The standard advice for new writers — “Write what you know” — is good advice for all writers. When you write about what you know first hand, you have your own experiences to draw on. You can fill in all those details from your own life to make your characters, their emotions, and the situations they find themselves in believable. It’s not surprising that most of the stories we publish in Stone Soup by girl authors have girls as the main characters. And most of our boy authors write about boys. But every once in a while, we find a great story where the author has managed to create believable characters of the opposite sex. In our November/December 2015 issue, we have not one but two such stories! In “Face Your Fears,” 12-year-old author Jem Burch, a boy from California, writes about two sisters who were abandoned by their parents when they were very young. Flash forward eight years, and the sisters are living what should be a happy life with their loving adoptive mom, Amber. But older sister Katherine can’t get past the trauma of losing her parents. It’s younger sister Lily who finally helps Katherine face her fears and snap out of her depression. “Thank You, Mr. Huffington,” by 10-year-old Nadia Suben of New York, shows us a young boy who is also dealing with loss. Josh misses his dad terribly. He reluctantly joins the school band. He likes the band teacher, Mr. Huffington, but he doesn’t practice his trumpet. Then there’s a pivotal scene where Mr. Huffington confronts Josh, and Josh confides, “My dad… he was a jazz musician.” Josh starts to cry, and Mr. Huffington, great guy that he is, knows just what to do. He puts his arm around Josh to comfort him. He helps Josh see that music can help him cope with a tough situation. Josh will never forget Mr. Huffington’s advice, or his kindness. Both of our young authors show a deep understanding of their characters. Both make us believe that these are real people. We are moved by them. We feel what they feel. How do Jem and Nadia do it? How do they put themselves in the minds of a character of the opposite sex? Perhaps Jem has a sister he knows really well. Perhaps Nadia has a brother. I bet both authors read a lot and get ideas for their own work by paying close attention to what they read. While it may not be the obvious choice for a boy to write about girls, or vice-versa, why not give it a try? Start by thinking about the stories Jem and Nadia wrote. Then think about your favorite kids’ books by adults. Harry Potter comes to mind, of course. Give yourself a challenge and try writing a story from a point of view that is very different from your own, but still believable.
Teaching Children
Gifted Soup: Thinking Outside of the Soup Pot
Gifted Soup: Thinking Outside the Soup Pot I have always loved the story of stone soup creation. With two identified gifted kids, it has taken on new meanings for me as a parent. While everyone brings something to add to the soup pot, I have to picture my 13-year-old son bringing in extra stones to add to the thermal density of the soup pot while criticizing the lack of a guiding recipe and the overall ingredient mix. My 10-year-old daughter would just refuse to participate at all and instead choose to bring desserts, spoons, bowls and napkins. As I sat down to write this first blog entry, I thought about how both of my kids in their quirky giftedness would not just bring an ingredient and move on. And yet, they still are part of the intrinsic value of the story. Because of my oldest child, the soup would be the exact right temperature and perhaps not too heavy on okra. My daughter would satisfy the sweet tooth of the hypothetical village while keeping their fingers clean. They would both pack up bowls of soup for their gifted peers that decided to stay home reading instead of attending the soup ceremony. Sometimes gifted kids just jump straight into the soup pot and stand waiting for their next move or a reaction. Sometimes, they don’t get to eat from the same soup as everyone else because they are way too early to the line and there is only a rock in the pot. My son isn’t allowed to make “real” soup anymore because he has nearly set the microwave on fire many times but can do advanced calculus without faltering. If your microwave is coated in a scorched soup experiment or you have a gifted child in your classroom with a pile of rocks and no place to put them, I am your Julia Child for gifted kids. Not every week will be about the Joy of Gifted Kids. Some weeks may be the stark reality of difficulties in differentiation or asynchrony or assessments. My children do provide me with a parental perspective on the world of gifted kids but I also come at this as an educator. After I get the microwave cleaned up and Kahn Academy queued up, I will bring parents and educators practical ideas and ways to guide and learn about gifted kids. All the while still knowing when to just stir the soup pot and tell them to sit down and eat.
6 Steps to Raising a Bookworm
My daughter loves to read. She does it all on her own, with no coaxing at all from me. Well … OK, that’s not exactly true. The thing is, she just doesn’t REALIZE she’s been coaxed into reading her entire life. I believe a love for reading starts early; very early and in the home. I homeschool my daughter now, but we did spend the first couple of years in the public school system and I distinctly remember volunteering to help second-graders who were having trouble reading. I would volunteer every Tuesday and Thursday for about 40 minutes and in that time I would see three students. They would woefully carry their basket of books into the library to meet with me, sit down at a table, conducive to discomfort, and proceed to read to me for 15-20 minutes. They never did get comfortable with it and it felt almost impossible as I was never guaranteed to see the same child twice. For me, it was painful to sit through and I knew in my heart that this was not the way a child should learn to read. Ultimately, and unfortunately to no avail, I recommended to the school that we try a different approach; comfy couches perhaps? Maybe the volunteers reading to the child as a way for them to experience the joy that comes with being read to … being up close and personal and allowing them those simple, engaging moments not every child gets at home. Sometimes overwhelmed and understaffed, schools are often slow to catch up with new and enlightening trends, but here are some things you can do at home to help ensure your child develops a love for reading. Start Early. Infancy is not too young; in fact, I know many mothers who start reading to their babies while still in the womb. My sister did just that and strongly feels it made an impact on her son. Honestly, the younger your child is, the more likely he or she will stay engaged as they grow older. The underlying reason being, that your child will associate reading with love. They will relate those memories of reading with the connection and bond you both developed and nurtured over the years. Reading and love will go hand-in-hand and being read to will consistently be a source of contentment and peace; a way to soothe them when they need it. Side bonus, it’s good to know every Dr. Seuss book by heart; goes over great at parties! Create Reading Nooks Everywhere. I scatter books throughout the house. In every room, you will find an inviting book just crying out to be picked up. The kitchen hutch, right by the breakfast table, every nightstand in every bedroom, an old-fashioned magazine rack bolted to the wall, bookshelves in the family room, and a basket on the hearth that we switch out with specifically selected books that help bring in new seasons or holidays. Go to the Library. Seems like an obvious one, but I’m surprised at how little my town library seems to be used these days. When I was a kid, we lived in an area that was fairly remote and we had a book mobile that used to come to our small, isolated neighborhood. I cannot put into words the joy those visits brought me! Libraries offer so many resources; you’ll find story times for all age groups, craft activities, book clubs, groups for teens and so much more. I’m even starting to see libraries offer more than books. I’ve read about libraries growing with the times and lending out tools and other household items as well. Even 3D printers are starting to become available! Read All the Time, every day. Reading at our house is as important as brushing our teeth. No TV at bedtime and, in fact, there are no TVs in any of the bedrooms in our house. Reading time happens every night and we continually change it up so it doesn’t get stale. Sometimes I still read to my daughter, sometimes we read together, and sometimes she reads to herself, but it is always how she ends her day … which also leads to her starting off her day reading because she remembers that she was into something before she fell asleep. In addition, I read to her at least once at some point every single day. I think a lot of parents think their kids no longer need to be read to once they start reading on their own, but they still value the moments and memories that come from being read to. Get Caught Reading, in case it wasn’t implied in the last tip. Be seen reading yourself. Read for pleasure; be the example. Like so many things in life, nothing could ever work quite as well as being their example. Start a Book Club. We started a book club for my daughter and her friends when they were five, we’re still going strong after three years. At first I picked the books, simple story books about strength, empowerment, giving back, family, finances, etc. Everyone came prepared with at least one question for the group. After our discussion we had a craft and snacks. Today they take turns picking the books, have pretty great discussions, and have been inspired to do many things beyond the book club like volunteering. We even sponsored a child last year at Christmas. So put down that phone for ten minutes, pick up a favorite book and read to your child. As the ever wise Dr. Seuss once said, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
