Lights out: Anthony Doerr’s sleeper hit All the Light We Cannot See has hit a milestone – it enters USA TODAY’s top 10 for the first time, in its 34th week on the best-seller list. The World War II novel, about a blind French girl and a Nazi youth, is No. 8; its previous high was No. 11 on Dec. 11. (USA TODAY’s Best-Selling Books full list will publish Wednesday, early because of the holiday.)
Light has been a strong seller through the holidays. It entered the list at No. 57 upon its release in May and, propelled by good reviews and word of mouth, was No. 27 by June 5. The novel received another boost this fall when it was nominated for the National Book Award; losing to Phil Klay’s Iraq War novel Redeployment made no dent in sales. Publisher Scribner reports an impressive 920,000 copies in print in various formats, up from a first printing of 60,000.
‘Unbroken’ streak: It took 184 weeks, but Unbroken finally hit No. 1 on USA TODAY’s Best-Selling Books list on Dec. 18. (Its previous high was No. 3.) Now Laura Hillenbrand’s non-fiction best seller about World War II hero Louis Zamperini has a mini- streak going – it’s No. 1 for the third straight week, thanks to Angelina Jolie’s film adaptation. The movie, which earned middling reviews (USA TODAY’s Claudia Puig gave it 2.5 out of 4 stars), has made $51.2 million since its Christmas Day opening. Unbroken is the first book to be in the top spot for at least three consecutive weeks since the young-adult novel (turned movie) If I Stay had a five-week run from Aug. 7 through Sept. 4. The No. 1 book changed every week from Sept. 11 until Nov. 13, when Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul hit No. 1 and then repeated the following week.
‘Hobbit’ happening: The Hobbit is making what seems like its umpteenth comeback on USA TODAY’s list, thanks to the final installment in Peter Jackson’s movie trilogy. J.R.R. Tolkien’s 1937 classic is No. 37, up from No. 131 last week. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, has earned $175.6 million since its Dec. 17 opening. Tolkien’s tale of Bilbo Baggins has spent 189 weeks on the list; its highest ranking was No. 2 on Dec. 20, 2012, when the first Hobbit movie, An Unexpected Journey, was in theaters.
A budding journalist followed in his father’s footsteps when he interviewed a renowned children’s author this month.
Nine-year-old Ilya Sullivan, a student at Berkhamsted’s Bridgewater School, got the chance to grill NY Times bestselling author Jeff Kinney in London.
Jeff, 43, is the American author of the worldwide phenomena ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ series of books and films.
The franchise chronicles the life of fictional Greg Heffley, and the journal-style books are filled with hand-written notes and simple drawings of his daily adventures
Ilya was the co-host with his father, David Sullivan of Berkhamsted. to question Jeff for his internationally syndicated TV series ‘Principles of Literature’.
Young Ilya even got to see himself as a cartoon character, as author Jeff sketched him in the ‘Wimpy Kid’ style.
Afterwards, Ilya was given the once ina lifetime chance to tour the new BBC Broadcasting House, during which time he visited the set of The One Show as well as the newsroom of the international operation.
Although Frozen hit Philippine cinemas in late 2013, the love for all things Anna, Elsa and Olaf continued to be a worldwide phenomenon in 2014, spawning toys, merchandise, books, a DVD that has become a top-seller and countless covers of its ubiquitous theme song, “Let It Go.”
And although other great kiddie movies were released this year—“The Lego Movie,” “Big Hero 6,” “How To Train Your Dragon 2,” among others—“Frozen” still dominated kids’ wish lists this holiday season. (We applaud the dad who pulled off a hilarious prank by giving his daughter a frozen doll for Christmas— frozen, as in straight from the freezer.)
Director Jennifer Lee told Time magazine that she now finds herself apologizing to parents for their “Frozen” fatigue.
Loom bands
Cheong Choon Ng, the automotive crash-test engineer and father of two who invented the Rainbow Loom, started selling his loom band maker in 2011 but it was this year that those rubber bracelets became a hit worldwide, worn by everyone from Pope Francis to Kate Middleton. In the US, it was given the 2014 Toy of the Year Award by the Toy Industry Association.
Kids and their parents, both here and abroad, got busy looping together rubber bands to make jewelry, finding inspiration online or creating their own patterns.
Amidst the craze, environmental, consumer safety and animal welfare groups released statements about the possible dangers of loom bands to children, pets and the environment, warning parents about its potential to cause injury if ingested and the high lead content of counterfeit loom bad charms.
“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul”
The adventures of Greg Heffley and his family continue to captivate kids. “The Long Haul,” the ninth book in the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series, was released last month and has become a bestseller worldwide. It’s so popular that we haven’t been able to find copies in stores for our godkids—other Wimpy Kid fans have grabbed them all.
Hamleys
Hamleys, London’s iconic toy shop, opened in Manila (at Central Square, Bonifacio High Street) just in time for the holidays.
Bento fun
Filipino parents discovered the joys of bento-making and are having fun getting creative with their children’s baon. One of these moms, Katrina Delgado-Maderazo, who uses healthy food to create animal and cartoon character designs, told Inquirer Lifestyle, “(My kids) are always excited to see their baon, and sometimes they want to eat it right away!”
Camping out for One Direction
In May, One Direction fans—and, in some cases, their parents—camped out at the Mall of Asia Arena for a chance to buy tickets for the UK group’s March 2015 show.
Minecraft
We’ll admit it, we still don’t get it. But what we get is that a lot of kids have developed a fixation for Minecraft. The computer game is no longer just that—it has become an obsession that has birthed toys (pixelated ones), books, YouTube videos and devoted fans.
Minecraft is so popular that during the Christmas rush, when we walked into toy stores and asked for anything that had anything to do with Minecraft, we were often met with pitiful stares before being told, “Sold out na po.”
I asked one 11-year-old why he likes it, and he said, “You can do anything with Minecraft.”
‘The Voice Kids’
The year 2014 was when Filipinos tuned in to “The Voice Kids,” ABS-CBN’s singing competition, and witnessed the triumph of the show’s final four: Lyca Gairanod, Darren Espanto, Juan Karlos Labajo and Darlene Vibares.
Bullying
Bullying continues to be a serious concern for parents. In September, a 14-year-old boy believed to have been bullied in school killed himself in Tungawan town in Zamboanga Sibugay. In November, a 13-year-old boy in Camarines Sur is said to have died as a result of bullying. Police were investigating if he died because of the punches he endured during a fistfight with a 12-year-old classmate.
Hazing death
It’s every parent’s nightmare: in June, after a brutal fraternity hazing, 18-year-old Guillo Cesar Servando, a student at the College of St. Benilde, died. Three others were injured.
Students responded by marching against hazing in September, while Malacañang created an Anti-Hazing Task Force.
Suicides
This year, the World Health Organization released an alarming statistic: one person commits suicide every 40 seconds. Although the Philippines wasn’t listed among the top suicide-prone countries, numerous suicides still hit the headlines in 2014. Twenty-year-old Reynalyn Paragas, 28-year-old Helena Belmonte, 27-year-old Brian Dasco, 18-year-old Princess Mahusay, 15-year-old Trisha Marie Dequina, 16-year-old Jefferson Taparan, 25-year-old Ernie Gulle Antigua, 18-year-old Andrea Atienza Betran and 30-year-old Dale Azcueta were just some of the people the world lost to suicide this year.
Lifestyle editor Thelma Sioson San Juan, in her column “Why do kids commit suicide?,” wrote, “To a parent like me, stories of youngsters jumping to their death send a chill down my spine. They’re enough to make any parent paranoid, no matter how normal things seem to be at home.”
Brutal babysitter
Last month, jaws dropped when a video of a maid assaulting a toddler in Uganda went viral. In the video, Jolly Tumuhirwe slapped the baby, threw her to the floor, hit her and stepped on her repeatedly. The toddler has recovered from the ordeal. The evil babysitter is currently facing charges of attempted murder.
#fashionbyMayhem
Little four-year-old Mayhem and her mother Angie had been making dresses out of paper for months when they grabbed the world’s attention by recreating the fabulous gowns that hit the various red carpets this year (her version of Lupita Nyong’o’s red gown with cape is our favorite).
Vogue was so impressed that they asked her (and her mom) to make dresses inspired by the Met Gala looks worn by Sarah Jessica Parker, Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez and others.
Check out Mayhem and her mom’s creations on Instagram: @2sisters_angie.
Dad tries to scold paint-covered kids
One dad became Internet famous after he couldn’t stop laughing while trying to scold his kids. While playing, his sons splattered paint everywhere, including themselves.
Watch the video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVDNNoEk4PI.
Son gives best Christmas gift to parents: he pays off their mortgage
The video starts with Joseph Riquelme handing his parents an envelope. “For both of you,” he said.
His mom opens it. “What?” she said, and stared laughing and crying before hugging her son. Looking at the contents of the envelope, his dad starts crying too.
Joe, an app developer who experienced success with his video app Videoshop, had written this note: “Your house is paid off. Merry Xmas.”
Watch the video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAOm3APJopM. Warning: tears may fall.
Whenever I do a book talk I inevitably get the question of how to encourage a reluctant reader to pick up a book. There are plenty of wonderful articles that highlight picking books that fit kid’s interests, reading aloud to them and going to the library – great advice. However, I thought I would share the down and dirty tips that worked for me. They may not be the prettiest, but they are effective.
Before I begin, I have to share with you the basic tenant I believe in. Children do not get better at reading unless they read, it is that simple. That means that any type of reading is acceptable and that it all works to improve their skills. Fundamentally the better they are at reading the more they will enjoy the activity and branch out in their reading choices.
Also, visit my website at www.onegreatbook.com for inspired book choices that will encourage kids to love to books.
1. Have two bedtimes. In our home we have the regular bedtime and the reading bedtime. If my kids are tired and just want to go to sleep they go to bed at 9:00pm. However, if they would like to read in their rooms for half an hour, their bedtime jumps to 9:30pm. It has become such a habit now that the kids get out of the shower, grab a book and snuggle up in bed. The book does get to be one of their choosing, but they must be reading. It is rare that they don’t grab a book and take advantage of the later bedtime.
2. Have a comic basket in the family room and car. In our family room we have a big basket filled with Archie and Scooby Doo comic books. It also is littered with Calvin and Hobbs, as well as Far Side anthologies. These represent easy reads for the kids where they can invest five minutes or one hour. If they have limited time before they have to leave the house for an activity or if they are in the car, they simply grab a comic. Providing an easy alternative to boredom that feels like a treat will quickly make reading become a habit for those periods of downtime. And remember, any type of reading improves their skills. We discussed that above.
3. Give your kids magazine subscriptions for the holidays/birthday. Favorites in my house are National Geographic Kids, Sports Illustrated Kids, American Girl and Mad Magazine (however this later choice is definitely for teens only.) Not only do kids look forward to getting things in the mail, but when they arrive it is like a little gift and they will plop right down and start reading.
4. Read when your kids read. Not only are you modeling good behavior for them, but if lots of the people in the family are reading, they will not feel that they are missing out on something better. I mean imagine that you are a kid sitting with a book and you hear commotion and laughter in another room. You are definitely going to want to put down that book and go find the good times. If kids see the rest of the family with a book, they will be inclined to stick with it longer and feel they are part of a group activity.
Of course you can always follow the advice of one of my favorite authors, Judy Blume. She says that to get a child to pick up a book you put it on the coffee table, tell them they aren’t ready for it and walk away. I don’t know a better way to entice a kid to grab a story.
These tips have successfully worked in my family for some very reluctant readers. As a parent, stick with it. One of the greatest gifts you can give your child is a love of reading. It filters down to their success in so many other areas. And don’t despair if it doesn’t happen right away. The road to success is sometimes long, but your efforts are well worth it. I now have three very enthusiastic readers, but it wasn’t always that way ….
I am a mom of three with a passion for literature! No matter what book series our kids devour, as they come to an end, we as parents ask the inevitable question – what is next? I am ever on the job, trying to answer that question. I try to do it with a variety of books. Some are silly, some true to life, some pure fantasy, but in the end I hope they make my children love words, explore new ideas, and laugh!
“The Invention of Wings” was the most requested book of 2014 followed by “The Fault in Our Stars.”
Library Director Mary Jean Jakubowski notes “The Fault in Our Stars” presence on the big screen helped it gain popularity a second time around.
“When books become movies, whether they be TV movies or large theater movies… we find that people become very interested in those books again,” states Jakubowski.
“Unbroken” is another book turned movie, this one tops the Adult non-fiction list.
The number one Adult Fiction Title was John Grisham’s “Sycamore Row.” Jakubowski notes people often request books simply because they like the author and Grisham is one of those authors.
Mockingjay was number one on the list of reading for young adults and teens this year. Jakubowski notes books in a series, like Hunger Games, are also usually popular.
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series took all three spots on the Children’s fiction list and Lego books filled all three positions on the Children’s non-fiction list.
Click here for the complete list of the most popular books at the Buffalo and Erie County Library this year.
As the warmer weather settles in we know that it isn’t long before children are free of the restraints of school for another year. The regular reading that is a part of many children’s school day suddenly comes to an end as there are far more interesting things to do on vacation than read a book, right?
Research though has shown that when kids put down the books for their summer break, often their reading ability drops with it. The term “slide” refers to children dropping in their reading ability following a lack of reading over the summer break. Teachers frequently report that students return to school in January with a lower reading level and interest in books, than when they left in December.
While research predominately focuses upon the long mid year summer vacations of the northern hemisphere, there is still an emerging trend within Australian schools, albeit over a shorter break. Achievement gaps are often identified in lower socio-economic communities due to lack of available resources and books within the home. Some children simply don’t have access to books once the school library closes for the year. However, you don’t need money in order to prevent the slide for your children.
Here are five tips to make sure your kids stay engaged with reading over the summer break.
1. Make reading time fun (and quick!)
It is easy and necessary to make reading together the most fun time of everyday. Read together with funny voices, try humorous books to engage the reluctant readers in your family and trust that toilet humour is often a surefire winner for most boys. You should aim for no more than ten minutes reading together – just enough to encourage the kids to come back tomorrow. Set a timer if you need to, it will encourage them to ask for a minute or two more when reading time comes to an end.
2. Visit the local library and bookstores
Make regular visits to the local public library and bookstores as part of your family’s routine. These trips are simple ways to drive reading passion. Many children are amazed when they discover that they can borrow sometimes up to twenty books from their local library for free (and probably will the first time). Discount department stores often sell brand new popular kids books for less than A$10, much less than a movie ticket.
3. Have a ‘screen free night’ each week
Make a screen free night part of your family’s regular routine (except for eReaders of course) where everyone in the family picks up something to read. Having your children see you read and talk about books adds value to this reading time. Different approaches to the screen free night may be to invest in reading lamps or book lights so that children can read in bed before sleep.
4. Give books as gifts
Christmas for kids means presents, and more books in the house can never go astray. Gift the next book in the series that your child is loving – the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney or the 52nd Storey Treehouse by Australia’s Andy Griffiths are great places to start. Encourage your child to lend and swap their books with friends once they have read them.
When you are reading together with your child, it’s a great idea to give them the option of how they would like to read. Provide the opportunity for children to choose whether they would like to read aloud or silently. Check if they would like to try paired reading if they feel like they need extra support with the book.
When your child comes to a word that they don’t know or aren’t sure of, remember to:
Wait: give your child a chance to figure out the word on their own
Ask: does that make sense? Does the picture give you a clue? Could you read on for more information?
Then skip: if the child is still stuck on the word, ask them to skip it and read on. You can always drop that word into the conversation as you turn the page. This has the added advantage of not making the child wrong!
Working with your child to maintain good reading habits over their summer break allows you to not only establish your family as active readers, but will give them the best possible start to the next school year.
