Book editor, Julia Eccleshare, on motivating young readers
Amazon.com Inc. announced Tuesday it had booked more than 1 million advance orders for “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, scheduled for release in late July, reported Reuters. In April, bookselling giant Barnes & Noble Inc. said that advance orders for the book had topped 500,000 copies, breaking the bookseller chain s record for the most advance requests in its history. Given the astounding demand for the seventh in the wildly popular series by J.K. Rowling about a boy wizard and his struggle against the forces of evil, it seems that reading has become a popular pastime among children.
“There was a time when kids thought reading was uncool, but Harry Potter has changed that, said Julia Eccleshare, currently the children s books editor of the British newspaper The Guardian.
Eccleshare spoke to an intimate audience at the British Council in Cairo last week about what parents can do to encourage their pre-teens to read.
Children from the ages of 10 and up lead extremely busy lives. After a long day at school they are dragged from after-school activities: sports, music, dance, and more lessons. Their social lives are bursting, not to mention having family obligations. In their free time there are 24-hour music channels, the World Wide Web, and video games to keep them occupied; that is if they can pry themselves away from their mobile phones. Reading doesn’t rank very high on their list of priorities.
Eccleshare emphasized the importance of reading to her audience – unnecessary since many were self-proclaimed bookworms. “The story is a very important part of how we understand the world around us, she said.
Other experts agree. “As the world becomes more complex, reading is increasingly important for children trying to find their place in it, Francie Alexander, vice president at Sholastic, where she focuses on creating material that help children learn to read.
Eccleshare, who has spent her career among children’s books as a critic, editor, author and commentator, shared some of her insights on how to keep children interested in reading. She also shared some of her favorite children’s authors.
“The key is to get 10-15 year olds reading with pleasure, enthusiasm rather than reading what they ought to, she said.
Parents, especially ones that were avid readers when they were young, have favorite books that they can’t wait to share with their own children. Every generation, Eccleshare cautioned parents, has their own authors, their own anti-heroes. Even though there are classics that can speak to new generations of readers, it’s important not to impose them upon youngsters.
So what do children want to read?
“Most probably an adventure, Eccleshare responded, “something more interesting than their own lives. The fantasy genre is especially popular these days, undoubtedly spurred by the success of the Harry Potter series.
A good example is Philip Pullman’s Dark Materials trilogy. Pullman creates a parallel world where his characters – children – can go on adventures and take risks.
She went on to discuss the different characteristics that pull in young readers.
For ten year olds, reading is part of their search for a new identity, and re-inventing themselves, Eccleshare explained. For this age group, friends become very important. She cites bestselling children’s author, and now Children’s Laureate, Jacqueline Wilson as an example. Wilson mostly writes about broken families, and bases her stories in a lifelike school or home situation. The protagonist is only able to overcome her problem through the help of her friends.
Authors who use the diary form are also popular among this age group. The first person narrative is especially good for drawing girls in. “Because the voice is the same age, Eccleshare pointed out, “the reader can identify very quickly.
Books also allow young readers to live vicariously through the protagonists. Kids can experience what it would be like to be naughty. Eccleshare points to Roald Dahl whose characters appeal to kids with their streak of naughtiness. A more recent series is Horrid Henry, by Francesca Simon, with his fiendish exploits – a popular choice among young readers.
Finally, children are very author-led, explained Eccleshare. Once they discover an author they like, they want to read every book they’ve ever written. In the UK they have a saying, she noted, “The author is the brand.
She urged parents not to criticize what their kids read, and assume that just because it’s popular it’s not good enough. “Listen to what they like.
