Passionate Young Readers Expresses Literary Opinion as Paper Plus Kids' Choices Reviewers
PASSIONATE READERS EXPRESS LITERARY OPINIONS AS PAPER PLUS KIDS’ CHOICES REVIEWERS
New Zealand’s up-and-coming book reviewers are a little younger than you might expect; in fact, they range in age from 15 to just seven. They are a group of 12 talented, literate young readers from around the country who are penning their own critiques in their new roles as Paper Plus Kids’ Choices reviewers. Each youngster will be sent books each month for review, and their profiles will be set up on the Paper Plus website and will appear in-store and on mailers alongside their reviews.
Among the chosen reviewers is Kaitaia 15-year-old Priscilla de Groen Hutchinson, who says reading is her main passion in life: “When I was little, if I did something wrong my mum would threaten that I wouldn’t be allowed to read for a week. I did anything to make sure that never happened!”
Priscilla is joined by 12-year-old Logan Rae of Rangiora, who uses a four-hour daily round-trip to school in Christchurch as the perfect opportunity to lap up books – he estimates he gets through 15 every month. “Reading opens up gates to knowledge,” he says. “You can read practically anywhere, and everyone likes something different, so it’s an individual thing.”
Jack Reid concurs. The Orewa 11-year-old makes no secret of his addiction to books: “I read every day – in the morning before school, at school, after school and when I’m in bed. My mum and dad will tell me to turn the lights off because its time to sleep, so I’ll try to read in the dark for a while.”
As New Zealand’s largest stationery and bookseller, Paper Plus has launched Kids’ Choices with the key goals of encouraging Kiwi kids to read more, and helping children to develop the skill of expressing their opinions about what they have read, therefore promoting reading as an activity among their peer group. All reviewers are aged between seven and 15.
Paper Plus Marketing Manager Lyle Hastings says Kids’ Choices gives the reviewers a unique opportunity to tell New Zealand what they think about the books they have read. “It’s a great opportunity for kids to develop not just their reading skills but also their writing ability, by reading and reviewing a book of their choice. It allows kids to really engage with a book’s storyline and be able to express how they felt about a book, and why. It is important for kids’ intellectual development to become involved with reading and literature, and Kids’ Choices promotes this.”
ends
About Paper Plus
The Paper Plus Group began 26 years ago and is one of New Zealand’s largest stationery and booksellers. The Group incorporates three separate retail brands: Paper Plus, which has 104 stores; Take Note with 63 stores; and Office Spot with three stores, all offering a great range of stationery, books, magazines, cards and gifts to New Zealand consumers. There is a Paper Plus store in every town and city, from Kaitaia to Invercargill. It is the only New Zealand book and stationery retailer with Fly Buys.