we need to keep reading!

Jon, Gene, Jarrett, Jack, and Jeff are like the new Beatles for authors. 

Two literary heroes (Jarrett and Jack)