“I want to buy a book as a gift for my
four-year-old grandson, but the only thing he’s interested in is ostriches –
help!
“My student has read every word JK
Rowling ever wrote and she’s now inconsolable – what next?”
“My dyslexic teenager wants to
read more, but is too cool to be seen with books intended for seven-year-olds –
where can I find a book with big themes but small words?”
These
are the kind of ailments that from this month will be receiving expert
treatment from the inaugural New Zealand Book Council “Reading Doctor”.
Award-winning
Kiwi author and children’s reading advocate Kate De Goldi is first occupant of
the post, and will be prescribing little-known gems, old favourites and new
arrivals hot off the press.
It’s
all part of a Book Council mission to help anyone – including parents,
caregivers, teachers and librarians – who wants to nurture the young readers in
their life.
A
child’s reading life is always changing and sometimes it’s hard to keep up.
“With
so much to choose from in the wonderful treasure chest of children’s books it
can be tricky finding the perfect read,” says Book Council Chief Executive
Catriona Ferguson.
‘We
hope that the Book Council Reading Doctor will help anyone with a burning
book-related question find just what they are after. So, whether your question
is about life after vampires, or the best-ever classics, or pop-up books about
trucks, diggers and trains, we want to help you get it right.’
Kate
De Goldi, author of the much-loved The 10pm Question and The ACB with
Honora Lee, will be the first to helm Reading Doctor. Kate invites your
questions, which you can submit to the Book Council Reading Doctor by email: readingdoctor@bookcouncil.org.nz.
You
can also submit your questions by posting comments on the Book Council Facebook
page www.facebook.com/NewZealandBookCouncil
and on the Book Council’s reading hub, Booknotes Unbound booknotes-unbound.org.nz/
Submit
your questions and Kate will select about 20 to answer. Her responses will be
published on the Book Council reading hub Booknotes Unbound from January
2014.
The
aim of the Book Council Reading Doctor is to support and encourage young
people’s reading by giving tailored advice to parents, caregivers, teachers,
librarians and bewildered present-buyers.
For
more information about the Book Council Reading Doctor contact Chief Executive,
Catriona Ferguson:
director@bookcouncil.org.nz;
+64 4 801 5546
Important
dates:
Email
Reading Doctor questions to readingdoctor@bookcouncil.org.nz.
Kate’s
Reading Doctor responses will be published in January 2014 on Booknotes
Unbound: http://booknotes-unbound.org.nz/
Important
links:
Book
Council Facebook page www.facebook.com/NewZealandBookCouncil
Book
Council reading hub, Booknotes Unbound booknotes-unbound.org.nz/
Book
Council website www.bookcouncil.org.nz/
About
the New Zealand Book Council
The New Zealand Book Council
is a non-profit organization that works to inspire the lifelong
engagement of New Zealanders in reading, writing and ideas, and to promote and
nurture New Zealand writers and writing. The Book Council encourages
our intellectual life and promotes the power of reading. The Book Council’s
diverse programmes inspire a love of reading, writing and books in school
children and adults in communities nationwide.
About
Kate
Kate De Goldi is an award-winning short
story writer, an author of young adult fiction, a children’s book author and a
writer of journalism pieces. De Goldi also presents book reviews regularly on
radio and television. She won the American Express and Katherine Mansfield
Memorial awards for short stories, as well as the New Zealand Post Book of the
Year Award in 2005 and 2009. She was named an Arts Foundation of New Zealand
Laureate for 2001. The 10pm Question (2008)
was shortlisted for and won the Young Adult section of the 2009 New Zealand
Post Book Awards. Find out more about Kate De Goldi in her Book Council Writers
file: http://www.bookcouncil.org.nz/writers/degoldikate.html
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