High Interest, Low Reading Level Books Encourage Readers

You're probably familiar with the web site, About.com. It's a great place to go for all kinds of information.

About.com has just completed a page about my books for boys, that does an excellent job of explaining what it is that I'm attempting to do with my writing.

You can find it at:

http://learningdisabilities.about.com/od/readingstrategies/qt/maxanderson1.htm

Another Fun Robin Story

This is another robin story, sent to me by blogger who saw mine.

Max

http://themoabclub.blogspot.com/2008/06/fly-guy.html

Saving Robin's Life - last part of the story

The same evening after the birds had left their nest, I sat on the couch in our den. The nest is in a tree in our front yard, and my den faces the back yard.

Have you ever had the strange feeling that someone was watching you? Remember the creepy feeling you had? You look up and, sure enough, you are being looked at by someone, or some…thing.

I looked up from what I was reading, as a new robin stared right back at me, through the den door. He sat perched on the back of one of our patio chairs, and didn’t make a sound. All he did was sit there and stare.

Since I’d been taking pictures, to document their progress, I stood up and went to get my camera, hoping I wouldn’t scare the bird away.

At first, I snapped a few pictures through the glass, and he never budged. So, with great care, I slowly slid open the door. Still the bird sat motionless, and kept looking at me. I snapped a couple more pictures and then decided to step outside. He let me get as close as 2 feet away while I continued taking pictures.

Finally, the baby robin turned, chirped, let go with a little dropping, and flew away. I can’t be sure if it was the same bird I had hoisted back into the nest or not, but it was almost as if he had stopped by to say, “Hey, thanks for saving my life.” That’s the way I choose to interpret what happened.

So now I say to you, as I said to him, “Have a happy summer.”

Saving a Robin’s Life - part 3

Soon the time arrived that many parents have experienced, or that they dread in the future.

I had checked earlier in the day and the birds were there. Later that same day, they were gone.

We people, and the birds, call it by the same name, “Empty Nest.”

Suddenly my little band of companions - friends actually - were off to see the world.

(Don't miss the next, final installment. It's something special)

Saving a Robin’s Life – continued part 2

My small flock grew rapidly as their parents faithfully flew out and brought back breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Our yard has a few less worms as a result. Since the nest had been built at near eye level - I’m 6’ 4” tall – it was easy to observe their daily development. The adults seemed to accept my frequent visits, and the babies didn’t know any better.

(2 more installments are coming. Tell your friends, family, and especially children to make sure to check back)

Saving a Robin’s Life – continued

You may remember my previous account when I discovered a large crow attacking a robins’ nest I’d been watching for several days. Adult robins tried their best to fight off the intruder, but he was intent on having a hot meal.

That’s when I sprang into action to scare him away. After checking the nest, I thought to look on the ground and see if any babies had been booted out. There was one that had fallen into the grass. I went into the house, grabbed a rubber glove, so I wouldn’t get my scent on his body, and replaced the frightened, little guy to his home in my Scotch Pine tree.

Then I continued watching, in the days ahead, as they developed.

Come back again for more of this story. It has an AMAZING ending, with pictures for each installment. It’s priceless!

Make sure the kids in your life get to read this too. It's exactly the kind of adventure that boys will love. Part # 2 coming soon.

Flooding

This has been a season of massive flooding in some parts of the country. Here, in the Midwest, it is especially so.


The Rock River, where I dropped my message bottle, two weeks ago, is at flood stage in a few areas, with more forecast in the days ahead. Rains caused the failure of Lake Delton, in the Wisconsin Dells, completely emptying out the lake.


Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is experiencing epic flooding, of historic proportions. I saw a report yesterday about the potential for flooding of the Mississippi.

Our hearts go out to those who are battling the floodwaters, and losing those battles.

But I couldn’t help wondering about the message I sent in that bottle on May 31. No one could have known about the weather conditions that would follow. I’m wondering, now, if the bottle will ever be found. Or, if it is found, how far away from the river that might be.

Stay tuned.

Scholastic Report: Kids Still Read for Fun—Teens, Less So

Since I write for tweens, this information is extremely important to me. There IS a market for this material, and the study shows that tweens and younger are the largest potential children's market.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6569106.html?nid=2286&source=title&rid=858014878

Max Elliot Anderson

Another Bird Adventure

Once I discovered a nest of robins, in the pine tree just outside my front door, I began documenting their development, by taking pictures every few days.

On Saturday, when we came home from running errands, we heard a great commotion. Adult robins dive-bombed something as it raced away from the nest. Apparently a squirrel had come too close, and several birds attacked him as he fled.

Well, today provided more high drama. While working at my computer, I heard the cries of several birds. When I went to the door, I saw something big and dark, right next to the nest. Robins flew in and out, like Phantom jets, one right after the other. I pushed open the door and clapped my hands. When I did that, a giant crow fled the nest, followed on its heels by a posse of robins.

I went nearer to the nest, to see if the intruder had done any damage during his attack. There, on the ground, lay a defenseless, little robin, still several days too early to fly. Since wildlife doesn’t especially care for the scent of humans on their young, I darted into the house, found a rubber glove, and returned to the helpless creature on the ground.

His eyes were open, and his entire, little body heaved as he gasped for each panicked breath.

He is now snuggled back in the nest with his brothers and sisters, but I’m going to have to become a sentry until I know that crow is finally gone.

Flooding and Message in a Bottle Speed

We have been experiencing torrential rains over the past 48 hours, with more on the way. There are flood warnings up and down the Rock River, along with a no wake warning for boaters. The stretch of river in our area, Rockford, IL, is at or very near flood stage right now. If my message in the bottle is still on the river, it must be flying by now.

No word yet of someone finding it.

Message Bottle Still Out There Somewhere

One week ago, at about this same hour, I dropped the special message bottle into the Rock River. No one has returned the card inside yet for a free set of my books.

There have been heavy rains in the area over the past several days, sending more water into the Rock and Mississippi rivers. If the bottle is still traveling, it will likely have picked up speed. If the bottle is found, and the card returned, I’ll report it here, and show, on the map, how far it went.

Message in a bottle update

The bottle was dropped into the Rock River at about 7:15 AM, Central time, on Saturday, May 31. There have been no reports of finding it yet, but I'm watching my mailbox each day. I'll report here if and when it is found, and the prize card has been mailed back to me. If it is returned, I'll also report how far the bottle traveled.

Kid’s adventure author sends message in a bottle.

Max Elliot Anderson, author of action-adventures and mysteries for kids, has begun a real life adventure to encourage summer reading. On Saturday, May 31, he released a special bottle into the Rock River, near his home of Rockford, Illinois.

“Since most of my books contain adventures, and are written especially for boys 8 - 12, I wanted to do something different this summer, to point out the importance of reading in America. That’s because I grew up hating to read.” His blog, Books for Boys, ranks in the top 10 searches on Google.

He placed the bottle into the river, downstream from a spillway. “I know there are lots of hazards and obstacles in the rivers,” Anderson said. “But I’m hoping my bottle makes its way to the end of the Rock River, and into the Mississippi. If it gets that far, then who knows?”

The large, clear, plastic bottle is decorated with blue tape. Inside is a special card. When the card is returned to the author, he will send a set of his books to the person who found it. Also included is a forever stamp. “That way,” he said, “it won’t cost the finder anything to claim the prize, no matter when they pull it out of the water.”

The prize card includes instructions for proper disposal of the bottle, or recycling. “I don’t consider my message-bottle to be litter since I’m confident someone will find it one of these days.”

This summer adventure is in keeping with what young readers have reported, after reading Max Elliot Anderson’s books. “Reading one of your books is like being in an exciting or scary movie,” several have said.

“It’s vital,” Anderson said, “that we teach our children to turn off the TV, put away the video games, move away from the computer, and pick up a book. Reading helps to exercise the imagination in ways that nothing else can.” His books include North Woods Poachers, Mountain Cabin Mystery, Big Rig Rustlers, Secret of Abbott’s Cave, and Legend of the White Wolf. “Each book has completely different characters, and takes place in a different part of the country,” he said.

Anderson’s books have been compared by readers and reviewers to Tom Sawyer, The Hardy Boys, Huck Finn, Nancy Drew, Tom Swift, Scooby-Doo, Lemony Snicket, and adventure author Jack London. His books are equally enjoyed by boys and girls.

Anderson’s prize bottle could possibly make its way past Moline, and Davenport, to St. Louis, past Memphis, and all the way to New Orleans. “Hopefully someone will fish it out of the river before it gets to the Gulf,” he said with a smile.

“What better way to get kids excited about the adventure of reading, than to give them a real adventure this summer?” Anderson asked. He encourages young readers, who live along the Rock and Mississippi rivers, to be on the lookout for the bottle.

“Even if you aren’t the lucky one to find it,” Anderson said, “why not read a good adventure this summer anyway?”

Author Web Site http://www.maxbooks.9k.com/

Books for Boys bloghttp://booksandboys.blogspot.com/

Watch for Special Announcement for Kids

On Saturday, May 31, I'll be posting information here about an exciting adventure for kids. Don't miss it.

Max

Tweens, Summer, and the dreaded, “I’m bored.”

In a few, short days, children will be out of school. Parents have already planned summer activities, booked a camp, or prepared for those long summer days. One of the first things they’ll hear from their tweens is… “Mom, I’m bored!”

Some parents will respond by saying, “Why don’t you go outside and play?” Right, like that’s going to happen. They might also suggest video games, computer time, or the always present TV. After all, these have been great babysitters in the past, haven't they?

But what if a parent could find something new, something different?

Max Elliot Anderson grew up hating to read. That is a fact that led him to explore exactly why this had happened. His findings resulted in a determination to begin writing the kinds of books he would have liked as a child.

His first books, Newspaper Caper, North Woods Poachers, Mountain Cabin Mystery, Big Rig Rustlers, Secret of Abbott’s Cave & Legend of the White Wolf, have been compared by readers and reviewers to Tom Sawyer, The Hardy Boys, Huck Finn, Nancy Drew, Tom Swift, Scooby-Doo, Lemony Snicket, and adventure author Jack London. (Newspaper Caper is only available from the author, and all direct ordered books are signed)

Each book has completely different characters, setting, and plot. Several young readers have written to say, “Reading one of your books is like being in an exciting or scary movie.”

We know that up to the age of 14, kids are making most of their decisions for a lifetime. The choice of reading should be one of those decisions. And these action-adventures & mysteries book contain character and spiritual principles that will help in forming good choices.

So the next time you hear, “I’m bored,” just reach for an action-adventure or mystery by Max Elliot Anderson. All books are ranked by Accelerated Reader.

Find more information at these sites:

Author Web Site
http://www.maxbooks.9k.com/

50 Pages of Reviews
http://maxbookreviews.blogspot.com/

Boys in Peril

Following is a guest article, written by Robert Gould, president of Big Guy Books.

Boys in Peril

Literacy rates fall, dropout rates rise. What it means to us.

There is a crisis going on in this country right now – one that threatens the very future of half our nation’s children. Yet, this dire situation persists with little or no attention from the mainstream media. The problem is that boys are falling further and further behind in their reading skills – and, as a result, they are dropping out of school at an alarming rate.

Think this kind of talk is just “alarmist” in nature? Consider these facts:

55% of College students are Girls, 45% are Boys.

11th-grade Boys now read and write at the level of 8th-grade girls. 30 years ago there was no difference.

In U.S. PIRLS tests, for reading proficiency, 4th-grade girls average 18 points above boys.

40% of fourth graders read below the basic level. 75% of them never rise above average.

By age 17, less than 6% of boys can read science, business and economic sections in the local newspaper.

On average, boys learn to read at a much slower pace than girls. Plus, we reinforce and reward other skills and behaviors in boys that are not tied to reading. Sports, video-gaming, and the social “hangin’ with friends” (without doing anything productive) are three examples of the ways boys are pulled away from reading. These facts present several problems in today’s educational system. For one thing, increased class sizes and more stressed-out, inexperienced teachers in the classroom mean that it is going to be harder to give those boys, who fall behind, the special attention they need to catch up. And, when boys (or any child, for that matter) fall behind, it begins to have a negative effect on their self-esteem.

Once the self-esteem begins to suffer, it becomes very difficult to learn anything. Now, you have boys who associate very negative feelings with school and, consequently, reading. So, that puts the male gender, which has been struggling to keep up in the first place, at an even greater disadvantage. By the time these boys get to high school, they are hardly in a good position to complete the four-year program and move on to college or a solid job.

What happens next is the unthinkable: HIGH percentages of boys drop out of school before they finish the four years of High School that are an absolute necessity for survival.

Consider this alarming information reported in The New York Times:

The National Assessment of Educational Progress is considered the yardstick for academic performance because it is the only test taken all across the country. The test of 12th-grade achievement was given to a representative sample of 21,000 high school seniors attending 900 public and private schools from January to March 2005.

It showed that the share of 12th-grade students lacking even basic high school reading skills – meaning they could not, for example, extract data about train fares at different times of day from a brochure – rose to 27% from 20% in 1992.

The share of students proficient in reading dropped to 35% from 40% in 1992. At the same time, the gap between boys and girls grew, with girls’ reading skills more than a year ahead of those of boys’.

--The New York Times, February 22, 2007

So, what does this all mean to us, as a society?

It should be fairly obvious, that as the number increases, of our sons and brothers who are dropping out, the worse off we all are as a whole. Unemployed and under-educated males find themselves in trouble with the law at a much higher rate than those who finish school and move on to steady jobs or careers.

Our prisons are filled with young illiterate males who went out into the world at a disadvantage because of their lack of reading skills. To illustrate this point, let’s turn again to more disheartening statistics:

90% of welfare recipients are high school dropouts.

90% of prison inmates in 2006 were men.

70% of prison inmates cannot read above a 4th-grade level.

In California, the percentage of children who never make it past the 4th-grade reading level is used to help gauge the number of future prisons.

66% of students who cannot read proficiently by the end of 4th grade will end up in jail or on welfare.

Since 1970, there has been a 700% increase in the U.S. prison population.

The cost for all the new inmates will be $27.5 billion by 2011.

There’s no end in sight, and the problem may turn out to be cyclical. How is a father going to develop a love of reading in his son if he, too, doesn’t have a high comfort level with books, doesn’t read during his own leisure time, or (in the worst-case scenario) is illiterate himself? It’s easy to see how this crisis can, and has, quickly spiraled out of control in our country.

Consider all the money poured into building new jails and locking up drug offenders. Now, imagine what might have happened if that money was put into our schools – working diligently to help our young boys get a foothold on the basic reading skills needed to survive and excel.

Is there a solution? Absolutely! We must invest a considerable amount of additional time and energy into making our boys more literate. Families simply cannot allow them to fall behind in school. And, the easiest way to do this is to build a life-long love of reading at the individual family level.

First and foremost, fathers and sons need to spend more time focusing on reading-centered activities. A father-son bond formed over any activity is a powerful one. Imagine that bond put to use for something as crucial as literacy!

Dads need to be reading role models, who not only read to their kids as much as they can, but put themselves out there as readers, as well. When a child sees his father reading around the house (instead of watching a game on TV, or working on the computer, etc.), that visualization is going to have a profoundly positive effect on the child’s own behavior.

After committing more time to reading to the boys, it is important to choose the appropriate content. Parents need to select titles that will really engage young boys. Storytelling that utilizes compelling photos and images, tales of heroes, action, history, dinosaurs or space – these elements have all been proven to engage boys at a much deeper, stronger level.

Finally, we need to play a more active role at school. Getting involved with the library and reading to your son’s class (when it is age-appropriate) are two powerful ways to show your child that you have a stake in his education and that reading matters!

As parents, during this challenging time, we must come to grips with this crisis of literacy that is facing boys in this country. Schools will be able to help our children, but not until we make strides at home! Start early. Read often. Break the cycle of literacy problems and open up a world of possibilities for your child.

(used with permission)

Boys and Literacy

I've recently discovered an excellent blog site that might be of help to you in helping the boys, in your life, to become readers.

Boys and Literacy

http://jennykwokmarp.blogspot.com/2008/04/road-map.html

"These Books Are Like BEING In An Exciting or Scary Movie"

"These Books Are Like BEING In An Exciting or Scary Movie"

That's what author Max Elliot Anderson consistently hears from young readers.

"I grew up not especially liking to read," Anderson reports. "My life gravitated to things more visual, resulting in the pursuit of film, video, and TV commercial production. Now, those decades of visual production find their way into action-adventures and mysteries that I write today."

Parents, librarians, teachers, and young readers all agree that Anderson's books capture the imagination of even the most reluctant reader, and they're perfect for summer reading.

"This is music to my ears," Anderson said. "Since I didn't like to read, I'm excited about writing books that reach out to kids who might be growing up like I did." Both girls and boys enjoy his books.

Anderson's books reach far beyond reluctant reader boys. Nearly 50 pages of reviews can be found at http://maxbookreviews.blogspot.com

Readers are consistently enthusiastic about his stories. Each book has completely different characters, setting, and plot. "I did this," Anderson said, "so that stories could take place all over the country, with characters who have different personality traits, strengths, and weaknesses.

North Woods Poachers, Mountain Cabin Mystery, Big Rig Rustlers, Secret of Abbott's Cave, and Legend of the White Wolf are ranked by Accelerated Reader, and distributed by Baker and Taylor. Copies can also be ordered on Amazon.com.

The books have been compared by readers and reviewers to Tom Sawyer, The Hardy Boys, Huck Finn, Nancy Drew, Tom Swift, Scooby-Doo, Lemony Snicket, and adventure author Jack London.

Additional information can be found at the following web sites -
Author Web Site http://www.maxbooks.9k.com

This Books for Boys blog was featured this week in the Children's Writing Update

Earlier this week, this blog was featured in the Children's Writing Update newsletter.

>> ITEM 5 - Featured Children's Lit Blog: Books For Boys

In the past couple of years, there's been an explosion in wonderful blogs about children's books and the writing process. Now, in each issue of the Update, we'll profile a unique and helpful blog.
This issue, we highlight Books for Boys, a blog created by author Max Elliot Anderson. The blog focuses on issues and concerns facing today's boys, how to write for them, and how to encourage reluctant readers. Check it out at:
http://booksandboys.blogspot.com/

Why I Write Tween Books For Boys

It is clear that some of the most critical patterns for a lifetime are decided during the tween years. This is that awkward time between still trying to be a “little kid” and being all grown up.

As a child, I grew up as a reluctant reader. In a family of seven children, I wasn’t especially pushed to read, so I never formed good reading habits. This was ironic because my father has published over 70 books. A number of these were written for children.

A few years ago I decided to look into some of the reasons for my lack of interest in reading. My findings lead me to begin writing chapter adventure books, for readers 8 - 13, that I would have liked as a child. My books are highly visual, with lots of humor, dialog, and plenty of heart-pounding action. Early responses from children indicate that I’m right on target. Reluctant and avid readers now devour each new title as it is released. Parents are also vocal in their appreciation for books that are reaching their children.

Marketing executives will tell you to find a need and fill it. But this isn’t exactly the way I got started. How that came about is a story in itself. My purpose was to craft books that would excite the interest of reluctant readers.

After a detailed study into why I didn’t like to read, and looking at books that were written for children, I set out to write the kind of stories I would have read when I was a child.

A further target audience I wanted to write for was boys who might be without a positive male role model in their lives. I felt that if I could tell a good story, the moral, ethical, responsibility elements could then be planted in their minds. Hopefully, at some time in the future, those concepts would be useful when these boys became men. I have a degree in psychology and this helps in communicating these concepts, and understanding my audience.

The biggest surprise, outside of the fact that reluctant reader boys love these books, is that avid boy readers, girls, and even adults do too. I believe it’s our responsibility to do everything we can for the next generation, to leave this world a better place than when we found it. I hope my books will have a small part in that process.

The first seven books are NEWSPAPER CAPER, TERROR AT WOLF LAKE, NORTH WOODS POACHERS, MOUNTAIN CABIN MYSTERY, BIG RIG RUSTLERS, THE SECRET OF ABBOTT’S CAVE, and LEGEND OF THE WHITE WOLF. But this is not a “series” in the traditional sense. Each book takes place in a different part of the country with different characters, setting, and plot. Readers and reviewers have likened my books to The Hardy Boys, modern day Tom Sawyer & Huck Finn, Nancy Drew, Star Wars, Tom Swift and Scooby-Doo, Lemony Snicket, and adventure author Jack London.

When I first began writing, I decided that if I could help one reluctant tween to become a reader, it would be worth it. From the emails and letters I have already received, that goal has been reached many times over. I received the following email right after Christmas. It underscores the effect that my books are already having on tweeners.

“I gave my son (11) a couple of your books for Christmas (he read "Northwoods Poachers" when you asked for some "reviews" and loved it). He is definitely a reluctant reader...I have to be on his case constantly to get him to read. When he opened the package I could tell he was not too thrilled with getting books...until he saw that you wrote them. ‘Oh, these are THAT guys books...thanks, Mom!’ Later in the day I mentioned to him that I expected him to read the books. He said ‘You don't have to tell me that, Mom...I want to read them!’ As a mom who is almost never without a book in her hand, it really warmed my heart to see him excited about reading! Thanks, Max! And please, keep them coming!”

My books are distributed nationally to bookstores by Baker & Taylor, and are

available online at Amazon.com. Each book has been ranked by Accelerated Reader.


Biography: Max Elliot Anderson

Max Elliot Anderson grew up as a reluctant reader. After surveying the market, he sense the need for action-adventures and mysteries for readers 8 – 13, especially boys.

Using his extensive experience in the production of motion pictures, videos, and television commercials, Mr. Anderson brings the same visual excitement and heart-pounding action to his stories. Each book has completely different characters, setting, and plot.

Seven books are published, with an additional twenty-seven manuscripts completed. Young readers have reported that reading one of his books is like being in an exciting or scary movie.

Additional information can be found at http://mailto:mander8813@aol.com,
nearly 50 pages of reviews http://maxbookreviews.blogspot.com/,
and Books for Boys blog http://booksandboys.blogspot.com/