#10 Three Wonder-ful Ebooks for Kids

     I intended to recommend some Ebooks of historical fiction for kids in this post.  I even announced that I would do so.  I still plan to do it--next time.


     You see, I became distracted by a very special new piece of literature for children and felt compelled to adjust my schedule to make room for it right this minute. 


     R.J. Palacio's Wonder is wonderful, and two other books  fell nicely into place beside it.  In the classroom, we called it the "teachable moment".


     So today when I recommend another trio of books published in various time periods, you will find that they all share the word "wonder" as a part of their titles.


     They are all available for Kindle devices from Amazon.com and for Nook from Barnes & Noble.

*****

     Wonder by R.J. Palacio was published earlier this year.  Told in first person by six of the main characters, the story reveals Auggie's realistic experience as he enters school for the first time with the facial deformity he's had since birth.


     Palacio's writing rings true and honest, and I look forward to seeing this author's name listed as awards are announced later this year.  I also hope to read more of her work in the future.


     Wonder is available for both Kindle and Nook on Amazon.com and B&N for $10.99, and is also offered in audio formats.

*****

     Tony DiTerlizzi's The Search for WondLa was published in 2010.  A futuristic piece of science fiction, the story's presentation is enhanced by the author/illustrator's liberal use of his own very creative illustrations.

     This ebook is available at $8.99 for the  Amazon and Barnes&Noble reading devices.   

    (Diterlizzi has recently published a sequel called A Hero for WondLa, but you should be aware that the story plots are sequential, and better understood when read in order.)

*****

     Just as I did in post #9, I am again recommending a classic as my third ebook.

     Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland was first published in 1865 by Charles Dodgson who wrote as Lewis Carroll.  Many versions of this story exist, including a popular animated movie by Walt Disney.


     Amazon and Barnes & Noble each offer versions with the author's original and complete words for the Kindle devices (free) and the Nooks ($.99).

*****

     I hope you will forgive me this little side trip.  Next time I will follow through on my promise to recommend historical fiction.

     Recently I finished publishing the last of my seven ebooks for Barnes & Noble's Nook eReader.  They are all seven available for Amazon's Kindle as well.  Lucky Alana (Agent C Series) by Lynda sells for $3.99.

     

     My other titles are:

         Tiny Others (Agent C Series) by Lynda, $3.99

         Pomegranate (Agent C Series) by Lynda, $3.99

         White Rabbit Time (Agent C Series) by Lynda, $3.99

         Margaret's Christmas Cookies by Lynda, $2.99

         Circles in the Wind by Lynda, $2.99

         Monkey Tales by Lynda, $2.99

     These ebooks are all illustrated, and have various reading levels.

     You may be interested in my other blog, at www.jumpup2chapterbooks.blogspot.com. Its purpose is to encourage reading in students who have the skills, but haven't yet found the joy in choosing to do it.


     
     ...And I will recommend three eBooks of historical fiction for kids next time.  It's a promise. 

              

    

#9 Three Recommended Ebooks

   
     Let's consider three ebooks for kids about tornadoes. The first is new (2012), the second is older (1986), and the third was first published in 1900.  I have no illustrations to offer here without violating copyright laws, but please look these up on Amazon.com or BN.com.

*****  

     The Storm Makers (2012) by Jennifer E. Smith is a children's science fiction tale about a boy who as the power to control weather.  It is illustrated by Brett Helquist who also illustrated Blue Balliett's Calder Game, Chasing Vermeer, and The Wright 3.   


     The Storm Makers is available from Amazon for their Kindles, and Barnes and Noble offer it for their Nook devices.  Both companies sell the ebook for $9.99.


     I liked it.  The subject of our changing weather patterns is a current one, and one that is worthy of some thought and discussion.

*****

     Night of the Twisters: The Most Dangerous Night of Their Lives... is based on a 1980 disaster in Nebraska.  The book was first published in 1986 by Ivy Ruckman.  


     It also offers you the opportunity to try Amazon's Audible Audio system for some of their Kindles, iPhones, and Androids, and Amazon.com sells it for $9.95. The text is unabridged (complete and not a summary), and it is read to the audience by a professional who sounds like the main character.  


     I find this is a legitimate reading experience considering the fact that I did "Read-aloud" nearly every day in my fourth-grade classroom, and many of my students liked to read along in their own books as I read to them.

     Night of the Twister: The Most Dangerous Night of Their Lives... is a powerful story and very well written.

*****     

     My last suggestion is a classic.  The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was published by L. Frank Baum in 1900.  Some of the Amazon Kindle editions are free because it is now more than one hundred years old and is a "public domain" book.  I noticed that both Barnes and Noble and Amazon also offer a Complete Wizard of Oz Collection for less than a dollar.  L. Frank Baum wrote about fifteen "Oz" books. 


     It is always interesting for children to read the original words of a story with which they are familiar from a movie.  


     I strongly suggest keeping a list of things that are the same and those that are different from these two art forms.  This supports a critical reading/thinking skill called "compare and contrast".

     Next time I will recommend some historical fiction for kids.


     Until then, keep reading...

#8 Parental Controls for Ebooks

     My ebook Pomegranate (Agent C Series) is available for Amazon's Kindle and Barnes & Noble's Nook.  It sells for $3.99, and contains a strong message for young readers about the importance of using technology safely.


     Would you, as a parent, happily invest in a digital reading device for your child if you were more comfortable about controlling its easy access to inappropriate reading material and internet sites?


     I was teaching fourth grade in the '90's when our school district presented the students with a new math series.  The first week of school I was leading my class in a Scavenger Hunt of each of their textbooks when we discovered that the math book had a math practice site for their home computers.  


    Suddenly, the hand of one of my new students flew into the air, and his troubled voice blurted out, "But teacher, there is some really nasty stuff on the internet."


     Most kids know about that "stuff", and it's difficult to offer the good "stuff" without exposing them to the bad.


     I understand that Amazon's Kindle, Barnes & Noble's Nook, and Apple's iPad have optional password protection.  Use a search engine (Google, Bing, etc.), and do some research about it.  


     If you are concerned, you really should be.  


     Also, be aware that if you have downloaded adult reading materials on one device, it might be automatically available on a second device of the same brand.  I have two Kindles, one a keyboard Kindle, and the other a Kindle Fire.  When I purchase a Kindle ebook for Kindle 1, it is also available for my Kindle 2.  


     Would I want my ten year old reading those top three books on today's best seller list?  (You probably know which ones I mean.  They have been the subjects of many television talk shows lately.)


     And another thing, ordering books usually requires the use of a credit card, but does that reassure you?  Until the billing arrives, isn't it possible that the adult card holder might not even be aware of some purchases?


     So how else can we protect our young readers from their own curiosity?  Talk about our issues with them, of course.  


     Make rules?  Quite possibly.  


     The devices might have to be stored in common areas of the home where their use could be monitored--similar to the use of a laptop computer.  


     Should the Ereaders ever leave the house for sleep-overs or taken to school?  Should they be taken to libraries or malls where free wireless service (WiFi) is available?


     Each and every family has its own set of concerns.  The Ereaders are a new tool for entertainment and learning, and kids love that kind of thing.  


     That is good, isn't it?  


     I hope so.  By establishing some deliberate practices and sharing good ideas, I hope we can find ways to use the Ereaders safely.


     As Percy's mother says in Pomegranate, "This is not a toy!"