Happy Halloween II From, The Things You Can Read!

We had to share on All Hallow's Eve the news that you can enjoy a comic zombie novel,  for free, entitled The Happy Zombie, which is written by, none other than, Margaret Atwood and Naomi Alderman.  Click on over to Wattpad and read the chapters they have available.  There will be a total of thirteen.  Look for the rest of the chapters to be published on Wattpad in the coming weeks.  Enjoy!  Let us, here at the Things You Can Read, know what you think of the book!

Again, Happy Halloween!
The Things You Can Read

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Happy Halloween! From, The Things You Can Read!

Happy Halloween!  

From, 

The Things You Can Read!

The Things You Can Read gives a big Halloween nod to the master of horror, Edgar Allan Poe.  Checkout The Library of Congress' educational website for more information on the master of suspense.  For a story with an unreliable narrator, who better than Poe ?

Image Credit:  The Library of Congress

Happy Halloween!
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Great Resource: Sweet Search

Happy Halloween, One Day Early!

Image Credit: Magic Moonlight

If you are worried about having your students conduct Internet searches on their own, here is a site that is expressly designed for students to use.  Take a peek!  Let us, here at The Things You Can Read, know how it works for your students!

Happy Reading!
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Neil Gaiman: Free Short Story Written and Performed by Neil Gaiman

Happy Halloween, Two Days Early!

FREE from Audible and Neil Gaiman - Click-Clack the Rattlebag

Happy Halloween, from Neil Gaiman! We, here at The Things You Can Read, are big Audible.com fans, but you don't even have to be an Audible.com member to receive this free download from Neil Gaiman.  According to Audible.com:

"Two years ago, author, narrator, and screenwriter Neil Gaiman proposed that, every year for Halloween, people give each other scary books. We couldn't agree more. So this year, we're putting our money where our mouth is. Scare yourself or someone you love with the never-before-seen (or heard) short story "Click-Clack the Rattlebag," written and narrated by Neil himself, and Audible will donate $1 for every download through Halloween up to $100,000 to the education charity DonorsChoose.org."

Audible has requested that folks share this link, "...to spread chills and goodwill with as many people as possible, and tweet @neilhimself and @audible_com using hashtag #ScareUs to let us know how scary you thought Click-Clack and the Rattlebag was, or to share your own scary story."

FYI:  If you are in the UK, visit Audible.co.uk, where donations will go to the education charity BookTrust.

Click-Clack the Rattlebag: A Free Short Story Written and Performed by Neil Gaiman

by Neil Gaiman

Narrated by Neil Gaiman

"'What kind of story would you like me to tell you?' 'Well,' he said, thoughtfully, 'I don't think it should be too scary, because then when I go up to bed, I will just be thinking about monsters the whole time. But if it isn't just a little bit scary, then I won't be interested. And you make up scary stories, don't you?'" So begins this sweet, witty, deceptive little tale from master storyteller Neil Gaiman. Lock the doors, turn off the lights, and enjoy.

Listen to an interview with Neil Gaiman:
Neil Gaiman on Poe, Parrots, Unreliable Narrators, and the magic of reading aloud:


Checkout Neil Gaiman's website!

Happy Scary Listening!
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Update on Publishing World in Flux: Random House and Penguin to Merge!

Last week, we shared the Huffington Post article that illuminated some rather important information with regard to two of the world's largest publishing houses.  According to last weeks post on Huffington: 

"British publishing and education company Pearson PLC says it is in talks with German media group Bertelsmann SE over merging the firms' Penguin and Random House publishing operations."

However things have now changed, according to Shelf Awarness, which posted the following:

"Four days after officially confirming that Pearson and Bertelsmann were in discussions about combining their book publishing operations, the companies announced this morning that they are creating a joint venture named Penguin Random House. Bertelsmann will own 53% of the joint venture, and Pearson will own 47%."

Additional Resources:

NPR Report from Last Week

Again, what do you think about the news? For the full article checkout Huffington Post and Shelf Awareness. Let us know your thoughts about the publishing world. Do you expect big changes in the publishing world in the coming year?

Happy Reading!
The Things You Can Read

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TV, Reading, and Children: What are the Effects?

Image Credit: Magic Moonlight

“TV rots the senses in the head!  It kills the imagination dead!  It clogs and clutters up the mind!  It makes a child so dull and blind.  He can no longer understand a fantasy,  A fairyland!  His brain becomes as soft as cheese!  His powers of thinking rust and freeze!”  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,  By Roald Dahl, 1964

If you have wondered about the effects of TV on a child's ability to read here is a wonderful article entitled "Strangers in Our Homes: TV and Our Children’s Minds" by Susan R. Johnson, M.D.  In the article, she sites research, which explains just how TV can alter a child's brain and eye muscles that are essential for reading.  Here is the section of the article that made the most impression on us, here at The Things You Can Read:

"Children watching TV do not dilate their pupils, show little to no movement of their eyes (i.e., stare at the screen), and lack the normal saccadic movements of the eyes (a jumping from one point to the next) that is critical for reading. The lack of eye movement when watching television is a problem because reading requires the eyes to continually move from left to right across the page. The weakening of eye muscles from lack of use can’t help but negatively impact the ability and effort required to read. In addition, our ability to focus and pay attention relies on this visual system."

Dr. Johnson's article made us look into this question even further.  It just so happens that MSNBC reported the results of a study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Children’s Digital Media Centers in which the following is stated:  

“Watching TV is far inferior to playing with toys, being read to or playing with adults or talking with parents,” said Dr. Henry Shapiro, chairman of developmental and behavior pediatrics at the American Academy of Pediatrics. “Watching TV without a parent is a junk experience, especially for young children.”

Now, we have to admit that The Things You Can Read is biased, since we do not have commercial TV in our home, but you do the research and make-up your own minds.  Check out the full article "Strangers in Our Homes: TV and Our Children’s Minds" by Susan R. Johnson, M.D. and the MSNBC post entitled "Kids’ TV use may impact reading: Study finds developmental difficulties in some children"  Do you have TV in your home?  How does it impact your reading life?  How does it impact your child's reading life?  What would life be like if you took a TV break?  Let us, here at The Things You Can Read, know what you think!

Happy Reading!
The Things You Can Read

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Publishing World in Flux: Random House and Penguin to Merge?

Huffington Post shared some rather important information today.  According to the post: 

"British publishing and education company Pearson PLC says it is in talks with German media group Bertelsmann SE over merging the firms' Penguin and Random House publishing operations."

However the announcement did contain the cautionary note that these are just talks and there is always the possibility that these talks will not lead to a transaction.  What do you thingk?  For the full article checkout Huffington Post article.  Let us know your thoughts about the publishing world.  Do you expect big changes in the coming year?

Happy Reading!
The Things You Can Read

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Drum Roll Please...Announcing 300 Followers!

Why is Animal drumming?  He's congratulating The Things You Can Read on reaching a milestone:  300 Followers!

Thank you so much for your readership!  Today, October 24, 2012, five months after The Things You Can Read became an operational blog on the blogosphere scene, The Things You Can Read has reached another milestone, 300 followers!  If you know someone who might enjoy our blog, please let them know we are here, and thank you, The Things You Can Read , appreciates YOU, our readers, and we welcome comments.  Don't forget our sister blog, The Writing Whisperer, take a peek, and consider following!

Happy Reading!
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and

Happy Writing!

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Things To Say About Books You've Never Read

Image Credit: A Postcard a Day

"The vast majority of the world's books, music, films, television and art, you will never see. It's just numbers." Linda Holmes, NPR culture blog Monkey See

Unfortunately, as much as we try, we can't read it all, but oh boy wouldn't we like to!  Take a look at two Huffington Posts articles: 7 Things To Say About Books You've Never Read and 9 Spoilers For Classic Books.  Both address this idea of offering tips on how to bluff your way through conversations about key classic novels you've never read.  A word of caution, the articles contain spoilers, so BEWARE!   What do you think of these articles?  For us here, at The Things You Can Read, we prefer actually reading the classics verses pretending to have read them.  Again, what is your take?  Leave a comment and let us know.

Happy Reading!
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The Distance of the Moon By Italo Calvino

The Distance of the Moon By Italo Calvino 

“Ahh… we went to collect the Moon milk.”

The Distance of the Moon by Italo Calvino

One of the many books we are currently reading is Why Read the Classics? by the Italian writer Italo Calvino (1923-1985), who is famous for his classic essay that addresses the fourteen criteria which answer the question: What Makes a Classic?.  Take a peek at the animated short film by Israeli children’s book author, and illustrator Shulamit Serafy, based on Calvino’s short story The Distance of the Moon.  Calvino's original short story is rich with spectacular language, playful expressions, and capricious fancy.  

What do you think?  Let us know your thoughts on this eye-popping visual representation, here at The Things You Can Read.  Does the video make you want to read the book?  We hope so!

Happy Reading!
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Thought for Saturday, October 20, 2012

“There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance.”
― Socrates

What are your thoughts on this?  Do you agree or disagree with Socrates?  Can all evil be traced back to ignorance?  Let us know your thoughts, here at The Things You Can Read!  Now, Start Reading!

Read to Combat Ignorance!
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The Well Educated Mind

Image Credit:The Graphics Fairy

I am a firm believer in continuing to educate yourself, whether it be through formal classes or by your own self-study program.  To that end, I have been reading several books that hopefully will aid in my own development, and assist me in the classroom.  One book that I am using to achieve this goal is The Well Educated Mind: A Guide to Classical Education You Never Had.  I thought this paragraph from Chapter 1 was interesting:

"'Some books are to be tasted,' wrote the sixteenth-century philosopher Francis Bacon, 'others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.'  Bacon, who had a knack for the quotable...was suggesting that not every book is worthy of serious attention.  But the three levels of understanding he describes--tasting, swallowing, and digesting--reflect his familiarity with classical education.  In the classical school, learning is a three-part process.  First, taste: Gain basic knowledge of your subject,.  Second, swallow: Take the knowledge into your own understanding by evaluating it.  Is it valid?  Is it true?  Why?  Third, digest: Fold the subject into your own understanding.  Let it change the way you think--or reject it as unworthy.  Taste, swallow, digest; find out the facts, evaluate them, form your own opinion."

Is this an unusual way to look at learning?  I'm still in the digesting phase.  What do you think of this idea of Taste, Swallow, and Digest?  Let us know, here at The Things You Can Read.

Happy Tasting, Swallowing, and Digesting!
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Why Write Mysteries?

Image Credit: Graphics Fairy

Happy Month of Tricks and Treats!  Since this is the month of all things scary, we thought we'd focus a bit on the mystery genre.  Over at Huffingtion Post, Lev Raphael, a noted author of the Nick Hoffman series, answers the question: Why Do I Write Mysteries?  In his article he states:

"Reading offered relief and distance, especially the alternate worlds of science fiction and history. Mysteries promised something better once I discovered them: the assurance that things made sense, that evildoers were punished, and order could be restored. It's the balance Oscar Wilde mocks in The Importance of Being Earnest: 'The good end happily, the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means.'" 

Take a peek at Lev Raphael's full post.  Let us know what you think.  Why do you read mysteries?  If you write, why do you write mysteries?

Happy Tricks and Treats!
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Teen Read Week™ October 14-20

Image Credit: Teen Read Week

Tean Read Week starts today, and runs through October 20.  Their theme is, "It Came from the Library!" According to the Teen Read Week site:

" YALSA dares you to read for the fun of it! Teen Read Week is a time to celebrate reading for fun and encourage teens to take advantage of reading in all its forms —books and magazines, e-books, audiobooks and more — and become regular library users."

How are you celebrating Teen Read Week?  Let us know, here at The Things You Can Read.

Have a Happy Teen Read Week!
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The Penguin English Library

Again, classics, classics, classics and when it comes to classic the Penguin Group has it going on.  Their site offers all kinds of extras.  Take a peek at their cutting edge video below, which has been created in celebration of The Penguin English Library.  Here is how Penguin describes the video...

To celebrate the launch of the Penguin English Library, we commissioned this animation from award-winning director Woof Wan-Bau, of a peculiar journey for one particular Penguin.

The Penguin English Library opens its doors from Penguin English Library on Vimeo.

Visit the Penguin English Library where you can find 100 of the best novels in the English language.


In addition, check out the Video Radio Network at Penguin, this is a collection of video and radio shows dating from 2009-2011.  Take a listen to this one about the Bronte sisters.

Let us, here at The Things You Can Read,  know your favorite classics, and don't forget to visit our Classics Challenge page on The Things You Can Read.

Have a Classic Weekend!
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Hobbit Book Club

Image Credit: Goodreads

Image credit: Shelf Awareness

We all know the book is always better than the movie, so join The Hobbit Book Club and read the book before you see the movie.  If you want a Hobbit preview, view the movie trailer below:

The Hobbit Book Club provides all things Tolkien...lesson plans, readers guides, educator guides, Hobbit reference guides...you need it, this site has it.  Come join the fun, and read The Hobbit with The Hobbit Book Club.

Take a peek at The Guardian's slide show of orginal Tolkien images from the book. 

If you are interested in a writing prompt associated with The Hobbit check out our Hobbit writing prompt post on The Writing Whisperer.

Have a Hobbitty Friday!
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Graphic Novels of the Classics

Lewis Carroll's Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, adapted by Dame Darcy

Classics, Classics, Classics...we can't seem to stop thinking about them. We, here at The Things You Can Read, are pleasantly surprised to discover that a graphic novel version of many of the classics is available.  The collection of literary classic comics is entitled The Graphic Canon, Vol. 2: From "Kubla Khan" to the Bronte Sisters to The Picture of Dorian Gray.  

Once we read the description, sampled a few of the illustrations, we immediately added this one to our wish list.  What a great way to introduce the classics in a user friendly way to younger readers.  Take a peek at Brain Pickings post for further details on literary comics.  In the mean time enjoy a few illustrations from The Graphic Canon, Vol. 2: From "Kubla Khan" to the Bronte Sisters to The Picture of Dorian Gray.  

Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass, adapted by Dave Morice

Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre, adapted by Elizabeth Watasin

Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, adapted by Huxley King & Terrence Boyce

Let us know what you think of the idea of graphic literary classics.  Would you use them in the classroom?

Happy Reading!
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Emily Dickinson's "I'm Nobody" set to Song

Image Credit:  Emily Dickinson

Every school year one nine weeks is devoted to poetry.  Therefore we, here at The Things You Can Read, are always on the outlook for new resources to engage students during our poetry unit.  One of the best ways to do this is with song.  So, it is with great delight that we discovered one of  the poems we analyze has been set to song.  Take a peek at the post over at Brain Picking to learn more about this new Israeli artist, Efrat Ben Zur:  Emily Dickinson’s Poetry Set to Song by Israeli Singer-Songwriter Efrat Ben Zur

Watch the music video:

Let us know what you think of the video, or better yet, how you plan to use this in the classroom.

Happy Reading!
Things You Can Read

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