Free Program Gets Teenagers To Read

Reading: It affects a students vocabulary, word recognition, ability to comprehend, and new studies are showing that a lack of literacy skills among teens can be the root cause of ills such as poverty, teen pregnancy, and increased dropout rates.

Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) June 8, 2005 -- Reading: It affects a students vocabulary, word recognition, ability to comprehend, and new studies are showing that a lack of literacy skills among teens can be the root cause of ills such as poverty, teen pregnancy, and increased dropout rates.

How can parents and teachers get even the most reluctant teenagers to read?

The answer over 5,000 secondary school teachers have turned to since 1999 is Adopt-An-Author. The program was founded by best-selling author Steve Alten when he became inundated with e-mail from teenagers who hated reading until they were given his first novel, MEG, a fictional thriller about a 70-foot prehistoric great white shark,. Alten, whose background is in education, saw an opportunity to assist students and their teachers, who were already using his novel in school.

Adopt-An-Author combines page-turning thrillers and true-life heroic stories with interactive websites, free curriculum materials, AND direct interaction between authors and students, through e-mails, newsletters, conference calls, and visits. Best of all - the program is FREE - paid for by the programs sponsors and Steve Alten.

Adopt-An-Authors philosophy is simple: If reading is FUN, students will read. Novels are selected with subjects that have huge teen interests. For teachers, free materials are provided to make the transition of adding this program into their curriculum as easy as possible. Thousands of teachers from across the country using the program have pooled their curriculum information on www.AdoptAnAuthor.com . Registration is free.

Two Summer Reads Guaranteed to Hook Teens

While there are now a half dozen authors involved in the program, Steve Altens novels continue to have the largest following. For the Summer of 2005 he has released THE LOCH, a thriller about the hunt for the Loch Ness Monster that Loren Coleman, the worlds leading cryptozoologist calls, the best work of fiction since King Kong and The Lost World." In addition, Alten has re-edited and expanded his original novel, MEG, set to be re-released in mid-June. Look for the T-Rex being eaten by a monstrous shark on the cover!

Steve Alten can be reached at Meg82159@aol.com Teachers may register for Adopt-An-Author at www.AdoptAnAuthor.com

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