TASK
Look for
about 15 websites which promote literature and reading, with an emphasis on
Australian websites. A short annotation
should give a succinct description of what is offered by the website and
whether I consider it good, bad or indifferent.
OUTCOME
There are
lots of websites dealing with reading and books for children and young adults,
but not so many offered for adults. Here are the 15 websites that I found which
promote literature, reading and/or literacy.
Probably
the most literary of the websites I found, this one is aimed squarely at adults
with current and archive articles from the magazine available online. As well
as reviews of new books, there are articles about poetry, plays and music. The
website also has details of literary prizes and programs run by the magazine.
“Get Reading!”
is a government initiative to encourage Australians to read more, primarily
around a national campaign in September when the guide “50 Books You Can’t Put
Down” is produced. While the website looks like it offers a lot, there is not
much happening from year to year, so I found it a bit disappointing.
This
website has some adult content where you can look at the latest reviews or
search by author, location or award, and even how to find or set up a book club
in your area. The website also contains some interesting things for kids
including a cool thing where they can click on their age and get a list of books. This is a good website for keeping up to date with new books.
Primarily a charitable organisation set up to
supply books and promote literacy to remote indigenous communities, this
website is mainly about events and programs to raise money. The programs aim to
encourage links between the
book trade, schools and libraries to ensure the supply of books to remote
communities, as well as urban communities.
This site
is all about books for young people by young people. Young people can read
about books, send in their own reviews, join a book club and enter
competitions. There is a different writer in residence each month and this site
is responsible for the Inky Awards which are chosen by teens and voted for
online. This looks like an interesting website for young people to get involved
in.
Kids' Book Review is a book-loving site with a focus on
children's books from babies to young adult. It has lots of reviews, author interviews and plenty
of lists & resources to be downloaded. Unlike some websites, the kids don’t
really get to take part, so in that sense this website is directed at parents
& teachers. It has a busy though modern look and is well worth a visit.
This website promotes reading together as a way to help kids
to develop a love of books and to learn important skills like naming letters
and playing with word sounds. Under the Families tab there are printable lists
of suitable books by age group with hints on how to read them with your kids.
This website has lots of downloadable resources for families, community groups
and professionals.
This
website was set up in 2012 to promote the National Year of Reading and now
promotes and runs the Reading Hour in August each year – this year on August 24.
The Reading Resources tab has lots of links to further resources about books
and reading, as well as links for learning to read. The Events tab has a list
of events being held at libraries and other places for the Reading Hour. I
found this web site to be a bit limited in scope.
The Melbourne
Writers Festival which runs for 11 days – 22 August to 1 September – is a
celebration of writers, readers and thinkers. It encompasses events like talks
from authors, artists & journalists, walks around Melbourne, word games in
Fed Square, political & cultural discussions, performances, a special
program for schools and even a conference. All designed to get people talking
about and hopefully buying books and magazines or checking on-line about
subjects which have piqued our interest.
Curated out
the US, this website embraces multicultural stories for children & young
adults, with a particular emphasis on the Pacific Rim and South Asia. There are
interviews with authors and illustrators, as well as links to reviews, a blog
and lots of links to resources by country (including Australia). I don’t think
there has been anything added this year, but what is there is not out of date
yet, so the website is at least worth a visit.
Even though
this is another US based site, I think it is useful just for the wealth
of resources it has for parents, teachers, librarians and others. There are lots of
tips and tricks to get kids reading with lessons, guides and podcasts. This looks like a very helpful site especially to parents and teachers helping kids who struggle with reading.
A privately
run website with a listing of books and films for young people from 5 to 18 years
old, which can be called up by theme. Current reviews are available on the Home
page as well as under the Review Blog tab and there are lots of links to news
about awards. Unfortunately, the reviews are not searchable and you need to pay
for a subscription to get access to the teacher resources and generate lists by
subject heading. A serious educator
could find this website useful.
This is
actually a blog disguised as a website originating from the now defunct
magazine “Alphabet Soup”. It is directed
a kids under 13 who love books and creative writing. The blogs is searchable,
there is a tab listing various writing competitions for kids, and long lists of
author websites, resources for parents & teachers, other blogs and useful
websites. The blog is up-to-date but some of the links are old. Kids who enjoy
writing or illustrating stories would probably love this website.
The Ten Minutes a Day program provides practical ideas on using
stories, rhymes, songs and music to help children under two years develop early
literacy skills. An initiative of the Newcastle Region Library, it explains how to build your child’s
reading skills and offers a list of suitable books for various age groups. I
like this web site – it offers practical advice in simple point form and for
time-poor mums is easy to navigate and read.
Book reviews
and links to activities to help parents & teachers from a writer and
kindergarten teacher. There are lots of links, advice, games, activities but web
site navigation a bit iffy – a new window opens whenever you click on a tab or
menu item. This could be a good resource for parents or early years teachers
and the reviews also offer up three other books you might also like. Worth a
visit if you can stand the navigation problems.
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