2. Patrick Jones www.connectingya.com

3. Getting started School Library Journal November 2001 “ Why We Are Kids Best Assets” One in your face: “I hate to read” – what does it mean, why did he say it, and what you can do about it One fact: “Reading ability is positively correlated with the extent to which students read recreationally.” -National Center for Education Statistics. One story from JDCJDC One book from your life

4. www.connectingya.com Connecting Young Adults and Libraries Patrick Jones http://www.connectingya.com Getting started WHO? Audience Customers / students Presenter WHAT: Objectives WHEN? WHERE? HOW? Lecture Handouts Active Learning Power Point: Reading: books on slides

5. www.connectingya.com Small group exercise #1 Have you now or have you ever been a reluctant reader? What is your reading autobiography?

6. www.connectingya.com Why They Aren’t Reading By the time many students reach high school, they equate reading with ridicule, failure or exclusively school-related tasks.

7. www.connectingya.com Why They Aren’t Reading Can’t find the good books

8. www.connectingya.com Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers Cover - catchy, action-oriented, attractive, appealing, good "blurb"

9. www.connectingya.com Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers Print style - sufficiently large for enjoyable reading

10. www.connectingya.com Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers Format - appropriate and appealing balance of text and white space

11. www.connectingya.com Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers Artwork/illustrations - enticing, realistic, demonstrated diversity

12. www.connectingya.com Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers Clear writing without long convoluted sentences of sophisticated vocabulary

13. www.connectingya.com Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers Acceptable literary quality and effectiveness of presentation

14. www.connectingya.com Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers: Fiction High interest "hook" in first 10 pages

15. www.connectingya.com Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers: Fiction Well-defined characters and not too many of them

16. www.connectingya.com Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers: Fiction Sufficient plot to sustain interest

17. www.connectingya.com When you write, do you think about the potential book's appeal to non-readers? R.L. Stine: Almost all of my books are designed for reluctant readers. When I wrote and edited educational magazines, I learned how to write for different reading levels. I try to keep my scary books at a 4th-grade reading and vocabulary level. In addition-- short books, fast-paced, lots of surprises and twists, cliff-hanger chapter endings to force them to go on to the next chapter, and plot-driven books with little description to slow down the action.

18. www.connectingya.com Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers: Fiction Plot lines developed through dialog and action rather than descriptive text

19. www.connectingya.com Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers: Fiction Familiar themes with emotional appeal for teenagers

20. www.connectingya.com Young adults like fiction that: 1. Show YAs being independent from adults. 2. Reassure YAs they are "normal". 3. Present role models. 4. Demonstrate problem solving in action. 5. Allow to feel like winners/overcoming odds. 6. Display relationships of all sorts. 7. Capture intensity and uncertainty of their life. 8. Help develop of socially responsible behavior 9. Explore lives of other teenagers..

21. www.connectingya.com Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers: Fiction Believable treatment (that does not preclude speculative fiction however)

22. www.connectingya.com Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers: Fiction Single point of view / not too many characters

23. www.connectingya.com Qualities of Books for Reluctant Readers: Fiction Touches of humor when appropriate

24. www.connectingya.com WHAT will reluctant readers read? (Twenty four carets) Books – genre teen fiction.

25. www.connectingya.com WHAT will reluctant readers read? (Twenty four carets) Books – series fiction.

26. www.connectingya.com WHAT will reluctant readers read? (Twenty four carets) Books – nonfiction (general).

27. www.connectingya.com WHAT will reluctant readers read? (Twenty four carets) Books – nonfiction biography.

28. www.connectingya.com WHAT will reluctant readers read? (Twenty four carets) Books – graphic novels.

29. www.connectingya.com WHAT will reluctant readers read? (Twenty four carets) Books - collected comics.

30. www.connectingya.com WHAT will reluctant readers read? (Twenty four carets) Books – Manga.

31. www.connectingya.com WHAT will reluctant readers read? (Twenty four carets) Magazines

32. www.connectingya.com WHAT will reluctant readers read? (Twenty four carets) Comic Books

33. www.connectingya.com Comic Books

34. www.connectingya.com 25 things to do to reach reluctant readers tomorrow 1. A library card: 2. Booklists: 3. Booktalking : 4. Build relationships:

35. www.connectingya.com 25 things to do to reach reluctant readers tomorrow 5. Celebrate Teen Read Week: 6. Contests: 7. Displays: 8. Follow-up :

36. www.connectingya.com 25 things to do to reach reluctant readers tomorrow 9. Freedom and choice: 10. Get input: 11. Get out of the library: 12. Get over yourself:

37. www.connectingya.com 25 things to do to reach reluctant readers tomorrow 13. Get them in the building : 14. Go the shelves: 15. High visibility merchandising: 16. Honesty:

38. www.connectingya.com 25 things to do to reach reluctant readers tomorrow 17. Keep current : 18. Listen: 19. Non-judgmental attitude: 20. Reader's advisory:

39. www.connectingya.com 25 things to do to reach reluctant readers tomorrow 21. Samples: 22. Wave goodbye to just fiction 23. Weed the collection: 24. Zowie! Get graphic

40. www.connectingya.com Talking points from authors Jon Scieszka From what I've heard from my GUYS READ fans, they see most all reading as some kind of school assignment. They feel like they are going to have to answer 10 questions or write an essay for anything they read. I've heard from a lot of teens who say they are not readers. But it turns out that they read magazines about cars, music, wrestling, fishing, computers, style. They read information books. They read graphic novels. They read and write online. They just don't read the relatively narrow collection of literary fiction that is defined as "Real Reading" in schools.

41. www.connectingya.com A core collection for reluctant readers: a tool box Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) website. www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists Includes a variety of booklists, including Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, Best Books for Young Adults and others.

42. www.connectingya.com For More Information Connecting with Reluctant Teen Readers Patrick Jones, Maureen L. Hartman, and Patricia Taylor Neal-Schuman, coming in summer 2006

43. www.connectingya.com Final thoughts Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2005 16:34:26 -0700 (PDT) From: "Amanda Subject: Hi ‘‘ I loved your book’’’ To: Patrick@connectingya.com My name is Amanda!!! I am 15 years old and I have just finished reading your book "Things Change". It has been the most inspiring thing that I have read in my life!!! See normally I do not enjoy reading but, this book just captured me and sucked me in!!! I have never finished a whole book, but this one I read it in two days flat!!! I have never read a book that related so well to teens today. You were so real when you wrote this book........’’’ I was shocked to find that this was your first book dedicated to teens!!! I only wish that you write more!!! The girl Johanna was so strong it only made feel good about my self!!! I could relate to every single thing in the book....... and it can only show to others that real things can happen to real people!!!’’’’ And you told it like it was in the book..... I just wrote to tell you that you are now my favorite author!!! And I HOPE that you write many more teen books because I can guarantee you I will the first to get one!!!

44. www.connectingya.com Hardcover ISBN: 0-8027-8901-3 Price: $16.95 224 pages April 2004 Paperback ISBN: 0-8027-7746-5 ISBN 13: 978-0- 8027-7746-1 Price: $7.95 224 pages April 2006

45. www.connectingya.com nailed Hardcover ISBN: 0-8027-8077-6 ISBN 13: 978-0-8027-8077-5 Price: $16.95 224 pages Size: 5-1/2 x 8-1/4 April 2006

46. www.connectingya.com Chasing Tail Lights Hardcover ISBN: 0-8027-9628-1 ISBN 13: 978-0- 8027-9628-8 Price: $16.95 304 pages August 2007

47. www.connectingya.com Connecting Young Adults and Libraries Patrick Jones http://www.connectingya.com Consulting, training, and coaching for providing powerful youth services including library card campaigns and web projects patrick@connectingYA.com