As a mom of 6, I know how important it is to find books that kids will voluntarily read.
And as the owner of a tribe of dyslexics, I also know that when you do find a book that they not only read, but also discuss at the dinner table, and share with their friends, you hold on to it with both hands.
Doodlebug – a novel in Doodles by Karen Romano Young is one such book. (In fact, if the truth be told, I had to literally pry the book out of my daughter’s hands in order to write this – you’ll get it back sweetheart – just give me a little time).
Karen and I grew up in the same town and went to High School together. She was the ultra-creative one, always writing, always seeing things from a different point of view – the one we knew was destined for bigger and better things. It came as no surprise to anyone that she became not only a Young-Adult author but a damn good award-winning YA author.
To date, Karen has written over a dozen books for kids, including Cobwebs, Outsider In, and The Beetle and Me: A Love Story (which won YALSA Notable/ Best Books for Young Adults, 1999).
If you’ve ever picked up a kid’s Science book, chances are very good that Karen had something to do with it. She writes about Science Fairs, the Arctic, Maps, Ocean life, and yes, even Angels. Karen is not and never has been one for sitting still.
In Karen’s latest book – a story about a young girl, Dodo who moves from Los Angeles to San Francisco – Karen incorporates doodles right into the story (looking remarkably like all of her High School notebooks did, hmmm). Doodlebug is a non-linear story – the kind that creative kids (and especially those with reading difficulties) get. They really, really get it. It is an action story on a whole different level.
Karen absolutely nails what it’s like to be an out-of-the-box thinking kid who questions why things are the way they are when they could (with a bit of work and imagination) be so much better. Her character Dodo is the kid in all of us who stood up to (or at least wanted to stand up) to teachers to say “nope, not gonna happen in my world.” Doodlebug recognizes and embraces the spirit of kids assuring them that it’s not only okay to be who you are but that to be is a joyous thing, relax, have fun. Continue reading →