One of the greatest perks of being an author for children and teens is the opportunity to visit with
the readers either in person or live on the internet. At a recent 'Author Talk', I was visiting with approximately fifty or so kids between the ages of 11-13. The subject of our discussion was the first book in the Cow Pie Gang Series - The Ghost of Lizard's Rock.
A young girl asked, "Why did you write the book?"
I explained to her that sometimes an author writes a book to just tell a story and then at other times we tell both a story and try to make the reader think about a message or many messages within the book. In the case of The Ghost of Lizard's Rock, my co-author and I wanted our readers to understand the importance of friendships.
But this isn't everything that I consider as an author. Long before any young reader has the opportunity to read one of my new releases, I take into consideration the following:
- Is the story relevant to the reader? Too many times young readers quit a book because they have no understanding of the topic and/or its relevance in their lives. A commonly stated reason for quitting the book - 'It's boring'!
- Is the story written at the level of the targeted reader? It is absolutely critical that an author understands the skills of developing vocabulary and content in the text.
- Does the story allow for the reader to think about the content of the book without assistance? I am an advocate of developing independence in the reader. This becomes even more important as we use the book to develop higher level brain development.
- Are the messages clear and easily understood? This is why I do test reviews with readers across the United States and Canada. These kids and adults often bring attention to problems with the story or what they like.
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