From Pushups to Angel’s Wings

Ever feel at a loss when you are wondering how to inspire kids to develop a love of reading? Then this book is for you! Anyone interested in kids and their success will find this a great read! The authors have compiled tales of achievement, based on real-life teaching and administrative experiences with boys who were reluctant readers. Each chapter contains an inspiring story meant to bolster your resolve and strengthen your skill set in working with male readers. This book is guaranteed to make you laugh and make you cry! Each chapter also includes hints and suggestions for encouraging the developing reader.Chapters focus on real-life scenarios that range from how to work with children who are growing up in poverty to the serendipities that meet anyone working with kids and even some thoughts on the current testing environment in education. The final chapters include a culmination of suggested best practices and how-to’s!

If I could convince all Elementary School Principals to read this gem of a book, Great Things Would Happen!My good friend Dr. Timothy Blair, would say, learning to read is a three legged stool; it takes explicit direct instruction, right fit books, and plenty of practice. When these three reading pillars are dished up by loving, caring, teachers and parents “Great Things Happen”! I am going to share this book with teachers and parents., National and international studies consistently reinforce the issue that on average, reading is an area in which male students wane in comparison to their female counterparts. I am glad to see the laser focus that they are bringing to the issue with integrity, fidelity, and even a little levity. The issue exposes a deficit that needs to be addressed, and Jefferson and Shaffer bring ‘real world’ experience in an effort to help mitigate those statistical deficits., This insightful book on reading strategies is clearly the result of Dr. Jefferson being proactive, sensitive, and aware of the many challenges that face students. This book is an excellent tool for the new and developing professionals to successfully gain insight into engaging students in the reading process.

Michael Shaffer spent just over 25 years as an elementary school principal who developed a boys’ book club with over 100 boys who would skip recess to hang out with him to talk about books, and a Boys Read section of the library to facilitate the ease of book choice and access for boys. He has traveled all over the country speaking about getting boys to read. Ruth Jefferson has had an extensive career as a reading teacher and professor who specialized in the tough cases - those boys who were considered the most difficult to reach and teach to read. Her reading intervention work has literally made it possible for hundreds of boys and girls to master the art of reading, and for teachers-in-training and in-service professionals to gain skills in the art of literacy development.