Growing a Reader: Kids' Books, Tips and More

It's never too early to foster skills that support lifelong learning.

Toronto Public Library has released its newest publication, a fun research guide for kids titled Superbrain: An Insider's Guide to Getting Smart. Written by Jessica Rovito and Peggy Thomas, two TPL librarians, Superbrain challenges students in grades 3 to 7 to become self-directed learners and find joy in reading and exploring their interests. 

I recently interviewed Jessica about the writing experience and why fostering a love of lifelong learning in children is so important.

What did you learn about writing/research skills that was new to you?

I learned some rather charming phrases that refer to specific online phenomena like: Netiquette, (etiquette + (the) Internet) a term used to describe polite and considerate behaviour online; and its antithesis, Flame War, a heated online argument between individuals.

How did you come up with the superhero theme?

We proposed a number of different themes before finally settling on the superhero one – proof that you don’t always get it right the first time! We originally wanted the book to centre around a video game, but never got that particular construct to work. What remained however was the notion of a hero-type character guiding readers through the content, which eventually morphed into a superhero theme.   

What was your favourite part of the whole experience?

My favourite part of working on Superbrain was definitely writing the comics and seeing how the brilliant Dave Whamond interpreted the text into illustrations. 

The tests are so fun. What kind of learner are you?

Peggy and I are both visual learners.  That’s why we work so well together!  

How can paren'ts/caregivers use this book with their kids?

The last chapter of the book, "To the Internet and Beyond!", deals with Internet safety and encourages kids to think about the impact of their digital footprint. We’ve heard from paren'ts and caregivers before about the challenges of imparting such an important message, and we wanted the book to help make that task a little easier. Consequently, we tied the messaging into a superhero mantra – “with great power comes great responsibility” – to make the information playful, and even poked fun at the oftentimes all-too-serious nature of Internet safety warnings through the last comic of the book.

Why is it so important for kids to have access to information and know how to think critically about it?

We wanted kids to recognize that learning takes place in all sorts of locations and throughout their lives; learning is more than just school assignments and homework. Being able to access information in a free and supportive environment like a library, is a huge part of lifelong learning. Someone who is information literate (aka a superbrain) is able to locate, evaluate and use information effectively, and critical thinking is a large part of that.  We wanted to empower kids to become informed citizens, able to spot bias and propaganda, and capable of making rational well informed decisions, which would ultimately steer the course of their own learning journeys.  

Superbrain: An Insider’s Guide to Getting Smart is now available at all branches, in bookstores, and at other libraries worldwide.