Nathan Bransford - The Forums

Thank you to everyone who has provided recommendations on this thread! I've collected them all up, plus recommendations from other commenters on my blog, and compiled a list of Suggested Reads for Middle Graders . It is sorted by reading level and gives age appropriate ratings, when available. So, ...

I like the idea of planting the classics as bait! :) It reminds me of when my boys were younger and they each had a "book box". I would periodically tuck different books in there without telling them, and it kept them coming back often enough just to check out what was "new". It's that darn curiosit...

I LOVE Monty Python, so we'll definitely be checking those out! OK, I need to go update my list this weekend . . . should have it up by Monday.

My ideas get crammed together in a stream-of-conciousness word document of approximately infinite length. I think the post-its would be an improvement.

#22 Resolution for 2010 - get that cool software that Josie has

I love it when I find things that make me feel more balanced. :) Hey, I'm not as loony as that guy!

And I think I would work well with either gender. I've gone through different vocations where I worked primarily with men or primarily with women, and they each have their +/-

Good luck!

Pub Rants = den of iniquity

LOL!

Nice.

Flying peas! I've so been there.

My brain was so fuzzed, when the kids were under 5, that I could barely spell my own name, much less write a novel. So kudos to you, for even trying!

I hope to never hear myself say those words to Dark Omen (aka son#1) or Worm Burner (aka son#2). Notwithstanding the benefits of going outside to play, the most important thing I can do is put books in their small hands. The tsunami of writers that looms over agents and editors, according to Nathan’...

Thanks for the great tip - I'm going to add it to the ever-growing-list.

p.s. you are NOT the evil librarian. We had one of those, and I'm pretty sure you're not her (besides, librarians are my favorite people).

Just wanted to let ya'll know about the contest over at the KidLit blog. Submit the first 500 words of your MG/YA finished MS and if you win, you get critique from the awesome Mary Kole, associate agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Deadline: Jan 31st!

I just finished reading The Lightning Thief (the first Percy Jackson book) and it IS funny - I can see the appeal. The movie is coming out soon . . . sometimes that will draw kids in. It's amazing how the stick-figure drawings of Diary of a Wimpy Kid attracts kids - and getting them to crack the boo...

Thanks so much for sharing your story! Please stop by the list on my blog of suggested readings to Keep Boys Reading , to find some ideas of other books he might like. The Wimpy Kids books are reading level 5.4, so your eight year old is definitely an advanced reader. And now that you have some idea...

Awesome.

knight-tour: I think you are right about the parents, although the temperment of each child certainly weighs in. I have 3 boys, and they having varying levels of attraction to the written word. We parent them the same, or at least try to, and yet they stubbornly insist on being their own people! :) ...

Trini: . . . the measure of cool in his world is in what people are reading I heart this. Trini: . . . kids are dropping off reading because its not being modelled by the adults in their lives This is 1000% true. This is why my oldest reads the paper every day . . . because I do. Nick: . . .when in...