Doorways in the Sand

Monday, July 28, 2008

Doorways in the Sand

Author: Roger Zelazny

First line: Lying, left hand for a pillow, on the shingled slant of the roof, there in the shade of the gable, staring at the cloud-curdles in the afternoon's blue pool, I seemed to see, between blinks, above the campus and myself, an instant piece of sky-writing.

Why you should read this book: In this classically perfect work of speculative fiction, professional dilettante Fred Cassidy finds his idyllic life as perpetual undergrad by day, acrophiliac by night, disrupted by someone else's quest for an ancient alien artifact. Set upon by thugs, rescued by inscrutable extra-terrestrials disguised as marsupials, assaulted by a well-meaning telepathic tree, reversed by alien technology, shot repeatedly, and just generally dragged around the globe in pursuit of a mysterious crystal whose disappearance could threaten the future of mankind, Fred is a reluctant hero on a journey into the bizarre. Just a wonderful piece of science fiction with spaceships, guns, technology, and elements of mystery, drama, comedy, espionage, and action-adventure.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You're stuck in Amber.

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The intention was to create a record of every book that I read. I wish I'd had the idea about twenty-five years ago, but better late than never.

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Years of reading to elementary kids has given me a good sense of what kids respond to. I only review children's books if both my students and I enjoyed them. Otherwise, I favor speculative fiction, classic literature, and non-fiction books about science. However, I have been known to read just about anything.

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Read to Your Dragonet

Studies show that children who regularly hear books read and see adults reading books have an easier time learning to read. If your children do not realize that books are fun and contain interesting ideas, they will be less motivated to learn how to read and write. Children who do not learn to read and write have difficulty succeeding in school and at life.

Even infants can enjoy books. You can check baby board books out of the library. Your baby will enjoy sitting on your lap as you read the words and point to the brightly colored pictures. If your baby wants to chew on the book, that's OK too.

Toddlers and pre-schoolers should understand how to hold a book (right side up) and how to turn the pages (left to right in English). Even if they're not ready to read, you can help your child prepare for school by teaching them how to talk about the stories they've heard. Pre-schoolers should be able to tell you something about character, setting, conflict, and resolution. After reading a story, prompt your child to tell you who the story was about, where it happened, what the problem was, and how it was solved.

If your grade-school child has difficulty learning to read, you can advocate for them. Your public school district is required to provide special help to kids with learning disabilities. If you suspect your child has dyslexia or some other difficulty in recognizing words, you may have to fight for your child's rights. Your child has the right to be tested by the district to determine the level of his or her disability, and your child has the right to a qualified specialist who can understand the best way for your child to learn. Some districts may be reluctant to pay for the extra help your child needs. Don't give up! Make sure your child gets the help he or she deserves. In America, every child has a right to an education.

You can learn more about children's books at the American Library Association website. Your public library is a great place to introduce your children to books. They will have special programs and incentives for kids of all ages to love reading. In most systems children are entitled to their own library cards from the time they are old enough to write their own names. It's a great way to teach responsibility as well as foster a lifelong love of learning and books.

If you can't get to the library, but you have an Internet connection, you can find many full-text books on-line. For adults, Project Gutenberg offers thousands of full-text books you can download for free.

Dragon's Library

Monday, July 28, 2008