About the Reading Rebellion
If you’re here reading this, it’s because, like me, you want to see the children in your life fall in love with books. As parents, we know that a love of reading is a source of joy, a passport to a world of adventure, and a place of connection with our kids. As teachers we know that reading for pleasure unlocks learning potential. We all want to put this key into the hands of children and see them thrive in their reading lives.
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Somehow, though, our desires and the statistics aren’t matching up; we all know that the numbers show that kids are reading less, not more. Despite our best efforts at home and in the classroom, children are not, on the whole, choosing books. Limited funding and time to research when buying new stock means that choice in the majority of school libraries and even bookshops is sadly limited, mediocre, or sometimes just inappropriate. Frustratingly, even when there is money to spend, as parents and teachers, we are fed a poor picture of what is available through a narrow spectrum of website algorithms and bookseller catalogues which only show us what everyone else is reading, or what publishers are pushing. Perhaps children are falling out of love with books because we are not putting into their hands stories that satisfy their appetite for adventures worth having, for heroes worth following, and for wonder at the world.
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There are so many incredible reads for kids out there – classics that have stood the test of time, as well as brilliant, hopeful and inspiring stories being published now, here and abroad. We just need to seek them out, and often read them, to know if they are the gems we are looking for – but the reality is, this takes time!
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This is where The Reading Rebellion comes in. From a childhood loving books, through studying literature at Cambridge, to homeschooling my own children who are now book-loving teenagers and working with local libraries and as a freelance children’s book reviewer, I’ve sifted through the good and the bad, storing up the treasures I’ve found. After years of doing that seeking out, I’m sharing with you what I’ve found; children’s books that are worth reading. Books that are well written. Books that celebrate kindness, selflessness, truth, and hope, and encourage wonder. Books that see enemies reconciled and broken people made whole. Books that see courage and bravery win out against oppression. I believe all these themes make for amazing stories; books that rebel against the norm and help children fall in love with reading!
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I hope so much that you find reading treasure on this site; that you, too decide to join The Reading Rebellion….
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Happy reading, to you, and the children in your life!
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Fliss