I’ve spent much of this year writing stories for reluctant
readers, which are published through Badger Learning. I’ll post more about
them soon, but in the meantime here’s an excerpt from a Q and A I did with them
a while ago, which explains why I wanted to get involved with this important sector.
What inspired you to write for
reluctant readers?
I believe anyone can become a reader if
they’re given the right book and that becoming one will help them with many aspects
of life. I’ve written series fiction for younger children as well as teen novels,
so I was very keen to write stories with a high interest age and low reading
age.
What challenges do struggling readers
face when they open a book?
They’re often aware of tracking words
on the page in a way that regular readers aren’t. We need to make them forget
their physical experience of holding a book and draw them into the fictional
experience of the characters. One way to do this is present situations and
characters they can identify with and give them a fantastical twist.
What features and methods do you use to
ensure that your books have that high interest appeal that really engages young
readers?
In
terms of content, I try to bring horror, fantasy or action into everyday life.
In terms of structure, I try to write short chapters and keep them as single
scenes. I try to enter the scene as the conflict is escalating, just as a
screenwriter would, and go out on a cliff-hanger.
What difference do books like these make to children who are
in need of literacy support?
I hope
high-low books can stop reading feel like a stressful classroom chore and bring
it into the realm of entertainment, along with fast-paced films, TV shows and
games.
