A Love Letter to Orca Soundings (Teen Fiction for Reluctant Readers)
Dear Orca Soundings,
I’ve loved you for awhile now but can no longer resist publicly professing my love by blog.
Y’see, I didn’t always feel this way. When I first found out I’d be opening a new high school library, I wanted books that screamed ‘quality,’ ‘award-winning,’ ‘best-selling,’ ‘classic,’ or ‘modern classic.’ Y’know, like the books you see proudly displayed front and center as you enter Barnes & Noble or the book section of Target - not the thin, little dime-a-dozens you see down on the bottom shelves or stuck back in a dark corner. The first time you caught my eye was when I flipped through BookBop magazine, and your blurry covers and sinister titles like Bang, Grind and Rat sneered attitude at me. Exactly what kind of student were you trying to hook up with? And then there was the whole high interest/low level thing. I saw that ‘low’ and sucked my teeth. I saw grade level 2.0-4.5 and shuddered. Shouldn’t I be challenging all my students with books targeted above a *cough* elementary level? Because ALL students can and love to read to read, right? Right?!?!!
Fist pound, O-Sound, because YOU know better. You know that not every 15-year-old can read above a third grade level, and even a lot of those who can, think reading an actual book is equal to pulling out all of your teeth…with pliers…while strapped to a bed of nails…that are hot from a fire burning down below...in the bowels of book hell. So you’re smart and cunning. You find topics any and all kids can relate to – bullying, abusive relationships, beating the odds, surviving heartbreak, death and loss – and keep the action popping and the dialogue flowing and authentic. Before the reader even knows what hit him, he’s turning the last page – usually page 100 or 101, because you also get that whole ‘choose a book at least 100 pages long for your book report’ teacher rule – and guess what? After he’s done with that first one, he decides to read another…and then another…and then, it’s a full-on love affair with O-Sound. The librarian takes note of this, so she encourages the student to keep reading and, with time, even guides him toward more challenging reads on similar topics, which really makes that librarian love you so hard.
So, thank you, O-Sound. Thank you for understanding and providing a market for those kids who HATE or STRUGGLE to read. You are the John Green/Sarah Dessen of some of my kids’ worlds.
XOXO,
Jen
P.S. I just peaked at new titles you’ve got coming out this fall and can’t wait to see them held in my students' arms…
If you’re not familiar with Orca Soundings and work with kids who struggle to read, seriously consider trying some titles. They’ve truly been a godsend to the reluctant readers at my school, and one of the most rewarding parts of my job is having a conversation with a student that begins, “This is the first book I’ve ever really read…” *heart swells* You can preview all of Orca Books available titles and divisions (such as Orca Sports and Orca Spanish) at http://www.orcabook.com/ .
I genuinely teared up. ORCA are publishing me next year (not a Soundings but I'd love to write one)so I love them too. Their hi/lo and similar ranges from LORIMER (who published me THIS year, with a hi/lo Sport Story) are so valuable to reluctant or struggling readers.
ReplyDeletePreach. Good to know you're lending your writing skills to a market that needs you - best of luck in your publishing endeavors. I'll be on the lookout for your name. ;-)
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWow - what a lovely, lovely love letter! As one of the Soundings authors (Fallout) I cannot tell you what it means to hear stories like this about kids who find their way to reading through this series. I was a fan of the Soundings books long before I wrote one. Working in the kids' section of an independent bookstore, I met those eye-rolling, too-cool-for-school kids who needed a book for Sustained Silent Reading. Their parents would come in, desperate to find something the teen would actually read, and so often it was a Soundings novel that did the trick. What was most gratifying was when those same 'a book? Not!' kids would come back and ask, shyly, 'Where are those, like - thin books about real things - '
ReplyDeleteMany thanks are due to you, most wonderful of librarians, for putting the right kinds of books into the hands of kids who might never otherwise find them. My love letter is for you and your kin who work so hard to find ways to get kids (especially those who struggle) to read.
Nikki Tate
Aw, thank you and your mini-love letter to librarians! Even though I've been a lifelong lover of books, I have a special heart for kids who aren't and am so thankful to show them not all books are painful to read! We have Fallout in our library, and rest assured, it's well circulated. ;-)
DeleteI got in on Soundings during the second season and am proud to have three titles on the list (Hemingway Tradition, Trouble with Liberty, & Zee's Way). As a former teacher myself, I knew this was a winning concept. The thing that impresses me most about the Soundings books is that kids who love to read like the books too. They just wish they were longer.
ReplyDeleteYou are right - even my kids who devour books on a regular basis will snatch an O-Sound book to read for SSR if they forgot a book at home. They can count on it holding their interest! We have Liberty and Zee in my library, but I'll have to look for Hemingway.
DeleteThanks for your letter! And thank you for putting such valuable and readable books into the hands of your most reluctant readers! I've written several (Pain & Wastings, Crush, Charmed, Jacked) and I always look forward to the letters I get from teenaged readers who are reading because of the Soundings series.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's true ... book-loving teens love them too! I always suggest that they make a great bathtub read or bus ride read for fast readers.
Thanks again ...
Carrie Mac
www.carriemac.com
See my answer above about kids who read a lot reading O-Sounds as well - the themes are universal to kids regardless of their love/hate relationship with reading. You should know too that Charmed might be the most popular title among my girls. I don't even have to recommend it - it circulates by word of mouth! Thank you for being one of the authors who reaches out to these kids.
DeleteAlthough I am published in the Currents Series (the same types of books but for a slightly younger reader) I too, agree that the best words are, 'Do you have some more like this?' I am thrilled when librarians, like yourself, get these books into the hands of those readers who might otherwise not ever pick up or finish a book. I love the promo you do and the work 'behind the scenes', so thank you, thank you, thank you!
ReplyDeleteCristy Watson
Thank you for your kind words! We librarians and you writers definitely depend on each other to make reading a joy rather than torture for kids. Keep writing for those kids who 'hate' to read - librarians like myself depend on your guys to surprise them with books they actually like and *gasp* finish!
DeleteThank you so much for this letter! It totally made my day.
ReplyDeleteI've written a few Soundings novels (Big Guy, In the Woods,and Outback)and have another one coming out in the spring. I am a big fan of the series (especially Charmed--definitely one of my favorites too-- hi there, Carrie Mac!).
I was a bookworm kind of kid myself, and I love the e-mails I get from the avid readers-- but there is nothing better than a note from a kid saying "I usually hate reading but I really liked your book. Is there a sequel?"
Thanks so much for helping get these books into the hands of readers! And thanks again for this awesome love letter.
-Robin Stevenson