A Resource to Help Your Student Become a Better Reader

Today’s post is about an amazing resource to help your student become a better reader. You probably haven’t heard of yet, but you will love me once you’ve read about it–Litpick.com. 

When I was a kid we didn’t have many of the modern day conveniences. Of course, cell phones, tablets, microwaves or even auto control on our cars were created later.  I remember the day our color television arrived.  My brother and I watched cartoons for hours.

 We didn’t have electric pencil sharpeners–just the grey metal ones that were screwed to the classroom wall.  Then mechnical pencils came along  which made pencil sharpeners pretty much obsolete.  Not for me.

Call me crazy, but I think Ticonderoga pencils are the best made pencils to this day.  Yes, I need a pencil sharpener for a Ticonderoga and I prefer the old metal ones.

I’m sorry, I’m not going to change.

We didn’t have the internet either–just the good old library with the card catalog system.  If you don’t even know what a card catalog system is, you have no idea how laborious a process it was to do research for a paper much less find a good book to read.

Thankfully, not anymore…..

I remember reading groups and book reports. Oh my. Sometimes the books were unbelievably boring, but I loved the activities I would do after reading the book.  One time I recall a friend scolding me because I drew a picture of one of the book’s scenes when I hadn’t even read the book yet.  Oops.

From about fifth grade on, book reports were a tiresome activity.  Generally, we would have to stand in front of the class and explain our reasons for liking or disliking the book we read. Remember?

I bet there isn’t a person in this country who hasn’t experienced the perils of reporting on a book. Ugh.

I always felt uncomfortable giving my opinion about a particular book.  My worries surrounded my self esteem–what if I was wrong about the book and everyone else knew so and disagreed with me? (I imagine this anxiety spawned from my less than stellar comprehension of a plot.)

I had no mentor to guide me in critiqueing a book. Our teachers left it all up to us. We were given a slew of questions from which to write our report, but none of those evaluators stuck with me.

I don’t have much patience for certain genre of books. That’s probably the reason I leapt over the reading of certain books and went straight to the enrichment activities.  To this day, I am known (on occasion) to throw a book (paper back) across the room if it’s not keeping my attention.

Specific experiences from one’s schooling stay with us all our lives.  One of mine is book reports. If today someone asks me to review her book, I still have a difficult time doing so.

However…

You young whipper snappers are saved from the perils of  book reporting.

You have Litpick.com. You lucky ducks!

Litpick.com is an international website for preteens through college to read and review books. Becoming a member is free and that’s only the beginning.

There are several ways you, your child or student will benefit from Litpick.com:

• read FREE books of his choice from a large selection

• learn to critique and compose a review with an adult mentor

• strengthen reading, critical thinking and comprehension skills

• publish the review and use a scoring system

• receive several perks by continuing to review for Litpick (how cool!)

• given the opportunity to be paid for their reviews

Like the old Ronco t.v. commercials—That’s not all…

An educator can create a book club for his students through Litpick, too. There is no limit to the number of readers in a book club.  Check out the website for more details.  http://Litpick.com

What a wonderful tool for your reader.

I discovered Litpick.com because I am an indie author. Since then, I have been featured on the Litpick Facebook page and written several blog posts for the monthly newsletter.   I’m always on the hunt seeking reviewers for my award winning middle grade book, Bumbling Bea. Litpick.com and I are a great fit!

Authors have several options for receiving book reviews–free, medium pace or the fast track.  This is a terrific service which gives the author choices in how quickly they require a review.

For a low cost,  one’s book is displayed on the landing page, in the monthly newsletter, through Facebook and other social media. The review is posted to all major book stores–Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Goodreads. If an author wants more than one review this is possible, too.

I’m about to ask for another review of Bumbling Bea.  Since it’s first printing in 2014, I’d made several edits to the story.  I’d like an honest review from a student reader. Litpick.com is the best place to receive one.