Opinion

Do you judge a book by its cover? I have to admit I do this. If a book doesn’t have a good cover, I tend to think that the contents of the book won’t be good, either.

Authors have caught onto this, however. Dust covers are beautifully illustrated. Pages are airbrushed. Now, I hate to admit it, but I will buy a book because of the prettiness of the cover. In fact, I will preorder a book that I know will be especially pretty for the first edition. Many authors after the first edition will change to a less decorative cover (the price will also reflect this).

What is reading? The definition of reading is a multifaceted process involving word recognition, comprehension, fluency and motivation. Reading is making meaning of print.

Summer is here. Kids are playing ball, swimming, playing with friends and not thinking about reading. Now, I’m not one who really likes big books stores, but there is a store that is promoting reading this summer. If kids read eight books this summer, they can receive a free book. I am going to forward the reading list to the libraries in the area so the kids can all have a chance to receive their book. Take advantage of the inter-library loan exchange the libraries offer if they don’t have a book that your child would like to read. If your child reads a book, let them tell me about it.