FABulous BOOKS!!! R.L. LaFevers

Last year, my son Bear was still at the point where books were only fun if they had pictures. To be fair, he was only 7, but if the book had no pictures, Bear couldn't fathom it being worth his time. Even if the book had pictures, say a chapter book from a recent movie (a movie he couldn't wait to watch) he would lose interest fairly quickly because there just weren't enough pictures. To be honest, I was a bit perplexed. I mean, I LOVE books, no pictures means I get to use my imagination. The problem, it turned out, was I wasn't buying the right books. Why would he want to sit and read a book about SpongeBob when he could just turn on the t.v. and watch it? So, I bought a few other non-movie or t.v. show related books, and read them to him. Unfortunately, we had the same problem, Bear would lose interest about 3 Chapters in.

And then one day all that changed. I started reading Bear THE FORGING OF THE BLADE by R.L. LaFevers. Two pages in and Bear was hooked. Heck, the whole family was hooked. What started out as a "try it you may really like it" prodding, turned into computers, t.v., phone, everything turned off, while the entire family sat on the couch and I read. I read of a boy who's father was missing along with all of the other blacksmiths in the area. I read of a boy who watched as he and his mother were about to lose everything. And I read of a boy who would do anything to see that his father came home and his family and neighbors were safe. I read until my voice was hoarse and my family, The Hubs included, sent various wails of "awe, just a little more. Please!" singing into the air.

I read the entire Lowthar's Blade Trilogy to my family over the course of a couple of weeks. And as I read, I watched Miss Beautiful and Bear crunch their little faces up in anticipation, in a bit of heart-stopping what-will-happen-next rapture that told me I was no longer the only reader in the house. Bear has dyslexia, he struggles behind his friends to read just below grade level, but he goes to his tutoring sessions, and he does his homework, and then he sits down with one of his beloved LBT books, to see how much more work he needs to do before he can read these books himself. He is transported when he reads these books, he is Kenric. He sees what a book can do for the imagination that no video game, t.v. show or movie can do.

R.L. LaFevers is my FAB pick, because she has the imagination - the skill with the pen - to capture her audience like magic. She has made readers out of children that swore books were only good if they had pictures. The worlds she has created with her words have shown children of all ages that READING IS FUN. She has inspired children to pick up a book and that alone makes her FAB.

Her books, make her double FAB. Tomorrow, I'll post my dish on LaFevers newest book, THEODOSIA AND THE SERPENTS OF CHAOS, Maggie and I will have interviews with Theo and R.L. on Thursday, and post winners of the contests on Friday.

Oh, but I've only mentioned one contest, right? Guess I better fill you in on the secondary contest. To enter for a chance to win an ancient Egyptian pen (seen here), and in honor of some of the ancient Egyptian gods that Theo introduces us to in her adventures, we'd like you to invent your very own Egyptian god. One that you'd like to see that would help you. Mine would be Dawnascrub - goddess of Dirty Dishes, and she would bless my house with no dirty dishes for an entire week (or eternity, I won't look a gift horse in the mouth). Anything you want. Name them and tell me what they are for, and you are entered! And if you haven't yet, be sure to enter this contest for your chance at a signed copy of THEODOSIA AND THE SERPENTS OF CHAOS.

Good Luck and Take Care