How to Get and Keep Boys Reading

The National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance, in partnership with An Unlikely Story Bookstore & Cafe and WETA Public Television/Reading Rockets, presented How to Get and Keep Boys Reading, a panel discussion created especially for teachers, librarians, and parents, as well as young readers, in October 2017. This special event featured acclaimed authors for young people JACK GANTOS, JEFF KINNEY, JARRETT J. KROSOCZKA, JON SCIESZKA, and the Library of Congress National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature GENE LUEN YANG, at An Unlikely Story Bookstore & Cafe in Plainville, Massachusetts. Librarian and Children’s Literature expert Maria Salvadore moderated the discussion.

Our objective was to highlight the work of this talented panel of authors and illustrators, whose work is of special interest to boys, and to focus on ways in which adults who live and work with young people can get and keep boys reading.

Featured Books

The participating authors and illustrators spoke about many books during the evening, including the following:

• Writing Radar: Using Your Journal to Snoop Out and Craft Great Stories by Jack Gantos (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2017).

• Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul by Jeff Kinney (Amulet Books, 2014).

• Jedi Academy: A New Class by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Scholastic, 2016).

• Knucklehead by Jon Scieszka (Viking Juvenile, 2008).
• Secret Coder Series (Books 1 through 4) by Gene Luen Yang and Mike Holmes (First Second Books, 2015-2017).

Event Video and Education Materials

To watch the event video, to read more information about the participating authors and illustrators, and to review and download copies of the supplemental education resource guides and discover other valuable articles and videos, visit our Girls Read | Guys Read page. The event video is separated into thematic segments. The education resource guides feature engaging activities and discussion questions for use in your classroom, library, or home for each participating children’s book creator.

Special Thanks

The National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance expresses sincere gratitude to its partners An Unlikely Story Bookstore & Cafe and WETA Public Television/Reading Rockets for collaborating with us on this inspirational event.

You can find more information about An Unlikely Story Bookstore & Cafe on their website AnUnlikelyStory.com.

Learn more about WETA Public Television/Reading Rockets, and discover a treasure trove of educational materials, at ReadingRockets.org.