Is THIS the reason more girls read than boys?

I read an interesting article yesterday. I'm always trying to find information on the whole 'Why Boys Don't Read' thing.

First, the author of this story states some facts about the sexes. For example: the percentage of boys proficient in reading is now more than ten points below that of girls.

But here is the 'real' question: Everyone agrees that if boys don't read well, it's because they don't read enough. But why don't they read?

There are several different views about this. As I've heard before, boys are bored by the books they're assigned to read in school. To try and reslove this, publishers pander to what they think the boys will find interesting - "bodily functions and gross-out humor." The article goes on to mention many different publishers and books that are doing just that.

The writer disagrees with that philosophy. He says by lowering the standards of literature, we're creating "a generation of barbarians and morons rather than raising the sort of men who make good husbands, fathers and professionals." I can't say I agree with that completely.

Does getting boys to read about farts and boogers really solve the problem? In my opinion, "No!" I think it might help to get boys reading, but it won't sustain them for long. It's not THE solution.

The author of the article reveals: "The appearance of the boy-girl literacy gap happens to coincide with the proliferation of video games and other electronic forms of entertainment over the last decade or two. Boys spend far more time "plugged in" than girls do. A boy deprived of electronic stimulation might even become desperate enough to read Jane Austen."

Is it really that simple? Do boys read less because of video games? I'm guessing that's a part of it, but not for every boy. Even though video games were in their infancy when I was a teenager, I still played them a lot. But I also read books, too. Just because a boy plays video games doesn't mean he's going to grow up to be a bad person. Not at all.

The reason/cure for boys reading less than girls is multifarious (how about that word!)... there are more layers to it than just video games. The lack of exciting/funny/fantastical books is another layer. Seems boys had no problem putting the video controller down to read HARRY POTTER. If you write it... they will read.

And I hope, someday, to help narrow the gap between girls and boys with my own words.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704271804575405511702112290.html

What is your state the worst at?

You'll notice that the great state of OHIO is the Nerdiest state. But WAIT! If you go to the website, you'll see that we're the nerdiest state based on highest number of library visits per capita (6.9). I've never been so PROUD of my state!!!!

Here's the website if you want more details on your state.

http://pleated-jeans.com/2011/01/24/the-united-states-of-shame-chart/

A Song if you're interested

For anyone who's looking for a great 'power ballad', here's another song by My Chemical Romance called 'DISENCHANTED'. I think it's awesome!


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(Chorus)
You're just a sad song with nothing to say
About a lifelong wait for a hospital stay
And if you think that I'm wrong
This never meant nothing to you

Monday Stuff

1.) I was tapped by my wife to make a return to one of those huge wholesale clubs. Because these stores are so massive, they meet you at the entry and announce over the speaker that a customer is heading for the customer service counter, they also announce the name of the item being returned.

I was returning a box of Tampax.

Thank the Lord, the woman working the entry had pity on me and did NOT announce what I was returning. She is my savior!!! When I got to customer service, the girl working there says, "I wondered why she didn't tell me what you were bringing back."

2.) I plan on losing 20 pounds by summer.

3.) I'm working on a 2,000 piece puzzle... the largest puzzle I've ever attempted. It's very theraputic. And addicting!

4.) I have my new pen, my new journal/notebook, my idea and notes, and grapemo. I'm eager to begin my next novel.

5.) I'm SOOOOOOOO sick of the snow and the cold!!! I can't wait to put the pool back up and start swimming!!!!

Friday Five

1.) Today is the last day to send a photo and message to include in an album to be presented to our good friend   (Lisa). 

http://newport2newport.livejournal.com/268635.html

I sent them this photo. Taken by my 13 year old daughter, this is our family cat 'Paisley'. 




2.) A Book was birthed over in the U.K yesterday. Congrats to Karen Mahoney!!!

 

3.) He'll be here very soon!




4.) GREAT BOOK!

The Freak Observer by Blythe Woolston





5.) One of the FUNNIEST videos I've ever seen on America's Funniest Home Videos. Make sure you turn up the volume, you have to HEAR this one to appreciate it.

Visual-Emotion-Tips #2

Disappointment:



Fright:



Surprise:

Which is Which?

Each of these pictures features an author.

Which shows the author after stepping barefoot on a rusty nail?
Which shows the author after reading his/her first draft?
Which is photoshopped?

Photo 'A'


Photo 'B'


Photo 'C'

The "Do Dogs Go To Heaven?" Debate Rages On

I'm not sure where this happened, but two churches, across the street from each other, have been debating about whether Dogs Go To Heaven. (I retyped the "Our Lady of Martyrs" signs because they might be hard to read.)

The opinions expressed here are for amusement only.

 All Dogs Go To Heaven
    

God Loves All His Creations, Dogs Included

    

Catholic Dogs Go to Heaven, Presbyterian Dogs Can Talk To Their Pastor
   

Free Dog Souls with Conversion
  

All Rocks Go To Heaven

We're Not Nerds - A Story of Breaking Free

Did I ever tell you about me and my older brother? No? Well... prepare yourself for a brave tale of bravery.

My brother is 3 years older than me. Back in our middle school/junior high school years, we had the reputation of being nerds. I know, right. Nerds! The babes would have nothing to do with us. It was the time of Atari and the Compaq 64. We played Zork for hours in the basement.



We read comic books. We even played football.



Still... we couldn't break away from the stereotype of Geek Extraordinaire. So we decided to do something about it. Something drastic. We began to save our money. We mowed lawns, set up a lemonade on the street corner, we even sold discount tickets to our ventriloquist show with star puppet Danny O'Day!

 (Sometimes, late at night, I can hear Danny moving around in my attic, trying to get out)

Eventually we had saved $1500.00 dollars to buy one of the first video cameras placed on the market.



And it was time. We had a script ready, but threw it out. We figured, in order to shed our NERD persona, we needed to be sponanteous. Be cool. Be free! Our plan was to make duplicates of this tape and leave them all over the neighborhood and school. It would be the first viral video ever!

Best of all... we would no longer be nerds.

Reading Age Range Made Simple?

I see lots of writers asking agents and editors, "What's the age range for Middle Grade? Or Young Adult?" And here's me, being of superior intelligence (when compared with a worm), guffawing to the point of nearly passing gas. Come on! It's simple!!!

Picture Books - ages 1-5
Chapter Books - ages 5-8
Middle Grade - ages 8-12
Young Adult - ages 12 and up

But WAIT! Maybe it's not that simple. Maybe these are valid questions to ask... again, and again, and again.

I was just over at Publisher Weekly's website, reading the Children's Book Reviews for the month. It's a great way to see what's coming out and if the premis to your book has been stolen, er... is already on the shelves.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/reviews/childrens.html

Out of 34 book reviews... these are the age ranges called out

Ages 2–up 

Ages 3–5 

Ages 3–6 

Ages 3–7 

Ages 4–6 

Ages 4–7 

Ages 4–8 

Ages 4–9 

Ages 4–up 

Ages 5–7 

Ages 5–8 

Ages 10–up 

Ages 12–up 

Ages 14–up

Ages 15–up

15 different age ranges for 34 books! Holy Cow! No wonder there's so much confusion about age ranges. Now I'm confused. And, from this chart, it seems 9 year olds are mostly neglected.