Now that this is a sticky on the subject, I thought I should explain more thoroughly what the RenLearn/Accelerated Reader website is really all about, and why children's book authors owe it such a huge debt of gratitude!
Until now, teachers had a dilemma. Sure, some kids just love to read. But what about the others? How do we:
1) Motivate them to read independently?
2) Help them choose books they CAN read independently?
3) Hold them accountable for actually having read the books they say they have?
Until now, the answers were:
1) Nag them a lot.
2) Use textbook series (anybody remember the SRA Reading Kits?) instead of commercial literature.
3) Make them write book reports (now there's a strategy guaranteed to make them love reading for pleasure...)
Accelerated Reader is a web-based comprehension program. Kids take a placement test, are assigned a reading range roughly equivalent to 1-2 grade levels, self-select literature from their range, read the books, and take a short 5-10 questions quiz when they finish. All the teacher has to do is mark her classroom library with the correct levels, give kids time to take quizzes, and offer an incentive program for kids who take advantage of the program. The computer does the rest! Each book is awarded points depending on its length, and kids set personal goals. (My 8th grader has to earn 20 points to pass language arts each quarter; since he's a good reader, his personal goal is 30 points. A real bookworm might set hers at 50 points.) Schools offer different kinds of prizes for meeting quarterly goals; at Scott's jr. high, it's an invitation-only ice cream party.
Here's where it's good for writers: Schools that use AR create a society where reading is something everybody does. Kids read, they talk about reading, they compete to see who can read more, they recommend books to their friends, they trade books, they nag their parents to buy them more books.... Plus an author who has her books listed on the AR web site gets free publicity, including full-color pictures of the front cover, a blurb, mentions of any awards and reviews....
Everybody say, Thank you, RenLearn!
(p.s. I think they add books when they come out in paperback, generally. At any rate, one of AR's newest books is....
ALEX AND THE IRONIC GENTLEMAN! Congrats, Toothpaste!
It is considered a 5.8 reading level, a Middle Grade interest level, has 78112 words and is worth 12 points.)