The Giver Movie Announcement

Recently on her blog, Lois Lowry gave more insight into the process of making a movie for The Giver. The on-again/off-again movie adaptation of The Giver is totally on. Again.

I'm not against movies being made from children's books. Really. I understand that books simply cannot be translated to film exactly as they appear in text. I'm not one to stand up and scream, "That's not the way the book goes!" in theaters. (As one student did when we saw The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. "Where's Giant Rumblebuffin?!?!" he screamed. "I love that part! How can you cut Giant Rumblebuffin?") In her announcement Lois Lowry says that Jonas and Fiona and Asher are all older teenagers in the film. Certainly a major change, and Lowry states she has no problem with it. So who am I to complain? (Note: I'm not.)

I will admit that I generally like the books better than the movies, and more often than not, it's because the images in my imagination don't match what's on the screen. But what annoys me is this: In my experience the movie has a tendency to take the book out of the hands of students.

During the 1999-2000 school year (I remember it distinctly because it was my first year in a new school) I had students reading Harry Potter books like crazy. Siblings were reading Harry Potter. Parents were reading Harry Potter. For the entire year no fewer than half of the students in my class would have Sorcerer's Stone, Chamber of Secrets, or Prisoner of Azkaban on the corner of their desk awaiting even the slightest moment of downtime.

This past school year I can name two students school wide - two - who read Harry Potter books. And it's not for lack of trying. The books are in classroom libraries and the school library and I recommended them often enough, but they didn't get read. "Why? I've seen the movie," is the overwhelming response I hear. You and I know plenty of legitimate answer to "Why?", but it's an uphill sell to kids.

It's happened with Holes and Because of Winn-Dixie and The Lightning Thief and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about The Giver. Go-to books that can motivate readers, books that are attractive across demographics, no longer work like they once did because kids have seen the movie and therefore feel there's no need to read the book.

At least we know that books come out before the movies, and that Hollywood can never adapt every book for the screen. There's always a steady stream of great books that can take the place of the ones movies have taken away. And of course I can name plenty of kids who read plenty of books who still had various favorites sitting on the corner of their desk awaiting a minute of free time. It's not like five movies get made and suddenly we're out of good book options.

Probably it's . . . I just miss my favorites.

The Importance of Stories

In November I'll be giving a presentation called "The Importance of Stories" about how books and stories can be used outside reading class. The main focus will be in content areas, but it will also include how to help students relate to characters, situations, events, and topics using books and stories.

Without going into the entire presentation, I'll just use a quote from A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness: "Stories are wild creatures, the monster said. When you let them loose, who knows what havoc they might wreak?"

And that's the gist of the presentation. If we let loose stories in Social Studies or Science class, if we allow students to experience history through narratives, if we encourage students to make judgments about a character's words and actions, if teachers can hook students on something like potential and kinetic energy through the story of two boys rolling down a hill in a barrel, then who knows what other havoc stories might wreak in our classrooms?

This is where I need your help. I want to sprinkle quotes about stories from children's books throughout the presentation. What quotes about stories (or about words or books or literature) do you know from children's books, either picture books or novels? Quotes can be funny, inspiring, hopeful, or encouraging - anything to do with stories.

Leave your favorite quotes in the comments below, email them to me at HelpReaders at gmail dot com, or tweet them to me at @HelpReaders. I will compile all the quotes I receive and put them into one post in the future.

"Stories are important," the monster said in A Monster Calls. "They can be more important than anything. If they carry the truth." So thanks, everyone, for your help, it is greatly appreciated. And that's no story. That's the truth.

Really? A New Post? Seriously . . . Yes, and Here's Why

It's been a while. And by "a while" I mean "a stupid long time." Like two years, eleven days since my last post on this blog. So what brings me back to this nearly forgotten site? Is it something vitally important, something of such major significance that I simply must post about this immense issue? Well, um . . . no.

Last summer a number of us teachers and librarians on Twitter had a little problem. If you are enjoying a good book, and you are enjoying a good snack, how does one eat said snack without getting sticky, melty, powdery, chocolaty, and/or juicy fingers all over said book?

Ah, the answer is obvious - or it was to us after some thought. And a little silliness.

Some silly summer fun. #Chompsticks https://t.co/G0vZXeIlQp
— Brian Wilhorn (@HelpReaders) July 30, 2013

So there it is. Tweet pictures of your book, your snack, and your chopsticks, or #chompsticks as the case may be. Here's the official rules, copied from Mr. Etkin's blog:

BASIC GUIDELINES:

1. Include chopsticks and any type of treat! Include your current read, and anything else you want to add your own flair to the fun. 
2. Tweet a photo with the tag #Chompsticks and be sure to mention @davidaetkin 
3. If you are on Instagram (use #Chompstick and post to Twitter) or tumblr or another SM service, feel free to share your photo there, too! Maybe we’ll get more folks to join in the silly. 
4. If you are not on Twitter and want to get involved (or know someone else who does), you can send your pic to the extra special email address: chompsticksweek@gmail.com 
5. If you are feeling super ambitious, gather up all your photos at the end and blog ‘em! Hey, there are more serious things you COULD post on your blog – but sometimes silly needs to win out. Help yourself to the #chompsticks badge above. (And let us know when you post–we’d love to see.)

Oh, and one more thing. Happy Birthday, Harry Potter, today on July 31. Amazing that I just happen to be rereading the series now.