CCBC-Net Archives
RE: ccbc-net digest: January 25, 2010
- Contemporary messages sorted: [ by date ] [ by subject ] [ by author ]
From: Nancy Silverrod <nsilverrod_at_sfpl.org>
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:48:21 -0800
I find it sad that kids aren't being encouraged to read non-fiction books th at are longer, or more challenging. When I was a kid, I did read more fictio n than non-fiction, but saw nothing to intimidate me in reading equally long non-fiction titles. I read biographies ravenously, and would have considere d a picture book biography of less than 120 pages to be too young for me.
If we aren't challenging kids with longer books on interesting topics, why a re we surprised when they score poorly on reading tests, and are unprepared for middle and high school, let alone college? In my opinion, 32-64 pages is just enough to whet the appetite and convey some basic information, but not enough to go into much depth, especially since pictures take up so much of the space in these books.
Harry Potter has taught us, and this generation of readers, that they can re ad books of more than 100 pages, so let's give them some good non-fiction al ong with the fiction.
Nancy Silverrod, Librarian San Francisco Public Library 100 Larkin St. San Francisco, CA 94122-4733 nsilverrod_at_sfpl.org 415-557-4417
Our heads are round so that thoughts can change direction. -Francis Picabia, painter and poet (1879-1953)
Our memories are card indexes consulted and then returned in disorder by aut horities whom we do not control. -Cyril Connolly, critic and editor (1903-19 74)
A closed mind is like a closed book: just a block of wood. -Chinese Proverb
Message-----
From: Maggi
Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 6:31 AM To: CCBC-NET Subject: Re:
ccbc-net digest: January 25, 2010
Jonathan -- most nonfiction written for kids under 10 is 64 pages or less. Many books fall in the 32 page range. Reading nonfiction of this length is a challenge for anyone who is not accustomed to reading nonfiction, (which, since fiction is emphasized in schools, includes many kids). Students who read at one reading level for fiction often read several levels below in nonfiction. Also consider the size of the pages and the size of the text: one page in CC equals about two pages of text in a typical fiction book, such as When You Reach Me.
-Maggi
On Jan 26, 2010, at 9:11 AM, Hunt, Jonathan wrote:
Maggi,
You described CLAUDETTE COLVIN as somewhat long at 120 pages, and yet it's the shortest Newbery book with WHEN YOU REACH ME and HOMER P. FIGG at 200+ pages and CALPURNIA TATE and WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON at 300+ pages. I'm curious as to why would describe it as somewhat long.
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:48:21 -0800
I find it sad that kids aren't being encouraged to read non-fiction books th at are longer, or more challenging. When I was a kid, I did read more fictio n than non-fiction, but saw nothing to intimidate me in reading equally long non-fiction titles. I read biographies ravenously, and would have considere d a picture book biography of less than 120 pages to be too young for me.
If we aren't challenging kids with longer books on interesting topics, why a re we surprised when they score poorly on reading tests, and are unprepared for middle and high school, let alone college? In my opinion, 32-64 pages is just enough to whet the appetite and convey some basic information, but not enough to go into much depth, especially since pictures take up so much of the space in these books.
Harry Potter has taught us, and this generation of readers, that they can re ad books of more than 100 pages, so let's give them some good non-fiction al ong with the fiction.
Nancy Silverrod, Librarian San Francisco Public Library 100 Larkin St. San Francisco, CA 94122-4733 nsilverrod_at_sfpl.org 415-557-4417
Our heads are round so that thoughts can change direction. -Francis Picabia, painter and poet (1879-1953)
Our memories are card indexes consulted and then returned in disorder by aut horities whom we do not control. -Cyril Connolly, critic and editor (1903-19 74)
A closed mind is like a closed book: just a block of wood. -Chinese Proverb
Message-----
From: Maggi
Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 6:31 AM To: CCBC-NET Subject: Re:
ccbc-net digest: January 25, 2010
Jonathan -- most nonfiction written for kids under 10 is 64 pages or less. Many books fall in the 32 page range. Reading nonfiction of this length is a challenge for anyone who is not accustomed to reading nonfiction, (which, since fiction is emphasized in schools, includes many kids). Students who read at one reading level for fiction often read several levels below in nonfiction. Also consider the size of the pages and the size of the text: one page in CC equals about two pages of text in a typical fiction book, such as When You Reach Me.
-Maggi
On Jan 26, 2010, at 9:11 AM, Hunt, Jonathan wrote:
Maggi,
You described CLAUDETTE COLVIN as somewhat long at 120 pages, and yet it's the shortest Newbery book with WHEN YOU REACH ME and HOMER P. FIGG at 200+ pages and CALPURNIA TATE and WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON at 300+ pages. I'm curious as to why would describe it as somewhat long.
---Received on Tue 26 Jan 2010 09:48:21 AM CST
