Bonnie Scott, a columnist for Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service, uses the Internet to support her children's reading. Here are some of her suggestions:
I start with the Children's Literature Web guide at www.acs. ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown. Here I have found lists of Children's Book Award winners, children's best-sellers and specific resources for parents.
A Web traveler's Toolkit will link you to the best children's literature sites. Forums and bulletin boards let you post questions about kids and reading.
Book reviews can be helpful when you don't know what to suggest next. Check www.amazon. com for reviews of books for children and young readers.
I also encourage children to research their favorite authors. They may discover additional titles to read, and interesting facts about a writer. Kids could even be inspired to do some of their own writing.
Fans of the Baby-sitters Club will want to visit www.scholastic. com/babysittersclub. Here girls can meet the BSC members, play games, share adventures and even become official members of the Baby-sitters Fan Club.
Goosebumps readers will want to see www.scholastic.com/ goosebumps where they can check out the latest clips from the Goosebumps show and software. Information on R. L. Stine and dates of appearances are also available here.
If your reader is more attuned to the rodent world around Redwall Abbey, be sure to visit the Official Brian Jacques Web site at www.redwall.org. Visitors can read "Ten Good Yarns," find out how Jacques gets his ideas and join the Redwall Readers Club. Enthusiasts can even download a sound file to hear Brian Jacques introduce the Long Patrol, the newest addition to the Redwall series.
Younger readers and pre- readers will want to visit their Dr. Seuss friends at www. randomhouse.com/seussville. Children can chat with the Cat in the Hat, interact with Horton and the Whos, and enter to win prizes.
Younger kids will also like the Official Eric Carle Web Site at www.eric-carle.com. Learn about the history of the Hungry Caterpillar, see what's new from Eric Carle and even send an e-mail directly to the author.