Ames Public Library: Reading Requests

Press release from the Ames Public Library:

March 16, 2022

by Jill Philby 

We get lots of requests at Ames Public Library.  Sometimes it is a simple request, like needing a study room.  Other times, it’s a bit more complicated, like putting an item on hold or a purchase request.  And, occasionally, it is for something that may take a bit more time and thought, such as title suggestions for advanced young readers—children who are reading quite a bit higher than their grade level. 

When we have an adult talk to us here in Youth Services about their advanced reader, we get excited.  It’s exciting that your child has learned how to decode language and loves books and reading!  It’s wonderful that they are zooming though books faster than you can bring them home!

But what we also hear from parents is that their child has read so much that they don’t know if there is anything else left to be read. 

And we get it. You want them to keep reading, but it can be a challenge to find new titles that will intrigue your child.  They may need more elaborate plots, well-developed characters, or a more complex writing style to keep their interest.  Or they may need a nudge in a new reading direction.

Here are a few ideas that may help you help your advanced reader keep reading and stay motivated:

So, come and talk to us. Make a request. Ask a librarian. Seriously, ask us! We know what is new, what has been loved in the past, and what has been well-reviewed by other readers and professionals. While our selection of books may vary a bit from day to day, we’d love to walk the stacks with you or your child and see what books we can match to them! If you don’t have time to come in, go online and use the library’s Personalized Picks form (https://www.amespubliclibrary.org/form/personalized-picks) to get individualized recommendations that can be put on hold and picked up later. 

We’ll see you at the library!

This press release was produced by the Ames Public Library. The views expressed here are the author’s own.