Walt’s Books
On Books & Writing in General
Walt has been interviewed and asked to write about writing for many publications and web sites.
How do I encourage my kids to read more?
I think one way to get children to read is to con them into it. I wrote about a teacher I had who did that to get students reading.
One way of doing that is to start with books that really interest your child. Did they enjoy the movies “Hunger Games” or “Harry Potter”? Start with those books. If they like music, start with a biography of their favorite musician. If they like sports, maybe a good sports novel or biography of their favorite player. Once they see what books have to offer on a topic they already enjoy, they can expand to other related topics and soon to all sorts of books.
Be ready and willing to adapt. Many people would now prefer to read on an electronic device than lug a book around. Although as a writer, I still prefer paper, I understand the convenience of a Kindle or Nook. I even have Kindle on my iPhone and if I find myself stuck in a waiting room with nothing but “Better Homes and Gardens” from 1999, I will read one of the many books I have on my phone.
If there are books they must read for school, it may not be possible to ease them into reading, but there are still ways to help. One is to make a game out if. Be creative. Find a way to track progress and reward milestones. Another is to make it more interesting by having someone with whom to discuss what you’re reading. If the child has classmates who also have to read the same books, form a mini book club with some of them and have the other kids over for pizza every week or two for discussion. Encourage other parents to do the same. If the child is reading on their own, become his or her reading buddy. Offer to read the same book so they will have someone with whom to discuss. It adds to the fun and comprehension to talk about what you are reading as you read it–like dissecting a movie with your friends after you see it.
I am a writer with three published books, the most recent of which, the novel “Rounding Third.” takes place on a high school baseball team and powerfully addresses the bullying crisis and happened to be published before those tragedies started making the news so I travel around the country speaking about my book and bullying at high schools, colleges, libraries and community centers. I like it when my book inspires students to want to read more. Because it starts out with baseball a lot of kids can relate and they are suckered into reading it before it gets serious.
