Two energized 10th grade boys stopped on their way past my circulation desk to check out the pop-up book I have on display called Blood and Goo and Boogers Too! by Steve Alton, Nick Sharratt, and Jo Moore. It's not exactly a must-have for a high school library, true, but you'd be surprised how many kids say, "Whaaaaaaaat? Isn't this for little kids, Miss?" and then spend 10 to 15 minutes flipping through, totally engaged, learning about the human respiratory and circulatory systems... enjoying themselves.
A moment ago, these two boys stopped, amused by the textured cover (the green snot on the cover is gooey and, believe it or not, impossible to resist touching), and said, "Cooooooooooool! I love pop-ups!!"
Then the second boy said, "Does it have sound?"
Really? With all the colorful, complex, interactive features this book, he wanted sound to boot??
A few more words on this dissatisfaction with the pretty darn amazing, a bit more entertainingly expressed, here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoGYx35ypus
I think it's great that the kids enjoy the book. Perhaps its aytypicalness adds to its appeal. I know I enjoy pop-up books. The hands-on part really gets me. (Was it only one boy who wanted sound in the book? Perhaps he requires extra stimulation. I think you have a job cut out for you, to teach him to appreciate the books as they are.)
ReplyDeleteAnd I like how you have books on display; it's a great way to expose people to all different types of books. And if the kids can learn some science while browsing through the book, all the better.