The story begins amid a storm at sea, wind lashing the sails, waves crashing
the deck. The Kidd family is
in trouble. Secure the wheel!
Batten down the hatches! Man
the pumps!
James Patterson is at
it again with another page
turner. And not one for adults,
for which he is best known.
But for kids, his real passion
these days.
In case you doubt that, ask
him why it is important for
kids to read books.
“Why?” he asks,
incredulously.
“If kids don’t read,” he
says, “if they’re not competent
readers, they’re going to have
a hellish time getting through
high school because they’re not
going to be able to read science.
They’re not really going to be
able to read history. They’re
going to think that it’s hopeless, and they’re going to be
Giving Kids
Something
Good to Read
James Patterson launches a new
series for his favorite audience
BOOKS
FIRSTCLASS
For his part, Patterson, who
is 66, takes to the stump tirelessly to preach on the topic,
runs a website (readkiddoread.
com) stocked with all kinds of
reading resources for kids and
parents, and has been writing
books for young readers for
nearly 10 years under a half-dozen or so series titles.
The newest one, Treasure
Hunters, launches Sept. 16 and
follows the four children of
the Kidd family on a high-seas
adventure aboard the family
boat. When both parents are
suddenly out of the picture,
the “Kidds” decide to take
over the family business: treasure hunting underwater and
above.
Like his other series,
which include Maximum Ride,
Daniel X and Witch & Wizard,
Treasure Hunters is aimed at
young readers, mostly the
middle school years, about
ages 8 to 12.
“Middle school is abso-
lutely the time when you’ve
got to get them,” he says. “At
that point, they’ll still listen
to you.”
But kids have to love what
they read so they read a lot, a
key ingredient in the recipe for
high reading comprehension.
“It’s really not important
whether they’ve read David
Copperfield or not at this stage.
What’s important is that their
comprehension is good.”
His books for young
readers seem to be hitting
the mark, having sold nearly
3 million copies last year
alone. And plenty of other
writers are in the same vein,
which he welcomes.
“The good news is that
there are books out there that
kids will love.”
But he emphatically
stresses a message to parents.
“It’s their job to find books
for their kids,” he says. “It’s
not the school’s job. It’s their
job.” —Greg G. Weber
Treasure Hunters
publishes Sept. 16.
James
Patterson
A NEW
READING
TREASURE
TO HUNT
Treasure Hunters
launches James Patterson’s new adventure series for kids,
and the next installment is already written. The illustrated
novel is part of the
author’s continuing
e;ort to inspire a
new generation of
readers with stories
that entertain.
