The Muffin Project
Studies show that reading habits are pretty much formed by the time a child finishes third grade. It's not a coincidence then that the presence (or absence) of strong reading habits in those that third grade are also indicative of that child's success in high school and beyond.
If you give a third grader a book...
The Muffin Project (named for Laura Numerof's best selling book, If You Give a Moose a Muffin) is all about getting kids—especially third-graders—into the habit of reading.
The idea is, if you make a connection with students during an author visit, pique their interest by reading the first chapter or two of your book, and then give them a copy of that book (maybe even signed by the author!), then they’ll want to read the rest of the story. (And, if like my books, that book is the first in a trilogy, they might even be tempted to read the whole series!)
My "Muffin" school visits have been primarily to communities where there's no money for frills (think Flint, Michigan and rural North Carolina). I don't charge for the visits, but instead have solicited funds from other sources to offset the cost of the books I give away.
The benefits I’ve seen from the program can’t be matched. As one teacher noted, "We don't get many authors here—it was the highlight of our year so far." But my favorite rewards come from the students themselves. After I'd suggested that they might share their book with a friend after they finished it, one young reader confided that she wasn't going to do that because her friends might not take care of her new book. And one young reader who, after thanking me, turned back to confirm, "It's mine? I can take it home?" had a smile that was almost as big as mine as I said "Yes."
Too often elementary-age students equate reading with work—not realizing that books also offer an endless source of pleasure. Studies show that reading habits are pretty much formed by the time a child finishes third grade. It's not a coincidence then that the presence (or absence) of strong reading habits in those that third grade are also indicative of that child's success in high school and beyond.
If you give a third grader a book...will she want another to go with it? We think so, and that can make all the difference! I'm happy to share more details or answer any questions you might have or set up a visit to your school. Just email me at mctillson@amwriting.com.