Thank you for subscribing to The Irby Review and sharing your thoughts with me each month. Here are some articles I discovered that would be of interest to you and your family.
Why You Should Encourage Your Child's Love Of Graphic Novels
One of the most special days of the year at Reading Holiday Project is the day we distribute books in New York City during the summer book giveaway and see smiles on the faces of hundreds of aspiring young readers. The campers typically ask "Can I keep them?" "Can I pick one for my little sister?" This year, we had kids ask if we could get more graphic novels for the next giveaway. While parents and teachers are worried the students are not reading longer books and classics, multiple research sources say kids who read graphic novels are more likely to develop a love of reading, and graphic novels actually motivate reluctant readers! Parents and educators: Do not be deceived by the cartoon covers. Kids must decipher the story through images, immerse themselves in complexities and usually reread this book genre. Experts now agree that it's not what they read, but how they read and how often. The NY Times reinstated its monthly graphic novel bestseller list so have fun with it! Give your young one's popular options to choose from and focus on raising a child who identifies as a reader. Read More
Family Shares Story of Love for, and Value of, Local Library
The author of the column is the Director of the Granville Public Library in Ohio. We like Anita Carrol's unique approach to highlighting the virtues of the library before the community was asked to vote on a levy that was appearing on the voting ballot. Anita gracefully navigates how much money is saved by visiting a library, praises the insightful and helpful staff, and the array of services available to the local community. Ask yourself when the last time you visited or took your children or grandchildren to the public library. Read More
Does Reading Improve Childhood Health? Nonprofit Proves It Can
Pediatricians and clinicians affiliated with "Reach Out and Read" provide parents with the knowledge and tools to make reading part of their daily routine. The nonprofit began 30 years ago as a social justice program at Boston City Hospital. Doctors on staff saw the positive cognitive development in the children whose parents began reading to them as babies. Now the organization says it has the numbers to prove that parents who participate in reading out loud, also bring their children to more regular checkups. The organization is contemplating the next steps: its founder Dr. Robert Needlman is rightfully concerned literacy rates in Massachusetts have not improved much in the last three decades, and neither has our nation's numbers. Read More
The Unexpected Joy of Repeat Experiences
Barbershop Books' curated list of boy-approved books consists of 15 titles, enough books for a boy or girl to read one book per monthly visit to the barbershop, with three books to spare. Some adults worry that children will get bored if they reread the books but we encourage barbers and parents to consider the gym playlist they play every time they work out or the movies they re-watch on Netflix. This article highlights some of the ways repetition fits into our lives; previous research painted a less valuable picture of redundancy and social media highlights novelty. Ed O'Brien, a behavioral science specialist conducted a series of studies that exposed participants to the stimulus once and then asked them to imagine the experience again. The other participants actually were exposed to the stimulus a second time. The research team found that the second time around, the experiences were more enjoyable than the participants predicted. Typically, minds wander, so the encore performances provided elements that were previously missed, and there is a process in the brain that looks for new insights in repeated experiences. Read More
Gerald Moore Sr:: Committed To Preparing Black Boys For Careers In STEM
Who is Gerald Moore Sr.? A cybersecurity engineer, author, entrepreneur, dad, founder of Gerald Moore Online Technology School for Black boys and recently selected by BE Modern Man as one of the 100 Black Enterprise Modern Men of Distinction. While there have been organized efforts and successful growth of Black women in IT and engineering, the same cannot be said about Black men. Mr. Moore is determined to prepare Black boys for professions in STEM (Science,Technology, Engineering, Math). Mr. Moore's startup includes registration into the Black Boys Read Club. What motivated his successes and commitment to inspire others? Personal struggles as a teenager, and perhaps the athletic recruiter who laughed when Mr. Moore said he wanted to major in electronics engineering at Norfolk State University. A few more tips from Mr. Moore on how to succeed: Take control of your life, take responsibility, and be open to the support from loves ones. Read More
Please let me know what you think by replying to this email. I'd love to hear your thoughts about any of these articles. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
